‘ENGLAND DID NOT STEAL OUR PLAYERS’
Allan Massie contends that in the era of dual – and triple – qualification rugby stars have the right to pick and choose
Alot has changed in rugby in the last 20 years, but some things remain the same. This was evident in Dublin last Sunday. Glasgow were in the match for almost 20 minutes. Then they were right out of it. In that opening quarter Glasgow’s Ali Price was buzzing and full of vim; but it was his opposite number Luke Mcgrath who was named man of the match. Well, we’ve always known that in attack a scrum-half is dependent on the quality of ball he receives. Leinster delivered clean front-foot ball and Mcgrath revelled in the opportunities granted him. Glasgow struggled to win ball and when they did so were often already going backwards. So Mcgrath ran free while Price was in chains.
Forwards win matches. We have always known that this is the case nine games out of ten. If a scrum-half gets quantity and quality of ball, he can run the show. The Leinster pack was dominant, and Mcgrath and the backs outside him flourished. Glasgow’s forwards were struggling and so their backs were receiving ball against the momentum of the match. Leinster’s dominance wasn’t really surprising. Dave Rennie had struggled to put a convincing Glasgow pack together. If all his forwards were fit and available, Sunday’s ones would mostly have been on the bench.
Some of Glasgow’s defence was admittedly feeble, and when they had the ball they made too many unforced errors. In contrast Leinster handled supremely well and ran good lines. But then it’s much easier to run good lines when you get the ball on the front foot. What the match did, however, demonstrate was that when Glasgow are below strength they can’t at present compete with a really good team; and Leinster have been outstanding in this season’s Champions Cup. It would be no surprise if they went on to win it.
Remarkably, in view of their early season form, the same may be said of Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup. It may be an exaggeration to say that Richard Cockerill has transformed the club, but what he has unquestionably done is shaken it up and instilled a steeliness that was lacking before.
First of all he has fashioned a set of forwards who display
“Giventhenumberof ‘unavailableinjureds’, itmakessensefor Gregortownsendto haverecalledanumber ofbattle-hardened forwardstohissquad”