The Heavy Rain Didn't Prevent Some Good Domestic Rugby

SQUEAKY BUM time at the Rugby World Cup means I am running late for my weekly look at the domestic Scottish game. It didn't help either that the horrendous weather meant a number of games were called-off. Any way, here we go:

IN THE FOSROC Super Series, Ayrshire Bulls' win over Southern Knights and the postponement of the Stirling Wolves v Heriot's match has left the Bulls five points clear at the top of the table. However, if The Nails can win their two games in hand, it's a different story.

Watsonians' defeat of Boroughmuir Bears leaves them in third place, but, it will all start to, hopefully, become a bit clearer after Heriot's entertain the Bulls on Saturday.

MARR continue to lead the Premiership, after their win at Edinburgh Academical on Saturday. Defending Champions Hawick are up to second following their big win at Jed-forest, while Currie Chieftains, whose fixture against Glasgow Hawks was rained-off, remain in third place. Their visit to Fortress Fullarton on Saturday is already looking like a crucial match-up.

AYR'S win at Gala on Saturday has seen the Millbrae Men put clear water between themselves and their pursuers in National 1. Ayr are six points clear of Highland, who beat third-placed Melrose on Saturday. Six games into the campaign, this division is now settling down to a top five and a bottom five, but, it is still early days.

IN NATIONAL 2, Gordonians did everyone else a favour, by travelling down to Lasswade and inflicting a first defeat on their table-topping hosts, a win which puts them up to third. Peebles, however, failed to take advantage of Lasswade losing, when they themselves lost at Newton Stewart, to remain in second spot. These were the only two fixtures to be played on Saturday.

THERE were also a mere two of the five fixtures played in NATIONAL 3. Orkney took advantage of the Allan Glen's v West of Scotland game being off to go to the top of the table, after a narrow 20-19 victory over Hamilton Bulls, in a game switched from Hamilton to Strathaven. In the only other game played, Dumfries Saints beat Cartha Queen's Park.

This has led to some cruel social media messages, suggestion that weel-kent man about Dumfries rugby, John Steele, iconic referee and father of international scrum-half Scott, should extend his World Cup trip to France, since Saints appear to be doing better without him there to watch them.

NATIONAL 4 was even-worse affected by the incessant rain, with just one of the five fixtures played. In this lowly Ross High did themselves a power of good, by beating Stewartry 39-26. Garnock, however, still lead the table.

IN CALEDONIA 1, Dundee 2^nd XV took advantage of Panmure's game against Howe Crusaders being washed out, beating Falkirk 2^nd XV 27-24 to go top of the Midlands Conference on points difference. In the North Conference, league leaders Moray saw their game with Ellon rained off, which enabled Aberdeenshire, 46-10 winners over Caithness, to join them on the 25 point mark – Moray still head the standings, however.

EAST REGION 1 was idle on Saturday, which sets things up nicely for this weekend's top of the table clash between second-placed Linlithgow and table-topping Haddington.

ARDROSSAN took advantage of some key home men being absent, when they made the short hop to Cumnock on Saturday to win the second v first clash 43-19 and extend their lead at the top of the table to nine points.

The chasing group is led by Wigtownshire, after their win over Dalziel.

YOU MAY have missed it, but Sean Ingle, in Sunday's Observer and under an EXCLUSIVE strap line, had a story about World Rugby being expected to announce the introduction of “smart technology mouth guards, which will transmit the g-forces of head impact in real time to the watching coaches.

This will mean players being immediately removed from the field for a HIA (Head Impact Assessment) and possible exclusion for the remainder of the game. If this comes to pass, it is hoped it will make the game safer.

However, it comes at a cost, it is believed the latest generation of smart mouth guards cost around £250 each; however, they do appear to herald a new era of greater player safety – something on which you cannot put a cost.

FINALLY, I find myself conflicted somewhat by Glasgow re-signing big Greg Peterson, to replace long-term injury victim JP du Preez.

As I said when the big South African was signed, I'd rather they had given the place to a young Scot and in Ayrshire Bulls' Rory Jackson and Heriot's Charlie Jupp I can think of at least two Super Series Scots who have maybe earned the right to an Ally McCoist movie.

