Goodbye 2020 6 Nations - Don't Let The Door Hit You On The Erse As You Leave

WELL, that's the 2020 Guinness 6 Nations put to bed. I don't think, other than for the pandemic-induced disruption, it will be missed, or long remembered. England won it, but, were never more than the best of an indifferent bunch. I don't think the All Blacks or the Springboks will be too-concerned about facing any of these sides.

The first Scotland team I ever saw live – on my inaugural visit to Murrayfield, on 11 January, 1958 was: RW Chisholm (Melrose); AR Smith (Captain, Cambridge University). GD Stevenson (Hawick), JT Docherty (Glasgow High School FP), JS Swan (Leicester); GH Waddell (Devonport Services), JAT Rodd (United Services); HF McLeod (Hawick), NS Bruce (Blackheath), IR Hastie (Kelso); MW Swan (Oxford University), JWY Kemp (Glasgow HsFP); GK Smith (Kelso), MA Robertson (Gala), JT Greenwood (Dunfermline). They beat France 11-9.

I have since gone on to write obituaries on five of that Scotland team and, when you look at some of the teams for whom they played, how things have changed in the intervening 62 years.

What hasn't changed is, following Scotland is one extended roller-coaster ride. Back in 1958, I was only concerned that we were winning as the clock ran down. On Saturday, even as our pack took the ball through the phases in the final minutes, with the benefit of long experience, my foremost thought was: “Well, what are we going to do to lose it from here?”

But, for once, we did the hardest thing for a Scottish team, defending a lead in any sport – we kept the heid, and came away with the win. OK, Wales were poor, their defensive line was offside the whole game and Andrew Brace tended to favour the home side – but: WE WON, so, let's celebrate.

I will whisper this, but, I honestly believe, with this squad, we will be celebrating a 6 Nations win, maybe even a Grand Slam, in the not-too-distant future.

It was interesting to see the usual response from the Welsh media – proving once again how on the money old Ian Kirkpatrick, the legendary All Blacks' captain was when he said: “You never beat Wales, you only score more points than them.”

We didn't score more points than the Welsh, because we were any good, but, because Wales were very-bad. Maybes Aye, Maybes Naw, but, do we not get some credit for taking our game down to Wales' level and still winning – past Scotland teams would have done that and lost. Considering:

• We lost our starting and replacement fly halves.

• We finished with a full back at ten and a scrum-half on the wing

• We have only won 3 of 14 games in Wales in the professional era

I don't care how bad Wales were, a win is a win is a win. Let them moan, it's what they do; we were the better team, we won, suck it up boyos.

Of the three matches on “Super Saturday,” I felt the France v Ireland game was the best. But, looking at the tournament as a whole, I don't think the All Blacks, or South Africa, and maybe even the Australians, for all the abuse they are taking at the moment, would be too-worried about facing northern hemisphere opponents.

WELL DONE Gavin Blackburn. I mentioned in my last post, how the bold Gav was undertaking a 24-hour marathon walk round Glasgow's rugby grounds, in aid of SAMH – The Scottish Association for Mental Health.

Gav's target was to raise £1100 for this good cause. I checked just before publishing this post, to discover he had exceeded his target with ease, raising over £1500, and with donations still coming in.

What makes this effort even more praise-worthy was, the weather, one factor which Gav could not control, was very-much against him, as he had to walk on one of the wettest days this year, in really horrific conditions.

In view of this, even more respect should go to him for his magnificent effort. And, well done too, to all the rugby guys who contributed to his campaign.

THEY'LL be crying in the chapels of Wales this week. Bad enough to lose to Scotland on Saturday, but, when a depleted Edinburgh can pitch up at Parc Ye Scarlets 24 hours later and make it two from two for the invaders from the North, well the hymns and arias are of a particularly melancholy tone.

I am delighted for Edinburgh, to see them post their first win of the season, but, I note big Andy Davidson had to go off injured. These are not good days for Scottish locks, with a veritable scrum full either self-isolating from Covid-19 or out injured.

Scotland has never been a prolific producer of big men, but, even if we don't have many spares on the shelf, somebody at Murrayfield knows an agent in Johannesburg who can supply match-fit replacements.

Does Eben Etzebeth maybe fancy a short-term gig in Scotland?

 

FINALLY, I don't usually bother, but, I thought I would finish-off on the 6 Nations by selecting my Team of the tournament, which, in 1-15 order is:

Rory Sutherland (Scotland), Jamie George (England), Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Maro Itoje (England), James Ryan (Ireland), Jamie Ritchie (Scotland), Charles Ollivon (Captain, France), Jake Polledri (Italy); Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Gael Fickou (France), Bundi Aki (Ireland), Virimi Vakatawa, Teddi Thomas (France); Stuart Hogg (Scotland).