Out On The Full Meets Sean Maitland

Sean Maitland is Scotland’s ‘Kilted Kiwi’, a Super Rugby convert who now crafts his trade at the Glasgow Warriors. For 31 minutes against Ireland, two weeks ago, Sean was one of Scotland’s shining lights before a cruel twist of fate shattered his 2014 RBS 6 Nations hopes. Since that day his team have been under a huge amount of scrutiny and have been heavily criticised by the media. Last Friday (14th) I caught up with the man himself to find out how his recovery was progressing and to understand a little more about the current state of Scottish rugby from inside the camp. 

Whilst it was clear to all of us watching the match against Ireland that Sean had injured his leg quite badly it was not so apparent to the man himself; 

“The first thing I had to worry about was the fact that I might have had a concussion, I don’t remember too much about the game or what had happened to me. It was only when I saw the footage that I understood why my knee had flared up… the landing looked quite awkward. I had a scan and they told me that I could be out for 6 – 8 weeks.” 

Obviously Sean’s injury means that he is now watching his team ‘from afar’ and I was interested to understand his perspective on the performance at Murrayfield, against England, that has caused so much uproar in the world of rugby; 

“It was a really tough watch. We didn’t show too much of our potential or perform how we have been in training, which is disappointing. I know how hard the boys are trying, the effort and dedication is huge, but it just didn’t come together on the pitch. The good thing is about rugby is there is always another chance to put things right, to prove to yourselves and to everyone else that you can do it” 

For his team-mates this chance comes in the form of a trip to Rome and Sean shared with me his views about impending fixture; 

“Playing Italy in Rome is always challenging, and despite losing their first two matches they’ve got some momentum behind them. However it really isn’t about focusing on them, instead the focus will be on ourselves to play to the level that we know we can and put in a performance that we are proud of.” 

Whilst it is desperately disappointing that Sean isn’t out there on the pitch, as you’d expect he is fully behind his team-mates and is eager to remind individuals not to be too short-termist in their views. 

“A lot of people have short memories and seem to forget that we did come 3rd last year.” 

Both Sean and Scotland both have a tough few weeks ahead as rehab takes time, whether it be mending an injured knee or an injured team, and whilst it may not always feel like progress is being made, given focus, determination and a little bit of expert guidance a knee or a team can heal quickly and come back stronger. Scotland have a huge challenge ahead of them, their performance against Italy will be a defining moment for the squad as it will either singlehandedly answer all of the criticism that has been levelled against them or induce more. For what it is worth I sincerely hope that it does the former.

Ready For The Weekend - Aviva Premiership Round 15 Preview

With a whole host of extremely exciting transfer news off the field as well as some outstanding rugby on it in Round 14 the Aviva Premiership really is the competition that just keeps on giving. Due to the RBS 6 Nations, the Round 15 kick off times have moved slightly and all six will be played on either Saturday or Sunday as the Friday Night Lights are saved for the Millennium Stadium. 

The action starts with the club who have enjoyed their fair share of headlines this week; Bath. Now before I speak about their fixture let me just say once again how amazingly excited I am about the signing of Sam Burgess… the man’s athletic talent is phenomenal and that coupled with his worth ethic means that I’ve no doubt that sparks will fly as soon as he arrives. Sadly October is a while away however I’m sure that the men in black, blue and white will have all been boosted by the news and it will show at the weekend. Performance wise the home team simply need to continue doing what they have been doing as they haven't lost in the Premiership since September last year! On the other hand their opponents, London Wasps, need to buck their ideas up after a less than ideal performance against London Irish in Round 14. Both teams have huge packs and electrically exciting backs when they are on form and if all 30 men on the pitch play to their potential this will be an extremely exciting clash indeed. 

The next stop is at Kingsholm where Gloucester welcome Harlequins to town. Gloucester’s home record isn’t too sparkling as they have won only two out of their seven home matches this season however their performance against Leicester last weekend was gusty and full of promise. I don’t expect Nigel Davies to make too many personnel changes and if they bring that same level of intensity the Shed will be a happier place than it has been recently. Once again Harlequins won the hard way in Round 14 and will want to amend the fact that they haven’t won at Kingsholm in the Premiership since February 1999. Off the field we now know that Sam Smith who has been the try scorer in their last two fixtures, will be heading up to Worcester next season and despite others arriving to The Stoop there is no doubt that he will be missed.

