Ringing the changes; Tom Shields discovers Friday nights at the rugby

Sunday Herald, The, Nov 3, 2002 by Tom Shields

I used to enjoy a day at the rugby. That was aeons ago when club rugby was still to the fore. When the ladies made lovely sandwiches and the men had a right few beers and would sing songs of which one of the cleanest was: "My rhubarb won't rise up to its proper size 'cos my baby don't love me no more " Then the sport turned professional, got rather serious and complicated, and not quite so much fun. But the emergence of a new Scottish Pro Rugby Cup seemed like a good excuse to revisit the oval ball game, particularly since Glasgow were playing Edinburgh with something at stake. The pro cup is actually a league of three teams. This is a strange concept. Imagine if the other football game in Scotland was reduced to three teams: Celtic, Rangers and the Rest of Scotland. Well, it's perhaps not that hard to imagine.

In this rugby union league, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Borders are playing off for two places in next season's Heineken European Cup, which gives the competition some point. The losers are consigned to play in the Parker Pen and Propelling Pencil Challenge Cup, although I may have made up the bit about the propelling pencil.

The prospect of some decent sport, a spot of inter-city rivalry, and perhaps a bit of fun tempted me aboard the Glasgow Rugby supporters' bus on a wet and windy Friday night. Any previous journeys I have made on rugby buses have featured both a cairry-oot and a cairry-oan. But that was then and this is now. When Caledonian Breweries sponsored Glasgow in recent seasons, there was the odd tin of 80 shilling to be had and some fun and games on the bus.

I'm not saying the journey to Edinburgh was staid but I managed to get 40 winks on the way out and finished the Evening News crossword on the way back. Edinburgh's slogan for these Pro Rugby Cup encounters is "Putting the passion into Friday night" and they are certainly doing their best to make the match an occasion.

At the Meadowbank venue, fans can turn up early for a choice of diversions. You can fork out (pounds) 59 for the full hospitality package, your dinner and drinkypoos with the players after the match.

There is the slightly more plebeian option of the pre-match curry with two free pints of lager for (pounds) 14. But perfectly acceptable and probably better fun is to congregate in the bar at Meadowbank and have a pie and a pint. Even the pie stand has a slogan: "Anytime is pie time." A philosophy I have always shared, especially on a Friday night. The spicy Mexican bridie is a fine snack, by the way.

There is a live band in the bar, led by Mark Mackie, whose day job is lead guitar in the Proclaimers' backing group. Greg Kane of Hue and Cry was a guest musician at a recent game. The atmosphere can be a bit lively in the Meadowbank bar on a match evening, particularly if there is a large contingent of Welsh fans in attendance.

Glasgow try to create the same sort of party atmosphere at Hughenden with a spot of karaoke in the beer tent, featuring a few post-match tunes from players. Again, to make a comparison with the round-ball game, it is hard to imagine the soccer clubs putting on a sing-song for the fans after the game. Mind you, Donald Findlay of Rangers had a stab at establishing the genre.

While the organisers try hard to create a festive fringe atmosphere at the game, it has to be said that Meadowbank Stadium is not an ideal venue for rugby. The stadium is one-sided (rather like the match, which Edinburgh won 29-13) and has no atmosphere. It does not help that fans are too far away from the action.

As one of the wee professional touches, any score in the game is accompanied by music. A lively little tune for the home team and a funereal tolling of bells when the visitors score.

Sandy Ross, an assiduous follower of Scottish rugby when he is not being a TV executive, says: "I really enjoy my night out at the rugby, with the entertainment and facilities, but Meadowbank is not the right location. What Edinburgh rugby needs is a proper, purpose- built stadium - a lesser Murrayfield - where the fans can be right on top of the action.

"The quality of the game is much improved now that players are competing regularly at a higher level. This will filter through soon, I hope, to the Scottish national team."

Sandy's vote of confidence in the professional rugby set-up is seconded by Liz and Brian Lobodzinski, of Irvine, who are ardent followers of Glasgow. "It can be quite exciting at Hughenden, especially in recent games against Sale and Connacht when we qualified for the quarter-finals of the Celtic league. The coach, Kiwi Searancke, has the team playing in an impressive open style, determined in defence and aggressive in attack."

Except the Glasgow Warriors were far from determined and aggressive against the Edinburgh Gunners. Lacklustre and disappointing are words which spring to mind.

And while I'm in critical mode, what is this business of giving the city rugby teams silly names? The Gunners versus the Warriors. It sounds like an unlikely association football match between Arsenal and Stenhousemuir. The Edinburgh name comes from the city's one o'clock gun, so there is a vague justification. God knows how Glasgow, a city noted for its pacifism, became the Warriors.