However, Greg now has a chance to remind us what a good lock he is. He never let Glasgow down when here first time round, where he was scandalously under-used and under-appreciated by Dave Rennie. He certainly didn't look out of place when with Newcastle last season.

Last time round at Scotstoun, he mainly played for Glasgow Hawks and Marr, where he was a hugely-popular acquisition, not to mention great company in the club-house; but, he's better than that and he will not let Glasgow down. I think he will also prove a great mentor to that highly-promising lump of Scottish “donkey” Alex Samuel.

Where Do We Go From Here?

RIGHT – we are out of this World Cup and can now start planning for the next four years. I suppose there will be a tournament review when the management group gets back to EH12, meanwhile, what about the players?

I suppose, between now and 3 February, 2024 – 17 weeks away – when the 2024 Six Nations kick-off with our game against Wales, we will see a regular drip of players announcing their retirement from international rugby. I can see the likes of WP Nel, Hamish Watson, Richie Gray, Grant Gilchrist and (perish the thought) maybe even Finn Russell, opting-out of international rugby, if not by the start of the Six Nations, perhaps shortly afterwards.

On average just under two-thirds of the Scotland squad at any World Cup are new boys. In France, 19 of our 35 players were at their first World Cup; 12 were at their second and 4 were at their third. In terms of exposure to the special circumstances of a World Cup final tournament, the 2023 squad was our second most-experienced.

Over the ten Rugby World Cups, our average finishing position is seventh. Our best-ever-finish was fourth in 1991 (when we played all our games except the third-place play-off at Murrayfield). Our worst finishing position has been tenth – the position in which we have finished in three of the last four tournaments: 2011, 2019 and 2023.

In the three Rugby World Cups in the amateur era (1987, 1991 and 1995) our average finishing position at World Cups was sixth. In the seven Rugby World Cups of the Open era, our average finishing position (including 2023) has been eighth.

Perhaps we have gone backwards since the game went open, or, is it, that the popular opinion is correct: we have not transitioned to open rugby as well as the other “Establishment” nations.

In the wake of our failure to qualify for the knock-out phase of the 2023 tournament, there have been calls for the head of Head Coach Gregor Townsend. Let's look at the figures and how Toony compares with his predecessors at the big show.

Derrick Grant: 1 tournament: 4 – 2 – 1 – 1 – 138 – 99 – wins % 50%

Ian McGeechan: 2 tournaments: 11 – 7 – 0 – 4 – 280 – 194 – wins % 63.6%

Jim Telfer: 2 tournaments: 9 – 5 – 0 – 4 – 352 – 183 – wins % 55.5%

Frank Hadden: 1 tournament: 4 – 3 – 0 – 1 – 129 – 85 – wins% 75%

Andy Robinson: 1 tournament: 4 – 2 – 0 – 2 – 73 – 59 – wins% 50%

Vern Cotter: 1 tournament: 5 – 3 – 0 – 2 – 180 – 128 – wins% 60%

Gregor Townsend: 2 tournaments: 8 – 4 – 0 – 4 – 265 – 126 – wins% 50%

Overall: 10 tournaments: 45 – 26 – 1 – 18 – 1417 – 874 – wins% 57.7%

Over all ten tournaments therefore, in terms of World Cup results, Townsend ranks joint fifth of the seven Head Coaches who have led us in a Rugby World Cup. His wins percentage is below the median for Scotland at the RWC,

In 2019, Scotland went into the tournament ranked fifth, the second-highest-ranked country in their pool – they finished tenth.

In 2023, Scotland went into the tournament ranked fifth, however, they were the third-highest-ranked country in their pool. Again, they finished tenth overall, but their third place in their pool was where they were expected to finish.

Rugby Union at the elite level is now a combination of a game, a business and a branch of the entertainment industry. As such, Known Performance Indicators or KPIs are now in play. If we look at these we find:

• KPIs indicate, Scotland should reach the knock-out stages, something we have achieved in seven of the ten Rugby World Cups – 70% success

• BUT, as the third-ranked country in our 2023 RWC pool, we should expect to finish third – which is where we finished.

• We should expect to win over 50% of our matches at a RWC tournament, something we have not managed under Townsend.

