With thanks to the Edinburgh Evening News

Evergreen Watsonian Gary is relishing life back at the front
BILL LOTHIAN ([email protected])
AT the age of 46, Gary Scott thought he'd seen and done it all in the murky world of rugby front-row play.

Then came a call from Watsonians coach Cammy Mather, pictured, drafting him back into top-team action for what turned out to be a Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership victory at Glasgow Hawks last week. The Edinburgh restaurateur is dreaming once more of completing what would be a rare family sporting double.

Gary's son, Christopher, 15, is currently setting records after beginning his Watson's College 1st XV career this season at the age of 14. This raises the possibility of the pair eventually turning out together to fill the two prop forward roles.

Far fetched? Well, beneath the obvious glory of Gary's durability is a tale of rugby evolution. According to Watsonians' 2nd XV coach Iain Leslie, it is a matter of considerable debate that venerable players are coming under increased pressure in some quarters to soldier on because of health and safety issues which are having an alarming effect lower down the ranks. Issues may not be resolved for a while yet, either.

"I do find myself wondering where club rugby is heading because of the requirement to have two players with front-row experience on the bench each week," says Leslie. "Additionally, outwith the Premiership, scrums can only shove one and a half metres, which means big adjustments for youngsters being drafted into the upper tier, with not everyone able to cope.

"Without pre-judging safety issues, there is no getting away from the fact that this is as much a contributory factor as you'll find anywhere for matches being cancelled lower down the pecking order.

"And it does leave me wondering if, in ten or so years' time, rugby union will more closely resemble rugby league, with its scrums operating purely as re-start vehicles.

"Alternatively, might rugby union relate more to gridiron where there is a professional level only and little social play?"

If that is the doomsday scenario, individuals such as Leslie, in drawing on experience of grass-roots, are surely to be congratulated for getting into the public domain a serious matter which needs addressing.

But this is primarily a celebration of one of Scottish rugby's most venerable characters whose sense of humour is clearly unimpaired by all those scrums - and who offers a solution to make front row play more attractive than at present.

"Travelling to Hawks on Saturday, I was struck by how youthful my colleagues were and with the back seat of the team bus traditionally reserved for those who'd played 100 games, I felt pretty lonely," added Scott.

That, however, is not to detract from the commitment and expertise of the modern rugby player.

"Not having played at top level for a while, I had to get used to all the chat between players about advice from their nutritionist etc - all those advisers who didn't seem to be around to assist even a few years ago.

"Out on the pitch, every forward seemed approximately three stones heavier compared to when I last played at Premiership level and things move so quickly because of the superior fitness that time allowed on the ball is almost non-existent.

"Play has become so much more open, but in the tight phases the quality of the hit (impact) is what will determine whether a team wins its own scrum possession, so matters are geared accordingly.

"Also, line-outs are now much more skilled, with greater concentration on defending your ground."

The message from Scott is that abilities are increasing. But what about those playing numbers at front row so necessary for helping create the competitive environs that will produce recruits for the pro ranks, where national status is gauged?

Scott believes matters can be alleviated in the short term by more creative fixture scheduling.

"If the extra emphasis on safety spares even one player neck damage then law changes are justified..

"What would, however, go a long way to improving matters for those obliged to offer specialist cover is staggering kick-offs so that a player could turn out at the level below then step up on to the higher team's bench.

"This is worth considering as a matter of urgency because nobody wants to spend time on stand-by when they could be playing.

"It's better, surely, that rugby thinks along those lines rather than de-powering scrums altogether because they are what ensure a game for all shapes and sizes.

"Take away proper scrummaging and you set up a move to 13-a-sides, with the two props replaced by flankers for extra mobility."

Meanwhile, Scott waits to answer his club's call again when Dundee HSFP visit Myreside on Saturday depending on whether regular Kian Coertze shakes off injury problems.

"It did feel at times against Hawks that they had 40 players on the pitch but I did my bit for the club and would do so again, if required," said the man who was part of 'Sonians Premiership winning team of 1998 and who, during a stint with Holy Cross, turned out for the Edinburgh District Union team.

This article was originally posted on 18-Oct-2007, 13:03 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 23-Oct-2007, 08:04.