Jim Telfer’s Scotland dream team
PART TWO: Leaders of the pack:
HE’S one of Scotland’s greatest-ever coaches but who would be in Jim Telfer’s greatest-ever team? At the age of 80, the legendary Telfer has witnessed first-hand the great and the good of Scottish rugby over the years, whether it be Grand Slam-winning teams or Lions tours. Yesterday, he selected the backs for his Dream Team, sticking to the players he has played with, coached or been able to watch. Now, he tells Sportsmail how he would complete his starting XV with the forwards — and they certainly pack a punch...
LOOSEHEAD PROP: HUGH McLEOD THE CONTENDERS: Tom Smith, Ian ‘Mighty Mouse’ McLauchlan, David Sole
What a tremendous group of loosehead props that is. I can see why members of younger generations might not agree with my rankings and would have David Sole as their starting player. I can understand that as he was a tremendous prop and the way he led Scotland to the 1990 Grand Slam will be remembered for ever.
But I can go back further than most and can’t see past Hugh McLeod, although I realise many below a certain age may never even have heard of him. For me, Hugh was a prop who was so athletic that he was not out of place on a sevens team.
For those who are unfamiliar with his international record, he played 40 times for Scotland from 1954 to 1962 and six times for the Lions on their 1959 tour to New Zealand. He was a great servant to Hawick and one of their greatest-ever players.
There wasn’t much between Hugh and Tom Smith and it was a close run thing when it came to working out who got the number one jersey. I was devastated to hear Tom was fighting cancer and I send him my best wishes. He was the most skilful prop I ever coached by a long way. Technically, he was a superb scrummager and although he was a very quiet man, he did his talking on the pitch.
Ian McLauchlan was a really tough nut and never took a backward step on the park for Scotland or the Lions. Small in stature, big of heart. An excellent captain, who led by example just like Sole did.
HOOKER: COLIN DEANS THE CONTENDERS: Ross Ford, Kenny Milne, Frank Laidlaw, Gordon Bulloch, Stuart McInally.
I like the look of Stuart McInally, in terms of the future, but he has a long way to go to reach the levels of my other choices. He is the type of player who I think would be perfect for the Lions tour to South Africa next year. He is an all-round quality rugby player first and a hooker second.
He won’t ever be as good as my first pick Colin Deans, who was a phenomenal talent. Scotland’s greatest-ever hooker by a long way.
Ross Ford started out as a flanker before moving to hooker and played 110 times for Scotland and once for the Lions. At his peak, he was fast around the park and strong at the scrum. Kenny Milne was a superb scrummager and a vital part of the 1990 Grand Slam team.
Gordon Bulloch was a dynamic hooker, who made the position his own and played 75 times for his country. Frank Laidlaw, who played 32 times for Scotland between 1965 and 1971 and also toured with the Lions in 1966 to New Zealand, also made my shortlist.
TIGHTHEAD PROP: IAIN ‘THE BEAR’ MILNE THE CONTENDERS: Euan Murray, Sandy Carmichael, David Rollo, Zander Fagerson.
For such a big man, Iain Milne had a good bit of skill about him and was the rock in the Scotland scrum in the 1984 Grand Slam win. Euan Murray had a similar influence on the games he played for his country and was fantastic at the set-piece.
Sandy Carmichael was one of the best props of his generation, while David Rollo is maybe not that well known nowadays but definitely deserves a mention. He won 40 caps from 1959 to 1968 at a time when far less international rugby was played.
Of the present day tighthead props, Zander Fagerson is a very good scrummager and has a bit of controlled aggression about him. Zander brings up the rear in my shortlist just now but he is only 24 and has plenty of time to get even better.
SECOND ROW: GORDON BROWN THE CONTENDERS: Nathan Hines, Chris Gray, Bill Cuthbertson, Mike Campbell-Lamerton.
Gordon Brown was a larger than life character who is missed to this day. A superb second-row line-out jumper, who was magnificent for Scotland and the Lions. He partnered Willie John McBride on the 1974 Lions tour to South Africa. What a pair they made.
Nathan Hines always had a bit of edge to his play and was a marvellous servant to Scottish rugby.
Chris Gray did well alongside Damian Cronin in the 1990 Grand Slam winning team and was a top-class front-of-the-line-out jumper.
Bill Cuthbertson was part of the 1984 Grand Slam squad, while Mike Campbell-Lamerton was a versatile player who could also slot in at number eight.
SECOND ROW: ALASTAIR McHARG THE CONTENDERS: Richie Gray, Alan Tomes, Scott Murray, Doddie Weir.
I have always rated Richie Gray. It is sad to see he has dropped down the pecking order for Scotland and didn’t make the World Cup squad. He returns to Glasgow Warriors next season from Toulouse and, at the age of 30, he might get back into the Scotland set-up. Scott Murray had great ball skills and got around the park well while Alan Tomes excelled at rucks and mauls and really got in the faces of the opposition.
Doddie Weir is a superb human being and rugby player. His efforts to raise funds for motor neurone disease, from which he suffers, has been inspirational. On the field, he was magnificent. Whether it be open play or at the line-out, he was superb. He also had a great upbeat personality and was always up for a laugh and joke. He even made me laugh when I was coaching and taking things seriously. That ability to ease the tension should never be underestimated.
My top choice is Alastair McHarg of London Scottish, who won 44 caps over 11 years and was a first pick for Scotland for most of that time.
BLINDSIDE FLANKER: DAVID LESLIE THE CONTENDERS: John Jeffrey, Jason White, Jim Calder, Mike Biggar, John Barclay.
My starting blindside David Leslie was one of the bravest players I have ever seen. He would tackle anything that moved and was at his best during the games in the 1984 Grand Slam year.
John Jeffrey, Jason White and Jim Calder were top talents — and I put John Barclay in the mix as I liked his versatility to play anywhere in the back row. John was a very clever rugby player, who captained Scotland well.
A handy man to have around my back row.
NUMBER EIGHT: DEREK WHITE THE CONTENDERS: Simon Taylor, Iain Paxton, John Beattie.
That is a fearsome four who all served Scotland well. Derek White had a quiet authority about him and was lightning fast off the back of the scrum and gets the starting number eight jersey.
Simon Taylor had plenty of pace and a great work rate. John Beattie is now known as a television and radio presenter but, on his day, was a tough tackling number eight, who never took a backward step. Iain Paxton was very athletic and could really get around the park.
OPENSIDE FLANKER: FINLAY CALDER THE CONTENDERS: Rodger Arneil, Hamish Watson, Budge Pountney, Derrick Grant.
My first pick Finlay Calder was hard as nails and a superb captain of the Lions on their 1989 tour to Australia.
Roger Arneil was a class act and played in all four Tests for the Lions on their 1968 tour to South Africa.
Hamish Watson is the best openside flanker Scotland has had in years. He should have been picked for the Lions’ 2017 tour of New Zealand but wasn’t. Let’s hope Warren Gatland selects him for next year’s tour of South Africa as he deserves it.
Budge Pountney worked hard and was a great ball winner at the breakdown, while I always felt Derrick Grant was hugely underrated.