• We should expect to beat any Tier Two opponents – this we accomplished. However, we have only once, in ten RWC tournaments, beaten another Tier One nation – when we beat Ireland in 1991.

So, can we honestly blame Gregor Townsend for our failure to reach the knock-out stages of RWC'23?

Or, might it be a case of the structure of Scottish Rugby is fundamentally-flawed, if our desire is to make a bigger impact on World Cups?

Where do we go from here?

• Do we sack Townsend and appoint someone else?

• Do we radically alter the landscape of Scottish Rugby?

• Or, do we accept, we are a small rugby nation, regularly punching above our weight, and enjoy our minor victories when they come?

• There again, we could reinforce the age-old comfort blanket of Scottish sports administrators in many different sport, and take encouragement from the wisdom of the great Max Boyce, who said:

When that Great Scorer comes, to write against your name, it matters not who won nor lost but, DID YOU BEAT ENGLAND?

That attitude got generations of past “blazers” out of a spot of bother. Might it still work today?

 

There's A New Folk Lore In Rugby Union

IRELAND beat us well tonight, and deservedly so. They genuinely looked like the Number One team in the world.

That said, for me that game showed the new reality of Rugby Union. Rugby lore used to tell us:

• Forwards win games, backs decide by how much.

In this World Cup, and particularly in this match, Rugby folklore had become:

• Teams win games, referees and TMOs decide by how much.

The referees have come in for a lot of criticism in France'23; much of the criticism has been ill-deserved. Indeed, I thought, up until Saturday night, Nic Berry had been one of the best. However, in this game, helped by a shell-shocked Scotland team, he was decidedly one-sided; but, still seemed neutral compared to his fellow Australian, TMO Brett Conran – who could spot any Scottish infraction at once, but, with a clear TV picture, couldn't see Irish full-back Hugo Keenan put a foot on the line for what would have been a Scottish 50/22. Then, finally, with two seconds on the clock, Conran gives Scotland a decision.

Conran and Berry could see Ollie Smith trip Johnny Sexton, after the whistle had gone, and decide (perhaps harshly) it was a yellow card, Yet Sexton, who clearly retaliated with a vicious push at Smith escaped punishment. Berry could really have yellow-carded two or three more in the melee which followed the Smith/Sexton incident, but, he chose not to. Poor refereeing.

I still fancy the All Blacks will beat Ireland; if I am wrong there, and it comes down to a France v Ireland final, then France will beat them. They won well tonight, but, they will not win this World Cup.

WATCHING the All Blacks destroy Uruguay on Thursday night had me, not for the first time, cringing at the dumbing down of sports coverage in the mainstream media. Real journalists are increasingly being sidelined from the press boxes, to be replaced by former professionals – to the detriment of the level of coverage; and the way that game was covered was a classic example.

As far back as when the draw for France '23 was made, the outcome of the game was always going to be: “how many?” There was no way the South Americans were going to win that one. Yes, it is to the eternal credit of Uruguay that they kept the All Blacks out over the first quarter of the match. However, it's not as if they weren't in-charge.

The New Zealanders weren't at their best; they kept making unexpected errors, and they had two “tries” disallowed, against one for the Uruguayans chalked off. But, in typical AB's fashion, they kept going through their processes and by the interval, the game was over and the bonus point was achieved.

In the second half, Coach Ian Foster was able to empty his bench and give several fringe players the chance to show what they could do on the world stage.

Man of the Match Damian McKenzie certainly answered the challenge, with his hat-trick of tries and just as many moments of inspiration, such as his incredible off-load for one of Will Jordan's tries. What a conundrum for Foster: McKenzie or Beauden Barrett?

CONGRATULATIONS to Finlay Brown, who is on his way to being an Olympian. The Edinburgh-based referee was this week named among the referees who will control games in this season's HSBC SVNS tournament. Finlay will be refereeing in the Women's competition and he is the only Scottish official to be named among the 24 match officials for this season, which will, of course, include the Paris Olympic Games.

I HAD a bit of a medical emergency on Friday night, so with a couple of brilliant paramedics giving me an ECG and checking me over, I maybe didn't give the Ayrshire Bulls v Southern Knights the attention it deserved. The Bulls went off like rockets, but, between the terrible conditions and some defence which must have pleased Alan Tait, the Knights reined them in and although Bulls eventually claimed their bonus point, the Borderers made things very-difficult for them.

