'No disrespect to Scotland, but one of the things that they need to get rid of is the mental fragility in the side'
Former England captain Nick Easter believes Scotland can solve their “mental fragility” by recalling Newcastle back row forward Gary Graham, who has helped the newly promoted club make an unbeaten start to their Gallagher Premiership campaign. Physicality has been a hallmark of Newcastle’s victories and Easter knows how important the ball carrying of Graham has been as the Falcons knocked over Bath, Sale and Wasps – three of last season’s top five clubs – with a ferocious forward effort.
John Barclay, the former Scotland captain, conceded that Gregor Townsend’s men had lost the physical battle going down 31-16 to Ireland in Dublin last weekend to round off their Autumn Nations Cup challenge.
Graham won his two Scotland caps to date in the 2019 Six Nations championship but relegation to the Championship hampered his international cause. Now, back in the English top flight, the 27-year-old is showing the kind of mental and physical strength that Easter, the Newcastle defence coach, is adamant Scotland are still missing and is needed if they are to challenge the best teams in Europe.
Easter, who is preparing Newcastle for their European Challenge Cup opener with Cardiff Blues on Friday night, told RugbyPass: “No disrespect to Scotland, but one of the things that they need to get rid of is the mental fragility in the side. You saw that against Ireland and Gary doesn’t have one iota of that in his make-up. He believes 100 per cent in what he is doing and will take it to the opposition come what may.
“He will keep doing his job and will not go off piste and is inspirational.
“What typifies Gary is the Sale game against a team who are very physical and full of hard South African boys, and he hurt his shoulder after 30 minutes and was struggling. He is tough as teak, got over that at half time and in the 80th minute he has carried the ball into Jean-Luc du Preez, the hard man of Sale who I know well from my time coaching the Sharks (in South Africa), and left him dazed.
“Gary has got up and two phases later has flown into a ruck to free up the ball and we score a try to win the match. That typifies his mentality and he refuses to be beaten. He will take on anyone and everyone and his influence on the group is massive and the belief goes up two or three fold when he is there. Gary has been playing some smart rugby at No8 and he is a very combative guy who has an astonishing work-rate.
“His work off the ball, the scrambling in the back field – he just doesn’t give up. He doesn’t know when he is beaten.
“Gary likes to take things head on and has provided us with great go forward ball. Our game plan allows Gary to get into the match and he has averaged around 20 carries in all three wins and it puts you on the front foot.”
Graham has been worked hard in the opening Premiership matches because Newcastle have been operating without injured back row players including England’s Mark Wilson, who could return to the match squad against Cardiff.
It has meant Sean Robinson has been pressed into service on the blind side rather than the second row while young Connor Collett has taken his chance to impress on the open side.
Easter added: “We had to move things around because five back rowers have been injured. Connor has come back from New Zealand and put in an outstanding pre-season and deserved his chance while Sean is second row but is good enough to play at No6 and has been one of our top three players in all of the games.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ireland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
45 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
45 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
45 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
45 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
45 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
45 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
45 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
45 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
45 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
45 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
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