Robinson refuses to make cap promises to his touring 28

Rugby reporter

Friday 25 May 2012

Andy Robinson has made it clear caps cannot be guaranteed for all 28 players in the Scotland squad that set off last night on their three-Test tour of Australia and the South Pacific.

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Alasdair Reid

Robinson originally had intended to take 32 players, but decided to drop four when the match against New South Wales Waratahs was cut from the schedule. In light of the change, it had been assumed all 28 members of a party that includes five uncapped players would be given game time, but Robinson clearly prefers to keep his cards close to his chest on selection matters.

"I can't make promises like that," insisted the coach. "We will deal with it case by case, and every player has to go out there expecting either to play or be on the bench. You want players to be thinking that way but I can't say what we are going to do because, if we do something else, players might come back to me and say, 'oy, you said . . . ' "Robinson has form in such matters. When he led Scotland to the first southern hemisphere Test series victory in their history in Argentina two years ago, six members of the squad did not figure in either of the two Tests. Among those left frustrated by the experience was Alex Grove, the Worcester centre who had played three matches for Scotland the previous autumn but has not been able to add to his cap tally since.Grove was a surprise inclusion when Robinson named this year's touring squad last week, but his experiences in Argentina have taught him to take nothing for granted. He also made an abortive attempt to revive his Test career on a loan spell at Edinburgh two years ago, so he is well aware of how fierce the competition for midfield places has become. However, after dropping off the Scotland radar for almost two years, he has revived his cap prospects with a series of potent performances for Worcester this season."There are a lot of people who may say 'out of sight out of mind'," said the 24-year-old, who included a victory over Australia in his run of three Tests in November 2009. "But I am aware that they [the Scotland management team] have logged most of my games. I kept within reach by way of Scotland A call-ups over the past two years, and a few guys have earned promotion as a result of success at that level."Had he worried that he would never play for Scotland again? "No, I never thought that," Grove replied. "It is not totally within the player's control but the player can influence how many more appearances he makes by knuckling down and doing the hard work. I may have been out of the thoughts of many people, but I've been playing well and training hard and fighting to get back into the team."With Scotland now on a run of seven straight defeats, there ought to be opportunities for Grove against Australia, Samoa and Fiji over the next few weeks. Again, though, he is not counting any chickens, convinced that the side is not as bad as its recent results may indicate."Obviously, I watched all of the [Six Nations] games and I really felt for the boys," said Grove. "I almost said I felt sorry for them because I know how much effort they put in. It is frustrating seeing them put all that in, and knowing the quality that is there, and having nothing to show for it."It is just such a cruel game sometimes. You look at most of the games and they played all the rugby for 65 or 70 minutes, but then there have been 10 minutes when the opposition has had most of the possession or territory. Scotland have shot themselves in the foot by things like having two yellow cards; you can't afford to do that in Test match rugby because teams will punish you, as happened in the Welsh game, for example."Grove is under no pressure on this tour, but the same could hardly be said for Robinson. The coach was given a vote of confidence by his SRU employers after the RBS 6 Nations, but they might not be so indulgent if he returns from the forthcoming venture having failed to halt the long run of defeats. Typically, though, the Englishman was in upbeat mood as he prepared for last night's departure.Robinson said: "I am looking forward to the tour. What has happened has happened. I was hugely disappointed by that and I have to learn the lessons and make sure that, with a new coaching team bedded in, we deliver performances in these three games. These are three very tough internationals."We are playing away from home, playing Australia, who are going to put out a very good side mainly based around Queensland. It is going to be a very strong Australian side. Fiji and Samoa will have all their players back to play against us because they haven't had games in their own countries for many years."It is going to be a big, big test for us. We are going to have to be at our best. This is not about going out there and playing at half pace because, if we do, then we will lose these games."

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Robinson refuses to make cap promises to his touring 28

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