Crew To Action Stations - Prepare For Incoming Fire

YESTERDAY'S story about the furloughing of the lower-paid employees, and the salary cuts to the higher-earners within the SRU was, on reflection, the right thing to do – albeit probably a couple of weeks too late in the execution.

The SRU's Head of Pr and Head of External Affairs

discuss their embarrassing stories rebuttal  strategy

However, how typical of BT Murrayfield, that it should have been handled so-badly. This is just the latest in a long line of BTM PR disasters. Some of us in the media have been saying for years, the PR department is simply not fit for purpose. I know at least one of the guys in there knows where the bodies are buried, I fear his secret list might have been leaked to his boss, the risible Head of PR, I can think of no other reason for that useless so-and-so to still be in place.

Then, of course, there is our much-vaunted and highly-paid Head of External Affairs, a failed politician, recruited from a failed political party. Just what he has brought to the rugby party is still a mystery.

I fear, when all this blows over, I will not be the only rugby writer who has been cast into outer darkness and declared a non-person.

When the SRU's annual report, which of course includes the financial statement, came out in August, the pr department went into overdrive in trying to sell these as a good news story. We had the risible “SRU debt free” headline which cost one established hack what little street cred he had left, when that claim was promptly debunked.

A more-forensic look at the figures indicated, while TCD and LL-B were due some praise for running a tight ship in difficult times, the figures did not look as bright, and going forward, perhaps a period of trimming might be called for.

This season's figures will clearly be disastrous, and all I can say about the future is: “furrit tho' Ah canna see, Ah guess and fear.”

For a start, in the 2018/19 annual report, we were told the SRU had 401 employees, this was a rise of 12% from the numbers the previous season. In the story of the salary cuts, we learned that these would affect the Union's 450 employees. This means their staff numbers had again risen by 12% in a year. The staff costs had risen by 13% between seasons 2017/18 and 2018/19 – I can only wonder at how much these would have risen between 2018/19 and 2019/20, had the pandemic not happened.

So, staff costs rising; staff numbers rising; income dropping – not a good look going forward.

I think the guys inside BTM should be closing-up at action stations and expecting some pretty heavy incoming fire.

AS I admitted in the first part of this post, I am a “non-person” as far as the SRU PR Department is concerned.

I do not get media accreditation for games, I do not receive their weekly press schedule or any media releases which they send out. To their glorious leader, Buddy the Elf, in spite of my 50-years at the coal face, I am not “a real journalist.” Oh! The sleepless nights I don't have over this treatment.

So, after my last post, about the clubs' letter to President Dee Bradbury, I knew not to waste time and effort contacting BTM for a response. After all, if they do not respond to the Edinburgh-based The Scotsman, which has virtually been the SRU's house journal since 1973, they are hardly going to respond to a non-person in the wilds of Hole-In-The-Wall, East Ayrshire.

I wonder, is Dee too-busy, or toeing the party line and

ignoring me when I try to make contact?

So, I contacted Dee direct, and asked for if she had any response to the clubs' letter. Sadly, to date, Madame President has not replied. If, or when she does, I will let you know what she is saying.

SPEAKING of presidents, I note Augustin Pichot is challenging Sir Bill Beaumont for the presidency of World Rugby. This could be interesting.

Bill is seemingly standing to retain his position on a “dream ticket” of European solidarity with France's Bernard Laporte as his running mate, for vice president.

I cannot help recalling how, back in 1974, when Sir Stanley Rous was retiring as President of FIFA, the European nations tried to control the election of his successor, only to find out, too late, that the wily Brazilian Joao Havalange had been busy signing-up the “lesser” countries around the world to such an extent, he got the job, and proceeded to hold it for almost a quarter of a century.

Now, I am not in any way suggesting Senor Pichot is as corrupt as our Brazilian friend all those years ago turned out to be, but, just maybe, we could see the top job in rugby going outside the traditional big nine countries (the six nations, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) and finally being embraced by the smaller nations. It could happen.

The Natives Are Revolting Dodson.

