Scotland may turn to Tait in hour of need

Feb 18 2010 by Nick Purewal, The Journal

INJURY-HIT Scotland could look to Newcastle Falcons' Alex Tait to fill their Six Nations full-back slot.

With Chris Paterson and Thom Evans both out of the tournament, the Scottish management may well try to tempt Falcons full-back Tait into the set-up.

Paterson suffered a cruel kidney injury on his 100th cap in the agonising last-gasp Wales defeat, while Thom Evans slipped a vertebrae in his neck which has required two operations since.

Winger Rory Lamont has also suffered tournament-ending medial ligament damage, all of which ravages Scotland’s back-three stocks.

That leaves head coach Andy Robinson needing reinforcements, and The Journal understands Scotland are ready to ask Tait to commit to the Thistle over the Red Rose of England.

The Wolsingham-born England Under-18s and Under-20s cap qualifies for Scotland thanks to his Glaswegian grandfather, and the Scotland hierarchy are strengthening their resolve to convince Tait to choose international rugby north of the border.

Scores of youngsters have represented one home union at age-group level before switching allegiance for their senior career, but the difference with Tait Junior clearly comes in the form of seasoned England cap and older brother Mathew.

Alex has made no secret of the Scotland option, but has not yet been forced to declare his loyalty one way or the other – and it looks as though decision time looms ever closer. Scotland get back into Six Nations action when they take on Italy in Rome on Saturday week, and the team management may well approach Tait to ask him to be involved in that game.

Meantime Tait himself is concentrating solely on Newcastle’s Saturday Guinness Premiership clash with London Irish (kick-off 5.30pm) as the Falcons look to get back to winning ways after last week’s Northampton defeat.

The Falcons have only won one league game at Kingston Park so far this term, and 21-year-old Tait expects his side to go some way to improving that record come the weekend. Aware a win is vital for Newcastle to keep their top-six ambitions alive, Tait said Newcastle must marry up forwards and backs play to out-do talented Irish.

“This is a massively important game that could be the turning-point in our season,” admitted the powerful No 15, “because if we win we’re right back in the mix for the top six.

“The forwards are scoring tries and that’s great, but obviously from a back’s perspective it’s been quite frustrating, it’s something we’re going to have to rectify.

“We’re working on this more structured game and if we can bring that together then both parts will interact more and we can score more tries in the back division. The Heineken Cup is exactly where we want to be next year, the top six is our aim and we’ve got that Cardiff quarter-final at home too which is another avenue for us.

“Some aspects of my game I’m pleased with and some maybe not so, I don’t think I had the greatest game at Northampton, especially in the second half, but I think I’m improving and hopefully I’ll have a good game on Saturday, really bounce back and we can get a win.

“As far as I am concerned playing for Newcastle Falcons week-in, week-out as a 21-year-old, I’m pretty pleased about that.

“As long as I can keep playing every week and winning my place in the side then my development will kick on, I’ve just got to focus on playing for the club.”