Jason White Calls It A Day

by Dugald Skene

Jason White has called time on his professional rugby career.

In typically succinct fashion, he stated "That's me finished" as he admitted that other priorities in his life have meant that now is the right time to hang up the boots.  He said "I won't be playing professional rugby again. We've just had a little girl, so I'm on daddy duty for a while, which is great."

White in full flow against Italy

The move brings to an end any speculation of his move to a new club, with Glasgow Warriors the team tipped to acquire his talent. "I was certainly keen on a move back to Glasgow and there were signs of interest at their end and a lot of talk in the press about it." said White. "Unfortunately, it never quite happened. I would have liked to go there, but it wasn't to be."

White, 34, played 77 times for Scotland, captaining his country on 19 of those occasions.  That makes him the 6th most capped Scot of all time.  He developed a bit of a cult following after he strung together a series of displays in his early career that quickly earned him the reputation as one of the biggest tacklers in world rugby.  Quiet and unassuming off the pitch, he often did the best of his talking on it.

Scotland fans will fondly remember him tackling England winger Paul Sackey and driving him backwards 10 yards before unceremoniously dumping him on the deck during a Calcutta Cup clash at Murrayfield.  But that is just one of the many that could (and have) been strung together in video reels across the internet.

Strong in the lineout and in open play, he was a talismanic leader wherever he played and he will be missed from the field of play.  He has not stated what, if any ambitions he has in the game or what he might move on to next.

In the meantime, it never gets boring to remember some of those huge hits he has put in over the years, right until the end.

Jason White on Chris Wyles, courtesy of rugbydump.com

Scotland Drawn In Favourable Group For RWC 2015

by Dugald Skene

Scotland should come away from the Rugby World Cup draw fairly buoyant after being selected in a competitive group, but one that can be realistically overcome.

Scotland have been drawn in Pool B with South Africa, Samoa, the top qualifying Asian nation and the second top qualifying American nation.

In all likelihood, those last two places would be filled by Japan and the USA, if the rankings are anything to go by at the moment. Given recent form, both of those games would provide stern tests for the current Scotland squad.

It's by no means an easy group, clearly, but in comparison to 1 or 2 of the others, Scotland will feel relatively relieved.

The full draw for RWC 2015

Pool A sees hosts England being drawn with Wales who found themselves in the 3rd qualifying pool following their last gasp defeat to Australia, and to the Australians themselves. All three have history between each other, and it should prove to be mouth watering. England will have a clear home advantage come the World Cup, but there is no way of telling which of these three are likely to miss out on the quarter finals.

In Pool C, Webb Ellis trophy holders New Zealand have a reasonably comfortable looking group with Argentina and Tonga. As we know, the Tongans are all too able to cause an upset, but you would fully expect the All Blacks and Pumas to make the grade in this one. By the time the World Cup finally comes round, Argentina will have competed in 4 Rugby Championship's and should be a stronger team than we know today.

Pool D is all about European rivalries with France, Ireland and Italy all being drawn together. If history and 6 Nations form is anything to go by, France and Ireland would expect to graduate from this group, but both teams have history of upsets in the early stages of World Cups.

Not much can be analysed at such an early stage, and it will be another 2 years before the groups have been fully fleshed out following the conclusion of the qualifying rounds. Lots to mull over certainly, but there's a lot of rugby to be played between now and RWC 2015.