ns 2017 jersey.Gatland praised the All Blacks constant drive for imp

And a very happy birthday ahead of Friday to Scotlands greatest rugby player. Such titles are inherently subjective and arbitrary, but it was the one conferred last year on Gary Armstrong, who turns 50 on September 30, by the Herald, a paper with a long record of sane and serious coverage of the Scottish game.Armstrong, who won 51 caps at scrum-half between 1988 and 1999, squeezed ahead of Gordon Brown and Andy Irvine at the top of the Glasgow-based papers list of Scotlands all-time greatest 50. ESPNs own John Griffiths in 2003 rated him number 6 in his top 50, with Irvine at No.1, ahead of Gavin Hastings and post-war flanker Doug Elliott.Certainly few players have been more warmly regarded by a greater range of compatriots, not all of them natural rugby fans. Gregor Townsend has recalled his experience as a student of walking into an Edinburgh biker bar whose walls were decorated with news cuttings about Armstrong.It also helps to have been associated with some of the happiest moments in Scotlands rugby history. Armstrong and prop Paul Burnell were the common factors in both the Grand Slam of 1990 and the Five Nations title in 1999. His deft pass was perhaps the key moment in the creation of Tony Stangers decisive try in the 1990 Grand Slam decider against England.Those 51 caps spread across a dozen years might not look so impressive to modern eyes. But there was less international rugby in the era either side of the shift to professional in 1995, and Armstrong was unlucky enough with serious injuries to devote an entire chapter of his autobiography to his medical mishaps. Scotland played 89 matches in all between his debut against Australia in October 1988 and his final appearance against the All Blacks 11 years later.He was also an unlucky Lion. He made the party to Australia in 1989, but was kept out of the tests by Robert Jones -- a rivalry which, to the credit of both, generated friendship and mutual respect -- on Armstrongs own reckoning at that time probably the best scrum-half in the world. Forced to settle on that tour for membership of a memorably happy and effective midweek squad, Donals Doughnuts, led by Irish lock Donal Lenihan, he was slated for a bigger role on the 1993 trip to New Zealand. Coach Ian McGeechan reckoned him likely to be the first name on the team-sheet, but he was ruled out of the tour by a serious groin injury.His home town of Jedburgh ranks a little behind Hawick or Galashiels as a Border hotbed, the Jed-Forest club a periodic rather than a consistent contender for honours. But it provided Scotland with world-class scrum-halves for two decades. Armstrong emerged in succession to Roy Laidlaw, Scotlands scrum-half of the 1980s -- the two facing each other in one final Scottish trial before Laidlaw retired at the end of the 1988 Five Nations.Some commentators were incredulous that the same small club could provide Scotland with consecutive number nines -- in the process squeezing out heir apparent Greig Oliver -- but as Armstrong pointed out he did not just appear out of the blue, having played at youth, under-18, under-21 and B levels before winning his first senior cap.He was, he recalled in his memoirs always a scrum-half. I must have looked like a scrum-half from day one and that was where I was put. Usually identified as the extra loose forward type of scrum-half, he always offered rather more than that.He was fearsomely committed, a quality which made him a favourite of notoriously demanding Scotland coach Jim Telfer. David Sole, the abrasive leader of the 1990 Grand Slam team, said that if you were picking one guy to go over the top you would pick Gary Armstrong. He would put his body on the line for the cause -- a phenomenal player with incredible courage. Jonny Wilkinson, a team mate at Newcastle in the later 1990s, thought of him as the junk-yard dog.But he was much more than a rugged auxiliary to the fine back rows Scotland could field in the 1990s. His aim was to keep opponents guessing, never sure whether he would pass, break or kick. The golden rule was never, ever to give his half-back partner bad ball, a priority he kept to the extent that legendary Scottish commentator Bill McLaren, writing at a time when Armstrong had already amassed 30 caps, could not recall an occasion on which he passed on rubbish ball to his partner.And he had a wider range of skills than is often remembered. Like every other team-mate, Townsend admired his toughness and commitment, but for me, his kicking game and ability to break tackles were just as impressive. Taking a therapeutic career break from the pressures of playing scrum-half in 1993, he had sufficient all-round ball-playing skills to appear at outside-half, full-back and centre for Jed-Forest before the needs of both club and country compelled a return to