When the British and Irish Lions fixtures for 2013 were released in late November you could feel that frisson of excitement. The World Cup carnival was over and we had all loved it despite its flaws, controversies and sometimes sketchy rhetoric. Now we are shown a tour way off in the distance and we are falling over ourselves talk about it.
"Who is going to be the coach? ; "Will it be Geech again? ; "What sort of game plan will they use? ; "Who the hell are they going to select?!
Up in Scotland selection questions are interesting to consider. Despite having their worst ever showing in that World Cup there is a positive mood sweeping the nation. The SRU have a new CEO with a background in marketing and sales. They have a chairman in Sir Moir Lockhead who has forged billion pound businesses. They have a popular coach respected by the fans and players. Perhaps most importantly, though, their two pro sides are experiencing a rugby renaissance of sorts.
Both teams are giving run outs to young players and they are all playing well. Attendances are climbing. Edinburgh are playing their typical brand of seat-of-the-pants, offloading, running rugby and they have pulled off some major results. They have not performed brilliantly in the RaboDirect Pro12, granted, but only Leinster have scored more points in that competition and they have also beaten London Irish and Racing Metro in Europe.
At Glasgow the team have forgotten last year's second from bottom finish and are learning to win ugly. They are not scoring many tries but they have ground out results at home and they are second placed in their Heineken Cup pool and fourth in the Pro12. They are losing big name Richie Gray to Sale Sharks next year but they have already signed winger David Lemi and physical full-back Rory Lamont, demonstrating their ambitions. Their young Warriors Rob Harley, Ryan Wilson and Stuart Hogg have been playing brilliantly and kids Pat MacArthur, Fin Gillies and Chris Fusaro have all played their part.
If one was being Alba-centric, then, the more prevalent question is "Who makes the Scotland Six Nations squad? This question hinges on how Scotland's more experienced players react to the pressure being applied by their greener colleagues. We may not see the same old names on the team sheet and the same people pushing for Lions consideration.
If you were to ask someone from outside of Scotland who from up North could make the Lions squad if it were picked today they would probably struggle to name anyone who was not well publicised by the major networks. Everyone knows Mike Blair, Ross Ford and Richie Gray. 'The Killer B's' of Brown, Beattie and Barclay were promulgated a few years back. John Barclay in particular became a bit of a Sky Sports darling and is constantly referred to as one of Britain's best flankers.
The problem here is that although Barclay has the ability to be a Lion his form over the past year and a bit has been poor. As pundits down south were proclaiming him the key to Scotland's pack overturning the likes of England and Argentina's powerful tear-aways during the World Cup many north of Berwick were calling for him to be dropped for Edinburgh's Ross Rennie. Now he is back on home soil he is locked in a battle for Glasgow's 7 jersey with a sprightly Chris Fusaro. He is not guaranteed a start.
Barclay is still a big draw and a big name. His contract is up in the summer and although he told me in November that "after the World Cup I knew that my contract was soon to be up ¦[but] I just want to play rugby he also told me "we don't play rugby for the money, we play rugby because we love it.
If this talented flanker is to make the cut for his country and with the Lions then he either has to show he loves it, commit to Glasgow, make sure the starting spot is unquestionably his and start dominating opposition back-rows again or make a big move out of Scotland to take on a new challenge. The hype will start up again if he expresses himself afresh.
