We Won - But I Suppose Some Will Still Moan

MAYBE Scotland is growing up at last. I say this after watching last night's win over Georgia, at BT Murrayfield. OK, it was “only” Georgia, but, my memory is scarred by too-many disappointing Scottish performances, at both football and rugby, against supposedly inferior teams.

I like to as it were convert rugby results to football idiom – which made last night's game an 8-1 win for us, how often does our football team ram home eight goals against a lesser team?

Of course, it was all a bit unreal, inside an empty Murrayfield. Just as well perhaps, the record played all the way through Flower of Scotland, I don't think it would have been very uplifting if the players had been left to perform the normal second verse a cappella. And, speaking of uninspiring anthems, no disrespect to our visitors, but, I thought the Georgian anthem was even-less rousing than that awful dirge that England has purloined.

I noticed they were playing celebration music after each try – I would like to make a case for adopting Shang A Lang as our celebration song after we score – that would get a packed Murrayfield rocking. And speaking of pop music, kudos to Jill Douglas for that quote from the Waterboys' classic 'Whole of the Moon' in the build-up.

Considering how long it has been since the squad was together, there was much to enjoy about this emphatic win. OK, we butchered a couple of kick-off receptions, but, old habits die hard, and there was understandably a bit of ring-rustiness. Generally, however, we did the basics well.

We have discovered how to maul, our line-out was a bit more secure, we scrummed well, and, we can and will get better. We certainly did, when Finn Russell came on.

His arrival demonstrated the difference between a very good professional player and world-class talent. Adam Hastings is a good player, but, once he came on, Finn demonstrated that he is in a different and higher class. Some of his passes were the stuff of genius. We are a lot better team with him than without him.

Duhan Van Der Merwe was well-shackled, but, when he burst onto that exquisite Russell disguised pass, he was not going to be stopped. Others to impress were Darcy Graham, with him, Hoggy and Finn, we have three absolute game-breakers in our back line.

Oli Kebble impressed when he came on, we now have two quality loose-heads, with him and Rory Sutherland, Ben Toolis and Scott Cummings – who I thought ran “Mish” close for Man of the Match – demonstrated we have depth at lock, while the back row did what they were expected to do.

The centres did well, but, with everyone fit and available, we are unlikely to see them in-tandem as starters again, and, all things considered, I think Gregor Townsend will be pleased with the performance, but, looking for more against Wales next time out.

ONE THING to emerge from BTM this week which did not please me, was the news that Edinburgh had signed South African lock Andries Ferreira on a short-term deal.

When Glasgow signed TJ Ionae recently, I questioned the signing with one of the tiny minority of SRU insiders who will speak to me. He told me: “We get these guys on cheap deals.” OK, value for money is one thing, but, log onto the SRU website; click on the Menu section, then go to the part entitled: “About Scottish Rugby.”

The heading to that section of the website begins: “Scottish Rugby is the governing body for rugby union in Scotland. We work hard to grow the game and inspire Scotland through rugby.”

• Does filling short-falls in the pro teams' squads by signing cheap players who are non-Scots-qualified grow the game and inspire Scotland through rugby?

I don't think it is. What message does signing the likes of Ferreira, who is at best a third-rate Saffer, send to the young Scottish players who were not considered?

I am convinced there are about half a dozen locks playing in the FOSROC Super6 competition who could do the job for Edinburgh they expect Ferreira to perform.

Rob McAlpine, Sam Thomson, Lewis Wynne, Hamilton Burr and Alex Toolis were all locks who were allowed to depart the Scottish rugby system – all are younger than Ferreira. Nick Campbell – now converted to boxing, is another who was allowed to depart. He is just months older than the new South African, as is Murray Douglas – yet another who, somehow, never convinced Murrayfield of his qualities. Maybe it's a positional thing, but, over the professional era, we have not got a good record in developing lock forwards – why?

We ought to be pro-active in developing and encouraging young Scottish locks in particular, and Scottish talent in general. Until there is a systemic change within Murrayfield and we start doing this – we will struggle.

By all means, if they are available, want to come and the price is right – I have no objection to the two pro sides recruiting X-factor players who are not Scottish-qualified.

I can live with bringing-in “project players,” provided they are Under-23 and play a position where we are short of home-grown players. BUT, “to grow the game and inspire Scotland through rugby” - we have to put home-grown talent first and nurture that talent properly.

Come-on SRU, get it right.