Magnanimity And Dignity In Defeat Is Not The Scottish Way

MAGNANIMITY and dignity in victory and defeat, that isn't the Scottish way, unfortunately. No nation's victories are greater, or defeats worse, than those achieved/sustained by Scotland. If there is a slight light in the gloom, it's the knowledge that Scottish Rugby doesn't suffer this to the same degree as Scottish football.

So we will take Glasgow Warriors' thumping at Exeter on Saturday afternoon on the chin and move on. Glasgow were bad, but, as we have seen under Danny Wilson, the team struggles to find a consistent level of performance.

To complete a really bad day for the Scottish teams, Edinburgh lost to 14-man London Irish. That's Scottish sport for you – it never rains but it pours.

But, let's take our cue from The Monty Python Team and always look on the bright side of life – we could be in as bad a state as the England Cricket team. If Glasgow's last half hour at Sandy Park was bad, it wasn't nearly as bad as England's final session in Hobart. That was a really tough watch.

BEFORE the Glasgow game, I watched Ospreys v Racing 92; well, when you've got the chance to watch Finntastic weave his magic – you have to take it.

To be honest, we only got a 7/10 performance from the Gallus One, not everything he tried came off, but, he still played his part in Racing's win. In this game, he was mainly an enabler, allowing Gael Fickou, Virim Vakatawa and Teddy Thomas to come up with the memorable moments. But, he played his part, not least with that penalty from half-way, just at a moment when the points were necessary. Then there was the overlooked fact – it was Finn who scooped up, then in one movement fed-on a loose ball, from which Fickou put Vakatawa clear for a crucial try.

As I said, only a 7/10, which is the minimum he gets every week. The great thing about Finn, however, is, even when things aren't working – he never hides, he doesn't have a shell to retreat into. He keeps calling for the ball, he keeps trying things, safe in the knowledge – eventually, things will change and the magic will happen. We're very-lucky to have him.

RUGBY in Scotland is pretty-much a family affair. In every club, big or small, you will find brothers playing together – Brewster, Hastings, Horne, Milne etc. You find sons following father at a lot of clubs, indeed, many fathers keep playing simply so they can play alongside their sons for their local club.

It is also very much a generation game, with the same names cropping-up in different eras of any given club's history. Speaking of which, a wee milestone passed on Saturday at Millbrae, when young Jamie McLauchlan turned-in a Man of the Match performance, on his debut for the Ayr-Millbrae XV against Cartha-Queen's Park 2^nd XV, in a Tennent's West Reserve League Division One game at Millbrae.

McLauchlan is, of course, a famous Ayrshire rugby name, but, Jamie's link is through his Mammy, big Lou-Lou McLauchlan, the lady who will, when Mary Inglis is no longer with us, be the uncrowned Queen of Scottish Rugby.

An embarrassed Jamie McLauchlan is congratulated on his MOM performance by his Mum
 

Jamie follows Lou-Lou, Grandpa Big Eck Ecrepont and great-grandfather Eddie Ecrepont in being the fourth generation to have worn the pink and black hoops. An uncle, his grand-mother's brother Hughie Lyburn, was also a first XV player with the club, so, Ayr is in his blood.

WATCHING the weekend European action, I was struck by the differing approach of the BT Sport commentary team.

Referee – after lengthy consultation with the TMO and his assistants: “Clear contact to the head, no mitigation – red card.”

Commentators – if the player red-carded is French/South African/Georgian/Italian/Argentinian/a Pacific Islander/New Zealander: “Correct decision by the referee, he had no alternative, clear red card.”

If the red-carded player is Irish/Welsh/Scottish: “I can see why the referee reached that decision, he's been a bit unlucky there, but, by the way the Law is being interpreted these days – he unfortunately had to go.”

If the red-carded player is English: “Terrible decision, we have to look at this interpretation, and the Law does say Red Card, but, for me this is bad law and that was never a sending-off.”

Austin Healey when an English player is red-carded: “Disgraceful decision, totally wrong, the opposition player should be sent off for simulating injury, it's getting like football.”