THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
Craig isn't stand-offish about his plan to become a full-time coach


By BILL LOTHIAN
CRAIG CHALMERS has thrown his hat into the ring to become the third member of Scotland's 1990 Grand Slam team to dip his toe into the choppy waters of professional rugby coaching.

The 39-year-old ex-Scotland and Lions stand off collected his first piece of silverware at club level last weekend when he guided Melrose to the Scottish Hydro Electric national knockout cup with a 31-24 Murrayfield victory over Heriot's.

Afterwards, Chalmers, right, who won 60 caps, made it clear he was keen to progress further and emulate former team-mates Sean Lineen and Tony Stanger.

Lineen is now head coach at Glasgow Warriors and Stanger is a key member of the back-up team at Heineken Cup semi-finalists, London Irish.

Chalmers said: "I'd like to coach rugby full-time and would do it if the opportunity came up."

The first step on the representative ladder could be a call to assist a Scottish age-group side as a vacancy exists at under-19 level where Peter Wright has returned to the club scene as director of rugby at Glasgow Hawks.

In the meantime, Chalmers says he is keen to keep developing Melrose by drawing on the expert coaching received in his playing days from the likes of Jim Telfer and Ian McGeechan.

They were both successful Lions mentors and in charge when Chalmers enjoyed Grand Slam glory.

Chalmers said: "The good thing about Ian and Jim was that you could question them, challenge their ideas. They'd always say 'we'll talk about it, you might be right'.

"To me, that is what a coach is about because you have to feed off each other. At Melrose, the players are always thinking about the game, challenging themselves and therefore me. That helps to keep me on my toes."

Chalmers, whose playing career encompassed Borders, Edinburgh Reivers and Glasgow as well as spells south of the border at Harlequins and Worcester has amassed a wealth of knowledge.

He added: "I was always looking beyond my playing days to coaching by taking notes and so on.

"It's easier on the pitch than standing on the sidelines but there is still a great buzz to be had from coaching.

"I've always loved a game I have been in since I was a kid and feel I have a lot to pass on.

"I want players to do an awful lot for themselves while being there to help them out."

According to Chalmers, pulling the strings brings its own problems – as shown by Heriot's Cup final comeback. He said: "When we reached 31-0 up, I knew we were going to get there but that situation brings pressures as well when the inevitable fightback comes."

Chalmers is forming a coaching bond with John Dalziel, the ex-Borders professional forward who was suspended from playing in the final.

"John and I bounce things off each other and I haven't really had that for the last few years.

"Hopefully our players at Melrose will be ambitious enough to see something up above where they are at the moment and it is the same for their coaches."

The task is made easier when prodigies exist such as 22-year-old Cup Final man-of-the-match Scott Wight, who plays in Chalmers' old position. So, how bright a future does Wight have? "There are guys in our team worthy of going further and it is up to the powers-that-be.

"There are things he (Wight] has to improve but he has never been in an environment to play professionally because of a full time job. With a trade (joinery] behind him he is now working hard in the gym at night so it would be nice for him and others to get recognition."

As well as Lineen and Stanger, other 1990 Grand Slam heroes have coached at club level. Heriot's have called upon both Kenny Milne and Iwan Tukalo in recent years while David Sole, Gary Armstrong, John Jeffrey and Fin Calder have also been involved in some form.

This article was posted on 7-May-2008, 10:38 by Hugh Barrow.