ONE-THIRD of the Scottish Rugby Union's member clubs yesterday sent a round-robin letter to SRU President Dee Bradbury, demanding that she stand down the Governance Task Force which she recently set-up.

Dee Bradbury

The letter has the support of 38 clubs, including 8 of the current Premiership sides, but drawn from all the national leagues, plus a good number of regional league sides. The unhappy clubs also have the support of a further dozen or more sides.

The driving force is a set of 12 clubs, who have been in regular dialogue over recent months, all of whom are concerned at the direction of travel which the SRU's executive and board are taking in respect of the club game.

I was told: “there is no distinct body which has been formed, we have a good mix of clubs, from some of the top ones in Scotland, through to true grass roots 'community' clubs.

“There has been robust debate during our deliberations, with slightly different views, but a common purpose – to make things better for the club game.”

The letter to President Dee Bradbury reads:

“Dear Dee,

We hope that this letter finds you and your family safe and well.

These are challenging times both for our Union and its member clubs. Good governance is fundamental to the effective operation of the Union and following the unanimous rejection of the Gammell/Murray proposals by National and Regional League Forums, we feel it is imperative that any future review on governance is conducted in the most consultative and transparent manner with the appropriate amount of time taken to ensure that it is done correctly.

The Dunlop report on Governance provided for "One decision-

making Board accountable to the clubs via a new Scottish Rugby Council”. (Byelaws 14 and 15 of the Scottish Rugby Union confirm the Council as the body to whom the Board is accountable.)

At that time this was recognised as an example of good practice and, while the needs and demands of our sport may require some updating of governance, it is important to remember that Scottish Rugby was established to advance the interests of the member clubs and their sport.

Since the introduction of the Dunlop proposals the role and responsibilities of the Council have been eroded. The Decision Making Matrix, the Code of Conduct, and Standing Orders of Council appear to have collectively undermined the Council’s ability to discharge its “responsibility for overseeing the management of the affairs of the Union and reviewing the executive management thereof delegated to the Scottish Rugby Board.” (Bye law 14.1).

There might be other such documents and in order to properly assess the current structure and why it is not working, Union members require their immediate release, without redaction. If they conflict with the bye laws, they are invalid and should be rescinded immediately.

You will be aware of the current lack of trust that now exists between the member clubs and the Board. This is damaging and in danger of paralysing the organisation. There is a need to return to first principles to revise the governance and, such a review must be driven by, and recognise the fundamental interests of the Union members.

These matters cannot be responsibly concluded in the next two months and in time for this year's AGM. To conduct a full governance review engaging with the Union members, followed by the necessary consultation period will take many months, even without the current Covid 19 crisis.

Therefore, we urge you to consider the long term interests and disband the Task Force. Standing down the Task Force will allow your successor to take matters forward at the earliest opportunity, whilst allowing for the time and effort that it so obviously requires.

We look forward to your response in very early course given the anxiety this matter is undoubtedly causing.

Yours Sincerely.”

As I understand it, this initiative by the clubs has the support of several SRU Council members, and they are keen to see ALL the SRU member clubs getting involved in reviewing where we currently are, and where we are going.

“We feel the Task Force should be stood down, as we feel that we need a longer period of reflection and consultation.

“Looking ahead, and in view of the current situation with the pandemic and the special measures under which we are all operating, there is no need for the rush which the Executive seems to wish, with regard to implementing Gammell/Murray. A lot of things need to be discussed and considered.”

The organisers of the letter are now awaiting an early response from the President. However, given the breadth of the support they have across the entire spectrum of Scotland's rugby clubs, it seems clear, this is a genuine challenge to the powers that be, and one they will need to take seriously.

These interesting times in which we are living, just got a lot more interesting.

RUGBY'S REALITY CHECK! TIME TO TAKE STOCK - A guest Post

WHAT follows is a piece which that weel-kent refugee from Fife to Galashiels, Ron Sutherland, posted on his Facebook and Linkedin pages this morning. Having read it, I thought Ron's views deserved a wider audience.

