Honestly, JJ could take a leaf out of England’s book
The SRU dived for cover at last Saturday’s AGM when questions were raised about Siobhan Cattigan’s tragic passing.
So it was refreshing to hear their chairman, John Jeffrey, talking about how disappointed he was in the performance of the national teams at all levels.
Addressing the bare facts isn’t something that the Union are usually predisposed towards doing.
Jeffrey cited a lack of consistency as a failing in all of Scotland’s high-performance teams.
The full-international side has flattered to deceive for season after season.
But the chairman must be really worried about the Under-20s – the key pipeline of players into the professional game in Scotland – who have had a dreadful time over the last two years.
JJ acknowledged that the game was very different today to the one that he played around 30 years ago.
However, he did focus on the key aspect of leadership and decision-making, something that Scottish teams had in abundance in the amateur era.
The environment of the modern game doesn’t encourage independent thinking.
Start making decisions on your own, or challenge the rules that have been laid down, and you will find yourself in hot water – as Finn Russell can testify.
But treat people like children and they will behave like children. Take away their responsibility and you disempower them, so they become automatons incapable of original thought.
Jeffrey also talked about the lack of edge in Scottish players of the modern era.
There have been a few who opponents would honestly fear if they were playing – Nathan Hines and Jason White spring to mind.
But there aren’t that many Scottish players in the current game who opposition teams would really worry about if they were on the team list.
Yet this particular crop of players have an abundance of talent, and that was reflected in the number of Scottish players in the British & Irish
Lions that toured South Africa.
But close out tight games, or win away from home when you are justifiably favourites, and that seems to be beyond them.
All of the money that is spent on coaches, preparation and conditioning is nothing without a hard-edged attitude, and bloody-mindedness to dig deep when things aren’t going your way.
Will Carling has been drafted into the England set-up to help with leadership.
Love or hate Carling, his record of winning Grand Slams for England is exceptional, and
he also led England to their first World Cup Final. So he knows something about leadership in rugby.
He spends a lot of time with the squad, both individually and collectively, helping them with their approach to leading each other. He is making an impact.
In Finlay Calder and Gavin Hastings, we have two Lions captains who could offer something similar.
Perhaps JJ could give them a call?