'Fleet Street" - Under-Performing Again

BEING a sad old has-been – some might say a never-was – I review World Cups with a jaundiced eye; perhaps more concerned as to how the current stars of my trade are covering events. So, what have I learned, or gleaned from the opening weekend of Rugby World Cup '23?

This tournament is ITV's tenth attempt at being the United Kingdom's main broadcaster of the event; and, as with their previous nine attempts, they have fallen for the old familiar fault, of thinking the United Kingdom means England. Their coverage is so -slanted towards covering the men in white, they immediately have the Celtic fringes up in arms.

Then, when they do decide: we had better get a few Welshmen in for when they play, they recruit a bunch of former players as fans/apologists. Former players are almost never going to give you the right degree of candour and insight – it's just not in their nature.

Once again, the fairest of the talking heads were the Scots – John Barclay confirming his status as one of the top pundits around today, while Sir Ian McGeechan again showed, when it comes to knights of the realm with real authority, Clive Woodward isn't on the same planet as Ian.

Mind you, the English pundits in general are as poor as their team. However, in praising the Scots, can I reiterate a long held impression of mine: Scott Hastings is a better match caller than talking head. Twice or three times he had Kolbe scoring that glorious South African try, rather than Arendse.

Why the reluctance to call out Matthew Carley. The English whistler's performance in being Wales's best player ought to have been roundly criticised. I know, in today's world, particularly on social media, blaming the referee when your team loses is the default position. I could probably, had I the inclination, pick out incidents in every game where the referee got it wrong, but, as always at this level of rugby, the officials made fewer mistakes than the players.

Ok, it might have made a difference to the game had that head-on-head collision in the Scotland game been picked up, but, not as big a difference as that greedy wee Teri not passing when he had an overlap probably made. Seven points there for us and it's a different game.

As was shown by that Tom Curry red card – which I think was, for once an officiating error costing England – even a one-man advantage is no use if your team is having a collective 'mare. There was no guarantee 14 Saffers would have lost, indeed, given that nation's history, had they been handicapped it would perhaps have made them even-more determined to beat us.

Notwithstanding Carley's level of incompetence, I have long believed World Rugby MUST conduct a root and branch reform of the game's Laws. At the professional level, it is becoming well-nigh beyond the ability of one man, even a Fleming, an Owens or a Barnes to properly control things.

We need to get back to a no tolerance level around some of the wee fly moves which have been allowed to creep in; and we certainly need to lower the tackle height at professional level. Sure, there will be short-term carnage, but, in the longer term, the game will be the better for it.

I know the Laws say the referee is the sole judge of fact for the duration of the match, but, with today's technology, cannot we have amended rules regarding incidents such as the Kriel/Dempsey clash of heads. The referee missed it, the TMO missed it, but surely the citing officer could be brought-in, perhaps by Scotland (the “wronged” team in the incident) asking for a retrospective check. Then, if the decision is that Kriel should have been sanctioned, that sanction could be applied to his next game: red card, he misses the game; yellow, he sits out the first ten minutes.

The Finn Russell “no arms tackle” is another matter all together. The referee saw the incident and made a decision, so, let it go.

MEANWHILE, back in the land or purritch and auld claes, the domestic game is continuing. We have reached the half-way stage in the FOSROC Super Series, with Heriot's heading the table from Ayrshire Bulls, on points difference. These two are again looking like the probable finalists, but, with six round of matches left, this is by no means certain.

Currie Chieftains and Edinburgh Academical are the early pace-setters in the Premiership, after posting back-to-back bonus point wins in their two opening fixtures.

Result of the day on Saturday, however, was surely Marr ending Hawick's long unbeaten run to divest them of the Bill McLaren Shield. I am assured by one of the usual suspects around Fullarton that the Troon team intend being insufferably smug and arrogant for a wee while yet.

Marr, currently fourth, travel to fifth-placed Glasgow Hawks on Saturday,a with the “Best in the West” bragging rights on the line.

In National 1, Highland top the table from Ayr, the only other unbeaten side, after two games, courtesy of a 41-0 win over Watsonians, a result which perhaps confirms the belief that Edinburgh clubs travel as well as Belgian wine. Ayr meanwhile, scraped home in a humdinger at Biggar.

National 2 is the tightest league, with four sides unbeaten on 10 points, after back-to-back bonus point wins. In descending order via points difference the quartet comprises Stirling County, Lasswade, Falkirk and Peebles. Things will change this weekend, with County travelling to The Gytes to face Peebles, so, something has to give at the top.

National 3 has a majority of the clubs situated in the West, six of the ten to be exact. However it is three of the interlopers who are setting the pace, with Preston Lodge leading, from Orkney, with Boroughmuir third. All three clubs have grabbed bonus points wins in their first two games, while fourth-placed Allan Glens, on nine points, lie fourth.

Checking the National 4 table on the SRU website confirms the rumours of an outbreak of competence involving my very very-good friends Buddy and the Elves inside the SRU Media Department are wrong. It makes embarrassing reading.

However, Garnock head the standings from North Berwick, both clubs having posted back-to-back bonus point wins, with Stewartry third on eight points.

Strathmore, Murrayfield Wanderers, Whitecraigs and Dunfermline are locked together in mid-table. All are, like the top three, unbeaten, but each has won one and drawn one of their two games. It's a tight league already.