The final Saturday fixture is at Sixways where Worcester welcome their local rivals the Sale Sharks to town. The Warriors are still searching for that elusive first Premiership victory and I expect that Dean Ryan will have had words with his squad during the week about their discipline to ensure this doesn't derail their chances.  Sale will hope that the external elements are a little kinder to them this week and will be looking to win their first set of back to back away matches since 2008! Watch out for newbie Ryan Lamb’s name on the Worcester team sheet and his battle with Mr Cipriani will certainly be an interesting one if both are picked to start!

On Sunday the fixtures start at the Madjeski Stadium where London Irish take on the Leicester Tigers. Irish will look to continue their strong run of form having won their last seven fixtures in all competitions. Rumour has it that Marland Yarde might be fit to play some part in the match which would certainly please many around the UK. Leicester’s focus is likely to be on their own performance because although they have been winning in the Premiership, in recent times these wins have been less than pretty ones… and I believe that assessment is being rather polite!!!!

At Kingston Park the Newcastle Falcons welcome the Northampton Saints; the Falcons will be searching for their first win in the Premiership since October. In contrast Northampton haven’t lost in the Premiership since the end of September and take with them to Kingston Park a superb away from home record having won their last eight away games in all tournaments. If you believe everything that you read then Northampton could also be taking with them their own golden man; Mr Ben Foden!

 

The final fixture of the weekend is at Allianz Park between Saracens and the Exeter Chiefs. Saracens haven’t lost successive home games in the Premiership in the same season since February 2006 and will wish to bounce back from that shocking defeat to London Irish in Round 13. The Chiefs continue to end up on the wrong side of the score sheet and are still searching for their first Premiership victory in 2014. Rob Baxter has said that he has imparted a few home truths on his men this week and it will certainly be interesting to see the results of those words out there on the pitch.!

So there you have it... the full Round 15 Aviva Premiership Preview and with the changed kick off times there is absolutely no reason whatsoever not to devote yourself entirely to a huge weekend of rugby! There are 3 televised Aviva Premiership Matches plus 3 RBS 6 Nations matches so I suggest that you clear your diaries, ensure that you have a suitable vantage point ready that has first class sustenance and hydration and get ready for another bumper weekend of rugby action.

A Monday Slam!

Waking up on a Monday morning to read the news that one of the most naturally talented English Rugby League players ever has decided to switch codes and join the Aviva  Premiership is a great way to start the day. Sam Burgess is the man under the spotlight, at 25 he has a devastating try score record for his country scoring 7 tries in his 13 appearances for England, he made 88 appearances for his home club Bedford before heading down under and making another 70 (and counting) for the Rabbitiohs.

The question is why are we all so excited about Sam’s move when history shows us that converts often struggle to live up to their anticipated hype? Well the answer has to lie with the man himself… you only need to spend a very short time on YouTube or watch a single Rabbitiohs game to see the Sam’s raw talent, drive and power is extraordinary. The timing of his move adds to the excitement, Sam is not switching codes to prolong a career in professional sport, he is switching during his prime, at a time when he is at his most devastating and that is what is so thrilling about this move. 

Slammin’ Sam… a nickname that he has developed over the years and one which no doubt will stick with him at Bath, is a prolific Rugby League forward and we are told that the idea is for Sam to develop into game changing, match winning inside centre. At Bath the his centre partner could be the amazing freak of nature that is Matt Banahan or the electrically fast Jonathan Joseph or fellow cross coder Kyle Eastmond, not bad options really!!? However look a step further on and welcome to the picture Mr Manu Tuilagi… a Burgess/Tuilagi partnership is the stuff that dreams are made of… my goodness me!!

Many are already citing the 2015 World Cup as the showcase for this devastating partnership, however with Sam arriving in October you wonder whether a few months is enough time to learn a completely new code and become world class at it!? Maybe not for some however you have to remember that this man is a phenomenal athlete, he has the softest of hands on the strongest of bodies and a winning attitude to go with it... you do get the sense that anything really is possible. As mentioned at the start we may have witnessed a number of converts over the years who fell short of the mark however I, like so many, am predicting that Sam will not be one of those. Instead he has the ability to join those game changing, world cup winning players like Israel Folau, Sonny Bill Williams and Jason Robinson. These are the players that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, they do things that so many can only dream of and they are ones that you need to have if success is to be achieved. 

For now Sam remains Down Under, finishing off his season… I suspect that the ratings for the Rabbitiohs’ games may just go up just slightly and certainly come October this year all eyes will be firmly locked on The Rec to see just what Mr Burgess can achieve.

