It's My Birthday, So I'm Picking My Scotland Team

TODAY is my birthday, so, I will not be apologising for indulging myself in today's blog post subjects. I honestly need a wee break from the ins and outs of Super 6 and Agenda 3, so, I thought I'd have some fun.

Much of what is written about sport, any sport, is opinion – which is always free. The thing you have to learn quickly in this game of sports writing is: facts are sacred, however.

Hoggy - made the BBC team, but not Aristotle's

Well, in the run-up to the Calcutta Cup match, BBC Scotland ran a wee thing – pick the best all-time Scotland XV. Now, for me, picking any all-time team is a passable wee bit of fun, at that stage of a night in the club when you've gone off the beer and onto single malts – that time for reflection and friendly argument.

When the likes of the BBC does it online, the result comes down to the demographics of the audience. The “Best-Ever Scotland XV” the BBC vote came up with (in this blog's usual 1-15 format) was:

1. David Sole, 2. Colin Deans, 3. Ewan Murray; 4. Doddie Weir, 5. Richie Gray; 6. John Jeffrey, 7. Fin Calder, 8. Jim Telfer; 9. Gary Armstrong, 10, Gregor Townsend; 11. Chris Paterson, 12. Scott Hastings, 13. Jim Renwick, 14. Tony Stanger; 15, Stuart Hogg.

Not a bad team, I admit, but, there could not have been much happening in the Borders that week, that so-many South guys got in, and, in saying that I am not denigrating the huge contribution the Borders clubs have made to the game. But, it's not the team I would have chosen.

In picking any of these “Best-Ever” teams, I always work to the rule – a great player in one era, would be a great player in any era. Sure, we tend to work on the basis of picking the guys we saw, which, I feel, gives guys like me an advantage, after all, I've been watching Scotland for over 60-years. Then we throw-in local bias.

Sadly, I have only ever read about “Darkie” Bedell-Sivright, Ian Smith, Eric Liddell and so on, but, what I have read makes me think, they might be worthy of inclusion. I mean, look at Ian Smith's try-scoring statistics: 24 tries in 32 internationals, still a joint Scottish record.

 Ian Smith - would have been great in any era

But, I did see Arthur Smith, Ken Scotland, Andy Irvine and so on, which is why they came into consideration before some of today's stars. My principal criteria was – were they outstanding players for Scotland, but also for the Lions.

Apart from Ian Smith, I saw them all play and I have picked no less than seven players who not only played for but, either in a one-off tour game, or for a full tour, were considered good enough to captain the Lions. Hence my personal “Best-Ever Scotland XV” which is – again in 1-15 order:

1. Ian McLauchlan, 2. Colin Deans, 3. Sandy Carmichael; 4. Al McHarg, 5. Gordon Brown; 6. David Leslie, 7. Ron Glasgow, 8. Jim Telfer; 9. Roy Laidlaw, 10. John Rutherford; 11. Ian Smith, 12. Jock Turner, 13. Jim Renwick, 14. Arthur Smith; 15. Ken Scotland.
   
   
   
   Four of my best-ever Scotlan pack togther: Ian McLauchlan, Al McHarg, Gordon Brown and David Leslie, plus, Alan Tomes, who wasn't a bad player either

Unfortunately, Messrs Deans, Telfer and Renwick are common to both sides, so we cannot have a match-off between the two teams, but, in any case, my side would win.

I CANNOT say I was surprised when Ryan Wilson was cited for his efforts to get Nathan Hughes off him on Saturday.

From my perspective, he never attempted to “gouge” Hughes, but, hands near an opponents eyes is a no-no, unless your name is Owen Farrell that is.

Donald Findlay - get him in to argue Ryan Wilson's case

I trust the SRU will get a good sports lawyer in there to represent Wilson, Professor Lorne Crerar, or perhaps Donald Findlay, your country needs you, and that a strong case is aggressively argued.

Hughes was by no means blameless, and if I was the SRU legal representative, I would be arguing: “How come Wilson, in trying to free himself from being held down illegally, gets cited, while the opponent, who clearly had both hands round Wilson's throat, is not also facing legal sanctions?”

All too-often, in sporting flash-points, the aggressor, who commits the original foul, gets off with it, while the retaliator has to face the music. Hughes was at least equally to blame for the incident – he cannot be allowed to escape punishment.

I HAD a brief chat with Scotland Sevens squad member Robbie Fergusson after the Ayr v Hawick game on 17 February.

Robbie and the rest of the core Sevens squad are about to embark on their busiest spell of the season. This weekend, they are in action in Las Vegas, where they face Argentina, New Zealand and Uruguay in their pool.

From there they head north to one of my favourite cities in the world, Vancouver, where the Canadian leg of the World Rugby/HSBC Sevens Series will take place on 10-11 March.

The squad then returns to Scotland, to prepare for another two back-to-back events, the iconic Hong Kong Sevens, between 06-08 April, followed by a quick hop down to the Gold Coast, for the Commonwealth Games, in which the Sevens will take place between 11-13 April. Aye, it's a hard life being a full-time rugby player.

 Kyle Steyn - the latest discovry of the SQ plan

There is a new face in the squad for Las Vegan, with the Scottish-Qualified programme having turned-up another potential Scotland player in Kyle Steyn, a 24-year-old Stellenbosch graduate, who plays his rugby for the Griquas in the Currie Cup.

Big, fast and with a Scottish mother, what's not to like about the new boy and with him, James Fleming back in the squad after injury, and Darcy Graham back as well, the Scotland squad does not lack serious gas.

AND finally: having decided to release Dunky Weir, I note Edinburgh Rugby has put young Jason Baggott of Melrose on a full-time contract. Further undermining of the Murrayfield dictum: “The BT Premiership is not fit for purpose.”

 Jason Baggott