COME ON THEN EDDIE, BRING ON THE MIND GAMES
GAVIN HAstINgs had his lunchtime soup yesterday in a cafe not far from Murrayfield where he scored a large slice of his 667 points for scotland.
Between spoonfuls, he spoke intelligently about rugby and, upliftingly, about his wife’s fight with Parkinson’s disease. But, amid all the wisdom, did we detect a verbal foray into the mind games that will lead us all the way to the Calcutta Cup on saturday?
If so, it came as an invitationcum-challenge to Eddie Jones to try to play with the head of scotland’s mercurial fly-half Finn Russell.
‘Eddie likes winding people up,’ said Hastings, a crucial part of the grand slam-winning team of 1990. ‘He’s an Aussie, for Christ’s sake. I am looking forward to hearing what he will say. He will probably have a go at Finn Russell, which would be the best thing he could possibly do from a scotland perspective.’
Jones’s ploy of niggling Wales No 10 Rhys Patchell prior to England’s victory at twickenham seemed to pay off as the player’s performance suffered, prompting Warren gatland to drop him from his squad to play Ireland.
But Hastings said: ‘Finn is not going to lose any sweat over that. Maybe Eddie will be canny enough to realise that and go for someone he is less worried about like lock Jonny gray, who won’t run 50 metres to score a try.
‘Eddie can do the mind games. You can’t wind people up if you’re not winning.’
Hastings acknowledges it will be hard for gregor townsend’s scotland to turn the tide of recent history. since 1990, they have beaten England only three times. ‘somehow we need parity up front and then we have a chance,’ he said, more in hope than expectation.
‘the only conceivable way scotland can win is if they throw everything on the line and have a go.
‘It would at least be nice if we were still in with a chance with 20 minutes to go, rather than out of sight at half-time. I am not going to write them off yet.’
Despite his doubts over scotland’s prospects, Hastings is not convinced many of the England players rank as truly world-class. He makes a notable exception for Owen Farrell, ‘an extraordinary performer as kicker and decisionmaker, a born winner’. He thinks Jones manages to get the very best out of the rest. Again, n, playmaker Russell comes mes under discussion. He has been widely criticised for two mediocre ediocre performances — the thrashinghing by Wales on the opening day before being ‘hooked’ in the victory over France.
‘there has been a bandwagon about Finn,’ said Hastings. ‘But he is not your normal player. He is an exceptional passer; a pretty aveaverage kickkicker out of hand;han and a very good goal-kicker. HeH just needsd tto ttemper hisi game without losing his flair and inventiveness. scotland are not going to beat England if he plays conservatively. He has to be exceptional.’ Hastings, at 56, adores golf — the competitiveness, the views, the fresh air — and plays it very well. He walks his dog, but never visits a gym or runs. He is trim and watches what he eats.
He continues to do commercial work linked to rugby and is looking to get involved in the construction and insurance businesses by using his contacts.
After a career of legend as scotland and lions captain, he has not needed to work in the conventional sense since retiring. He has no office to go to.
But for many years, he had to care intensely for his wife, Diane, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 15 years ago. Now she has greatly improved with surgery.
‘she had Deep Brain stimulation, an electrode is placed on each side of the brain and a battery is fitted under her skin,’ said Hastings.
‘that sends pulses into the brain to trick it into thinking she doesn’t have Parkinson’s. the operation has been lifeenhancing.
‘Another thing is that it means she doesn’t need some of the drugs and that gets rid of bad side-effects.’
the rugby dynasty goes on. Hastings’ son Adam, 21, is an impressive fly-half at glasgow Warriors. In fine form, he is hoping to take over the club’s No 10 jersey on a long-term basis when Russell departs for France and Racing 92 in a few months.
‘It can be strange as his dad watching Adam,’ said Hastings. ‘I saw him lining up a kick and I was quite nervous. I told my dad, who was next to me in the stands, how I felt and he said, “this is the second time I have gone through this”.’