Scots call looks close for Otago's Laney

By WYNNE GRAY

EDINBURGH - Brendan Laney's goal to play test rugby for Scotland has moved tantalisingly close within a week of his arrival in Edinburgh.

Before Scotland played Argentina yesterday, Laney had been drafted into the A side to play the All Blacks in Perth tomorrow and practised with the team on the back ground at Murrayfield.

Circumstance and talent have been the Chainsaw's allies since he arrived to take up a contract with Edinburgh last Tuesday.

Leading Scottish fullbacks Glenn Metcalfe and Chris Patterson were injured and national coach Ian McGeechan wanted Laney to step in for the A side, with the chance he could be in the test squad against the All Blacks at the weekend.

"Why not?" McGeechan replied to a question about the possibility. "If he is the best available and is eligible to play, I don't think it would be a problem."

McGeechan disputed a further suggestion that such a rapid elevation would create controversy . "I am sorry I don't agree with you," he told the Scottish media who had just seen their national side beaten 25-16 by Argentina.

Were Laney to make the jump and follow former Otago team-mate John Leslie into the test team, he would rival Leslie who won his first cap 11 days after arriving in Scotland in 1998.

Once he knew this year that Laney was heading to Scotland, McGeechan studied the utility back in the Super 12 and was impressed by his mix of basic skills and unconventional ideas.

"They tried to keep him in New Zealand with all sorts of offers, but he was determined to come here and play for Scotland. He was not going to be swayed from that and I like that determination," McGeechan said.

Laney will compete tomorrow against five Otago team-mates - Pita Alatini, Paul Miller, Simon Maling, Kees Meeuws and Tom Willis - with whom he played in the NPC final against Canterbury a few weeks ago.

The All Blacks have named the same midweek XV who started against Ireland A, with changes in the reserves to rest Chris Jack, Richard McCaw and Andrew Mehrtens.

Meanwhile, Laney, who qualifies to play for Scotland through a grandmother born in Glasgow, was trying to remember team-mates' moves for his introduction to rugby in Scotland.

"It has all been such a buzz, I've been at Murrayfield training with Edinburgh one minute, then into Scotland A and on a bus to Perth," he said. "Everything is a bit of a bloody whirl right now."

I think I am still getting over the jetlag."nte

Laney said he had been given strong offers to stay in New Zealand, but felt it was the right time to try something different. "The first thing I checked on was if I qualified."

He had been to Scotland once before, about four years ago with an Otago development side, and at that stage was trying to cement a place as a Super 12 player.

"But this is really exciting and when Jim Telfer [Scotland rugby director] passed on the message that I was wanted for this game against the All Blacks, I was rapt," he said. "My only concern is learning the national anthem."

* The match will be broadcast live on Radio Sport from 8.30 am tomorrow.

New Zealand: Ben Blair, Roger Randle, Nathan Mauger, Caleb Ralph, Pita Alatini, David Hill, Mark Robinson, Paul Miller, Marty Holah, Simon Maling, Dion Waller, Jerry Collins, Kees Meeuws, Tom Willis (capt), Dave Hewett. Reserves: Anton Oliver, Greg Feek, Norm Maxwell, Scott Robertson, Byron Kelleher, Aaron Mauger, Jonah Lomu.