Thomas Glendinning's aerial take of a Christian Townsend cross-kick, before sprinting away for a try, was perhaps the finest bit of skill on-show, but, in a game which turned into an arm-wrestle, McArthur must have been delighted with Bulls' defence to keep out the hard-working Knights' attack.

ELSEWHERE on Friday night, BATH had their erse skelped by
Edinburgh, who, of course, have practically a full team away on World Cup duty.

Given some recent Bath results, all I can say is: Finn Russell is going to have to earn that £1 million per year salary. However, apparently that Bath team and the one which did well to beat Exeter Chiefs in a Premiership Cup tie on Saturday was a case of mixing and matching by the coaching team to cover two games inside 24 hours.

ON SATURDAY, I had my first experience of the pre-game hospitality at Cumnock Rugby Club. If you get the chance to indulge – TAKE IT. The food was marvellous, the company great. Pity Cumnock lost the game, but, well done table-topping Ardrossan.

BEST PERFORMANCE of the Rugby World Cup so-far, by a country mile: TMO Brian McNeice, who just edged referee Andrew Brace in seeing England home.

They noticed every offence made by Samoa, but were strangely blind to England's offences – and, when you have Owen Farrell complaining about a no-arms tackle WTF!!! Mind you, on second thoughts, if any players knows what is a no-arms tackle, it is surely the England captain.

If you're wondering how they won that prize, ahead of Nic Berry and Brett Conran, simple – Brace and McNeice were the edge England needed in a very-tight game; Berry and Conran only extended Ireland's margin of victory, they were measurably the better team.

 

van Der Merwe (No, Not That One) Is Starting To Worry

THEY MAY strut around as if they are Rugby's Master Race; they never miss the opportunity to remind the rest of us who are the defending champions at the ongoing Rugby World Cup, but, as we have seen this week, when it comes to mind games, our South African friends are not the sharpest knives in the box.

The indignation being demonstrated by their keyboard warriors, at the merest light-hearted suggestion: that perhaps Jock and Paddy could get together in a sort of demonic Celtic pact, to ensure the “right” result from Saturday's little Parisian punch-up – that result ensuring that Scotland and Ireland advance to the last eight, while South Africa go home. Well, you would think we had suggested killing their first-born.

A pauchle much as the notion appeals to me, just aint gonna happen, for several reasons.

1. The Fat Mancunian would need to be involved, and he couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery.

2. Even if he could, he would probably want such a massive “consultancy fee” the Irish would never agree.

3. This is Scotland we are talking about.

Let's face it, we have a proud reputation for messing-up when in a strong position, going back several hundred years. It's the Scottish way. I can envisage a scenario whereby, Finn Russell, having absolutely bossed the game and settled once and for all, who is the premier ten in world rugby; and having slotted every kick on the day, misses the sitter, from head-on to the posts, in injury time, which would have given Scotland the result we need to go through, and we are out, by a single point. To me, that's the most-likely way things will end.

Meanwhile, let's see what other screen plays we can write, to keep our South African friends on edge.

For a start, I understand this picture has caused much wailing and gnashing of teeth in Jo'burg, Pretoria, Cape Town and all points south of the Limpopo. Those poor Boers, wondering what mischief is being cooked up here:

 

BECAUSE he's an Ayrshire boy and, Ah Kent his faither, I've always had a soft spot for D'Arcy Rae. So, I was delighted to see him joining Mark Bennett in the Ayrshire Missionary Society's Edinburgh branch office. I think he will prove to be a very-handy acquisition to the capital side.

Mind you, D'Arcy coming home is, to me a worrying sign for the SRU. Quite clearly, the Viv Nicholson economic model in top-flight English club rugby isn't working. OK, our few world-class players will have the option of doing a Finn Russell and going to France, but, I can see, as economic reality hits home, fewer top Scots taking the high road south.

Already, we are starting to see a log jam in the professional game. With only two full-time professional sides, some players who have the potential to shine in the United Rugby Championship are not going to get their shot at glory, while some others might not get enough game time and may be lost to the game.