Ron Sutherland

Ron wrote:

“Reality is beginning to bite in rugby, the immediate prospects in these pandemic shutdown-troubled times ever more bleak, both on and off the field of play.

The USA national Union has become bankrupt, and with 75% of its staff laid off and open warfare being waged along its corridors of power, Rugby Australia teeters on the financial brink – probably unable to afford a November tour. In the ongoing absence of commercial activity, zero TV revenues and sponsorship budgets now disappearing like snow off a dyke, clubs and Unions at all levels everywhere are desperately seeking ways of avoiding the prospect of insolvency, cutting wage bills, while players and their representatives have been threatening legal action in response.

Meanwhile, at Murrayfield the show goes on. While many in rugby are giving up a proportion of their income and some are even losing their jobs, Scottish Rugby's top brass are uniquely offering just to defer some of their extraordinary megabucks for a few short months! Back in the real world, many observers have noted that the SRU's recently-trumpeted emergency relief fund intended to provide financial support across a membership in excess of 250 clubs amounts only to some 50% of their CEO's most recent annual take-home remuneration.

Only time will tell how prudent, relevant and indeed sustainable has been the recent controversial introduction of a new SRU-backed semi-professional elite development league with 6 franchises awarded in an apparently random manner. Unsuccessful bidders for these franchises must be breathing huge sighs of financial relief right now, while their "successful" cost-burdened counterparts attempt to grapple with financial management problems likely to place both their "Super 6" vehicles and host / core clubs in serious difficulty.

However, Super 6 franchisees' operational and fixed cost problems may pale in comparison with those of Scottish Rugby itself, now seriously exposed to crippling costs of its structural model. Not even Murrayfield's media spin merchants and the most (outwardly) bullish senior executive employees of SRU's Member Clubs can be comfortable when contemplating the size of the big black financial hole represented by their two wholly-owned professional teams!

More widely, many clubs of differing types, at all levels (and more than a few National Unions across the world of rugby) have for some time been running unrealistically ambitious, unsustainable operations. Despite good corporate and commercial connections, the sport is demonstrably fragile and has tended to perch on the financial brink as it has evolved in the professional era.

The current Covid 19-created crisis is liable to continue for several months. It signals a time for change, better management, new approaches, new structures, new strategies and fresh visions. It could be transformational!”

Ron, as ever, writes a lot of sense. The current pandemic will indeed lead to huge changes, that much is obvious. We do not know just how much things will change when the All Clear as it were sounds and we start to get back to normality. Only, the new normality will be nothing like the old one.

I was speaking to a BTM insider this week, and he reckons the smaller clubs – at Regional level, will survive this well. They don't have huge staff costs, operating via voluntary bar rotas etc. The clubs which will feel the pinch will be those who have employees – bar stewards, development officers etc. These clubs will face problems.

Also, we have no notion how the recovery process will affect business in general. Businesses will have to draw-in their horns, so their ability to sponsor rugby clubs etc will be hit – with the knock-on effect on the game.

Ron in his piece, mentioned potential financial problems for the S6 clubs. I feel, however, since they were doing the SRU a favour by taking-on the franchises, which were a cost-saving exercise, since the SRU could not afford to fully-fund a player development “bridge” between the club and performance game – then the SRU has a duty of care towards these six clubs.

I fear one or two will be in more bother than others, but, I believe the SRU will prop them up. What we might see is a cull of the full-time professionals, with some being down-graded to partnership contracts between an S6 club and one or other of the pro sides.

What I can also see is a reduction in the number of National Leagues from the current four (Premiership plus three National leagues) to two. The SRU will also, I feel certain, make greater efforts to force through “strictly-amateur” rules for the club leagues – but, clubs who want to pay players will still, I am certain, find ways to circumvent these.

I just hope CVC, for all the potential problems of ceding any sort of control, even a minority interest to a hedge fund, doesn't withdraw completely from rugby, or we are in deep shit.

