Iain Paxton - In his own words

Full time professional rugby coach – how do you feel?

I’m just getting used to it at the moment. I’ve always shied away from it, I’ve said that in the press already. There’s still a strangeness going into an environment where it’s working in rugby all day and maybe in the evenings, whereas in the past you’d be doing something else and then you’d maybe get time to set yourself for rugby after that. On a Monday evening you’d do other things, but I’m enjoying it.

Was it a difficult decision?

No. I think the circumstances had lent themselves to going in that direction because of the job situation. I’d been on gardening leave until the middle of the year and I’d taken redundancy. I knew that this was imminent. It was at a stage in my life where I thought ‘I either go for it, give it a wee shot to see if it works’ or if I didn’t do it now I don’t think I’d ever do it. So with the redundancy, in some ways I think things have just worked in its favour.

How do you see your role with the U21s?

Having experienced last year, which was a vast disappointment when I was there as forwards coach, this coming season as head coach I’ve got some of my own ideas, some of the things I learned from last year and I’m looking to take it forward. I strongly believe there’s a group of players there that can win. If we start winning we can get a bit of belief, a bit of confidence then who knows.

Do you see it as more important to build a successful U21 team or to prepare players for a step up to the senior side?

I think it’s twofold. I think it’s mightily important we get success amongst that age group. But if there are individuals amongst them during that success who deserve the step up then I think that’s good because it’s another person who’s taken their chance at U21 level.

What do you think of the structure of Scottish rugby?

Hopefully things will be resolved positively over the next few weeks.

What will you personally bring to the job?

I think the experience that I’ve had as a player and as a coach. I’ve got experience coaching, first at Glenrothes, which was a lower level and I’ve been here 5 or 6 years which is at the other end of the scale. I’ve got a lot of experience from my playing days having played the game at the highest level and I’ve learned at lot here. I’ve also got the experience of what I did as a day job working in sales and being involved in a lot of management and that side of things, so there are a whole load of things that I’ve done. I’m not the youngest guy, I’m 47 now. I’ve got that experience of life which will assist in the job.

How do you assess the current state of the U21s?

Well we’ve had 2 games already this season: we beat the Orange Free State University just prior to the South African game and we played Borders back-up this month and won both the games. Compared to where we were last year when we took on Glasgow back-up and got a doing we’re better. Basically the players really showed that physically  and strength and conditioning wise, and in maturity, the guys are stepping up to the mark and there are far more encouraging signs than there were 12 months ago.

Moving away from the future and looking a bit at the past, what state do you think you leave Boroughmuir in?

Well the first season I was here was a desperately disappointing season but myself and Sean, we stuck to our task and stuck to the way we wanted to build the team. We came forward from there and had success and I think the club’s in a strong position now. I’m possibly a wee bit disappointing this year with some of the results but I think the talent is still there. I think the goal for everybody at this club should be to see the new clubhouse and facilities being there – and what we can do with that. And I think first and foremost this is a rugby club. The club has got to maintain its principles and I think it should be a successful rugby club.

And how much coaching involvement will you have from here on in?

I’d like to think that I’ll be back, maybe not so much on a regular basis, but when I can commit the time and energy to do it.

As a club, what do we need to do to get back to that number one position?

Everybody’s got to be working in the same direction. Currently we’ve got this building site about us which makes it quite tough and the facilities are bad so probably everyone’s got to work that wee bit harder to help. It’s not just the players, it’s everybody, not leaving it down to one or two individuals. The more club members that come down to the club and offer assistance – I think that will help improve things. On the playing side we’ve got a crop of players that can certainly still rise to the occasion. Possibly the Championship’s out of reach but the Cup is still very much an opportunity.

Do we have the young players coming through?

I think George Watson has proved we have the young players coming through. They’re working hard. Even though we’re in this transitional period at Meggetland and the facilities are tough we’ve got to keep building in that area and keep assisting George and the midi section and keep producing the undoubted conveyor belt of players that are there. Having the coaching in the senior club to help them get to that level I think the club will go from strength to strength.

Have you enjoyed your time with Boroughmuir?

Absolutely, I’m still a member and I still intend to be a member.

What’s your greatest achievement at the club?

I don’t know. Obviously there’s the cup and the league. The season when all teams won the league was fantastic. Everything in its own right is an achievement. The year we won the second division and beating Hawks that year in the cup final; the Royal Bank League. One of the big days for me was winning the Melrose 7s. But all in all the sense throughout the whole club that it was a good time.

What is your legacy to the club; what have you left behind?

A lot of money over the bar. I’d like to think I’ve shown commitment and  enthusiasm towards playing and winning at Boroughmuir and that’s what other people want as well. I still believe, especially on a night like tonight when it’s wet and cold, your not going to do well on Saturday afternoon unless you train hard. Hopefully everybody’s got that attitude of wanting to win.

Do you have one final message as you retire as Boroughmuir coach?

I wish the club well and I’ll always be looking for the results on a Saturday. I just want to see Boroughmuir at the top end of club rugby in Scotland. In the season when we went down in some respects it was fortunate in that it took a millstone from round our necks and allowed us to develop forwards in another way.

Mark Furnivall