THE oldest representative match in the world returns to its traditional home today when Glasgow host Edinburgh back at Old Anniesland, the ground where the inter-city derby-cum-Scotland trial match was played for more than 70 years. As usual, there is more than bragging rights at stake. It may be early in the season, but neither team can afford to lose.
The problem is that when the stakes are that high, the quality of rugby rarely rises to match them. We saw last week, when Glasgow beat the Borders 10-7, how scrappy Scottish derbies can get as familiarity breeds the ability to destroy but fails to feed the imagination. Which is why Edinburgh were so desperate to get Brendan Laney back, with the centre guaranteed to provide the flair that could spark their back play to life after a stodgy showing in their last outing, against Ulster.
But in holding back naming his three-quarter line earlier in the week, Frank Hadden, the Edinburgh coach, may also have been playing a deeper game than simply checking up on injuries, as he claimed. When he did unveil the team yesterday, it revealed that he has also decided to shuffle the back division, with Chris Paterson reverting to the wing and Phil Godman replacing him at fly half.
To be fair to Godman, he looked the part in the preseason warm-up games and it was something of a surprise when he was left out of the opening fixture in favour of Paterson, who had not played a full match in any position since April after picking up a pelvic injury in the final RBS Six Nations Championship game and later smashing his cheekbone on the Scotland tour. He was far from the only player to look rusty, but Hadden has never been completely convinced by his fly half credentials anyway.
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Godman had been Jonny Wilkinson’s understudy at Newcastle Falcons but, like the England star, missed most of last season with injuries. He decided in the summer to move back to his native Edinburgh where he has settled easily into the team’s expansive style and could well be ready for an extended run in the pivot position.
The redesigned back division sees Marcus Di Rollo fall victim to a chest complaint that he has been carrying all week, so Craig Joiner moves in from the wing to cover him, freeing the gap for Paterson to slot into. Hugo Southwell displaces Derrick Lee at full back. Up front, Edinburgh are selecting from strength, with Nathan Hines making his return at lock after recovering from an infected blister.
Glasgow have greater problems, with Nathan Ross, their lock, having damaged a knee last week against the Borders so they give a first competitive start to Dan Turner, who they signed from Cangerbury in the summer. Hugh Campbell, the coach, has also elected to rest Kenny Logan, the wing, with Rory Kerr replacing him, which means there is no place for Andy Craig, the Scotland centre who is now over the knee injury that kept him out of action throughout the summer.
At least his team is coming into the match on the back of a win, ugly though the victory over the Borders last weekend was. “It’s good psychologically,” Campbell said. “We still have loads in the bank and have a lot to come, but it was pleasing to get that win even though the match was not a pretty sight.
”All these games against local teams are scrappy and tight. The players know each other well and have a lot to prove against each other which does not always make for an attractive game of open, flowing rugby, which is what we and Edinburgh both want to play. Hopefully we can change that this season, though it did not get off to a good start last week.”
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Among the factors to be taken into account is the number who are training together at the start of the week when Scotland hold their regular Monday training sessions leading up to the autumn internationals in November. Between them, Edinburgh and Glasgow supply 23 to the full squad plus another seven to the development group, so in both cases, the week’s preparation for the weekend fixture is disrupted by national demands.
The conflict arises when the national coaches push the players through as much work as they can handle while the club coaches want their players rested.
All of which is what gives the match its near-trial status. It is the last of the Scottish derbies, the last chance for players to compete with their direct rivals, before Matt Williams sits down to pick his international squad for November. Which is, coincidentally, exactly the role the Edinburgh v Glasgow match played back in the 1870s when the series started.
TEAMS
GLASGOW: S Barrow; R Kerr, G Morrison, A Henderson, S Lamont; D Parks, S Pinder; K Tkachuk, G Bulloch, L Harrison, A Hall, D Turner, A Wilson, D Macfadyen, J Petrie (captain). Replacements: S Lawson, A Kelly, P Dearlove, J Beattie, G Beveridge, C Howarth, K Logan.
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EDINBURGH: H Southwell; S Webster, B Laney, C Joiner, C Paterson; P Godman, M Blair; A Jacobsen, A Kelly, J Brannigan, N Hines, S Murray, T Blackadder (captain), S Cross, A Hogg. Replacements: D Hall, C Smith, A Kellock, D Callam, R Lawson, P Boston, M Pyke.