ALLAN "CHUNK" JACOBSEN today vowed to help take the heat off under-fire Scotland rugby coaches by contributing to a performance in Saturday's Calcutta Cup clash with England at Murrayfield that would put the spotlight firmly back on the pitch and away from Frank Hadden and his assistants.
It is the nature of sport that, when things go as badly as they have for Scotland so far in this RBS Six Nations, the men calling the shots inevitably attract fans' criticism first.
While he recognises that is inevitable, Jacobsen questioned whether it was appropriate in this case.
Ahead of Scotland's bid to post their first win in this season's tournament after three defeats, 29-year-old Jacobsen, from Edinburgh, said: "Hopefully a win on Saturday would go some way to paying back the coaches and fans for the performances we have put in.
"The coaches are taking a lot of heat and I know that is the way sport goes.
"But, at the end of the day, they are directing us what to do and as players we are not doing it.
"It is the fifteen guys on the pitch who are the only ones who can turn things around."
Among those who Jacobsen, expected to be named later today for his 28th Scotland cap, is particularly keen to give a return to is George Graham, the specialist forwards' coach.
Graham, he says, is one of at least two former internationalists in his position of loose head prop who have had a big bearing on his career.
"George was a prop like myself and comes up with little bits and bobs which assist me," explained Jacobsen.
While Graham is currently heavily involved, the fact that Jacobsen is in line to add to his cap honours by starting against England for the first time – after one appearance against the Auld Enemy as a sub at Twickenham last year – is directly attributable, he says, to inspiration provided by David Sole.
Sole famously captained Scotland in a dramatic 1990 winner-take-all Grand Slam decider with England which Jacobsen has never forgotten.
"I was in the schoolboys' enclosure with the Preston Lodge mini rugby section when David, whom I've met a couple of times and have always looked up to as a player, led Scotland to victory against England.
"It wasn't the first international I watched at Murrayfield but it was certainly the game that sold playing rugby to me.
"Like everybody else who was in the crowd that day I found the atmosphere tremendous.
"Ever since that match I wanted to play for Scotland myself and, if I'm chosen to start against England at Murrayfield, it would be awesome to think I've finally got to where, as a kid, I was determined to get to – although it's winning that counts and not just turning out."
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Scotland prop Chunk bids to take the bite out of critics' bark
Scotland prop Chunk bids to take the bite out of critics' bark
