THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
DAVID FERGUSON
THE notion of a fringe event attracting more and more attention to the extent that it overshadows its international counterpart is a familiar concept at festival time in Edinburgh.

Life has imitated art down at Murrayfield this month, as the on-going dispute between the Scottish Rugby Union and Edinburgh Rugby has so far ensured that newspaper headlines about the Bank of Scotland August Test match against Ireland on Saturday have been in as short supply as tickets for the military tattoo. That annual favourite has been sold out for months, but the 'house full' signs will not be on loan to Murrayfield this weekend.

This morning, Frank Hadden, the national coach, will try to grab the spotlight back with the announcement of the first Scotland team of the 2007-8 season. Ordinarily, this is a friendly with even less pull than autumn Tests, being the first of two warm-ups for the Rugby World Cup.

Only 17,500 tickets have been sold, hardly surprising considering the summer-long domestic feud, and another marketing effort hindered by the lack of resources at Murrayfield. There is time for more tickets to go yet, with the expectation being for a crowd of around 25,000.

That is nothing new. The RWC warm-ups in 1999 attracted the lowest figures ever for Scotland Tests, with just 11,000 witnessing the then Five Nations champions' 31-22 defeat to Argentina at Murrayfield and just 6,000 turning up for the 60-point thrashing of Romania at Hampden Park. The picture was slightly better when Ireland (33,000) and Italy (25,000) came in 2003, with the marketing of Phil Anderton no little factor.

But, for the first time since the spring it is the pitch battle in Saturday's Test match with Ireland that is of more significance than the in-fighting off it. This is where Hadden, his backroom coaches and playing squad will seek to persuade supporters and forthcoming opponents that they are fitter, stronger and more explosive than was the case last season, and, significantly, capable of cutting teams up.

Hadden has enjoyed an unprecedented two-month pre-season period with a group of 39 players, in which his fitness guru Mark Bitcon believes he has cultivated the strongest and fittest national squad yet, and the coach is hopeful this will help create a more powerful attacking edge. "We saw with the England v Wales game at the weekend something totally unpredictable and off-the-wall happened," said Hadden. "But we're going into this game determined to get off to a good start.

"We have a good idea of how Ireland will play, because they have been together a long time and a lot longer than we have. We're picking a team we believe can win the game. But because of all the changes we were forced into in the Six Nations, it's inevitable we'll be putting out a side that's not familiar with each other. I think we know what our strengths and weaknesses are, so it's about seeing how this team gels this weekend."

The players are simply more eager than usual to play meaningful rugby, and some in the knowledge that this weekend may determine whether they make the final squad of 30, to be revealed to them after the Irish match.

Hadden, therefore, will likely name players in his side today who ultimately will not make the final cut for France, with Scott MacLeod and Alastair Kellock vying for the last second-row spot and Nick de Luca, Calum MacRae and Graeme Morrison probably gunning for the final back berth. They will be surrounded, however, by many Hadden believes could pull off victories over Portugal, Romania, New Zealand and Italy, Jason White and Mike Blair, for example. They have not played any rugby this year, while Chris Cusiter, Blair's adversary at scrum-half, also struggled with injury last season.

Their condition clouds selection issues. Hadden may have been preparing to gamble with two rather than three in each of the specialist positions, even considering leaving Gordon Ross and going with Chris Paterson - who is expected to feature at stand-off on Saturday - and Dan Parks as his No10s, but the picture may change as late as this weekend. How will Blair and Cusiter react to full-blooded action? Rory Lawson still seems an essential back-up. Similarly, at hooker, with Dougie Hall out injured, much responsibility will fall on relatively inexperienced players in Scott Lawson and Ross Ford. If one or either reacts adversely to the experience, and Lawson has an ankle problem, Hadden will need third choice Fergus Thomson.

There is similar intrigue in Ireland and Eddie O'Sullivan, the Ireland coach, will also name a mixed team today, most of his squad having also enjoyed a lengthy summer off. One expects Brian O'Driscoll, like White, to return, injury having kept the inspirational skipper out since March.

Ford, meanwhile, has signed for Glasgow after he was left without a club following the closure of the Border Reivers.

The 23-year-old featured in each of Scotland's Six Nations matches earlier this year, and Hall's knee ligament injury should mean he has a major role to play at the IRB World Cup.

Hall and Thomson will be rivals to Ford at club level after the World Cup.

This article was posted on 7-Aug-2007, 06:41 by Hugh Barrow.