And finally, I repeat, the refusal of TCD and The Junta to take the sort of pay cuts being accepted elsewhere simply, to me, proves, we are being run by erseholes.

Worry, Why Should I Let Myself Worry?

IT HAS taken me a couple of days, but, I have finally calmed down enough – my pulse rate is back to something like normality, and I can albeit belatedly comment on the decision of the SRU high heid yins, such as TCD, LL-B and Toony to accept a 30% salary deferral, during these awkward times.

That comment is: “Big fucking deal – ya shower o' erse-holes.” It's a clear case of too-little, too-late, but, it's about what we might expect from the apparatchiks managed by TCD.

When we come out of the other end of this pandemic, the world is going to be changed greatly, and I fear the still to be felt affects of the crisis will be very-serious and a huge change for Scottish Rugby. Some clubs will fold, indeed, the carnage will I feel reach a long way up the various strata of the game.

The SRU did not exactly cover itself in glory during the last seismic change in rugby, when the game went open 25 years ago. Many would argue, we still have not got it right since then, now, a generation on, we are facing a new crisis, and I don't have any confidence in the people at the top coping any better than their predecessors did a quarter of a century ago. Put that one down to experience.

It used to be said, in economics: “When the USA sneezes, the UK gets pneumonia.” Well, US Rugby just filed for bankruptcy. That's the governing body looking after 125,000 members, in over 2500 clubs from sea to mighty sea. That body has pneumonia – so what is the far-smaller SRU going to catch?

I just hope, someone in the Murrayfield hierarchy, currently working from home, is putting together a survival plan for the Union, because I have a feeling we are going to need it ere long. I should be worried, very worried.

But, as those of you au fait with the work of the Great Willie Nelson, will have recognised from the headline, and as another Country Music Legend, JC himself, said: "It aint me Babe."

ON THE BASIS of always looking on the bright side of life, I cam across this on Facebook the other day. Many of you reading thi may also have seen it, if so, apologies for the repetition, but, I thought it was rather funny.

A Rugby Team

1 Loose head Prop: Moderately tall fat lad, often aggressive when something obstructs way to bar, pie shop and occasionally a ruck. Does weights- no one knows why.

2 Hooker: short fat lad with endless capacity for cheap booze and fascinated by women miles out of his league. Believes he has rugby nous and is an athlete.

3 Tight head Prop: fat lad who believes he’s technically a good player with good hands. Everyone else thinks he just gets in the way. Does weights, no one notices.

4 Lock: big hard lad who thinks he’s the enforcer. Police describe him as hooligan. Wears shorts and flip flops all year round, lives with his mum.

5 Lock: Giraffe, looks funny when he runs. Long arms useful in bar, takes up too much space. Often very fit and yet last to arrive at breakdown.

6 Blindside flanker: proper hard man, can disappear for 80 minutes but emerge holding someone’s scrotum. Never buys a round.

7 Openside flanker: glory boy often with psychotic tendencies. Will spend a lot of time in A&E but when present can carry a team. Often unpopular or young. Or both.

8 Number 8: big bastard; talks a good game and describes himself as a footballer. Often vain, sometimes scruffy, generally can’t hold their drink and have weird hobbies or jobs. Handy in a scuffle but best avoided socially.

9 Scrum half. Gobby midget who can get himself into trouble marginally faster than he can run away from it. Nothing is his fault. Good drinker.

10 Fly half: there are two sorts, running or kicking. Generally they don’t know which one they are until it’s too late. Unusually nice hair and over confident in every situation until it’s too late.

11 Left wing: lanky speed merchant. Can’t catch. Live in a world of their own and always forget one item of kit, often boots.

12 Inside centre: often the best player on the pitch as well as the fittest. Limited social skills and terrified of women until the beer kicks in.

13 Outside centre: does everything the 12 doesn’t. Socially active and often juggling multiple women. Has nice car, good job and demanding fitness regime as well as extensive debts and improbably large porn collection.

14 Right wing: the only reason he doesn’t score 10 tries in every game is because no one can pass. Often a big lad who really looks the part and yet never quite has the impact you hope for. Doesn’t drink.

