Brian Dick: Worcester's Alex Groves and a great Scottish triumph

Nov 26 2009 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Post

Nine days before they are due to commemorate St Andrew’s Day, Scots were given the opportunity to celebrate an equally historic and passionate occasion – St Andy’s Day.

After all, canonisation is surely the next logical step for Andy Robinson, the brains behind Scotland’s brawn, who on Saturday led our national team, his national team, to a heroic victory over Australia.

Not since 1982, when the Hastings boys were mere six-stone striplings, have the clans united to skin the Wallabies.

And if Mike Ruddock earned a trip to The Palace for masterminding Wales’ first Grand Slam in 27 years, Robinson ought to be sat plum on the Stone of Scone for a similarly proud achievement.

If Northern Hemisphere victories over the Tri Nations are rare, Scottish successes come in the quantities that rocking horses produce dung.

And as most famous Scottish victories do, this latest also belonged to regions outside Hadrian’s Wall.

Indeed in Alex Grove we not only have a proud Scot but a Midlander through and through as well.

Grove tackled himself into a daze at Murrayfield. How far the playing fields of Rugby School, Sharmans Cross and Stourton Park must have seemed as Peter Hynes rearranged his rib cage as wave after wave of golden beef launched itself in his direction.

But clubhouses from Worcester to Stourbridge to Solihull to Coventry would have shared in the biggest day of Grove’s career.

The pride they felt might have been reflected but no less pleasurable for that.

Indeed Grove and Robinson seem set to work together for many years to come.

After the game, the former Edinburgh coach sent a text message to Ruddock, Grove’s director of rugby at Sixways, in eulogy of the youngster’s ability and attitude.

He has been retained for this Saturday’s Test with Argentina in the inside centre berth where his own defensive prowess will be well utilised.

Ruddock sees no reason why he can’t reach 50 caps and if Robinson is around to hand them out, there seems a good chance.

But if Grove was one of the support stars of the famous one-point victory, the former England supremo was the star.

Here’s to you Mr Robinson. Scotland loves you more than you will know.