Rory Lawson given chance of top-flight return

By DAVID FERGUSON
Published 22nd May 2013, 01:00 BST
Rory Lawson is eyeing a return to the Premiership with Newcastle but says they wont just make up the numbers. Picture: Lynne Cameron/PARory Lawson is eyeing a return to the Premiership with Newcastle but says they wont just make up the numbers. Picture: Lynne Cameron/PA
Rory Lawson is eyeing a return to the Premiership with Newcastle but says they wont just make up the numbers. Picture: Lynne Cameron/PA
RORY Lawson long ago gave up worrying about whether he was flavour of the month in Scotland, but the Newcastle scrum-half is eagerly looking forward to a return to the Aviva Premiership and a reviving of his battle with Mike Blair.

The scrum-half agreed a move from Gloucester to Tyneside last summer when the Falcons were hovering over the trapdoor to the Championship, first believing that they would remain in the Premiership despite finishing bottom, and then plummeting downwards when the promoted London Welsh were handed a late reprieve.

London Welsh and their former Scotland stand-off Gordon Ross have swiftly dropped down again, despite a terrific fight, and Newcastle are now two games away from passing them on their return. They face Bedford Blues at Goldington Road tomorrow night in the first leg of the RFU Championship Final and host the Blues in the return at Kingston Park next Wednesday night.

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After losing away to Leeds in their semi-final first leg, which prompted the axing of half of the side by director of rugby Dean Richards, and only beating the Blues narrowly this season, Lawson insisted that there will be no complacency in the final, even if the wider public expect the Falcons to romp home.

Lawson will start the game on the bench, having just returned from six weeks out with a foot injury, but is hopeful of pushing his case this week for a start.

“It is an exciting time going into a play-off final and I feel that there are some nerves around, but there is also a sense that this is what this whole 
season has been about,” he said.

“We’ve known we’d finish in the top two for the last few months and so now, at last, we’re at the final where everyone 
expected Newcastle to be. It’s up to us to reward that faith 
and get this club back to where it belongs.

“Personally, there’s some disappointment in not starting because you always want to start when you’re fit, but I also understand that I’ve been out for a while and Warren [Fury] has been doing well, so I’ll just have to make my impact from the bench this week.”

Lawson is among the new army of Scots that Newcastle have turned to for help in reviving the club. Ally Hogg has become a popular figure and captain at the Falcons in the same way Gary Armstrong did when Rob Andrew and Steve Bates launched the first Tyneside revolution with promotion from the second division in 1996-97.

Doddie Weir, Alan Tait and George Graham were the other Scots then and now Hogg has Lawson, Scott MacLeod – who recently claimed the clean sweep of Player of the Year awards voted on by players, coaches and supporters this season – Michael Tait, Grant Shiells and Sean Tomes for company. Ex-Melrose and Borders pro Calum MacRae is on the coaching staff, and Mike Blair, Scott Lawson, Phil Godman and Fraser McKenzie swell the ranks for the Premiership push this summer.

Many are Scottish players who have just missed out on call-ups to the pro game north of the border or moved on for more regular gametime elsewhere. Lawson, at 32 and with 31 caps, knows that his Scotland career may be behind him, but the type of character he is, it is clear that while he is playing and training like the demon he is the fire of ambition will never go out.

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