THE HERALD REPORTS

KEVIN FERRIE, Chief Rugby Writer February 29 2008
The national side's abysmal start to the RBS 6 Nations Championship is not the sole contributory factor to Scottish rugby's downturn in mood in recent weeks.

In the capital an Edinburgh team that faces a tough challenge in Newport tonight, saw a four-match run of Magners League wins end at Murrayfield in grim fashion earlier this month just as decent audiences were beginning to return to their matches.

Of even greater concern, however, has been Glasgow Warriors' slump. A day short of a full year unbeaten in their home city their defeat by Newport Gwent Dragons at the start of January has come in the middle of a four-match losing streak in the league.

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No-one is more desperate to turn that around than Sean Lineen, their head coach, but the New Zealander who has made his rugby reputation in Scotland is nowhere close to panicking as he calls for perspective to be maintained. "It's easy for people to jump on what's wrong . . . well we know that." he said.

"We're a small rugby playing nation, but we've got some good rugby players and it's coming. We are where we are and we've never been world champions, so where is it suddenly that we're supposed to be?

"There is a bit of heat collectively and rightly so. Three or four months or so ago none of us were coming under pressure and that's the way it goes, but people need to realise what we're trying to do. It's frustrating. No-one feels it more than me and we've probably got more respect in Europe than we do in the Magners League at the moment so it's about getting that back, especially against Welsh teams. However, we've only had a couple of Magners League games this year, so we've just lost our way a little bit."

It is not the first time he has suffered such a run in his relatively short time since being given full control of the squad. That was less than two years ago when he took over with six matches to go and won just one. When the following season began with another difficult run of results there were the standard murmurings that he had lost the dressing room, yet that mood also changed quickly.

"Look at what happened in the second half of last season, it was fantastic and early on this season it was great," he said. "The European Cup this year was pretty good too and that riles me because we could have got through. So it's only the last couple of games but yes, I'm frustrated."

He readily admits that, along with others who prefer to be optimistic, he may have been premature in believing, around the turn of the year, that Scottish professional rugby was poised for a breakthrough, but is unrepentant.

"We want to talk it up . . . we've got to because everyone talks it down so much you get sick of it," added Lineen, his voice dropping to an intensity that reflects passion rather than fear.

"What we can't do is get a little bit excited and then come all the way down again. People in the know, know. If we deserve criticism then fine but people who know me know it doesn't hurt anyone more than me.

"Give us time. It's been a season and a half here. Obviously there's pressure but I can see it and I keep telling the players it's coming. I can see players getting more experience, getting more confidence. I can see little things improving.

"We've got Scottish guys coming in like John Barclay, John Beattie, Fergus Thomson and Al Kellock that are really exciting. In the backs we've got the Evans brothers and Graeme Morrison, but they're not experienced."

He sees no better opportunity to get things going than against the Magners League champions tonight not least because those members of his squad who were with the Scotland A team that he has been helping Andy Robinson, Edinburgh's head coach, prepare, should be chock full of confidence after they rattled in 10 tries against Ireland last week.

Among them Max Evans came off the bench and scored two tries which the chunky little ball of fast twitching muscles celebrated with a double back flip.

The 24-year-old who is the older brother of fellow A cap Thom explained that while he got into trouble from Stevie Gemmell, the Scotland sevens coach, for similarly performing that party piece at the Hong Kong Sevens last year, it was all just part of providing the entertainment.

"Hearing the crowd cheer at Perth last week was great because the worst thing about not performing is knowing the disappointment those people who have come out and sat in the cold to support you are feeling," he said.

Evans, whose season has been blighted by injury to this point, also knows tonight's match offers a chance to be compared directly with Nikki Walker, a member of the current Scotland team.

"Everyone who is playing in Scotland should see every game as a stepping stone towards the national team and although I'm just looking to play well for Glasgow I definitely have that at the back of my mind," he said.

This article was posted on 29-Feb-2008, 07:44 by Hugh Barrow.