This Was The Worst Scotland Performance Ever

THE many sporting heartaches we suffer is a heavy price to pay for life-long enlistment in the Tartan Army. I have been following Scotland's rugby team for over 50-years; when I started going to Murrayfield, there was just the one stand, we stood on that vast, open bowl of terracing and watched the likes of Ken Scotland, Arthur Smith, the McLeod, Bruce Rollo front row, Hamish Kemp, Adam Robson and Jimmy Greenwood.

I've seen some great days, and some dire ones, but, never, in those 50-plus years, have I felt so low as I feel tonight.  We weren't so-much beaten by England, as humiliated this afternoon, and, I can see no light at the end of the long, dark tunnel we are currently travelling down.

I hate losing to the England. It's a feeling I should be used to by now, but, as a firm believer in the old truism: "It matters not who won or lost - so long as you beat the English", today was hard.

I firmly believe this current English team will go close in the 2015 World Cup, with home advantage, they should. They have the makings of a good side, but, they are not there yet. They have a good pack of forwards, but, on today's evidence, they are struggling in the vital midfield area. If they can sort this out by World Cup time, they will be a handful for anyone - even the All Blacks.

I always fancied them to win today, but, felt, in terrible conditions, on a poor pitch, we could drag them down to our level and, under these conditions, I was quite happy to accept a ten-point start in a "loser buys lunch" wager with one of my schoolmates who has been doing vital missionary work in the Sudetenland tese many years.

Boy, was I wrong. And, what makes the terribly low feeling worse, it was the same-old, same-old. No cutting edge, slow possession, out-muscled at the breakdown, a poor kick-chase game.

I had my doubts when Scott Johnson was recruited. Since then he has risen seamlessly to the top and, even when Vern Cotter arrives - if he still does; if I was him I'd be looking for an out!! Johnson will still be around as Director of Rugby.

Well, you never know, he might be a better DoR than he is Head Coach, where he is a distinct liability.

How many more chances will Ross Ford get? He cannot hook, he misses his jumper at every crucial line-out, while struggling at the midfield ones. Sorry Ross, your time has come.

But, let's face it, until we have a total overhaul of Scottish rugby, from elite level to grass-roots, we are only going to go backwards. I don't see SJ as the man to run this.

We are doomed.