AS RABBIE BURNS has been telling us for over 200 years: “Facts are chiels that wanna ding.” Thus, certain undeniable facts have emerged from the 2023 Guinness Six Nations, which has just ended with Ireland claiming a Grand Slam and Scotland finishing third.
We now know:
Ireland is the best side in the Northern Hemisphere and, on current form, deserving of their status as the world's Number One team.
France are not that far behind them.
Scotland is a growing force, but, still some way off the top two.
The other three sides are very-close in terms of ability – but, a considerable way behind the top three.
Given we are in the same group as Ireland and defending champions South Africa, Scotland will need to improve massively to reach the knock-out rounds of the World Cup in the Autumn.
We made heavy weather of beating a game Italian team at BT Murrayfield; however, the fact we could score that epic coast-to-coast bonus point clinching try in time-added-on demonstrates we are capable of good things.
However, this victory is yet another which will be filed under the “winning ugly” column in the ledger. However, given we won without our top two locks, plus our three best broken field runners, and with our third or fourth-choice fly-half pulling the strings, I don't think we need be too worried about our ability to build on this third place and train-on to have a good World Cup.
We have Richie Gray, Grant Gilchrist, Finn Russell, Darcy Graham and Stuart Hogg to come into Saturday's victorious squad. At least four, if not all five, should start if we could select from a position of having everyone available.
Well though Blair Kinghorn did on Saturday, he is more likely to be playing further back at the World Cup, while hopefully Adam Hastings will be fit to return as back-up to Russell, who must start in the ten shirt.
Where I feel we do need to improve, on the basis of where we were poor in the 6N tournament, and in particular on Saturday, is in the following areas:
We need more front-foot ball from our pack. We do not seem to have what other teams have – two or three players able to take contact and still make ground – MAC (metres after contact) distance.
Lines-out accuracy in the red zones, as it has been for a number of years, remains a Scottish Achilles Heel. We need to sort this out before the World Cup.
We need to improve our scrum play. We rarely appear to pressurise the opposition as we perhaps should.
It is an old rugby truism: “Forwards win matches, backs decide by how much.” We have the backs to win any game, it's just, they don't always get the ammunition they need for this.
Our defence is very good, both when set and when scrambling; but, we do not, when Finn is absent, make the best of our attacking chances. Looking ahead to the RWC getting out of the group will be very-difficult, however, it is not beyond us. I remain hopeful.
THE BIGGEST talking point over Saturday's three games, was Freddie Steward's red card in Dublin. As a fully-paid-up member of the ABE (Anyone But England) faction, it matters not a jot to me how the self-styled Master Race lose – so long as they do. But, even I had sympathy for the men in white after they lost their full back to a red card.
OK, Rugby Union is on a mission to wipe-out head-on-head contact and referees are being instructed to, when there is such an incident: “Start at a red card, then look for mitigation which might down-grade the red to a yellow.”
Jaco Peyper and his fellow officials gave a text-book demonstration of how to do this, in the end the referee decided there was no mitigating factor which could prevent Steward seeing red. That is his decision, which we must all respect, but, I felt he got it wrong. I thought it was the sort of man-on-man collision which happens in a collision sport. I don't think the England full-back could have done anything other than what he did and, to me, it should not have been a red card.
If we are going to red card players for such collisions, then I feel we have to bring-in a new level of offence – technical fouls. Then, when a player is sent off for such an offence, enable him to be substituted, perhaps after a five or ten minute time period, as with a yellow card.
Serious Foul Play, where the referee feels there is “intent to injure” - that should be a red card, but, with no early substitution.
Another point I thought worth raising after the Murrayfield match is the use of Penalty Advantage. When advantage is being played for an offence which is punishable by a scrum, the referee generally calls: “Advantage over” after between three or five phases; however, when Penalty Advantage is being played, that advantage sometimes stretches to up to ten phases. I feel we need perhaps to bring in a limit.
There was one advantage to Italy in the first half, whereby they created a clear two-man overlap on one side and would surely have scored a try, but for a poor pass. They still got play brought back for a penalty, a decision in-line with modern officiating practice, however, to me it seemed like “double jeopardy” - Italy had the advantage, they used it to create a genuine scoring opportunity, but messed it up themselves. Tough luck lads, be more-accurate next time.
FINALLY – one of my favourite officiating stories.
Back last century, FIFA, in its infinite wisdom decided, when it came to sending match officials to the major tournaments, each selected nation should send a four-man team – Match Referee, two Assistant Referees and a Fourth Official, whose functions could be inter-changed.
These teams had all to be FIFA-listed, which meant guys who hadn't carried a flag for years would have to re-learn a skill they had not had to use for some time. The SFA team, as far as I can remember, was Jim McCluskie, Hugh Dallas, Les Mottram and Willie Young. The trouble was, they hadn't run the line for ages so needed to be found some games to get up to speed and being used to working as a team.
One of the games they were rostered to en bloc was a Cumnock and Doon Valley District Cup clash at Beechwood Park, between Auchinleck Talbot and Cumnock. Any referee worth his salt will tell you, apart from Rangers v Celtic, this clash is the hardest match to control in Scotland. Certainly, back then, if there weren't at least three red cards and eight or nine yellows when these sides met, it went down as a tame encounter.
Any way, out came the players to warm-up; then, out came the four officials. Suddenly the players of both sides stopped and had a look – this demanded action. There was a wee conference in the centre circle: Bobby McCulloch and Raymond Day of Cumnock, Billy Young and Ross Findlay of Talbot.
The game was played out without a single foul for anything other than offside being awarded. The players were helping each other up after collisions and, because they played football instead of kicking each other, the fans were royally entertained.
Team Scotland performed well in the tournament, well apart from Willie Young wrongly flagging for offside a “goal” which would have beaten England – an offence which I have never let him forget.
The reason why I repeat this hoary old tale here, simple, I firmly believe having officiating teams from a single nation, officials used to working together and exchanging roles, would make for better officiating in professional rugby.
In this Six Nations, we have seen a lot of multi-national officiating teams, I reckon we would be better with single nation ones. Mind you, World Rugby would need to make sure they were all singing off the same hymn sheet when it came to Laws interpretation and implementation, and dump the one or two English referees who are simply not up to international class.
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