Vernon to start for Scotland

Posted on Nov 24, 2010 in Rugby News

Jacobsen and Lamont reach landmark

Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has challenged his team to step up their performance in Saturday’s final EMC Autumn Test against Samoa at Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen.

Robinson has made one change in personnel from the team that started last week’s victory over world champions South Africa at Murrayfield.  Richie Vernon, the 23-year-old Glasgow Warrior, who enjoyed a considerable impact off the bench, will make his second start for Scotland at No 8, with Nathan Hines switching to his optimum berth of lock and Kelly Brown reverting to blindside flanker.

On the bench, scrum-half Mike Blair has recovered from the head knock he sustained against New Zealand and is preferred to Greig Laidlaw and Max Evans returns after his shoulder injury from the same game instead of Chris Paterson.

Robinson said today: “Our supporters were understandably delighted by our win against South Africa but that game is now history and we have to start afresh against quality international opposition in Samoa.

“They will bring their own very physical, hard-running dimension to Saturday’s game and we need to be absolutely focused on upping our performance this weekend.”

Robinson went on: “I thought Richie Vernon showed his mettle as an international rugby player when he came on for Scott MacLeod last Saturday and he has a chance to demonstrate those traits from the start on Saturday.

“I also want to congratulate Chunk (Allan Jacobsen) and Sean Lamont as this weekend will mark their 50th caps.  Both have had periods of injury adversity in their careers but they have shown the sort of determination we will need on Saturday to return from such experiences to be better players for it.”

Jacobsen becomes the 29th Scot, Lamont the 30th, to reach the milestone, while Dan Parks equalled John Rutherford’s drop-goal record for Scotland when he landed his 12th such score last Saturday.

Scotland’s players will be undertaking a number of visits to primary and secondary schools in and around Aberdeen tomorrow (Thursday) and there is much excitement in the Granite City ahead of Saturday.

Tickets for the big game are selling fast and a capacity attendance of 20,500 is being targeted. Tickets cost £15, £20 and £30 for adults and £7.50, £10 and £15 for under-18s and students.  You can buy in four ways: online at www.scottishrugby.org; via the 24 hour hotline number 0844 335 3933 until 12 midnight on Friday; or in person from 9am-5pm from the Scottish Rugby Ticket Centre, Gate A, Roseburn Street, Edinburgh.

Locals can also buy in person from the Aberdeen FC Ticket Centre at Pittodrie or by telephone on  01224 631903. Please note: there are no ticket sales on match day.

Scotland team (sponsor Murray) to play Samoa in the EMC Autumn Test at Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen on Saturday 27 November (kick-off 2.30pm)

15 Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais) 56 caps, 8 tries, 40 points

14 Nikki Walker (Ospreys) 17 caps, 4 tries, 20 points
13 Joe Ansbro (Northampton Saints) 1 cap
12 Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors) 27 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
11 Sean Lamont (Scarlets) 49 caps, 7 tries, 35 points

10 Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues) 55 caps, 4 tries, 10 conversions, 40 penalties, 12 drop goals, 196 points
9 Rory Lawson (Gloucester) 21 caps CAPTAIN

1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh) 49 caps
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh) 42 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
3 Euan Murray (Northampton Saints) 34 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
4 Nathan Hines (Leinster) 66 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
5 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 5 caps
6 Kelly Brown (Saracens) 39 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
8 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors) 5 caps
7 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) 22 caps, 2 tries, 10 points

Substitutes

16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors) 32 caps
17 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors) 9 caps
18 Jim Hamilton (Gloucester) 30 caps, 1 try, 5 points
19 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh) 3 caps
20 Mike Blair (Edinburgh) 65 caps, 5 tries, 25 points
21 Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap
22 Max Evans (Glasgow Warriors) 14 caps, 2 tries, 10 points

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia RU).  Assistant referees: Marius Jonker and Cobus Wessels (both South Africa).  TMO: Tony Redmond (Ireland).

Scotland sign sponsorship deal with EMC

Posted on Nov 2, 2010 in Rugby News

EMC Computer Systems (UK) Limited, a global giant among technology companies, has signed a three-year agreement, which will see it sponsor Scotland’s Autumn Tests until 2012. This year’s Tests kick-off at Murrayfield on Saturday 13 November (5.15pm) when Scotland, ranked seventh in the world, take on the world’s number one team, New Zealand.

Scottish Rugby’s Chief Executive Gordon McKie said: “To secure such support from EMC Corporation, a major player on the world stage in the technology and IT solutions sector which employs over 40,000 people and is represented in more than 60 countries worldwide, is immensely heartening and speaks volumes for the impact that the Scotland team, under the leadership of head coach, Andy Robinson, is making and the esteem in which Scottish Rugby is held.

“We know we face tough Autumn Tests – against New Zealand, South Africa and Samoa this year – but our team is pledged to continue the improvement shown last season, which culminated in our win over Ireland at Croke Park and the historic Test series triumph in Argentina over the summer.”

Speaking at the contract signing, Ross Fraser, EMC’s Country Manager for Scotland & Ireland, said: “EMC is proud to support the Autumn Tests, and we are delighted to be working with Scottish Rugby to promote what we expect will be some exciting and historic sporting occasions over the next three years.

