Rob stars in Baa-Baas’ Scotland massacre
Last updated 13:30, Saturday, 12 April 2008
THE season just keeps getting better and better for Cumbrian star Robert Miller as he gears up for a summer World Cup tournament.
Miller was a member of the Barbarians side which won 43-0 at Edinburgh Academicals in a special match to celebrate the Scots’ club’s 150th anniversary.
It was the first call up to the world-famous rugby cavaliers for the Bothel teenager and he played his part in the win with two conversions. He started his career with Aspatria and Keswick School.
Now with Newcastle Falcons, where he recently made his senior debut and picked up the man of the match award, Miller was also promoted to the England Under-20’s squad for a Six Nations Grand Slam.
Having graduated from last year’s Under-18’s international side, he is now hoping to be part of the England team for this summer’s Under-20’s World Cup in Wales.
Already being earmarked as a potential full international of the future, Miller has played most of the season on loan at Tynedale, under the coaching of ex-Aspatria coach Tommy Borthwick.
For the Barbarians, Miller started the game alongside eight capped players who included Scotland's Gordon Bulloch and Ireland's Tyrone Howe. One of his England Under-20’s team-mates Dan Norton also played.
Barbarians’ president Micky Steele-Bodger said: “The team against Edinburgh reflected our own commitment to balancing established players with youngsters who have a great future in front of them.”
The Baa-Baas were coached by one of Scotland's all-time greats, John Jeffrey, who played for the Barbarians on eight occasions and is now a club committee member.
It was an historic game, too, with a full house of 3,000 at the tiny Raeburn, where the first ever international, between Scotland and England was played in 1871.
The Barbarians ran in seven tries and from the outset showed the pace and fast flowing rugby that is the tradition of this famous club.
Within six minutes the Baa Baas were on the score sheet from a scrum on the right, The ball was whipped across the pitch to Cardiff centre Nick Macleod who finished with a try.
The second try came from Sale's Argentinean forward Genaro Fessia and he added another two minutes later, squeezing over in the left corner. Miller's second conversion of the night gave the Barbarians a 19-0 interval lead.
The second half turned into a rout as Stuart Moffat, Craig Hammond, Ross Samson and Lee Best scored tries. McLeod converted one.