15 Full back: 90% of them should be shot at dawn for cowardice. Last line of defence my arse. Secretly want to play at 10 and buys the skipper lots of pints. Too many hair products but useful source of spare socks and toiletries at away games.

It Was Bad, But, Maybe Not As Black As It Is Painted

THE GREAT Norman Mair used to joke (or maybe he wasn't joking) that Scotland's disastrous run of 17 straight defeats in the early 1950s was God's punishment on the selectors for dropping him after the second game of the run – the Calcutta Cup match of 1951.

Norman Mair - thought the selectors had boobed, 

and never missed a chance to remind them

Or perhaps the greatest scribe in Scottish rugby history had a point, as an analysis of the selections over that long-ago but not forgotten period shows. Norman was dropped for the visit of the South Africans, in November 1951; a match which Scotland lost 44-0 (that's 62-0 in present-day scoring values). JAR Macphail of Edinburgh Academicals, who had been chosen instead of Mair was never capped again. The South African game was his second cap, coming nearly three years after his first.

In all, the selectors used nine different hookers over the 17 games, with none getting more than three successive games.

A total of 73 players, from 31 different clubs, were capped during this dismal run. The most-used were two of the all-time greats, Douglas Elliot of Edinburgh Academicals and Peter Kininmonth of Richmond, each taking the field in 11 of the 17 games. They were among six different captains appointed over the games, the others being Angus Cameron, Arthur Dorward, JNG Davidson and Jim Greenwood.

Of the 73 players, 24 were only used once – although several of the five new caps from the final game in the series, the loss to France, in Paris in 1955, would be capped again once we re-discovered the winning habit in the next game – 'Arthur Smith's Match' against Wales on 5 February, 1955 – when we found a way to win at last.

Some of the selections, even today, were baffling. The great Jim Greenwood was blooded in match four of the series, the narrow 11-13 loss to France at Murrayfield, in January, 1952. He was then out in the cold until recalled for the trip to France on 8 January, 1955 – match 17 – when he was given the captaincy. At the end of that 1955 series, he was a Test starter for the Lions in South Africa.

That mauling from the Springboks has somewhat skewed perceptions of how we played back then. Six of the games were lost by less than a converted try. Our average margin of defeat at Murrayfield was 12 points, while on the road, we lost by an average of 11 points. If we disregard the Springbok game, our average margin of defeat at Murrayfield falls to eight points.

Again, leaving aside the South African result, our heaviest defeats were both by 18 points, to Ireland, at Murrayfield, on 28 February, 1953 and to England at Twickenham three weeks later.

The selectors of the time have often been accused of going into panic mode, the longer the run continued. This is maybe a tad unfair. In all, they made a total of 85 changes over the 17 games – an average of five per match. They actually, twice, kept an unchanged team, and in only five of their sessions did they make what might be called “wholesale” changes – by altering more than half the team.

There is also the perception that, as the run continued, more and more caps were handed-out indiscriminately, to create a generation of 'one-cap wonders,' (OCWs). Well, the truth is, only 12 of the 73 players used can be described as an OCW.

For instance, JGM Hart of London Scottish had the misfortune to be capped, for the only time, in that 0-44 loss to the Springboks in 1951, while M Walker of Oxford University got his only cap against France in 1952. The England match of the same year produced three OCWs – 'Basher' Inglis of Selkirk, DS Gilbert-Smith of London Scottish and Percy Friebe of Glasgow High School FP.

The 8-26 Murrayfield loss to Ireland, in February, 1953, took an even heavier toll on the new caps that day. KM Spence of London Scottish, GC Hayer-Miller of Oxford University, JH Wilson of Watsonians and EH Henricksen of Royal High School FP all won their only caps in that disaster.

The following game, against England at Twickenham also produced an 18 point defeat, but only two OCWs -W Kerr of London Scottish and WLK Cowie of Edinburgh Wanderers. Then, in the final game of the losing run, H Duffy of Jedforest won his only cap; he was then injured when the selectors organised an extra trial before the Welsh game – and for him, there was no way back thereafter.

