DISAPPOINTED, of course I am, it is ever thus when Scotland loses. However, I don't think there was much else we could have done in Marseilles today. Sometimes, you just have to hold your hand up and admit: “We were beaten by the better team.”
There is no shame in losing to the defending World Champions; today South Africa looked worthy of that status. They did what we expected them to do and we didn't have the answer.
Rugby Union is a simple games, forwards win it – the backs decide, by how much and as we feared might happen, we could not hold the South African pack. This was one of those games in which, to win, we needed every single one of our players at their best. We had no failures, but, one or two of our guys will look at themselves in the morning and hopefully admit: “I wasn't at my best.”
Now, we have to take stock, recover from the thumps and bangs which are part and parcel of a very-tough game. Hopefully, we don't have any serious knocks to worry about. We now face the two alleged minnows of the pool, Tonga and Romania.
We need to regroup, win these two games and, hopefully take bonus points from both games, to giv e us the best chance we have had in years of beating Ireland and hopefully still qualifying.
FORGET THAT result, Sir Clive Fuckwit and 'Fleet Street' has already decided – England are going to win the whole thing, so, we can gift-wrap the William Webb Ellis Trophy and deliver it to Twickenham. The ITV Sport team has already gone into full-on “Engurland, Engurland, Engurland” mode. It's going to be a long and painful tournament until they go out.
I have long held the opinion that the biggest drawback faced by English sides, both club and more-especially national ones, is “England Expects.” In spite of long experience, such as one win in 19 attempts in football's World Cup, and one win in nine attempts in the Rugby Union equivalent, every four years, egged-on by a febrile mass media – England Expects victory.
We in Scotland have our own problems with our media. For a start, we don't really have a domestic media. For sure, north of the Highland Line is DC Thomson country, but, elsewhere, the media landscape is dominated by “Scottish” titles, who take their orders from what used to be called “Fleet Street” or from overseas. Particularly when it comes to coverage of sport – which in Scotland means Fitba.
Well, back in the 1950s, watching the massed ranks of Scottish football writers arriving at Wembley for the bi-annual clash with England, the urbane Times Football Correspondent of the time allegedly quipped: “Here they come, the fans with typewriters.” Rather than being offended at this slur on their professionalism, the men concerned and their successors – today's “Lap Top Loyal” have worn the slight like a badge of honour.
Thus, no victory is greater than a Scottish one. Similarly, no defeat is more catastrophic. However, I fear my erstwhile colleagues in the pr and propaganda arm of the Tartan Army have had to surrender our title, in this 21st century, the English sporting media has usurped our position – they, today, are the real Fans With Lap Tops.”
If you seek proof, look no further than the media's reaction to England's 27-3 win over Argentine, in Marseilles on Saturday night. England's victory was greeted with an outpouring of joy, with even supposedly sensible writers in 'The Quality Press' getting carried away by success,
Even someone like me – a lifetime Vice President of ABE (Anyone But England) can appreciate that to play all but three minutes of the game a man short and win, has to be celebrated – kudos to the England squad. However, the reality was: a poor team beat a good team who simply didn't turn up. If that's the best England has to offer, even with a friendly draw, I cannot see them going deep into this tournament.
You don't win a global tournament by kicking goals, you need a try-scoring threat and that's something England hasn't had for some time. That victory will not unduly concern the nations ranked above England.
Mind you, I have great faith in that fine English tradition of “muddling through.” I can envisage the currently banned Captain – Owen 'No Arms' Farrell serving his sentence and coming back into the team, at which point the wheels come off England's chariot.
Finally, before anyone accuses me of being vehemently anti-English (Guilty as charged M'Lud) – in my view, that red card for Tom Curry was never a red card offence. England were done there, but, they got out of jail.
I HAD (honest), even before RWC '23 kicked off, a feeling that Eddie Jones' Australia would defy expectations and go deep into the tournament. The way they side-stepped the potential Georgian banana skin to win their opening game was uplifting for Aussie fans. Wee Eddie has picked one or two impressive youthful athletes, while skipper Will Skelton has bought into the cause and is keen to impress in front of his French club fans.
SIMILARLY, don't be in a rush to write-off the All Blacks. OK, losing their first pool match wasn't in the script, but, they too will still be around when the tournament reaches the sharp end. However, while beating the ABs has done nothing to dampen local expectations, it did underline, not for nothing are Les Bleus being touted as potential winners.
IRELAND in general, and Johnny Sexton in particular showed why they are ranked Number One in the world, with a huge victory over an admittedly limited Romania. You cannot argue with scoring 12 tries and a generally-impressive all-round display.
Beating Ireland is going to be tough, very-tough. However, we knew that already.
THE BEST was saved until last, with a wonderfully-entertaining meeting between Wales and Fiji, won by Warren Gatland's men, with, for me, a great deal of help from referee Matthew Carley.
I have been saying for years, Carley is not an international-class referee; he should be nowhere near the World Cup, and in this game, he demonstrated why. Carley was easily Wales' most-influential player as he let them away with murder.
A Fijian player clears-out a Welsh player to several metres past the breakdown – penalty to Wales. Two minutes later a Welsh player does the same thing – no action.
Wales concede a stream of penalties on their own line, warning but no further action. Fiji give away one penalty on their own line – yellow card. No, for me, Mr Carley's display was unacceptable.
And, by the way, Dan Biggar makes Owen Farrell lovable.
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