Young backs hint at earning call to arms

to arms en bloc for the Five Nations' Championship if they can

rediscover their World Cup form.

It will do them no harm, however, to note that several young backs,

some still teenagers, are hinting at potential that could take them into

the pipeline leading to cap status. One or two are no slouches into

their running, which conjures up the possibility of a future Scottish

back division with that element of startling takeaway that has not been

available since the days of Ian McGeechan, David Johnston, and Jim

Renwick.

It is important not to lay too much at the door of expectancy of young

players whose numbers still are not dry. It is one thing as a youngster

to have skills polished to a high standard through dedicated practice,

quite another to put them to fruitful use by sound decision-making in

the heat and burden of a higher grade of play and while being subjected

to an altogether more bruising form of tackle contact.

Perhaps the most important assessment that has to be made by young

backs entering a higher level, especially stand-offs, is to recognise in

the instant what is good ball and what is bad and to be able to react

accordingly.

One criticism levelled at Gregor Townsend, Gala's 18-year-old

stand-off, whose B selection with Andrew Nicol surely must have general

approval, is that his option choice has been a bit dodgy.

There was little wrong with his situation assessment in creating that

cracking try for Jim Maitland against Stirling County, and when basic

error spattered his display against Melrose, his problem was

over-anxiety leading to hurry. Of course, he will err as he develops his

ability to pick the right course. He is learning that trade in arguably

the most testing position.

All the essential ingredients, however, are there, including good

physique and that blistering pace off his block that can make all the

difference. There was ''bottle'' as well in the way in which he kept his

head above water and never stopped competing, even in the adverse

circumstances of that Melrose match.

With Townsend established as the Scottish Schools' fly half and

captain last season, Derrick Lee, of Kyle Academy in Ayr, was played at

full back against the English, French, Irish, and Welsh, although he had

been stand-off for the Scottish Schools under-15 side against Wales.

Lee, who has just turned 18, is another emerging talent who has been

thrown in at the deep end twice already and has survived. His progress

owes much to the Ayr club, for his school's main sport was football and

he operated as striker in the Kyle Academy squad who won the Scottish

Schools Cup.

He joined the Ayr club's mini-rugby section as a seven-year-old and so

has played a decade with them. Indeed, he was introduced to the Ayr

first XV as a 16-year-old against Hillhead-Jordanhill, played Division 2

rugby with Ayr at 17, and has joined Watsonians this season as a student

at Heriot-Watt University. In his first game for Watsonians' fourth XV

he had a personal haul of 40 points.

It was altogether a bit more demanding with Jim Brough and his

Stirling juggernauts running at him on Saturday, but having taken over

from that gifted stylist, Andrew Ker, Lee survived with merit and gave a

hint of his attack potential with that electrifying slanting break past

three defenders in laying on a try for Andrew Garry.

Lee will have to live on his wits and on shortish rations behind a

Watsonian pack lacking ballast and hardness, and his defensive

capability will be thoroughly tested. He is, however, very quick and

appreciates the need to work hard on his left-foot punting, and it has

to be to his benefit that three experienced citizens in the Hastings

brothers and Garry are on hand with words of wisdom.

Selkirk's Scott Nichol looks young enough to be a teenager, does not

have quite the physical presence of Townsend or Lee, but is some talent

who can burn the grass as, indeed, can Cameron Glasgow, whose release

from the decision-making pressures of stand-off may help his game.

There is, too, that extrovert son of the soil, Ken Logan, Stirling

County's left wing, who is some competitor and reminds one of Matt

Duncan and Alex Moore with his physically abrasive running. He is sharp,

too. Having taken Townsend's dummy at Netherdale and been left about 10

metres off the pace, Logan still got back to sink Maitland at the

corner. It did not prevent the try but was some demonstration of retreat

running.

Logan will want to develop more in the way of evasion subtlety and in

auxiliary full back obligation, but he revels in Stirling's blend of

drive and spin.

More young players, especially backs, seem to be making their marks in

senior club rugby than ever before. In the recent Gala v Melrose match,

14 were 22 or under, including Ross Brown, son of the former Scottish

captain, Peter Brown. Some of those young men are further along the road

than others, but it is a healthy sign that they are making an impression

while baying on the heels of the incumbents.