the number nine shirt.And he got smarter as he got older, using the opportunity to dedicate himself full-time after the switch to professionalism post-1995 to develop his game -- Townsend noting that playing and training as a professional for Newcastle had made him a more rounded player. He no longer played like a ninth forward and his first option was to quickly get the ball in my hands.His Scotland career might have ended much sooner than it did. There were the injuries, that sabbatical in the 1993-4 season and numerous offers to move to rugby league. His autobiography details how close he came to signing for the Carlisle club before a background check revealed the league teams financial instability.A lorry driver in the pre-professional eras, he was a significant beneficiary of the transformation post 1995. He was not only paid his considerable worth by the original big-money club, with whom he won an English championship in 1998, but extended his career by several seasons.His 1995 autobiography made it clear that the prospect of after-dinner speaking was enough to put him off becoming captain -- although he was a keen participant in the less formal aspects of post-match banquets -- but he wound up leading his country, captaining Scotland to the final Five Nations championship before ending with the 1999 World Cup match against the All Blacks.Scotland has hardly been ill-served since at scrum-half. Bryan Redpath and Andy Nicol were the immediate competitors to succeed him, while Mike Blair, Chris Cusiter and Greig Laidlaw have ensured that, whatever their limitations elsewhere, Scotland have fielded consistent quality in the number nine shirt.But where Armstrong left Scotland as champions they have not won, or come near to winning, a title in the 17 seasons since. Coincidence? One rather suspects not.Adidas Superstar Cheapest Price .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. Cheap Adidas Superstar White . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. http://www.wholesalefashionsuperstar.com/cheap-superstar-supercolor.html . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. Adidas Superstar White Wholesale .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. Cheap Adidas Superstar Shoes .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA.Warren Gatland was embarrassed to be a Kiwi when the New Zealand Herald mocked up Australia coach Michael Cheika as a clown.New Zealand saw off Australia 37-10 at Aucklands Eden Park on Oct. 22 to secure a record 18th consecutive Test victory.The New Zealand Herald had depicted Australia boss Cheika as a clown in their sports pages on the morning of the match, with the Wallabies coach later branding the treatment disrespectful.British and Irish Lions head coach Gatland watched on as New Zealands double world champions set yet another record in Auckland, but admitted being ashamed by the actions of some of his countrymen.To be honest with you, and I dont mind you printing this, I was at Eden Park watching the game a couple of weeks ago and as a Kiwi I was embarrassed, said Gatland, who was quick to stress none of his feelings were directed at the All Blacks themselves.Theres the clown stuff in the Herald. One of the things Ive been proud of as a Kiwi, I always thought we showed a lot of humility.As a Kiwi I was sitting in the stands watching the game and I was a little bit embarrassed.Thats something as New Zealanders, in the past weve prided ourselves on that, tried to do that, and tried to be humble about the success of the rugby team.It was the first time, and this is just my opinion, that I found myself saying were better than thiss.ddddddddddddGatland will lead the Lions to his homeland on the 2017 tour, and will name his backroom coaching staff on Dec. 7.The Wales boss revealed he was considering taking two specialist attack coaches on the 10-match tour, as kit manufacturer Canterbury launched the official Lions 2017 jersey.Gatland praised the All Blacks constant drive for improvement, despite Steve Hansens men scaling previously unreachable Test arena heights.Insisting the New Zealand set-up were not likely to cross the line between confidence and arrogance, Gatland said: I dont think the All Blacks are doing that.There has been some history between Cheika and Hansen -- thats come out on a few occasions.But anything thats come out of the squad and the team, theyve tried to play things down and just talked about trying to improve as a squad.Theyve definitely taken the game to another level at the moment.I dont think the other southern-hemisphere teams are as strong as they have been at the moment.Theres a proportion at the moment in New Zealand where its arrogance and not humility.I still think you can be proud but show humility and show respect.Canterburys new British & Irish Lions Jersey is available to buy at www.canterbury.com ' ' '