A View from the Sidelines

Although it is somewhat of a cliché to say that an injury has come at the worst possible time, and to be honest I’ve yet to come across a good time for one to happen, it does seem quite an apt way to describe Ally Ness’ situation. The former Aberdeen Grammar and Caledonia U-21 second row was, in his own words, “coming onto a game in pre-season” before a seemingly innocuous staved thumb turned out to be far more serious. Thinking nothing of the injury, the player went about his usual Saturday night business after having impressed one and all with a superb display at the Mansell Cup tournament, held at Goldenacre. He began to worry, however, when he woke on the Sunday morning to find his wrist “swollen up like a balloon”. A visit to the hospital later, and he was diagnosed with a fractured scaphoid, an injury which has a standard recovery time of six weeks.

“I had an operation to pin the scaphoid, and that was supposed to keep me out of action for six weeks. But four weeks in, the wound where I’d had the operation hadn’t healed properly and it got infected. That was when I first realised how serious it was, and I’ve ended up having a further six operations, bone grafting being the latest one.” Needless to say, it sounds like an horrific ordeal to have been put through, but Ally is unusually upbeat for someone in such a position. “Its obviously been very frustrating, but there’s nothing I could have done about it. Rugby’s a tough sport and these things happen.” Indeed, many in a similar situation may have considered whether their future lay in the game. “The thought of giving it up never even crossed my mind. Once it was clear that I was out for the season, everything has just been focused towards getting ready for next season. I’m doing physio work now, I’ve lost a lot of movement in the wrist, but hopefully I’ll be ready.”

It must have doubly frustrating for his year on the sidelines to be spent watching the Premier One title being wrested from Meggetland by Glasgow Hawks. “I think we’ve done well this season, runners-up is good. But I reckon we could still have won the league. It’s hard though because you can’t be too critical, I mean we’re missing guys like Stuart Reid who I think was a big loss. But we’re not champions, and we were last season. We’ve had it taken from us and that hurts. Also, the cup loss to Aberdeen was a real blow. Especially as we had thumped them the week before. We really should be looking to win the cup every year because we know just how good a day it is for the club as a whole.”

However, ever the modest man, Ally will not have it said that his absence has been influential in the destination of the title. “I think we’re in a very fortunate position at Boroughmuir to have some really good second rows. For me, Euan Matheson has been brilliant, definitely the stand-out forward of the whole season. Obviously I think I’ve got some qualities that I bring to the table, but I’ve been extremely impressed with Euan. He’s been awesome. I’m a real fan of the way he plays.”

And as such, there have to be doubts over whether he will be able to gain his place back in the first team for next season. “There’s no thoughts in my mind that I’ll walk straight back in. I’m going to have to work really hard over the off season and I’m fully prepared to do that. The way I see it now, there are other guys who have the jersey, they’re the guys in possession and it’s my job to go out there and get it back.”

Whether the season had ended in a championship trophy or relegation, it was always going to be frustrating for Ally to watch from the sidelines. “The first few months were probably the hardest because I was still in good condition and felt that I could get out there and do a job for the team. I’d say up until Christmas it was really difficult, I was definitely a bit moody. But as it goes on you just learn to deal with it. Most people say that the longer you’re out, the worse it gets but I found that after a while I just accepted that I would be out for the season and there was nothing I could do to change that.”

As for his career, Ally accepts that it has most definitely been a setback. “Of course it has. I felt really good in pre-season. I’d got myself in the kind of physical condition I felt was necessary to take me up to the next level. But at least I know what it takes to get to that level and I know what I have to do to get back there.”

And with his eyes set firmly on the 2004/05 campaign, he feels that the team has every chance of recapturing success. “I want to win the league back. Every year we should be looking to win both the league and the cup, next year’s no different. We’ve got the players so it’s just a case of getting the mental side right.”

However, ask him for his personal ambitions and you get possibly the most polite ‘I’m not telling’ ever heard. “I like to keep ambitions personal because I think that’s exactly what they are. I’m not one of these people who will go around saying, ‘I’m going to get a contract’. I’ve obviously got strong ambitions and I know what I’m capable of. I just like to keep that to myself and hopefully if I’m good enough I’ll go up the grades.”

Whether he realises it or not, or more likely whether he wants to admit it or not, the team has missed his presence, as any side robbed of such a player would. Though not meant as a slight in any way on those who have very ably played in the second row for ’Muir this season, having the big lock in the squad during the campaign would, without doubt, have helped in the club’s bid to retain the title. And there is no doubt that his return will boost the side in next season’s bid to regain it. 

Simon Furnivall