Melrose try to prove a point in London Scottish test

THE great opportunity that the British and Irish Cup has promised Scottish clubs has been to gauge their quality in a wider context, but few games have brought the same sense of anticipation than that to be played at Richmond this afternoon.

There is an edge to the clash between London Scottish and Melrose due to the fact ’Rose have the opportunity to claim their first place in the competition’s quarter-finals, but also because of the undercurrent of battle for the SRU’s affections.

The two clubs were formed within a year of each other, nearly 135 years ago, and Scottish have rolled out the red carpet for their visitors with this being their first taste of cup action against a side from north of the border.

But whereas most English Championship clubs have fielded reserve sides in the British and Irish Cup – as Scottish have done so far – the excitement of having the reigning Scottish club champions in town there is today allied to a new pressure on London Scottish head coach Simon Amor – namely to show that the club is moving closer to Edinburgh and Glasgow and pro level.

Amor has almost an entirely full-time squad and is expected to field close to the team that lost 25-20 at home to Doncaster last weekend, while Melrose will field just two professionals – Scott Wight, the Glasgow fly-half and Edinburgh elite development hooker Alun Walker – but a similar side to that which has taken the club to the top of Premier One and RBS Cup wins over Kelso and Jed-Forest recently.

Some in the Melrose club have been critical of suggestions that the SRU should use the English club as a ‘third pro club’ in terms of developing talented young Scots, fearing further erosion of the club game in Scotland if young talents head south. But the opinion of Melrose coach Craig Chalmers, also recently handed a Scotland ‘A’ coaching role, is mixed.

“There is a lot of ambition among Scottish clubs in Premier One and it’s important that the SRU do invest in our game and help us develop our young talent,” he said, “but London Scottish also offer a great opportunity to help Scottish rugby. It is a big city and they have big plans to develop the club and, hopefully, get into the Premiership, which would be a big draw for Scots, players, supporters and business people, in and around London, to get involved with rugby.

“Because they play in England they have to have more English players than any other nationality to qualify for RFU funding, so I actually think they would be better in the RaboDirect Pro12, and provide another avenue there to support Scottish rugby.”

Chalmers watched Scottish lose at home to Bristol three weeks ago and though the team has won just three from 14 league games and none in the B&I Cup yet he rates them highly. He is confident that he has a team that can beat them, however.

“They will be favourites because they have a full-time team and they are a decent side, but if we play well we have a good chance of winning the game. We have a few injuries [Gary Holborn, Nick Beavon, Cammie Murray and Joe Helps are ruled out] but we have more to play for because if we win we can qualify for the quarter-finals, while they can’t.

“But whatever way it goes it will be a great occasion at the Athletic Ground, the biggest game for our club for years, and another good experience for our players that will stand them in good stead in the future.”

Ayr are the only Scottish side to experience the cup quarter-finals, and they are out for revenge for the 29-19 loss they suffered at Bristol last season when the club pitches up at Millbrae today. They have nearly 200 guests for hospitality, including SRU President Ian McLauchlan, and the game is being broadcast by BBC Radio Bristol. The current English Championship leaders would be a terrific scalp for the Scots.

Currie hope to attracting a big crowd to Malleny Park for their game with Nottingham – fourth in the Championship – and victory could re-open the possibility of a quarter-final berth depending on other results.