Reid revives Narbonne chance to go forward again; Two Scots can make

With the pro-teams failing to advance in Europe, the national side struggling badly, only three Scottish Lions selected and the internecine strife of the virulent clubs-v-districts argument breaking out once again, it hasn't exactly been a vintage season for rugby north of the Border. But for two Scotsmen, this afternoon could mark the culmination of a season they are unlikely to forget.

When former Scotland internationals Stuart Reid and Craig Chalmers next meet, it will be in the alien surroundings of Reading's Madjeski Stadium as Harlequins and Narbonne contest the European Shield, rugby's answer to the Uefa Cup. Although Chalmers' move to the traditional dilettantes of English rugby in south west London has been well-chronicled, it is former Boroughmuir No 8 Reid who will take centre stage.

As captain, not only will Reid lead out Narbonne, but should they win their first piece of silverware since their domestic hat-trick in the early 1990s, then much of the credit will be down to the unassuming Edinburgh policeman. As the 31-year-old's three and a half year sabbatical from the police comes to an end shortly, this is to be his last competitive match of rugby: collecting the European Shield would represent a phenomenal achievement for a career which looked to have all but ground to an end two years ago. Back then, Reid was surplus to pro-team requirements and playing for Boroughmuir.

It came as something of a surprise to many when Reid was offered a move to ambitious English outfit Leeds. But Reid's abrasive style was perfectly suited to the English game, and by the time last year's Six Nations came around he was back in the fold again, taking his tally of caps up to eight.

Leeds were not best pleased when Narbonne came in for Reid and Bryan Redpath, and in the chaotic surroundings of French club rugby he himself questioned the wisdom of the move to France's deep south, but his decision to go has proved to be an inspired one. After a series of poor early results, the turning point came when the coach was sacked and Reid was made club captain.

Since then the turnaround has been dramatic. "We came fifth in the league, missing out on the play-offs by just one point, and we have made it to this final," he said. "That's really quite some feat."

Reid is probably too modest when he says that all he has done is import the attitudes that sustain British rugby, but there is no doubt that he has had a profound effect upon the culture of the club.

"Harlequins are a much more professional team than us, but that's just the way rugby is in France," he said. "Some of them are just so set in their ways, always smoking and drinking days before a game and having coffee on matchdays. Since I took over the captaincy we've been working a lot harder, focusing on things like fitness, and we're now a much stronger and fitter side."

Reid has been helped by having good raw material to work with, and a group of players which lends itself to the tight gameplan he prefers. Narbonne have a fearsomely strong front five in which second row Olivier Merle is their talisman, while the cultured positional kicking of Argentine fly-half Gonzalo Quesada turns possession into points.

Apart from occasionally bringing in players like strong running Italian centre Cristian Stoica or Argentine fullback Ignacio Colletto, strong-scrummaging Narbonne will undoubtedly play it tight and kick for position against the more cavalier Quins.

"There's this stereotype that all French teams chuck the ball around, but it just isn't true," says Reid. "We play winning rugby, not champagne rugby, and for us winning means playing to our strengths in the forwards and cutting down Quins' supply of possession. With David Wilson there, their defence is exceptional and ours is also good, so we'll need to apply pressure in the front five. That's where we'll win this - and it's important that we do win this, not just for the town - which is rugby mad - but because it brings with it a European Cup place for next season."

That is a major consideration for Quins, who have turned around their season since they sacked Zinzan Brooke as coach. Since then, Mark Evans has taken the club through a Tetley Cup campaign that included wins over Northampton and Leicester before a controversial defeat by Newcastle in front of a 75,000 crowd at Twickenham.

This match remains their only chance to take something tangible from a season in which they failed to qualify for the European Cup, after failing to win any silverware for 10 years.

That is a consideration which is weighing heavily upon Chalmers as the former Melrose man starts the match on the bench at the end of a loan period which has proved more eventful and enjoyable than he ever expected.

"It was difficult playing in England at first but I'm really glad that I did it," he said. "It's given me a totally different outlook on English rugby because I used to think it wasn't as tough as people made it out to be. But it's physically much harder, defences are tighter, you have to do more tackling against men who are bigger and run faster. There are also top overseas players here, and the build- up and preparation is more professional than anything I've come across before.