Cowboys hope to spur on Scotland

The Scots have been allocated an initial base on the edge of the tropics and to help them acclimatise for the big kick-off against Asia’s top qualifiers, probably Japan, on October 12, facilities are being made available by North Queensland Cowboys.

Tim Nugent, spokesman for the Cowboys, said that within hours of this week’s draw excitement was mounting about a visit from the Scots, maintaining that the club were ready to roll out the red carpet in setting aside any traditional inter-code rivalries.

He said: "We play a separate code of rugby from Scotland but above all we realise the union World Cup is on one of sport’s biggest stages.

"So, any assistance we can give can be taken as read in the spirit of Australian hospitality."

One concern for the Scottish coaches is bound to be the effect of playing in high humidity with temperatures expected to hover around the 80-degree mark.

Indicating that the Cowboys have carried out extensive research into avoiding dehydration with results available to the Scots, Nugent added: "Our research into dehydration carried out by conditioning coach Billy Johnstone is far reaching and extends to when the ideal time for water breaks are. We hope Scotland coach Ian McGeechan will drop in on us when he is in Australia for a pre-tournament fact-finding trip and see what we are about himself.

"That way we can show Mr McGeechan our stadium which has been rated among the best in Australian Rugby League.

"Also attached to the Dairy Farmers Stadium is a first-class gymnasium."

Cowboys only entered the Australian Rugby League in 1995 but helped by overseas signings such as Jonathan Davies, the former Wales rugby union internationalist and Great Britain cap in the 13-a-side version, they have made progress.

"It is still early days in our development but the important thing is we are going in the right direction and would like to think we might have something to offer our visitors," said Nugent.

Meanwhile, Tony Reedy, chairman of the Townsville Rugby Union, says the Scots will not lack support.

"There will be plenty of backers for Scots particularly among the ex-pat community, while the facilities for acclimatising for a lengthy World Cup campaign are excellent and extend to nearby rainforest at an altitude of around 2000 feet.

"There is also an indoor pool where the Scots will be able to train with a feature that enables coaches to increase the strength of a current players have to swim against which is generated through waves.

"Indeed, when the British and Irish Lions played in Townsville last year (Lions won 83-6 versus a Queensland President’s XV) there was a lot of positive feedback."

In return, though, Reedy is hoping the Scots and other sectional teams designated to play in Townsville will help raise the profile of rugby union.

He said: "It is the case that our local union has unearthed outstanding Wallabies including winger Peter Grigg and flanker Sam Scott-Young but in an area where it has been known for teams to travel 12 hours by road to fulfil a fixture we are hoping for a boost from the quality of play.

"Outstanding performances in the three games we have been allocated could help rugby union rise up the local sporting pecking order where we currently sit behind No.1 crowd-pullers the Townsville Crocodiles basketball team followed by the Cowboys, the national league women’s basketball team and local rugby league."

Civic leaders in Townsville have also been quick to extend a hand of friendship to Scottish visitors.

Local Enterprise Association chief executive, Richard Power, said amidst five pages of World Cup coverage in the Townsville Bulletin: "The Rugby World Cup is surpassed only by the Olympics and the football World Cup in terms of appeal and we are glad to be playing a part in ensuring the event goes smoothly."

SCOTLAND women’s rugby team will go into Saturday’s fifth-place decider against Australia at the World Championship in Spain without full back Sarah Higgins (concussion) and winger Angela Hutt (broken collarbone).

The Capital pair, from Royal High and Murrayfield Wanderers respectively, were injured as the Scots recovered their best form with a 23-16 win over the hosts.