“As an organisation we can relate to the tenacity, commitment and sporting behaviour that we all associate with the Scotland rugby team and their illustrious southern hemisphere rivals – they are the same qualities that EMC strives to bring to its customers in the business world.

“This partnership also underscores our long-term commitment to the Scottish market, and to developing our already strong ties with our local customers and communities,” concluded Fraser.

EMC has been growing its business in Scotland for the last decade, with a team headquartered at its Livingston office. The company is also currently the title sponsor of the English Aviva Premiership rugby union side London Wasps.

Former Scotland winger Kenny Logan, through his company Logan Sports Marketing, acted for EMC and provided support to the partnership agreement.  Logan said: “I’m a passionate Scot and anything I can do to assist what Andy Robinson and the current Scotland team are doing to enhance the status of Scottish Rugby gives me great pride.”

Scotland’s Autumn Tests continue on Saturday 20 November when current world champions South Africa visit Murrayfield (kick-off 2.30pm) and conclude at Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen, on Saturday 27 November (kick-off 2.30pm) when the hard-hitting Pacific islanders, Samoa, are the visitors.

Tickets are on sale now for the EMC Autumn Tests.  You can buy online at www.scottishrugby.org or on the hotline 0844 335 3933.

Scott Forrest to lead Scotland 7s in Delhi

Posted on Sep 21, 2010 in Rugby News

Scott Forrest will lead the Scotland 7s team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi next month (11-12 October).
Forrest, who has featured in 28 IRB Sevens World Series tournaments around the globe will make his first apearance at the Games as captain of the 12-man group led by head coach Stephen Gemmell.

The squad contains seven players who lifted the Plate in the Edinburgh leg of the 2010 IRB Sevens World Series and an additional two players who played in the successive semi-final places in the London and Edinburgh legs in 2009.
Scotland 7s’ all time highest points scorer, Andrew Turnbull, is the only player with Commonwealth Games experience having featured in the the 2006 Melbourne Games.
Forrest said: "I’ve always been very proud to captain the Scotland 7s team but to be a captain competing in the Commonwealth Games as part of Team Scotland, alongside 15 other sports, in the second biggest multi-sport competition in the world, is a huge honour.
"We ended last season on a high at Murrayfield, beating South Africa and Argentina on our way to lifting the Plate, so we’re confident we can build on our performance in Edinburgh and continue to perform on the world stage at the Commonwealth Games, before taking on the 2010/11 season of the IRB Sevens World Series."
Joining Forrest and Turnbull are Glasgow Hawks’ Mike Adamson; Chris Fusaro, Hefin O’Hare and Colin Shaw of Glasgow Warriors; Alex Blair, John Houston, Lee Jones, Stuart McInally and Scott Newlands of Edinburgh Rugby and Anglo Scot, Scott Riddell, of Blaydon.
The Scots go into the Games seeded eighth by the IRB and, on the first day of the 16-team tournament, will take on defending Games’ champions and top seeds, New Zealand, World Series regulars Canada, and Caribbean champions Guyana, who this year competed in their first World Series event in Las Vegas.
Talking through the group, Scotland 7s head coach, Stephen Gemmell, said: "As current Commonwealth and eighth time IRB Sevens World Series Champions, New Zealand have long dominated sevens but we can take confidence from recent victories over major sevens nations like South Africa, Samoa, Fiji and Australia.
"We’re well aware of Canada’s potential and ability, as they’ve beaten us in the past, but I believe we have the personnel, the ability and the confidence to get the win in Delhi. Caribbean champions, Guyana, will provide a tough challenge as they have been targeting and preparing for the Games for some time."
Looking ahead to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Gemmell added: "It’s incredible that the Games are coming to Glasgow in 2014. It’s a great opportunity for Scottish sport and for Scotland’s young people to get active and to leave a lasting legacy for sport in Scotland."

Tait challenges Falcons to deliver

Posted on Feb 17, 2010 in Rugby News

Newcastle first team coach Alan Tait has challenged his players to turn words into deeds on Saturday, as the Falcons look to regain their place in the top half of the Guinness Premiership table against London Irish.

The Exiles travel to Kingston Park for a 5.30pm kick-off, with Tait insisting that a victory is the absolute minimum requirement for his side to fulfil its top six ambitions.

“The players are talking the talk at the moment about finishing in the top half of the league, but now’s the time to see if they can back it up with their actions,” said the dual-code Scotland and Lions star.

“We can all sit here and say we’re going to finish in a Heineken Cup place, but if you don’t go out and win games then it’s just words.

“If the players are going to talk big about things like the top six then they need to bring in at least four points this weekend, it’s as simple as that.”

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Grimes lays down the gauntlet to Falcons pack

Posted on Nov 10, 2009 in Rugby News

Newcastle assistant coach Stuart Grimes has laid down the challenge to his Falcons pack, ahead of Sunday’s LV= Cup visit of Harlequins to Kingston Park (kick-off 3pm).

Having seen his side concede a hat-trick of second-half tries from driving mauls in defeat to Worcester last weekend, the Scotland great wasted no time in highlighting the areas for improvement.

“From a forward coach’s perspective last weekend went pretty badly on the whole, although there were some positives to take away,” said Grimes.

“The scrum was very good, the line out on our own throw went okay but defensively we conceded three tries from line outs which is obviously not acceptable.

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