THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
DAVID FERGUSON

JED-Forest skipper Clark Laidlaw celebrated his latest sevens success with the Kelso silverware on Saturday, but insisted that changes had to be made to the Scottish rugby season if a spark is to return to the club game.

A crowd of only a few hundred watched the final of a pre-season tournament which once drew several thousand, and there was no hiding the general lack of quality on the field throughout the afternoon. Few clubs sent their strongest sevens, as interest was instead on anything from XV-a-side friendlies and holidays to wedding and farming commitments. Some clubs, including Melrose and Hawick, are even missing a clutch of senior players through injury already - the league kick-off is still two weeks away.

With a host of experienced Kelso players watching from the touchline, having just returned from a wedding the day before, even the hosts were humbled in the first round by Haddington, a result bound to have affected the gate.

Selkirk polished off Haddington with only marginally more difficulty than their 55-0 trouncing of Duns earlier, which was one of a clutch of one-sided ties before the semi-finals really warmed up the afternoon. Watsonians, whose coach Cammy Mather had been excused for his own wedding, did well to make it that far, but their young team were then beaten by Selkirk, while Jed easily saw off a youthful Gala side.

It set up an entertaining joust in the final between arguably the two clubs taking the event most seriously and the all-Borders final cheered the loyal souls who stayed to the bitter end. Laidlaw provided the difference, marshalling the aggressive Jed defence and creating tries for his brother Scott and Graeme Dodds in the second half to dash Selkirk revivals. Ross Goodfellow, Paul Pringle and Roy MacFarlane also touched down, with the incredible pace of teenager Lee Jones providing hope for the Souters, and two tries, and Ross Nixon closing the gap. Though ultimately futile, their showing might help the attendance at their own sevens next Sunday.

Laidlaw's mastery was no surprise as his last sevens event was as a Scotland international at Twickenham. His days of playing on the world sevens circuit now seem over, due to SRU policy changes, but he is relishing the challenge of steering Jed back to Division 1 with their new coaching staff of Kevin and Gary Armstrong. He shook his head, however, when reminded that his season runs until Jed's own sevens - nine months from now.

"That is the ludicrous side of Scottish rugby," he said. "No wonder teams are struggling right now to get sevens and XVs together. We play far too long in club rugby in Scotland. These are amateur guys and they can't do it now with all the other commitments - work, family, training, playing, a social life. I don't think people understand what is asked of amateur players now; it's a huge commitment."

Laidlaw, who played professional rugby with the Borders and in Italy before spearheading Scotland's first full-time run in world sevens, added: "I'm only 29 and I'm the oldest player in our squad today. You used to have guys playing who were in their mid-30s, but it's becoming less and less.

"In New Zealand club players have a good season, but five or six months off as they move into NPC and Super 14. We could have one bigger league, maybe, playing each other once up to Christmas and going into play-offs or something else, but which allows guys a proper break. We definitely have to look at our club season."

It is bizarre to think we are again discussing reconstruction still a fortnight from the start of the new season. But the dwindling of interest in club rugby in the Borders, if not further afield, cannot go on indefinitely. Kelso have debated moving their tournament so difficult is the task of attracting top teams and supporters. The club could do more to attract families and future generations, undoubtedly, but with sevens now on Saturdays and Sundays through April and May options are limited.

The only solution appears to be a revolutionary change to the league season. Such an enlightened move was proposed by Genesis Consultants only two years ago - it pops up regularly in fairness - but thrown out by Scotland's clubs. So it would not be advisable to hold one's breath.

This article was posted on 14-Aug-2006, 07:12 by Hugh Barrow.