The Herald reveals

INTERVIEW: Jackson in prime position but taking nothing for granted
Published on 11 Aug 2010


Kevin Ferrie

Throughout the close season, one question has been constantly repeated among Glasgow Warriors supporters, namely how will Ruaridh Jackson go?

With Dan Parks, the Magners League’s all time record points scorer, now settling into life in Cardiff, the 22-year-old has, after an injury ravaged 2009/10 season, big kicking boots to fill.

That he is among three stand-offs at Scotland’s pre-season training camp in St Andrews this week along with Parks and Phil Godman, the Edinburgh play-maker, is an indication of how he is regarded by the national management.

However. his inclusion in the Glasgow team is by no means a certainty unless he performs – with Duncan Weir, the teenager who made a big impression with Glasgow Hawks last season, having joined the club.

“Duncan kicked pretty well [against Dundee HSFP] last weekend so we’ll see what happens because he’s a confident young guy but I’ve been working with Hodgey and hopefully things will develop,” said Jackson.

“Obviously I’ve been trying to chase down Dan to try to win that [Glasgow] spot and now it’s free. This will be my third season now so I’ve got a bit of experience and hopefully I’ve matured a bit so I can have a bit more consistency to my game.”

From someone who is eager to demonstrate that he is maturing, the choice of words was telling in more ways than one, suggesting at once that he is aware that he is now the senior man, but also that he can afford to take nothing for granted.

While Parks’ departure represents an opportunity as well as a loss in that it opens the door to the more fluid playing style that Sean Lineen, Glasgow’s head coach, instinctively favours, it is still vital that the man wearing the No.10 can be a controlling influence.

In that regard it is the inconsistency of Jackson’s kicking that has offered the greatest cause for concern as he has emerged. Consequently the fact that even this week he is listed among those playing a limited part in training because he is in the final stages of recovery from an ankle problem is not ideal, limiting as it has the amount of work he has been able to do with the aforementioned “Hodgey”, Duncan Hodge, the national kicking coach.

“That’s probably the most frustrating thing. It [kicking] was a big part of what I wanted to work on through the summer,” he admitted.

“It’s taken a bit longer than anticipated, but now it’s just about making sure I stay in one piece, hoping I get a good crack at games. I’m running about OK, but I just don’t want to push it too soon or do anything silly.

“I’m just making sure I’m 100% for the start of the season. I could play this weekend if I had to but ideally I need game time and hopefully I’ll get it before too long.”

This article was originally posted on 11-Aug-2010, 06:37 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 11-Aug-2010, 06:39.