I AM RELUCTANT to criticise the Scotland A team after their narrow win over Chile, at The Hive, on Saturday night. OK, the Rugby Union platoon of the Tartan Army are not exactly dancing in the streets of Raith after such a close game, but, I reckon, given the strength of the Scotland side and the fact they have had so little time together, it would be churlish to be over-critical.
Leave aside the 23-man full Scotland squad for the Sabbath clash with Australia, then factor in those players: George Turner, Dave Cherry, Richie Gray and Hamish Watson who have apparently reached the end of their international careers. Add in our injured players: Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, Cam Redpath, Murphy Walker, Sam Skinner, Jack Dempsey – Jonny Gray, asking not to be picked at the moment and that's more than two XVs' worth of players who Peter Horne could not pick. Gregor Hiddleston is, at present, our fifth-choice hooker, D'Arcy Rae, at best our fourth-choice tight-head, the locks we used on Saturday even further down the pecking order.
That A team was packed with fourth or fifth-choices, some of the boys on the bench are still apprentices rather than journeymen; we gifted the opposition two interception tries – which to be fair they took well – but we still won, against a team determined to give us a real fright.
We definitely must start taking A games more seriously, put a plan in process aimed at giving our fringe players more experience at this level, to further deepen our talent pool.
The pick for me – Freddy Douglas (what a future this kid could have), Euan Johnston, Tom Dodd and D'Arcy Rae in the pack, both scrum-halves – that break from Ben Afshar was class; Ross Thompson, Mosese Tuipulotu, Matt Currie and Aaron Reid. OK, we didn't get the big win we hoped for, but, a win is a win is a win.
Another point re A team games. Back in the Amateur Era, Scotland B and Scotland A games were taken round the country, to club grounds. I know the SRU have spent a fair bit of cash on the Murrayfield campus, building The Hive wasn't cheap, so the SRU are naturally keen to utilise that stadium as much as possible.
I also accept, the horrible weather was a factor, but, surely there is a case for taking these A games – if they are going to become more-common, round the bigger club grounds. And, as I have said before, set the admission prices properly and try to attract our kids to turn out and watch them.
Scotland games do not necessarily have to always be held at HQ.
JINGS, CRIVVENS, HELD MA BOAB – but, on Sunday, Scotland won a “Must Win” game against a Southern Hemisphere heavyweight. OK, this was a win for a settled Scotland team against an Australian one which is still developing; but, this was a win over a team which has already won in both London and Cardiff, so we have to be happy.
We left a few points out there, but still scored four tries; we made a few mistakes along the way, but still posted a comfortable win – reasons to be cheerful.
Our defence, emphasised in particular by that last-gasp set on the Scottish line as the game edged into Time Added On, was again first-class. We showed our usual range of attacking options and we now have a settled squad, who like to play together.
Pre-match, I reckoned Grant Gilchrist and Jamie Ritchie both needed big games, to answer some questions – both stood up to be counted, as did Scott Cummings after that unfortunate red card against South Africa. Zander Fagerson – if selector bias doesn't enter the equation, has surely secured the Lions' number three shirt, with one or two others definitely throwing their hat into Andy Farrell's ring of recognition.
It wasn't perfect. We definitely, for me, need to recruit a top-class line-out coach, we made too-many handling errors, but, we showed, when we click, we will give anyone a game.
Refereeing was again a point of controversy this weekend, but I felt the team at Murrayfield were good, yes, even if only via the “stopped clock rule” - Andy Brace. Mind you, and this is no criticism or Chris Busby, merely a reflection on some of the absurdities of Rugby Union's Laws – can one of my refereeing friends please explain this.
When a pack attempts to drive a maul over the try line from a short-range line-out, if the defending side bringd down the advancing maul, at the very least, the attacking side gets another penalty; more often than not, they get a Penalty Try.
Well, in the Australian game, Blair Kinghorn took the ball into contact and stayed on his feet; a couple of Scots piled-in behind him, a maul was formed which the Scots drove forward for about ten metres before the Wallabies got numbers there to halt their progress. The Australians took the maul to ground, and were rewarded with the put-in at a scrum.
I am sorry, but, I don't see the difference between that maul, which took place between half-way and the Australian 22, and a maul from a five-metre line-out. As I have been saying for yonks, the game's law book badly needs being re-written.
TWENTY MINUTES to go at the Cabbage Patch, before the game between Them and Japan, and Wee Austin is spitting the dummy and chucking the toys out of the pram with gay abandon as he rips into Their Coach, squad and entire system.
I don't care enough about Them to wait for the final whistle, then post, so let's just say, while I hope Wee Eddie can work his magic and send them into even-deeper despair, I fear They might win – in which case the same wee Austin and his media mates will have them once again as world-beaters and be demanding that 35 of them go to Australia with the Lions next Summer.
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