It really is time, I feel, for the SRU to set-up that third full-time professional side, we certainly now have sufficient players to fill three rosters. I can envisage a system whereby, at the start of each season we select four squads:

1. A 30-man SCOTLAND squad, our most-likely Six Nations and (when it happens) World League squad. These guys will mainly play for Scotland, but, will be leased out to the professional sides for European games and the tier one league games (against the Irish and South African sides).

2. A 30-man GLASGOW squad, to handle the bulk of the URC games.

3. A 30-man EDINBURGH squad, with the same remit.

4. A 30-man DEVELOPMENT squad, to play in the URC.

Under-pinning that we have Super Rugby, but, hopefully, with the flaws in the current format ironed-out. Make it basically an Under-23 competition, the bulk of the squads have to meet that age grouping, but, have a small number of older, more-experienced players in there to offer guidance and an example.

I would also like to see a SCOTLAND A squad formed, limited to players who have not played in the Six Nations or World League. We should be looking to send this squad on-tour each summer, to play the Tier Two nations, or perhaps by hosting something akin to the old Churchill Cup competition at the end of the season.

There is also, I feel, a case for sending a CLUB XV squad, selected from the Super Rugby and Premiership clubs around Europe each Summer, to play the lesser European Nations.

The Scotland A squad could play the top eight in Europe: Portugal, Spain, Romania, Georgia, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland; the Club XV could face the nations below that: Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Sweden and Switzerland. Get out there, make friends and sell Scottish rugby.

The Scotland A team could also go on tour to the better Tier Two nations and further make friends around the world. Such exposure would, I am sure, make us in the long run, even-more-competitive at the top end.

The Rugby World is evolving and we need to be at the forefront of driving the changes that are coming.

Mind you, the Old Farts running World Rugby have this week shown, they are in no hurry to change things in the Rugby World Cup – other than the ridiculous decision to enlarge it to a 24-team competition. Clearly they are quite happy to maintain the status quo and we can look forward to even-more mismatches between Tier One, Two and Three sides.

It will not happen overnight, and at my age, I may not see it happen, but, in their determination to look after the Establishment nations, I can see the beginning of the end for the status quo. The lesser nations, fed-up being pissed on from on high, will rebel and we will see change – which the Old Farts will not enjoy.

Could a Celtic Pauchle Leave The Saffers Puggled?

RIGHT, here's what we do. We get the Fat Mancunian into talks with the IRFU, make them an offer they cannot refuse – then we adopt the Austria-Germany strategy from the Football World Cup in 1982, to ensure both teams will qualify for the last eight.

I may be wrong, but, as I understand it, if we can beat Ireland with a four-try bonus, and they also get a four-try bonus, all three nations would have 15 points; at which point other issues come into play.

My reading of the tournament rules has me believing: Because we won the head-to-head with Ireland, we would win the group. Because they won the head-to-head with South Africa, Ireland would be second and the Saffers would be out. But, we also need to win by enough points to take points difference out of the equation.

So, surely between us, we Celts could pauchle that group to that effect. I mean, it makes little difference who plays France and who plays New Zealand in the last eight – either way its a tough ask to win.

The problem with my “Let's pauchle it for our mutual benefit” proposal is, Paddy is still a bit miffed that TCD and the SRU backed France rather than Ireland as hosts of this World Cup, and Paddy has a long memory when he feels slighted.

I know, it's not very sporting, but, just think of the joy we would get from a pauchle, leading to four years of whining from South Africa.

I GET picked off on occasions for largely ignoring Women's Rugby. I have nothing against the fairer sex and welcome their enthusiasm for the game; indeed, the enthusiasm of one or two of the Ayr Ladies – yes you, Lou Lou, terrifies me. So, can I offer a sincere “Gaun yersels Lassies” to the Scottish Women's XV on their 36-5, six try win over Spain at The Hive.

The match was in preparation for Scotland's participation in WXV2, World Rugby's new league competition – a sort of Rugby Union version, on a global scale, of football's Europa Nations League.

Coach Bryan Easson and the girls head for South Africa later this month, where Scotland will face: South Africa, United States of America and Japan.

