GIVEN how few and far between Scotland successes over a whole Five or Six Nations campaign have been: the Tartan Army (Rugby Branch) has long lived by the motto it was better to travel hopefully than to arrive.
In a few short weeks, once we have properly digested the Christmas Lunches, Ne'er Day Dinners and Burns Suppers, we will again set-off after the Holy Grail of Grand Slam, Triple Crown and Calcutta Cup. Only this time, hope will burn that bit brighter, rather than merely flicker. On the evidence of the Autumn Tests, we just might do better than finish third, or even exceed our baseline of second-bottom.
Wouldn't it be great if Scotland and Ireland could kick-on from their impressive Autumn performances to battle it out for the 6N's title? Right now, I would make them the favourites - with the Irish probably slightly ahead of us.
I have long thought the Welsh to be one-dimensional and over-rated. The way the ABs blasted them aside in the final quarter in Cardiff on Saturday, I think, demonstrated this to be the case. I can now see Scotland winning at least two of the games at BT Murrayfield this campaign - the Irish game could go either way, while, who knows what will happen in Paris?
Right now, the French are, seemingly, in disarray. They may still be come the tournament, or, they could come out and blow the other five nations away.
We are overdue a win at Twickenham. Should their media still be undermining the excellent Stuart Lancaster and his players, it would be great to see the wheels coming off the chariot, and all the nigels and Ruperts bursting into tears. However, Twickenham being Twickenham, that is the one game I really worry about.
OF COURSE, maybe I am getting carried away, after Rugby Park on Saturday. It was, after all, only Tonga we beat. However, as we know, they are one of these sides who can, and will, on a bad day for us, embarrass us.
That they didn't, speaks volumes for the new attitude BVC has forged and the growing belief in the squad. With everyone fit, Saturday's starting XV would not be our optimum choice. Scotland has a long history of being unable to field our presumed first-choice XV and falling flat. On Saturday we didn't, which shows, we now have squad depth and options.
We are back playing to Scotland's known strengths - or as much of these strengths as the current laws will allow. I would love to see that Scotland pack operating under real, proper rucking laws, which would guarantee faster ball - I think we would be quite something.
DID anyone notice how, after he was told by Wayne Barnes, early-on in the Wales v All Blacks match: "roll into a ball once more and you're going off", Paul James suddenly started to prop properly and the scrums thereafter were fairly well ordered.
Maybe the IRB should ordain, no penalties can be awarded at scrums; they simply be re-set until they are got right., but, properly police the feed and continue to award free kicks for squint feeds.
I reckon, if they did, the scrums would sort themselves out and we'd have a better game. Might be worth a trial.
I HAD a word with some of the ordinary polis on duty at Rugby Park on Saturday. The consensus was; "Why cannot we have this atmosphere here every week?"
Rugby supporters - much-nicer people than football ones. Except, on Saturday, there were a lot of folk there, who you will see back there for fitba matches.
I suppose, it is all in the mind-set.
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