Image: AAP Image/Action Photographics, Robb Cox

Valentines, Cards and More - Aviva Premiershp Round 14 Review

Round 14, the Valentines Round and whilst we all knew that there would be little love shown out there on the pitch I don’t think that any of us expected so many cards to be shared!!? Let’s dive straight into the Round 14 review and shed some light on this card sharing;

It will come as no surprise to you that the weather was a little inclement at the AJ Bell Stadium… I don’t believe that they have enjoyed a dry Friday night game yet! The home team worked with the elements to develop a nice half time cushion; Rob Miller looked sprightly and as predicted the powerhouses of Paterson, Gaskell, Braid and Seymour were prolific. Sadly for the hosts Saracens’ experience (particularly in the half backs) and sheer bloody-mindedness (up front) drove them on to close out the game. Sale now head to Sixways next weekend, in a fixture that Worcester will be targeting, whilst Saracens return to their luxurious 4G pitch to host the Exeter Chiefs.  

Speaking of the Exeter Chiefs, today they will be hurting, as on Saturday afternoon at Sandy Park they once again tasted the bitter taste of defeat which sadly makes it 4 losses in a row in the Premiership for them. What will hurt even more was the fact that the loss was against Bath; the only team that they have yet to beat in the Premiership. The man who led Bath’s charge was Mr George Ford and if ever there was a performance that said “Pick me I’m ready to represent my country” then that was it however on that subject we will just have to wait and see. The Chiefs once again should have taken more from the game and unsurprisingly Rob Baxter has reportedly told his team in no uncertain terms to buck their ideas up. Mike Ford on the other hand was an altogether happier man as Bath’s ascendency continues with every single performance and they have secured the services of a very, very exciting man...Mr Sam Burgess.

Harlequins welcomed the Newcastle Falcons to The Stoop and just like last weekend it looked as if the hosts were going to suffer a home defeat as Dean Richards men led with five minutes to go. Quins showed a huge amount of strength and determination to come back and arm-wrestle the game away the Falcons and the difference in the final score-line came from the boot of Ben Botica. There is no doubt that Conor O'Shea's men are missing their influential internationals however their young guns are certainly stepping up to the plate and grinding out victories. Newcastle’s losing bonus point will come in handy given their tough few weeks ahead as they face Northampton, Tigers and then Gloucester. 

The Saints hosted the Worcester Warriors at Franklin’s Gardens in a fixture that was tense throughout. Sadly a red card to Captain Jonathan Thomas and a penalty try just after half time ended Worcester’s hopes of taking anything tangible away from Franklin's Gardens. Northampton, well they did what the top teams do... they took full advantage of having an extra man on the pitch for 27 minutes and turned the screw. Jim Mallinder will be pleased that his team are riding the International period so well and certainly will target a bonus point win at Kingston Park next weekend. On the other hand Dean Ryan will have words with his men as frustration and indiscipline cannot be a part of their game because all that it does is to make a seemingly impossible challenge that little bit harder.  

The final Saturday fixture was a London Derby at Adams Park… Derby Days are always eventful affairs and this one certainly delivered. London Irish started where they left off against Saracens enjoying much of the possession and territory in the first half. It was left to Elliot Daly, who shone throughout, and honorary Wasp James Short (on loan from Saracens) to provide some much needed sparkle for the home team. The second started with something that no-one likes to see; a boot to the head from Tomas O’Leary on James Haskell and rightly so he was given a red card. At that point you thought Wasps would take the game by the scruff of the neck and finish off their visitors however that just didn’t happen. Irish bullied their London rivals up front and Shane Geraghty’s drop goal on 73 minutes decided the match. Irish head home to take on Leicester brimming with confidence whilst Wasps need to re-group quickly before they run out at The Rec next weekend. 

The final match at the weekend was at Welford Road in the beautiful sunshine where the Leicester Tigers welcomed Gloucester Rugby. The first half certainly wasn't anything to write home about; both team’s butchered chances and Gloucester spent the half weathering a Leicester storm in the set piece. Charlie Sharples' try on 50 minutes breathed new life into the game and Gloucester moved into the driving seat whilst Leicester looked in disarray. However, never, write off the Champions and after a strong period of Gloucester defence the home team crossed to level the scores with 10 minutes to go. Gloucester will be mightily aggrieved after they were stung for a penalty in the dying minutes and Toby Flood's 3 points snatched the match away from them. It was a heartening performance from the men in Cherry and White who looked stronger than they have done all season and once again it was another ugly win for Leicester. 

The matches are becoming tighter and tighter as the rounds roll on and Round 14 was another enthralling encounter with some superb individual and team performances. Next weekend is another bumper weekend of rugby with the 6 Nations and Aviva Premiership action, so rest up because next weekend will be a big, big one!!