THE HERALD REPORTS

Do I miss the big time? These days I can be back for the start of Dr Who
When Gordon Bulloch spoke last summer about his decision to quit the professional game and return to club rugby with West of Scotland, it sounded as if it could go either of two ways.

As he explained how he was looking forward to being able to opt out of training sessions and even miss matches if he had other commitments, it seemed his appetite for any involvement might quickly wane.

A veteran of two British and Irish Lions tours, the former Scotland captain was, after all, readying himself for a return to a much lower level. There was also the not insignificant matter of getting family life under way with his wife, Jen.

A daughter, Evie, was born just a fortnight ago.

As we chat in a deli just a few miles from his Dumgoyne home, he has never seemed more content. Yet the good news is the rugby he is now playing is contributing to that.

Maybe it is down to having helped the team to promotion from Premiership Division 3 or maybe the prospect of this weekend's derby meeting with Glasgow Hawks in the Scottish Cup semi-final, but it seems to be about more than that.

"For so many years, club rugby was being dragged through the mire that it's not until you're immersed in it again that you realise it's actually good fun," says the 32-year-old, who quit pro rugby while he was ahead in terms of physical condition.

"It's rugby of old. We play because we just want to play and have fun doing it.

It's almost like the two or three years that I spent with West before rugby went professional.

"When I first played here you had a core of junior players, some in their mid-20s and then the likes of Dave Barrett, John Lonergan, Ian Corcoran, Dave McVey, older heads who had their kids down with them, so there was a club atmosphere about it and we're starting to get that back now.

"For years in club rugby there was no-one over 25 and never a family in the clubhouse after the game. They all headed off into town."

Of course a decade ago, as a player for West and Glasgow, during their most successful European Cup campaign, he was one of the kids.

Now he is at the other end of the spectrum, to the extent that he is dependent on West continuing to improve that family appeal because he no longer has the final say on his participation.

"As long as I'm enjoying it and as long as Jen is okay with me playing and there's not too much to do around the house, then it will be fine," he admits.

"She enjoys it too, though. It's quite a good social afternoon and it's not as time-consuming as previously when I was off to Connacht or the likes on Friday morning and back late on Saturday night.

"Now, even if you're in the Borders, you can be home in time for Dr Who."

Bulloch is taking his responsibility as one of the old heads seriously, though.

"I've obviously got massively more experience than most so you can tell when a training session's going awry and can say calm down, slow it down, this is what's happening,' or you can take younger guys aside and advise them individually," he says. While that advice is mainly dispensed to the pack and it is clear Bulloch is thoroughly enjoying being propped by excellent youngsters in Callum Hastie and Elliot McLaren, he is aware that the backs are in rude health.

"We've got some excellent youngsters, some of the Under-18s coming through are fabulous players, but to be honest I only know most of them by their nicknames."

Well, he has only been back at the club for around nine months and they are only backs after all.

The presence of a player who has been on around 10 senior international tours, including two World Cup campaigns, is an obvious bonus to John Beattie, the West coach, and one of his assistants Dave McLean.

Beattie, a former Scotland internationalist and British Lion himself, and McLean, a former SRU fitness consultant, have masterminded West's rise this season and Bulloch is full of praise for the innovative way Beattie, in particular, is using his contacts as a BBC broadcaster and by exploiting his unique access to Scotland's brightest prospects.

"For a while John was working for The Herald and was always looking for angles, but since Johnny his son who plays for Glasgow Warriors has come on board he's really mellowed, taken a step back and has really impressed me as a coach," said Bulloch, with just a gentle dig.

"Obviously Johnnie Jr is always telling him what's going on in Glasgow sessions so we can put that into practice at West sessions and he's always looking to bring things in. For example, he spoke to the French defence coach after they played Scotland and found out what they were doing. So, we simplify those ideas a bit and then work on them."

While the prospect of a return to the Murrayfield pitch that he graced so often in a navy blue jersey is tantalising, Bulloch knows it is something of a long shot that Glasgow's oldest club can overcome the team that have, in just 10 years since their inception, established themselves as the city's top side.

"We know it's going to be tough. Dundee came for the quarter-final and maybe expected too much without actually thinking about it whereas Hawks won't treat us the same way," he said.

"They will know due to our performances recently we're going to give them a game. We've got a couple of injuries in the backs but we've got a pack which can probably hold its own so we need to try to get parity up front then just see where we can get from there. They've got some good backs, but they may struggle if the pitch is only 25 yards wide."

He says it with a wry smile, but with home advantage West might be advised to ensure that the pitch dimensions ensure their most influential players are kept as close to the ball as possible. Then again, since he no longer has to bulk up beyond what is comfortable in order to compete, his new lease of life appears to have extended to helping him rediscover the turn of pace that was his hallmark as a youngster.

"I feel fitter now than when I finished pro rugby because I'm not doing weights, I'm not running up stupid hills, I'm just keeping fit by playing sport. It's great. I caught a centre at touch rugby last night," he grins.

He may be required to do so a few times this weekend, but even if today spells the end of West's season, the club can be encouraged that it seems unlikely it will be the end of one of Glasgow rugby's greatest ever careers.

12:01am Saturday 21st April 2007



By KEVIN FERRIE, Chief Rugby Writer

This article was posted on 20-Apr-2007, 22:25 by Hugh Barrow.