IT WAS only slightly about rugby, with the Sevens being one of the main team events, but, bear with me as I diverse into delivering a few thoughts on the Commonwealth Games, which have now toddled off our television screens.
Yes, the television coverage – always a sore point to we ungrateful “Sweaties,” who take exception to the BRITISH Broadcasting Corporation's usual inability to differentiate between England and the whole of the United Kingdom.
Some 50 years ago, the late Marty Feldman came up with a sketch, in which he, dressed as David Coleman, commentated on an England v Uruguay football match. Have a look at it on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpA8Og-MsPE
The genius that was Mr Feldman is, I would suggest, only slightly more-biased than some of today's real BBC commentators. The neutrality and balance of such as Bill McLaren, Dan Maskell and Peter Allis is sadly, only remembered by old farts such as I. To become a BBC commentator today, particularly in a "minority sport,” you have to be an England fan with a microphone.
The BBC coverage also, for my money, offered too-much of the studio talking heads, even oor ain wee Hazel Irvine and the always excellent Michael Johnson, and the Cram/Cotter/Backley specialists and not enough action. For the athletics, I switched to the iplayer feed, just athletics specialists, who know their stuff.
One of the strengths of the CG is – instead of one Team GB, the competitors from the various islands and parts of the British Isles get to compete for more-localised teams. In the Olympic Games, if the top three competitors are from England, they get picked for Team GB, at the Comms, the supposed lesser Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh athletes get a chance on the big stage. They regularly take that chance to embarrass the English favourite.
An interesting statistic from Birmingham, by the way – the medals won, per head of population for the four integral parts of the United Kingdom were:
Northern Ireland – 1 medal for every 104,722 of population
Scotland – 1 medal for every 107,844 of population
Wales – 1 medal for every 112,000 of population
England – 1 medal for every 312,500 of population.
That said, when it comes to a part of the British Isles punching above its weight, take a bow Guernsey, population: 63,400; they took away two medals, one for every 31,700 inhabitants.
Highlights:
Obviously, the Eilish McColgan gold medal – floods of tears in this house as she crossed the line.
Laura Muir's gold medal – vindication at last.
Laura Kenny's win. What that lassie's been through of late, a true champion – and well done Neah Evans of Scotland for leading her out.
The Men's Road Race. I never thought either of the Scottish boys in the lead group had the X-factor it would take to win it, and I was hoping Geraint Thomas could hold on, but, what a finish by the Kiwi, and an unexpected bronze for Scotland as a bonus.
The Pakistani guy winning the javelin, with an injured elbow.
That Zambian kid pipping Matt Hudson-Smith on the line in the 400 metres. Once he learns to pace himself, he'll be some athlete.
Duncan Scott – he just keeps delivering for Scotland and for Team GB.
James Heatly winning gold – I bet in that great diving pool in the sky, his grand-father is well chuffed.
The sheer delight on the face of Welsh girl Livi Breen when she won her unexpected gold.
The women's T.20 cricket – I really enjoyed watching it.
Finally, I am rather indifferent to the Royal Family. Yes, there is something unfair about hereditary rulers and the whole Establishment system stinks. But, we do have relative stability in the way most (Andy and Harry apart) conduct themselves as a conduit for the best of British values.
Eddie, the Earl of Wessex, has seemingly been given the CG as his special interest and he brought the necessary gravitas and dignity to the closing ceremony. As long as Charlie, Eddie and Anne are around, “The Firm” has a chance of surviving, but, I reckon, by the time William and Catherine take over, he really will be, merely King of England. The rest of us will have shot the craw.
To get back to rugby. The expectation seems to be, that with the RFU, SRU and WRU combining to run the Sevens campaign in the World Rugby/HSBC circuit and at the Olympics, the RFU will take the lead and it will be run from Twickenham.
Let's hope this doesn't happen; Scotland's women finished top of the three nations in Birmingham, while there was nothing at all between the English and Scottish men. I hope the two Celtic cousins can put the kybosh on the programme becoming a “Greater England” one.
How about, with the permission of the Irish, making the Sevens a British Lions programme? Mind you, I still hope to live long enough to see an independent Scotland performing at a future Olympics.
SINCE this is a rugby blog, I suppose I should mention the game a little. The SRU AGM, or at least part one thereoff, is coming up fast on the other track. We will not have the finalised accounts, so I can hold back on that until part two.
There will be a lot of interest in the election of the new vice president, with incumbent Colin Rigby stepping up to replace the excellent Ian Barr in the top job. The candidates are Hazel Swankie, the first lady of Fife rugby, and Haddington's own Keith Wallace.
This is seen as Hazel being the Establishment choice, a safe pair of hands who has served an apprenticeship on the Council. Keith on the other hand is a long-standing thorn in Murrayfield's side, and the Outsider.
For my money, either would do a sterling job as VP and later in the top job, picking which one will get the gig will not be easy. I will say this, from my position on the fence – perhaps the Junta should be thinking, is it better to have a critic outside the tent pishing in, or inside the tent pishing out?
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