Gala and Melrose coaches bring a southern focus to the new Premiership campaign

Neil Drysdale

Sports Journalist

Wednesday 22 August 2012

Any resemblance between George Graham and a shrinking violet has always been purely coincidental.

George Graham took Gala to Scottish Cup victory last season. Picture: Steve Cox

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Neil Drysdale

The former Scotland prop, a man who never countenanced a backward step in either rugby code during his peripatetic playing career, has brought the same intensity to his coaching sessions at Netherdale, where he steered Gala to a terrific season last year; they won the Scottish Cup, finished third in the Premiership and qualified for the British & Irish Cup.

It was a heady campaign, but it still wasn't enough to extinguish the title ambitions of Melrose, who maintained their domestic domination under Craig Chalmers, albeit with more anxiety than had marked their charge to the summit 12 months earlier. The gap between the elite clubs is shrinking and Graham predicts the continuation of that trend when the action kicks off in the 2012-13 campaign on Saturday, with Gala entertaining Heriots."I think it will be very close again, because there is a real buzz around the club circuit," said Graham. "Ayr have strengthened, Edinburgh Accies have lots of potential, Stirling County could be dark horses, Dundee will be determined to build on what they achieved, and Melrose have shown their quality over the last few seasons, and you have others in the mix as well, so I reckon it will be exciting for everybody."Graham has talented youngster Chris Auld back after a long-term injury, although he would prefer it if the centre was not wrapped in cotton wool by the SRU. "We have had three pre-season matches [against Boroughmuir, Hawick and Hawick YM] and things are coming together, but the proof will be in the pudding," said the coach. "We were a little bit of an unknown quantity last time round, which gave us the element of surprise, and it was a successful season, no doubt about it. But it is just making sure we kick on, and improve by working harder and paying more attention to detail. We will be targeted and we have to be ready for the challenge, because momentum is very important in this competition and the clubs which come firing out of the blocks will move into a strong position."If Graham is built in the traditional mould of the Borders terrier, Chalmers has always been a flashier figure. Yet the former Scotland and British and Irish Lions stand-off can let his cv speak for itself. One suspects that, if he had drawn up the fixture schedule, Chalmers would not have plumped for a trip to Bridgehaugh and a meeting with the fast-improving Stirling as his launch pad, but he has John Dalziel back to boost his pack, and, when one glanced through the team which beat Peebles 52-26 last weekend, there was young Sam Chalmers – one of Craig's sons – to remind us that, in the south of Scotland, passing on the torch has always underpinned their success.Graham, for his part, has his two boys, George junior and Gary, straining every sinew in the Gala cause and one of his few regrets about the present situation at the clubs lies in the fact there is so little interest from TV companies in showcasing what is an exhilarating product, especially now the Premiership is a truly pan-Scottish tournament."It does feel like a bit of a closed shop at the moment, but if one of the broadcasters got involved in showing even highlights, I'm confident it would attract interest, as well as providing some valuable revenue for all of us who are living a hand-to-mouth existence," said Graham, who will embark on his maiden B & I Cup event in the autumn."That's a bit of a strange thing, because there is a lot of excitement about it, and you are playing in big stadiums in front of large crowds, and I realise the fans are looking forward to Gala being in the competition. But, from a coaching perspective, it is a step up, and I'll be treating it as a weapon to motivate and improve my players, by telling them, 'This is what you have to aspire to if you want to rise further in rugby'."For the moment, though, he and Chalmers will concentrate on the league. Former team-mates, now rivals, in the south; it should be an absorbing struggle.

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Gala and Melrose coaches bring a southern focus to the new Premiership campaign

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