The Singapore Sling Brought Back The Feel-Good Factor

SO USED are we old timers to seeing Scotland lose at rugby, almost any victory is welcomed perhaps more than it should be. But, yesterday's emphatic win over Italy in Singapore was one of these moments of genuine joy.

 Gregor Townsend - could not have asked for a better start

It was not so-much that we won, it was ore the way in which we won – playing exciting, attacking, front-foot rugby, and scoring four tries in the process. OK, we should expect to beat Italy more-often than we actually do, but, the manner of the victory, well, I will take that any day.

Some might point-out, Italy were below full-strength, without the talisman that is the magnificent Parisse, for instance – well, we were without Hoggie, Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Greig Laidlaw, the Gray brothers and John Hardie. We left out Hamish Watson, and we still won at a canter.

Gregor Townsend has inherited a talented squad, with genuine depth. In past years, and not so long ago at that, a Scotland team missing seven players most people would regard as nailed-on starters, would never have won. Indeed, it is not that long ago that if you took maybe three players out of what was considered the Scots' top XV, a loss was all but guaranteed.

We scored some cracking tries too, and, with a wee bit of luck and a bit more composure, might have scored more. And, consider this, Ben Toolis, is just finishing the season of his life, but, he was never near the team until the change of coach and this tour. Up until yesterday, he was our fifth-choice lock.

Ben Toolis - is he still our fifth-choice lock?

Not that the performance was perfect. I still harbour my doubts about Henry Pyrgos, great trouper though he is, being genuine international class. I am an unashamed fan of Sean Kennedy and I would love to see him getting his chance in one or other of the next two Tests. I think we must now accept, Ali Price's speed of thought, service and his sniping runs, fits better into the system Toony played with Glasgow and will seek to play with Scotland than does Greig Laidlaw's. Price and Finn Russell should now be seen as a pair. In time, perhaps, they will grow into being bracketed together like Nelson and Waddell, Hastie and Chisholm, Laidlaw and Rutherford and Armstrong and Chalmers were.

I see Kennedy as perhaps our best bet to understudy Price. Mind you, maybe in a year or two, we will be speaking about Horne and Horne, if I may look ahead.

Beating Italy was a great start, but, the going gets tougher now. Australia will ask us to step-up another notch or two, while winning in Suva is never easy, but, after yesterday, the feel-good factor is back.

MIND YOU, we should put thoughts of European, far less World domination on hold after that terrific victory by that shadow England squad in Argentina. We Scots know, we have long known, how hard it is to beat the Pumas in their own back-yard. But, for England to win yesterday with a mere handful of their optimum match-day 23 on the park, that was impressive.

The old lags stood up to be counted. George Ford, again showed he is a class act, while some of the kids, such as young Curry at open-side flanker, were immense. Their depth is frightening.

Denny Solomona - he's very special

And, what about Denny Solomona – the controversial Sale winger? No wonder Steve Diamond and Eddie Jones were so-keen to get him into the Sale and England squads. That kid has the same XXX-factor as Jason Robinson. Indeed, his try, and the earlier one scored by Ford, were perhaps the two best tries of the weekend.

AND, the Lions won. Two out of three aint bad, but, they will still need to find a bit more if they are to beat the All Blacks. I hope Hoggie's injury is not too-serious. The Lions will probably require his X-factor, if they are to win the series.

It will take more than stifling defence to beat the World Champions, particularly with two of the Tests being at Eden Park.