There will not be promotion or relegation in the first two seasons of the WXV competition, but, two Scots will be in the inaugural top tier – WXV1, Hollie Davidson, now arguably the world's top woman referee (and a damned better referee than some of the roasters on show in France at the moment) and TMO Andrew McMenemy – another whose performances in that job are consistently superior to those of some of his colleagues who are on-duty in France.

BACK AT the ranch, Jack and Victor and the rest of the Still Game mob at Fortress Fullarton were keepng 'Boaby' busy, celebrating Marr's victory over Kelso on Saturday – a win which took the Purple People to the top of The Premiership. Marr took top spot from Currie Chieftains, who dropped to second, following defeat at third-placed Hawick.

NATIONAL 1 sees Ayr six points clear at the top, following what was a very-enjoyable win over Watsonians at Millbrae on Saturday. Highland's win at Biggar put them second, with GHA and Glasgow Academicals third and fourth, equal on 17 points, but separated by just one point on points difference.

The “Eccies” will no doubt be strutting around the West End like peacocks this week, after their thumping 68-5 crushing of next-door neighbours GHK on Friday night.

The TOP-OF-THE-TABLE NATIONAL 2 clash between Peebles and Lasswade at The Gytes seems to have lived up to expectations, with the visitors winning 27-26 to open a three-point gap at the top.

Falkirk remain third, following another close game, winning 29-27 at fourth-placed Gordonians.

NATIONAL 3 continues to be led by Allan Glen's, who are two points clear of Orkney, both clubs having won their first five league games. On Saturday their results were somewhat different, Glen's thrashing Cartha Queen's Park at Dumbreck, while the Islanders just held off a fierce challenge from visitors Hillhead-Jordanhill, winning 31-30.

At the bottom of the table, West of Scotland posted their first win, beating Hamilton Bulls, they should enjoy the feeling this week – they make the short hop to the Bear Yard to face the league leaders on Saturday.

GARNOCK continued their unbeaten start to the National 4 campaign with victory at Stewartry, never an easy place to visit, with Whitecraigs remaining second after their narrow win at Perthshire. At the foot of the table, Greenock Wanderers are still looking for their first win, but, their narrow loss at North Berwick and Ross High's heavier defeat at Dunfermline has condemned Ross to bottom spot.

IN CALEDONIA'S Regional League, it's always nice to win the local derby, so they must be feeling good up at Panmure, following a 22-9 defeat of Carnoustie HSFP, which keeps 'Mure top of the Midlands Conference.

In the North Conference, Moray's 38-31 win at Mackie FP keeps them top of the heap from Aberdeenshire, who won away at Ellon.

HADDINGTON and Linlithgow both passed stiff away examinations to beat Forrester and Langholm as they continue to set the pace in the East Regional League. The East Lothian side still head the table, courtesy of picking-up a couple more bonus points.

It's all set-up nicely for the meeting of the top two, at Mains Park, on Saturday, 14 October.

ARDROSSAN be warned. Aristotle and a gang of similarly decrepit “Coffin Dodgers” are having a wee reunion at your top of the table clash at Cumnock on Saturday – so, we expect to be entertained.

Accies remained top of the heap with a 32-13 win over Wigtwonshire on Saturday. Meanwhile, Cumnock travelled to Annan and won 27-9 to move into second spot. Setting things up nicely for Saturday's Ayrshire Derby.

FINALLY I had the pleasure of a lengthy chat with the great Hugh Dan McLennan at Millbrae on Saturday. Hugh Dan was, however, somewhat distracted as he kept tabs on the progress of Robert McIntyre in the Ryder Cup. Who knew swinging a caman around in Oban could be the precursor to golfing glory in Rome? I get the impression Europe winning, and Robert playing so well, made Hugh Dan a happy bunny.

 

Bring On The Irish

BEFORE this World Cup had even kicked off, I identified the Tonga game as the one I was worried about. In the end, needlessly so, since Toony felt obliged to give our bigger guns a chance to get the under-performance against South Africa out of their system.

At least one of my friends was more worried about Romania. I wasn't, at the time, but, I did get a wee bit concerned when I saw this was the game in which we would be sending out our “dirt trackers.”

