Taylor's main focus is Bath
Bath's Simon Taylor has ruffled a few feathers by saying that his main focus is Bath this season and not Scotland.
Taylor is being widely tipped to make it back into the plans of Scotland head coach Andy Robinson ahead of important autumn Test matches against New Zealand.
However, the Bath man says he is just happy to be playing for his new club. He's admitted that Scotland is at the back of his mind but playing well for Bath eradicates any other ambition he has at the moment.
He said: "I’m not thinking about Scotland because I am at a new club, I am on the eve of a new season and I’m looking forward to starting in the Premiership. I have a lot to concentrate on at the moment, I am at a very talented team and I am in a new country and I want to settle here and to get myself into the team."
Some say this is sensible because there is no other way for a player to start playing for his country than to do well at domestic level. However, others have suggested that it's very naive and could risk alienating Robinson and other members of the Scottish set-up.
Playing well for Bath
It's no surprise that Taylor wants to play well for Bath because he is at a new club, which has just started a new Premiership season. Bath is the side that pays Taylor's wages so he has to try his all for his club side before any other team.
He may also feel that he has something to prove in the English domestic game after spending a long time playing in France. There will also be a transition that the player has to make between styles and this requires full concentration and focus.
Taylor has won 66 caps so far through his Scotland career but during this time he has been in and out of the team. He may have bitter feelings about one or two ways that he's been treated and he's putting Bath ahead of Scotland because of that.
Risk of alienation
There is a very strong risk that Taylor could risk alienating many members of the Scottish national set-up who demand complete loyalty and obedience from Scottish players across European domestic rugby.
This could mean that Scotland is more likely to pick other players to play at national level before Taylor because these other players have not made it so clear that they respect their club more than their country.
Taylor added: "The autumn internationals are a long way away at the moment and what I am doing in the Premiership and what I can offer to Bath takes the priority at the moment. I think last year there was a lot made of my availability and then when it came down to it I was injured anyway so my being unavailable was a moot point really."
Betting advice
Only bet on Taylor in a Bath context at the moment because there is no guarantee that he will be playing again for Scotland any time soon. At number eight he is vital to the way Bath play both going forward and in defence.
Don't be afraid to back Bath to win the Premiership title this season because they have all of the quality and talent needed to do so. The club is also a very good outside bet to win the Heineken Cup.
Only bet on Taylor to rake in the points if he is switched to a wider position. When he plays at number eight, he will sit between the front and the back of the team and won't bomb on.
Tags: