Exclusive: Glasgow Warriors ace Kelly Brown vows to fill kicker's boots

Sep 17 2009 By Matthew Leslie

KELLY'S ready to be a hero should Warriors boss Sean Lineen be short of a goal-kicker.

The Firhill side are second in the Magners League after wins against Munster and Llanelli Scarlets although the former victory provided a talking point. Fly-half Dan Parks was replaced by ruaridh Jackson who then injured himself scoring a try.

With no kicker on the field, up stepped scrum-half Mark Macmillan who duly landed the conversion.

However, back-row forward Kelly Brown insists he should have got the chance to have a pop at goal and is available should the situation arise again. He said: "I began my rugby-playing life as a stand-off and that continued until I was 13 before being shunted into the pack as I was very much a crass-ball stand-off.

"My centres were not too happy with the quality of ball they were getting from me so a back-row forward I became.

"Mind, I did scent a return to my former glories the other week during the Munster game.

"As you know, Dan was substituted by Ruaridh and after he got injured scoring the try, our scrum-half Mark Macmillan took the conversion. However, there was some confusion over that. I actually said to big Al (Kellock) that I'd take it.

"He just sort of blanked me and looked away - probably because he was stunned to hear me say such a thing - and handed the ball to Mark.

"He claimed later he didn't hear me but I don't think he beleived I could do it.

"After all, I'd kicked on occasion for the (now defunct) Borders team as well as Scotland under-18s plus Australian lock John Eales was very handy when it came to kicking so there is no reason why a forward can't do it.

"I'm thinking I might start again." For Brown to make such an impact, he needs to be on the pitch in the first place - no mean task given the competition for back-row places.

He added: "I think the 'Killer B's' tag is dead now because myself, and the two Johns (Barclay and Beattie) have got guys like Richie Vernon, James Eddie and Calum Forrester breathing down our necks.

"I know more than anyone what one bad display can do - I made a crucial error in the Heinken Cup match at the Dragons and was dropped for when Toulouse came to Glasgow. I look back on that and say it was good for me in the long run to get that wake-up call and made me realise I must do it every week.

"Scotland coach Andy Robinson has said to all of us that form only counts for selection and whatever you've done in the past stays there.

"So while that does give you a lift in terms of playing for your country, it also reminds you that you need to be doing it for your club on a weekly basis."

Meanwhile, hooker Dougie Hall reckons the Dragons could set the Warriors a tricky puzzle ahead of Glasgow's trip to the Newport side on Friday.

Many expected last week's opponents Llanelli Scarlets to play their usual expansive game only for the Welsh team to play the frustrating tactics usually attributed to the Dragons.

Hall said: "It wouldn't surprise after seeing Llanelli change their style of play if we see the Dragons start throwing the ball around.

"It was if Llanelli had realised that the past meetings have seen us being very wise to their approach and decided to tighten things up. But we've got to get more of the ball no matter who we play in order to set up a chance of victory." lFOR more Warriors analysis log onto: http://blogs.theglaswegian.co.uk/talkingrugby/