EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS

BILL LOTHIAN


CURRIE bosses have come out all guns blazing in a fierce attack on the Scottish Rugby Union, claiming victimisation.

Sometimes in sport it is perceived snubs - real or imagined - that drive competitors.


And that certainly appeared to emerge when scratching below the surface of Currie's excellent 25-14 fourth-round BT Scottish Cup victory over Glasgow Hawks on a day of sustained controversy at Malleny Park.

With the victory anthems still ringing in the players' ears, assistant coach Graham Hogg chose the moment to claim that further progress on all fronts, including a relegation battle, was being hampered by the fact Currie are not being treated equally in terms of the release of full-time players from the pro teams.

This was especially the case when compared to league and cup rivals Heriot's and Melrose, Hogg said.

"We have written complaining that on just one occasion this season we have had call on a pro team player, Hugo Southwell, compared to other clubs who have had up to 15.

"While I don't expect any favourable response because it suits clubs like Heriot's, who have had 15 player releases, the letter asks for a level playing field.

"The whole situation becomes even more ridiculous when it is remembered that the Border Reivers' 36 players are divided between that region's mere three top-flight clubs for attachment when available.

"And, of those being released, it seems that stand off James King is turning out every week for Melrose.

"As I say, I don't expect any favourable response because [influential] clubs will be happy to see us relegated but all I want is a level playing field.

"That is especially the case as we reach the business end of the season with stakes increasing so maybe all releases should stop now."

Nor was Hogg finished in his condemnations, breaking ranks with fellow coach Ally Donaldson, who had insisted he accepted a decision to cotton wool the club's two Scotland Under-21 stars ahead of forthcoming representative matches starting on February 3.

"Players only learn by playing and the resting is starting far too early - fair enough when the under-21 Six Nations' starts," said Hogg, a former internationalist and Scotland A coach.

While it must be pointed out that Currie have been particularly unfortunate that their six allocated players from Edinburgh Gunners have either been mainstream caps or injured since the protocol was approved in August - technically they have an attachment to Todd Blackadder (retired), Tom Philip (retired) and Fergus Pringle (injured) as well as internationalists Simon Webster, Allan Jacobsen and Hugo Southwell - Hogg's arguments were backed in the wider sphere by director of rugby, Iain Russell.

In particular, Russell claimed the SRU had blocked a request by Gunners squad player Mike Pyke to transfer to Currie even though Boroughmuir nor Edinburgh were using the Canadian Test winger regularly.

Russell said: "Mike Pyke wanted to change clubs but he couldn't get that benefit. This reinforces the fact that ourselves and Stirling County were correct to argue against the player release protocol from the outset."

Boroughmuir manager Grant Wilson today insisted it was the first he had heard of any unrest but said hands were tied.

"It is up to the SRU or Edinburgh to allocate players and it is just your club's luck how available they are although, in Mike's case, he has arrived in a position where we are particularly well covered."

Saturday's match was watched by Hawks' Kenny Hamilton, who chairs the Premiership Forum charged with working alongside the SRU. Hamilton admitted there had been a complaint about release procedures but denied a split in the ranks. "Clubs knew the situation at the outset and should have prepared accordingly," said Hamilton in appearing to back 'Muir's strategies in using Pyke as a squad member and Heriot's' grooming policy that has seen the likes of Ander Monro and Ally Dickinson emerge through their ranks and on to the pro game.

Here it must be pointed out, too, that Currie's foresight extended at the weekend to giving a debut run at second row to Scottish-eligible South African high-flier Paul Huntley, 21.

"I've played for Natal under-21s as well as trialling this season for Celtic League side Connacht admittedly when I wasn't as sharp as I am now. Hopefully, I can use my stay for at least two years to help my own prospects. and those of Scottish rugby."

But if there was just a hint of a schism between Kenny Hamilton's organisation and Currie the two clubs were soon re-united in raising question marks against the performance of referee Rupert Henderson.

"Our 3-9 interval deficit was partly down to having to come to terms with the referee's interpretations," was Currie coach Donaldson's exemplary diplomatic-speak for the situation which saw the whistler struggle to differentiate between knock-ons and ball-stripping in the tackle.

Counterpart David Wilson was more forthright, acknowledging that leading officials were withdrawn to traverse the Euro circuit in a move that fans the flames of the club-versus-districts dispute some less astute observers insist is "dead".

"They should have got the best referee to handle what was the Scottish Cup tie of the day," said Wilson, whose generosity to Currie transcended the fact he once played for that club.

"We were bullied all around the pitch by opponents who were hungrier and wanted success more than us - so no excuses from us."

In fact, two of Currie's four second-half tries came when Hawks had forwards Scott Forrest and Richie Maxton in the sin-bin though the turning point had arrived earlier according to new recruit Huntley.

Huntley said: "As soon as Geoff Caldwell crossed just after half-time you could see it motivated us to score more."

That it was always going to be committed Currie's day was echoed by another architect of what was a second successive seasonal Cup triumph over Hawks - hard-running full back, Dougie Flockhart.

How Hawks must dislike the sight of Flockhart considering he has now scored in both these victories though the Scotland rugby league cap modestly played down contributions, saying: "It was our forwards who really did the hard yards in a match where we showed increasing maturity.

"From the moment we warmed up and all our boys were pumped for it to the end when we demonstrated new-found composure - we blew a league win over Boroughmuir in injury time - in playing down the clock, I could sense our greater team effort would prevail, which is what happened."

Within that, sub Mike Ker kicked a first-half penalty to set against two by Murray Strang, who landed a third before the turnaround. With the customary half-time oranges came huge Currie momentum soon after and sparked by Caldwell's unconverted effort before, with Forrest and Maxton yellow carded, my man of the match Mark Cairns (flanker) and Dougie Flockhart made it 20-9, Ker converting the second. And, though Ally Maclay's try pulled Hawks back to within a score, e Ker was up quickly from stand off on a loose scrum heel to put Currie through and establish bragging rights ahead of Saturday's return, also at Malleny Park, in the league.

How much fall-out is to come before then on the freshly-revived clubs v districts front remains to be seen but ultimately the big question arising was: Can Currie win the first major trophy in their 36-year history?

Scorers: Currie: Tries - Caldwell, Cairns, Flockhart, Ker. Conversion - Ker. Penalty - Ker. Glasgow Hawks: Try - Maclay. Penalties - Strang (3).

Currie: D Flockhart; G Caldwell, A Muir, G Moffat, C Browne; D Raw, G Calder; A Reekie, G Scott, A Edwards, P Huntley, A Adam (captain), B Miller, R Weston, M Cairns. Subs (used): D Wilson, B Morrison, M Ker. Sub not used: T May.

Glasgow Hawks: K Baillie; S Low, S Smith, S Duffy, A Maclay; M Strang, I Monaghan; E Milligan (captain), M Smith, G MacFadyen, S Begley, R Maxton, S Warnock, S Forrest, N McKenzie. Subs (used): G Mories, M Sitch, A McLean. Sub not used: S Fell.

Referee: Mr R Henderson.

This article was posted on 23-Jan-2006, 12:42 by Hugh Barrow.