TOMMY ARMOUR, the legendary 'Silver Scot' is reckoned to have been the first major sufferer. Depending on which reference book you use, either Armour, or a later sufferer, legendary commentator Peter Allis, said: “once you've got them – you've got them, there is no cure.” I refer of course to “the yips”.
This affliction, typically an inability to complete a smooth putting stroke also manifests itself in other sports and in Bayonne, we saw a classic example of it, as Glasgow's line out fell apart.
Young hooker Angus Fraser appeared to be the principal sufferer, however, received wisdom is that when a line out malfunctions for whatever reason: a squint throw, an overthrow, an under-throw or a bad lift, it isn't always the man in the number 2 or number 16 jersey's fault; the timing of the lift could be off; the call was perhaps wrong, or misunderstood. As they say about road traffic accidents: there is seldom one big cause, more-often it's a case of several small misjudgements coming together.
Whatever, it was a major disaster and it will be interesting to see if the trauma affects young Angus's burgeoning career.
Whoever was calling the set pieces, and both Greg Peterson and Richie Gray are among the most-experienced and line-out savvy operators in the game, it was a disaster of Conservative Government proportions.
However, something new it wasn't. Glasgow this season, particularly when Scott Cummings is calling the shots and Johnny Matthews is throwing-in, then piloting the maul, has enjoyed marvellous success at the touchlines, so why should it suddenly go wrong? But, the Glasgow line out has tended to creak in the opposition's 22 for a number of years.
Pat McArthur had nights when Jocky Wilson he wasn't when firing his “darts”; ditto Fraser Brown and George Turner. This isn't the first blog post in which I have highlighted Glasgow's frailty in this aspect of the game.
Let's hope it isn't the last. Bayonne certainly appeared to have the hex on Glasgow last night, just as, the week before, Northampton Saints all but nullified the Glasgow threat at the sidelines. Franco Smith is a wily old fox, he will surely have his coaching team on damage limitation and a serious rethink, to sort things out before the trip to Exeter next weekend.
But, isn't it typically Scottish, that I dedicate the first nearly 400 words of this post to a moan about one aspect of a game. WE WON FFS YA MOANING OLD BUGGER – let's shout that from the roof tops.
Very true, wins in France are to be celebrated and this one, in spite of the line out travails and the many handling errors and wrong options taken, is definitely one to remember – perhaps the ugliest example of winning ugly in the club's history.
Of course, there were moments to remember, particularly the Ally Miller try. A back rower skinning a top-division French winger on the outside: “Formidable” as our French friends might say. On a night when he won the Man of the Match award, that moment is definitely one for Ally's highlights reel.
The result gets points on the board, however, given the number of kickable penalties refused, and the wonderful defensive effort called for at the death, as was said about another great British win over French opposition on the continent, this was a damned close-run thing. Still, we will take it. Onwards and hopefully upwards.
MEANWHILE, in Clubland this is potentially a massive weekend for Ayr Rugby Club. (Apologies to my friends at Marr for swearing) but, if not today – they are coming for you; and a win over GHK at Millbrae this afternoon will confirm the club's return to the Premiership and spark-off the sort of Bacchanalian revelry not seen in Alloway since Lucifer Beelzebub arranged that wee Merkat Nicht rave at Kirk Alloway all those years ago.
And that's just part one – those descendants of Cutty Sark, the Ayr Lassies, have their own potential league-winning show-down on Sunday, while the club's Under-18 team is across at Murrayfield for a national trophy final, also on Sunday. I am not going anywhere near Alloway this weekend – it will get messy.
THE OTHER action hot spot this afternoon is Myreside, where Watsonians entertain Stirling county in the Women's Premiership Grand Final.
The home team will start as favourites, having only been denied a clean sweep of 14 straight wins in the regular season by a last-minute score by Corstorphine Cougars, to force a draw in their final game.
Having come that close to the perfect season, the Edinburgh girls will not want to spoil it today. However, they know Stirling, having had an unexpected rest as the weather has kept them idle since thumping Garioch on 25 November, will be desperate to get out there and play.
Form favours Watsonians, but, there again Stirling County's Super Rugby team weren't supposed to win that competition, but, the trophy is in the Bridgehaugh clubhouse.
ANOTHER County XV also has designs on a victorious trip to the capital, when, tomorrow, the Stirling Under-18 team face defending champions Boroughmuir, on the international pitch in the Scottish Youth Cup final, kick-off 6pm.
'Muir are going for a fourth straight win and the Edinburgh side will start as warm favourites. However, County have a sterling record in this competition over the years, and a wee bit of momentum, so, it's either side's game.
At the same time, at The Hive, Ayr/Wellington face Hawick Youth in the Under-18 Shield final. Ayr are the defending champions here, but, they know, facing any Hawick team in a final is never an easy task and this could be another close affair.
Hawick's Under-16 team is also on-parade at the National Stadium, taking on Currie Chieftains in the Under-16 Youth Cup final, which kicks-off at 1.30pm. Rugby certainly appears to have a continuing appeal among the young men of the town.
The National Youth Shield final goes ahead on Back Pitch 1 at Murrayfield, and this one features Gala Red Triangle and GHA, here too, it has a 1.30pm kick off.
The National Plate finals are also being held over this weekend, unfortunately for the boys involved, no glamorous trip to Murrayfield, but, I am sure they will still enjoy the experience.
The Under-18 Plate final, between Kelso Quins and Selkirk Youth goes ahead at Poynder Park today, immediately after the conclusion of the Kelso v Marr Premiership game, while, also today Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy is the venue for the Under-18 Bowl final, between Kirkcaldy and Hamilton/Strathaven.
Tomorrow sees the Under-16 Plate and Bowl finals played. Deeside travel down to Jed Thistle in the Plate final, while another North side, Aberdeen Wanderers have a slightly shorter trip, to Falkirk, for the Plate final.
Elsewhere, Aristotle has his own important fixture on Sunday. Number Three Grandson – the black sheep of the family, who plays Gaelic Football at university, turns 18 and will be expected to treat his Father and Grand-father when he purchases his first legal drink in celebration. I don't think he knows the price of a double Glenmorangie – that's an early lesson in economics he's got coming tomorrow.
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