MAYBE Jamie Ritchie having to go off has done us a favour. I thought we were a better team under Finn, who stepped-up to become THE Leader. Depending on the Return To Play protocol, and given Toony will surely wish to give some of the fringe players a run-out against Romania – I would stick with Finn as Captain.
I have to admit, I was worried about Tonga. One of my friends is convinced we will have our off-night against the East Europeans, I always thought the Islanders' game was the potential banana skin. However, we managed to avoid the slip.
OK, we won, we won well, but, for me it was only a 7.5/10 performance, and we will need at least a 9.5/10 if we are to beat the Irish and qualify. Mind you, I am growing fond of the idea of the Celtic Cousins repeating the notorious 1982 fix, when, in that year's FIFA World Cup, knowing a draw would see both qualify, Austria and West Germany played out a game which stunk to high heaven.
After all, it makes little difference who they get next – France or New Zealand, it's a tough game either way.
Mind you the whining, if the Saffers miss out, will make that century or more of Whinging Poms sound like a soft whisper.
Finally, on the Scotland game; loath though I am to criticise individuals on the back of a win, but, I am the only Tartan Army member who thinks Ewan Ashman isn't Scotland class?
I had thought his poor show when coming off the bench might lead to Stuart McInally getting that deserved 50th cap against Romania. Sadly, he has now picked up a neck injury and been replaced by Glasgow's Johnny Matthews.
ROUNDING OFF the weekend at the RWC, can I just say, whatever relative failures we critics might have identified around EH12, and allowing for the fact some of us feel we would be better-off minus the Fat Mancunian, compared to matters in Sydney, we are in a good place, Australia were awful against Wales, and I don't think it is all the fault of wee Eddie.
THE INTRODUCTION of the 'Futures XV' to the FOSROC Super Series has given an added dimension to the competition. How, one wonders will they be feeling down at Goldenacre this week. They post an emphatic 39-12 win over Boroughmuir Bears, to go top of the heap, then have to sit out the next round of fixtures and perhaps see Ayrshire Bulls, who entertain Stirling Wolves, leap-frog them back to pole position.
In last weekend's other match, Southern Knights prevailed over the Futures XV to move into fourth spot. They've got an interesting match this weekend, entertaining third-placed Watsonians and probably hoping for the win which would lift them above the Myreside men.
IT IS obviously too-early in the season to call it a decider, but, as we look forward to Week Five of the Premiership season, the upcoming clash between Hawick and Currie already has the look of being a significant match-,up.
Currie was the only team to put a blemish on the Greens' season in 2022-23. They have kicked-off this campaign with four straight bonus points wins, to move four points clear at the top of the table, so, if they can maintain their great start at Mansfield Park on Saturday, well, they will take a bit of reining-in.
The Chieftains certainly rose to their first big challenge of the season on Saturday, crushing Heriot's 46-5. Even this early in the campaign, they are looking good.
Hawick demonstrated their intent in hanging on to their title, with a good win over Edinburgh Academical, at Raeburn Place, putting themselves into third spot, behind Marr, who reinforced the Fortress Fullarton legend with a comfortable win over Selkirk.
AYR are setting a brisk pace in National 1. Their excellent 35-13 win over Melrose at The Greenyards has left them five points clear of the chasing pack, which is led by Highland, after the Inverness men;s thumping 50-21 win over GHK. Probably not the result the Old Anniesland outfit were looking for before they kick-off this weekend's programme, by entertaining the next-door neighbours, across the Anniesland hedge, when Glasgow Academicals come calling on Friday night.
IT MIGHT be a clash in the third tier of the club game, however, Saturday's Gytes coming together between Peebles and Lasswade just might be the game of the day in Clubland.
The two sides are locked together at the top of National 2, both on 20 points, after four straight bonus point wins. Lasswade are top, by a mere 12 points on points difference. This one could be epic.
Falkirk, who lost to Peebles on Saturday, face another tough match if they are to hang on to third place. They entertain fourth-placed Gordonians on Saturday.
This league is equally tight at the bottom, with four clubs: Berwick, Kirkcaldy, Stewart's-Melville and Aberdeen Grammar separated by a mere two points.
NATIONAL 3 is rapidly turning into the hardest of the five national leagues to call – with the top five clubs all within one win of each other. Considering it lost its special status 50 years ago, and ceased to exist at all in 1989, it's only us old romantics who can remember Allan Glen's School. So there is something comforting in seeing Allan Glen's heading the table, from “surprise packets” Orkney, with Preston Lodge and Hillhead Jordanhill tucked-in close behind.
Bernie Mitchell from Hills contacted me last week to highlight the Orkney challenge. He gets a chance to gauge how real this is, with the north islanders due at Hughenden in th pick of the fixtures.
With five clubs within a win of each other at the top, then a further four clubs within a point of each other, it's starting to look grim for fallen giants West of Scotland at the foot of the table. This really is a competitive division.
NATIONAL 4 continues to be led by Garnock, the only unbeaten side in the division. They have a three-point advantage over Whitecraigs, who are being chased by Dunfermline and Stewartry.
IN THE LAND called Caledonia, it's as you were, with Panmure continuing to set the pace in the Midlands Conference, with Dundee Seconds going second, by virtue of beating Grangemouth Stags, who are third.
In the North Conference, Moray thrashed bottom team Aberdeen Wanderers to continue their impressive start to the campaign, but the big result saw Aberdeenshire edge out Mackie FP 32-31 in the battle between third and second. Mackie's advantage being cut to two points in the process.
HADDINGTON and Linlithgow continue to set thee pace in the East Region, where both have gone four from four at the start of the campaign. Forrester, who entertain table-topping Haddington on Saturday, lie third, three points off the pace-setters.
Penicuik are four from four at the top of the East Second Division, while a real local battle is developing in East Division Three, where Trinity Accies and near-neighbours Edinburgh Northern are locked together at the top, each having posted three wins, and drawn their fourth match, when they faced each other on the opening Saturday of the season.
BEST IN THE WEST at the moment is still the claim of Ardrossan Academicals, four from four and five points clear of second-placed Wigtownshire. Cumnock are third, following a result us old Cumnock players could only have dreamed of, when we were taking punishment back in the 1960s – a 32-22 win over Kilmarnock.
The league leaders face a double test of their mettle over the next two weeks. They entertain 'Shire on Saturday, before heading for Broomfield to face a Cumnock side, who will have the backing of a bunch of aged reprobates, who have arranged a pre-match lunch prior to the match on 7 October.
CAMBUSLANG are the pace-setters in West 2, but they only hold a two-point lead over unbeaten Bishopton, who have played one game fewer. Waysiders/Drumpellier, Strathendrick and Carrick are keeping close order in a division which will surely go right to the wire.
In West 3, Birkmyre, Lochaber and Moffat are the early leaders, 'Myre holding a two-point lead at the top. However, Moffat have a game in hand.
Stirling Mortlock was on the BBC podcast and fully supportive with of Jones. Admitted he probably erred by not taking an experienced fly half (Foley or Cooper) though.
ReplyDeleteBest was his comment about 10s growing into the game by having great centres. Carter with Mauger, Larkham with Horan, Wilkinson with Guscott etc