'I stood all over Mike Blair. He just looked up and was like 'What are you doing?'
As the Guinness Pro14 gears up for its annual round of regional Christmas derbies, two of the biggest names in the Scottish game have shared their memories of a fixture which tends to pack an extra bit of bite. Edinburgh host Glasgow Warriors at BT Murrayfield on January 2nd, a game former Scotland internationals John Barclay and Chris Paterson are no strangers to.
Former Scotland captain Barclay has experience from both sides of the derby, but one game in particular stands out from his days with the Warriors.
“I remember we got our pants pulled down [by Edinburgh] in Murrayfield one year. I’ve never, ever, had a harder training week [afterwards],” Barclay says.
“It was back in the days of ‘We’re just going to do full contact all week, because that’s why you lost’… So we did that.
“The game, I think Jim Hamilton still talks about it, and I never really got involved in too much of that stuff. It was back in the day of just ludicrous stuff going on. I remember going into a ruck when you couldn’t legally stand, and I stood all over Mike Blair. He just looked up and was like ‘What are you doing?’ and I remember thinking ‘I don’t actually know really anymore, I was told to do this so I’m doing it.’
“Afterwards, Mike said ‘You don’t have to do that,’ and I was like, ‘You’re right, I don’t know why I did that…'”
Scotland centurion Paterson started his pro career at Glasgow but made his name at Edinburgh, where he enjoyed two spells either side of a year with English side Gloucester.
“I do remember John holding me back once,” Paterson recalls.
“I was getting pinned down, with John on one side and I think it was Kevin Tkachuk, the Canadian prop on the other side, and they were both holding me. And I was like, ‘Come on lads, let me up!’ And nobody would let me up!
“But John actually let go first, so that was a hand out free and I managed to clip big Kevin Tkachuk a wee bit. So yeah, a wee bit of niggle there.”
With only two pro teams in Scotland, the rivalry between Edinburgh and Glasgow is hard to escape.
“There was a spell, certainly when I was first at Glasgow, where Edinburgh were the dominant team and there was that kind of little brother, big brother [feeling],” Barclay adds.
“It’s kind of yo-yoed back and forth [over the years], and there’s something in that, which seems also counter-intuitive. Some of these guys are best friends, and they’ll never be more physical and more aggressive than in this game, because it is like the back garden with your little brother or big brother, having a scrap.
“There’s a lot of basic elements of it which takes you back to what you always talk about with these games. Physicality, aggression, all the kind of basics of rugby. It tends to lend itself to pretty good games.”
Paterson says sometimes that intended aggression doesn’t always have the desired effect.
“I remember getting stood on quite aggressively by Jim McLaren in an Edinburgh v Glasgow game way, way back. He came thundering in and just burst out laughing as he did it, and I burst out laughing as well.
“Similar to John’s one… ‘What are you doing Jim?’ He says, ‘Oh I’m just standing there.’
“I said ‘Yeah, but you’ve got mouldies on!’ The pitch was half frozen so not only was there was no need for it, it wasn’t even sore because he just had the moulded studs on!
“And I remember there was a dust up at the end of one of the games [2010], Chris Fusaro and Scott MacLeod, and it was literally on the final whistle, as it blew. So we’re trading blows and then on the whistle: peep, shook hands, had a laugh and that was it. So it was stopped immediately, almost mid-swing. Emotions run high I suppose.”
And Paterson believes there is always an extra incentive in the Scottish derby games given the Six Nations is just around the corner.
“I suppose in some ways it can be seen as a national trial with only two teams [in Scotland], for the players fighting head-to-head. Sometimes as a player you would treat it as that, other times you would completely ignore that.
“I think it’s often seen as a real opportunity to go head-to-head with somebody who is effectively seen as competition for the national team, as well as to perform and win vital league points for your club sides.”
John Barclay and Chris Paterson will both be part of the Premier Sports team for coverage of the 1872 Cup clash between Edinburgh and Glasgow on Jan 2.
Comments on RugbyPass
1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to comments