GOSSMAN TAKES OVER AT GHK

We are pleased to announce that Jimmy Gossman has agreed to fill the vacancy as head coach. Jimmy played his club rugby with Ardrossan Accies and West of Scotland and obtained representative honours for Scotland, Glasgow and the Barbarians. He has coaching experience with West of Scotland and more recently he has been heavily involved in coaching junior rugby at GHK and Glasgow Hawks. We are confident that Jimmy will fit well into the senior rugby set up at Old Anniesland and help take us to the next level.

The vacancy arises because David Ross our head coach for the last three seasons has been appointed Performance Manager for North Region by the SRU. The committee thank David for all his hard work. We wish him well and he will always be welcome back at Old Anniesland.
Our other coaches, Ali McAra, Ryan Walsh and Ken O'Callaghan remain with us to carry on with their good work.


Forward power brings Beaumont's slam

David Frost
Monday March 10, 1980
Guardian Unlimited

"We decided to tire out the England forwards by making them chase about the field," Andy Irvine, captaining Scotland for the first time, said after the 30-18 defeat at Murrayfield on Saturday.

"We did this but we had given them too much of a lead," he said.

The strength, technique, experience and control of their forwards brought England a lead of 19-3 at half-time and eventually won them the Calcutta Cup, the championship, the triple crown and the grand slam for the first time since 1957. But the refusal of the Scots to lie down meant that the second half was more lively and challenging than anyone had any right to e
Well before half-time England's pack were in such command at the scrums and in the loose that many opponents would have resigned themselves to their fate. But Scotland decided to run everything and were rewarded with two stirring tries and 15 points in the second half.

England's triumph was not due entirely to their forwards. In this match the halfbacks kicked well and the elusive running of Woodward fashioned the first two tries for Carleton and Slemen. Hare's conversion of both these tries, the second from near the left touchline, had an important psychological value, and Carleton ended up with a hat-trick of tries. The England three-quarters were brought into the game and they did not let the side down.

The basis of England's victory on Saturday - as indeed of their hearteningly successful season - was their thorough organisation, given life and purpose by the inspiration of Billy Beaumont. The richly experienced players around him knew what to do, and Beaumont, like Eric Evans before him in 1957, led them into action with zest and relish.

Another important factor in the current England revival has been the presence, behind Beaumont, of two intelligent optimists, Mike Davis and Budge Rodgers. Davis, as coach, has seen to it that England's preparations at squad sessions have been thorough and apposite.

Rogers, as chairman of selectors, has seen the value of experience and a settled team, and his enthusiasm and planning have given momentum to the whole campaign.

It seems an age ago that Davis conducted his first England training session on an echoing, grassless suburban pitch in Tokyo. Yet it was on that tour last May and June that Davis laid the foundations of Saturday's triumph and Beaumont grew up as captain.

England's third try at Murrayfield showed them at their best. At a scrum in the right-hand corner they drove the Scots backwards with perfectly timed and controlled shoves until a pushover try seemed on the cards. Instead, they let the ball out on the blind side, and Scott and Smith put Carleton over, giving England a lead of 16-0 after 31 minutes.

Two penalty goals by Irvine and one by Hare made the score 19-6 and then, eight minutes after the interval the England forwards struck again, retaining possession through ruck after consecutive ruck until Smith was able to get over for a try, making it 23-6.

From the stand it never looked as if Scotland would make up that deficit, but their daring running brought them a combined try by Tomes and an individual one by Rutherford, both converted by Irvine.

There was point in the remark after the match of Scotland's coach Nairn MacEwen: "If we could do all that running without forward strength, what can not be achieved with forward strength?" For England, Hare kicked another penalty goal, and Carleton got his third try, from a kick ahead by Dodge.

Rutherford's individual try was a gem, but it is difficult to believe that Saturday's game will force the Lions selectors, who will today announce the team for the tour of South Africa, to alter their opinions. Slemen and Carleton were always likely to be on tour, and all four of Saturday's centres have been on the fringes of selection. At least Woodward proved on Saturday that he now has the confidence to show his true form on the big occasion.

Apart from an even further strengthening of Beaumont's claim to the Lions captaincy, the forwards who probably did most for their cause were Colclough and Blakeway. Colclough, in particular, played a most effective all-round game. In the Scotland pack Beattie was already more or less assured of a place in the Lions party, while Tomes had one of his most impressive games for Scotland.

Something like eight or nine of Saturday's England team should be in the tour party, together with four or five Scots. But all of Saturday's 31 players - Jim Gossman (West of Scotland) came on in the second half for Hay who had a rib injury - deserve credit for providing a memorable match, played in a spirit almost of chivalry.

Beaumont said afterwards: "Ireland, the first match, was make or break for us. Then, when we won in Paris, everything became possible. Wales was the hardest game physically, ignoring the aggro. On Saturday we played some of the best rugby seen on an international field."

"I am a bit resentful that some people have labelled us a poor side," Beaumont said. "It seems like sour grapes to me. Any team that wins both away matches by scoring heavily must deserve the sort of rewards we earned."

This article was originally posted on 19-Oct-2006, 07:40 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 19-Oct-2006, 11:41.