Exiles two wins away from title in dramatic championship showdown

HAVING come through several promotion races in recent years, London Scottish are becoming used to the pressures at this time of the season, but, appropriately as they head across London to Blackheath today for their penultimate league match, the sense of anticipation this season is reaching fever pitch.

Scottish sit two points clear of Barking at the top of National One and though Barking have a game in hand they face the Scots at home next weekend, so two wins for London Scottish would clinch them the title and promotion to the RFU Championship, the league immediately below the Aviva Premiership.

It is by no means a foregone conclusion. Scottish lost at home to Blackheath and Barking and away to Rosslyn Park in their first three games of the season. Incredibly, they have since won 25 on the trot, and player-coach Simon Amor believes the team is better-placed now to defeat both Blackheath and Barking.

"The win (47-29] over Launceston at the weekend was very good," he told The Scotsman, "and there is no doubt that we have improved virtually every week since those first games.

"There were a number of reasons why we didn't perform well at the start of the season, myself taking over as head coach from Brett Taylor and a new coaching team and structure, and a number of injuries the main ones probably.

"I don't know how much better we are now. All I know is that as individuals and as a team we're playing well and performing and progressing every week, and I don't think the team has reached its full potential yet, which is exciting for the future.

"We know and have proven in the last 25 weeks or so that we can beat any team on their day."

Amor is acutely aware of the interest north of the border in the rise of London Scottish from the dark days when the club was dropped nine divisions just over a decade ago as punishment for going into administration, a sanction the RFU no longer administers. The Richmond club has worked its way back up and the former London Irish, Gloucester and Wasps scrum-half, and former World Sevens Player of the Year, underlined their desire to help the financially-stretched Scottish pro game.

"This is a hugely exciting time at London Scottish," he said. "I came on board because of the history and heritage of the club, but also because of the opportunity to do something special here. I genuinely feel this is a special time for Scottish, and a large part of that is the level we are now getting to, and the help that that can provide to develop Scottish rugby."

Though a former England Under-21 and Sevens captain, the scrum-half insisted: "Scottish rugby is a big part of this club; it always has been and it always will. It's what makes it different in the English game, but also what gives it the unique attraction to many Scots down here.

"And the Scottish players we have are doing their bit. Lewis Calder is a very intelligent, talented rugby player and is developing really well, and Josh Brown is a real super talent at second row. He has a lot of areas to grow, but is definitely one to watch in the future. Willie Lipp is a fantastic ball-carrier, and though he also has a lot to develop there have been big improvements in his game.

"Ben MacDougall is another who maybe didn't come through the Scottish system, but is certainly using his experience with Scotland and the Borders, as well as from Australia and rugby league, to help us.

"He has been outstanding this season. To have someone with that kind of experience, who can show what it means to be a professional and provide real leadership is great for me.

"I've been looking at quite a few Scottish boys to sign for next season, too. It would be wrong to comment on anyone, but it's really young guys coming through the system who we believe could add something to the club. I'm not talking about guys at Edinburgh or Glasgow, but club boys and mainly in England. I am still chatting to people in Scotland about who might benefit from coming down here, and if we can help young talents then I'd be delighted."

The key this weekend, however, is to take the penultimate step towards the Championship, and Amor is focused on the task in hand at the Rectory Field.

"This is my third season at Scottish and we've gone from National Three South to National One, and a few of the boys have been on that journey. It is good to have that experience of these pressure situations, but it's also good to have young players coming in fresh with passion and desire to take the club up.

"Hopefully next season we'll be able to grow what we've developed so far but at another level, but we still have a lot of work to do yet."

He added: "We haven't looked at league tables all season, just looked at ourselves, and that's worked for us so we'll continue to focus only on how we perform against Blackheath this weekend and see where we are on Monday."

P W D L F A PD TB LB Pts

London Scottish 28 25 0 3 912 486 426 21 2 123

Barking 27 26 1 0 779 385 394 15 0 121

Cambridge 28 18 1 9 927 683 244 19 5 98

Macclesfield 27 15 2 10 788 649 139 16 4 84

Blackheath 29 14 1 14 748 717 31 12 8 78

Tynedale 28 14 1 13 702 717 -15 11 4 73

Rosslyn Park 29 12 0 17 758 826 -68 10 9 67

Stourbridge 28 13 0 15 621 694 -73 9 4 65

Coventry 29 11 1 17 718 799 -81 12 6 64

Cinderford 27 12 0 15 604 689 -85 8 6 62

Wharfedale 28 11 1 16 586 719 -133 9 7 62

Sedgley Park 28 12 1 15 575 781 -206 6 3 59

Blaydon 28 10 0 18 594 736 -142 9 10 59

Redruth 29 11 2 16 600 766 -166 5 4 57

Otley 29 6 0 23 580 779 -199 10 11 45

Launceston 28 9 1 18 631 697 -66 12 8 38

Today: Blackheath v London Scottish, Cinderford v Barking

Saturday 7 May: Barking v London Scottish