THE HERALD REPORTS

Jackson v Blair in the battle for No.10
Published on 19 Oct 2010


Kevin Ferrie

Andy Robinson’s mind is surely being exercised by the form of two players in particular as he puts the finishing touches to the Scotland squad for the forthcoming autumn Tests, that he will name tomorrow.

When the former Edinburgh coach took the Scotland job, he made clear his concerns about the lack of competition for the No.10 jersey in the national side, a key position for setting the tone of matches.

That message was reinforced when he subsequently named a training squad in which Phil Godman was the only stand-off named. If he had been told then that, around a year on, the Edinburgh stand-off would be sidelined for the foreseeable future with a serious knee problem, he would presumably have anticipated dealing with a full-blown crisis.

Yet while Robinson is not exactly spoilt for choice, the dynamic has changed significantly in the interim.

Obviously the form shown by Dan Parks since returning to the national side has been a major factor in that, but even now that there is a slight worry over the former Glasgow Warriors play-maker, who missed last weekend’s Heineken Cup tie for Cardiff with a foot injury, Robinson has some options.

In many ways, what has become clear is that if opportunities are provided then someone will grab them.

When the season began that was expected to be the case at Glasgow where, at the grand old age of 22, Ruaridh Jackson found himself as the senior man helping a teenage under-study learn his trade.

Duncan Weir, the teenager in question, then stepped up to score the winning points in the first Magners League match of the season and it was game on at Glasgow.

At Edinburgh, Godman was seen as the king-pin, with David Blair generally seen as having failed to take what chances had come his way while the third Blair brother, Alex, has an electrifying burst of pace but much to learn in terms of game management. He was consequently lined up very early in his first season on a full-time contract for the Commonwealth Games sevens squad.

Yet Godman’s injury has changed everything and this time David seems to be seizing the opportunity in the way he failed to when very deliberately given a run of games before as Edinburgh’s stand-off, during Robinson’s time as their coach.

The difference then was that Godman’s presence meant he knew he was on trial and that the main man was waiting to return. This time, Blair knows his coaches are not only giving him a chance, but that they have little choice to trust in him and he is responding superbly.

His linkage with his brother Mike as Edinburgh played some breathtaking counter-attacking rugby against a more prosaic Northampton Saints side that ultimately over-powered them adds another dimension. With Mike back in the sort of form that earned him the Scotland captaincy a couple of years ago and looking favourite to return to the national side, with Chris Cusiter out long-term and Rory Lawson still sidelined, there is clearly a level of understanding that dates back to back-garden matches as tots.

Consequently, a new type of pressure descends upon Jackson, who looks to have asserted himself in the Glasgow pecking order but now has an unexpected challenge for a place in the Scotland 22 from beyond Firhill.

His response on Sunday was rightly described by Sean Lineen, Glasgow’s head coach, as “outstanding”, scoring a try among 21 of his side’s 26 points in a brave bid to upset the odds at Wasps.

Perhaps most telling of all, though, is how Jackson views the challenge from Blair.

“I’ve just got to try to play my own game, but David’s certainly raised his game since he got his chance and fair play to him,” Jackson acknowledged.

“You definitely look at the competition. Hopefully I’ve done enough and there’s still a couple more games to go so it’s all to play for. It’s good that there are more 10s coming through. It’s something we need.”

Since there is no more important quality for a stand off to possess than self-belief, Robinson should be hugely encouraged by those words.

While there was genuine respect in his tone as Jackson spoke about the way Blair is performing, he would not have felt able to be so generous if there was the slightest self-doubt.

In rugby as in our national politics, it is vital to have someone at No.10 with the vision to see beyond self interest. Whether that is the case in Downing Street is for others to decide, but at both Firhill and Murrayfield there is more reason for hope than for some time.

This article was originally posted on 19-Oct-2010, 07:03 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 19-Oct-2010, 07:03.