Home-based Blair focuses on stable start to his pro career

SUCH is the feeding frenzy that follows the emergence of a young rugby talent in Scotland that it seems strangely appropriate that Alex Blair will mark his entry into the big bad world of professional rugby next month by moving back home to his parents.

The 19-year-old has had 'the next big thing' tag hung around his neck since before he left Edinburgh Academy, helped by his brother and Test scrum-half Mike, who when asked about his baby brother coming through the school game, reckoned him to be better than himself. Now that his sibling is a team-mate, he qualifies that assertion by saying Alex was quicker, but that there are other areas he still holds sway in.

That reveals a family rivalry across three Blairs, with David in between and now facing the prospect of fending off his sibling for Edinburgh's No 10 jersey. However, the relationship is a side issue. It is the combination of skill, speed, nerve and innate confidence rarely bundled up in one Scottish player that has created a swirl of excitement around the Blair teenager.

What he has quickly discovered, however, is that having appeared on the radar expectations rise exponentially in this game and some criticism has already come his way. After a long spell out injured he returned to play a handful of games for Edinburgh Accies last season, and despite being asked to play in numerous positions he was unable to help prevent relegation. It was asking a lot of him to shine in such circumstances, yet there were mutterings from some of the club's supporters.

It is no surprise that his parents, now well used to the vagaries of popularity in Scottish sport, experienced through Mike and David, are happy that Alex is coming back under the family wing.

"My flatmate James Johnstone (Currie's Under-20 centre] is moving out because he's joining the Glasgow academy system," says Blair, "and rather than hunt about for another flat I thought it might allow me to concentrate on my rugby if I moved back home for this season."

Leaving issues of food and washing to mum and dad is hardly unusual for a 19-year-old who has never left his home city. Elsewhere, however, there is little sign of a protective blanket being wrapped around baby Blair.

Rob Moffat, the Edinburgh coach, expects him to take time to develop but believes he should do it at the coal-face rather than hidden in the latest version of the SRU academy school.He has assured Alex that he will be given enough starts this season to both learn the game and push himself into contention along with his brother and Scotland fly-half Phil Godman.

That intent reveals the strong desire on the part of Moffat, shared by Sean Lineen at Glasgow, to promote youth more quickly and reduce the number of mid-twentysomethings still trying to grasp the finer points of top-level rugby in the full glare of the Test spotlight. It may conflict with their desire for more consistency, but backed by Scotland coach Andy Robinson they are keen to test the old adage 'if you're good enough you're old enough'.

Blair himself enthuses over the example set by James O'Connor, the Wallaby fly-half-cum-centre who made his Super 14 debut at 17, took his Test bow at 18, scored hat-tricks for Australia against Italy last year and an England XV at Twickenham last month and, in his first game since turning 20, helped the Wallabies to a Tri Nations victory over South Africa.

"I've been very excited by James O'Connor," said Blair. "He is the same age as me. I've not played against him but he is an inspiration and I think the Australians are building for the next World Cup.

"But the World Cup is a long way off for me. I'm just enjoying feeling part of a professional team. I'm out of my comfort zone every day, trying to impress my team-mates and coaches, and win their respect. I've not had a lot of team sessions yet, but what has excited me and everybody I think is that Rob has said he is starting with a blank sheet and whoever takes their chances will be selected. I know I have a lot to learn, but I want the ten jersey and to play as many games as I can for Edinburgh."

Blair's progress, along with that of Glasgow's Ruaridh Jackson and Duncan Weir, will be watched closely after Scotland's lengthy search for more rounded game conductors. While Dan Parks controls games expertly, largely with his boot, but struggles to fire his backs, and Godman is a skilled passing and running stand-off still working to get his kicking game and level of control to a consistency that worries opposition, both Test pivots lack genuine pace. Blair has that, so not only sees gaps and instinctively wants to take players on, but has the ability to cruise through them if he gets the timing right.

According to those who know him well he has much work to do on his kicking accuracy, concentration and game management, but these are areas best shaped in the uniquely pressurised environment of a match.

It is instructive that, at the same age Blair is now, Gregor Townsend was making his full Scotland debut against England.Some, indeed, have compared Blair's desire and ability to attack to Townsend's, but by this point the Scotland backs coach had had two full seasons of senior Division One rugby under his belt, while Blair is not long into double figures for senior games.

"I am still learning the game at ten, but having players like David (Blair], Phil (Godman], Mike (Blair], Chris Paterson and Nick de Luca around me is bound to help," he says. "Edinburgh are a good, young side and we've got to be looking at the top four this season, and I want to be part of that."