 

 So, I was a happy bunny as I watched Darcy Graham & Co make hay on Saturday night. Yes, it was: “Only Romania,” but the star quality I immediately identified the first time I saw the then 17-year-old Darcy in a Hawick shirt was there for the world to see. The journeymen in the Scotland squad, the guys like Javan Sebastian, Luke Crosbie and scoring debutant Johnny Matthews all stood up to be counted.

We got the bonus point win and I now fancy we can shock the irish in the big game this coming Saturday. We are not out yet.

IN MY LAST post I commented on the seeming injury crisis at Scotstoun. OK, we know Warriors are minus more than a full XV of players because of the Rugby World Cup – so perhaps they've got things wrong in how they have scheduled pre-season matches.

The answer to the problems, and those of Edinburgh, who are also missing a team of players due to events in France, is to call-up players from the Futures XV currently playing in the FOSROC Super Series.

Pardon the cynicism, but, given the struggles they are having in the Super Series, what makes the great brains at Murrayfield think they can cope with Zebre? I predict a potential disaster.

Getting a bit ahead of myself, I wrote those three paragraphs before Edinburgh and Glasgow played. Edinburgh did indeed lose to Connacht, however, the men from Galway do have a penchant for rising to the occasion, so, not much of a surprise they should win at The Hive.

The loss was no bad thing, as it gave new Coach Sean Everitt a chance to assess the depth of his squad. It appears, his A team can compete at the top end, his B team can hold the fort when required but, his C team needs a lot of work.

It was good, however, to see the under-strength Glasgow account for Zebre, and Franco Smith spoke well of the tyros he gave their chance to in the win. If Franco thinks Super Rugby is working, I hope the tier's critics will pay attention and shut up.

SPEAKING OF Scottish Rugby's bastard child: “The Coven,” as one of my lady friends refers to my quartet of daughters, have decreed that I can no longer be trusted behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, so, if I have to go to cover a rugby match, one of them will take me, with generally another coming to pick me up afterwards.

The way this worked out on Saturday, I got to take in the double header at Millbrae, which made for interesting viewing.

The class and experience of old hands such as Pete McCallum, Danny McCluskey and Craig Gossman was a big factor in Ayr's 39-27 win over Watsonians; a win which left the Millbrae men six points clear at the top of National 1.

Mind you, the players who caught the eye were Watsonians' ten Andy Williamson and two Ayr players, Man of the Match, flanker Rohan Pottie and centre Zac Howard, son of former Rangers and Ayr United centre-half Nigel Howard. However, the standard of play was well down on what followed when Ayrshire Bulls and Stirling Wolves took the field.

This one was won and lost in a frantic first half period, in which Wolves lost the outstanding Connor Gordon to a red card, then stand-off Craig Jackson to a yellow. While they regrouped, Bulls turned the screw with three tries, before shutting out the visitors when skipper Blair Macpherson saw yellow.

But, credit to Wolves, they kept playing, tested the Bulls' impressive defence a few times and the game was a good deal tighter than Bulls' 45-17 win might indicate.

I appreciate, Super Rugby is one of the ways in which the SRU is testing younger match officials, however, I question the sense in rostering Mike Adamson on this game, and handing him a flag rather than a whistle. That said, however, the experienced Adamson did demonstrate his status in sorting-out two of the more difficult calls on the night.

AT THE Rugby World Cup, poor old Mathieu Reynal drew a short straw when he got the Namibia v Uruguay gig. The Africans in particular are accruing a reputation for making illegal tackles. OK, players being human, things will not improve overnight, however, it is really past time when Bill Beaumont, John Jeffrey and the other Old Farts who run the game did two things:

1. Rewrote the Laws of the Game in general and sort out the tackle law in particular.

2. Ensured that the match officials officiated to these laws; there has been too-much slippage and too-many things are being allowed to go unpunished.

3. Looked seriously at the format of the Rugby World Cup; 70, 80 and 90 point drubbings for the lesser lights do nothing for the game's image.

On that third point, I feel a revamped competition, fewer teams involved, perhaps something along the lines of having Tier One, Two and Three Championships, with promotion and relegation between these tiers might be beneficial. After all, there is a precedent in the Under-20 competition.