Given the power which the great John M Bannerman supposedly wielded around Murrayfield back then, it is hardly surprising that his club, Glasgow High School FP should have had the most players capped during the run, a total of seven. London Scottish also had seven players capped, although that might more-correctly be eight, since winger Ian Swan, better known as a star at the Richmond Athletic Ground, won the first of his caps during this period, while in the Army.

The spread of the clubs having players capped was wide. No less than ten English clubs had players capped, seven Edinburgh clubs saw their men honoured, as did seven Borders clubs. Five Glasgow clubs had their men selected while Dunfermline, through Greenwood, and Aberdeen University, via Ernie Michie, were also represented.

Yes, you cannot argue other than a run of 17 straight defeats was bad, but, we were maybe a wee but unlucky in some of the games, a story which is not that uncommon when you look at the history of Scottish Rugby.

RIP Adam Gray - You Will Be A Huge Loss

AS IF things were not bad enough in Scottish Rugby, we suffered a big blow on Wednesday evening, when Adam Gray passed away in the Golden Jubilee Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for a heart problem.

The late Adam Gray - you know he was important

since he's allowed to hold the Calcutta Cup without

wearing gloves. He was one of the best guys.

I only got to know Adam over the last 18 months – he was deployed by Murrayfield to: “have a word,” after The Junta identified Aristotle as a potential threat. We agreed about more than we disagreed on, and he truly was a gentleman, with whom it was a pleasure to talk.

Adam was definitely one of the best guys. He was an absolute tower of strength to Stewartry, as he would later be in both his paid and unpaid service to the SRU as a staff member, then as a Council member.

He put in long hours on Union business, just travelling up from his farm in the Stewartry of Kircudbright to meetings in Edinburgh, or going round the far-flung clubs in his Glasgow South constituency, Adam worked tirelessly for the game – while also running the family's successful dairy farm

Adam was the archetypal club man – sure, as a board member, he had to interact with the high heid yins of the other top nations, but, I think he was perhaps happiest with ordinary clubmen, since he knew the problems they had to face on a daily basis.

His death is also unfortunate, given he was a member of the SRU Council's Governance Taskforce, to which he would surely have given serious and meaningful input.

He will be missed, and he will be extremely difficult to replace. My thoughts are with his family and the members of Stewartry, who have lost a giant.

ADAM GRAY wasn't the only good guy we lost this week. Yesterday, Hawick announced that wee George Graham was standing down as Head Coach.

At least George will still be around, and offering I am sure, his trenchant views on the game, hopefully for a good while yet, but, just how the Greens will replace him is a big issue for them.

Maybe Hawick and George Graham were meant for each other. They were certainly a good fit, and the way he turned the club's fortunes around once he took over speaks volumes for his coaching ability.

It was a joy to listen to his post-match match analysis, and, whatever he does on Saturdays from now on – I wish the wee man well. It was a pleasure knowing you George.

I WAS hoping to complete my list of Best-ever Scottish XVs with teams of Kilted Kiwis and South Africans, but, in the case of the Kiwis, there were plenty of backs and flankers, but a dearth of front five guys, while with the Saffers, a distinct lack of backs. So, I decided not to bother.

Any way, World Rugby has posted on Facebook, asking for nominations for The Greatest Try you've ever seen. Well, being Scottish, I am spoiled for choice – I doubt if few nations have scored as many great length of the park tries as we Scots have. We certainly seem to have a penchant for successfully attacking from deep – while repeatedly hitting a brick wall when encamped in the opposition 22.

Glasgow Warriors have scored a fair few coast to coast tries, as have Scotland, from Arthur Smith's try against Wales in 1955, right up to date. But, for me, I think the pick has to be that one Roger Baird initiated from almost on his own line at Cardiff back in 1982; eventually finished-off by Jim Calder, following cameos from Alan Tomes and Iain Paxton.

At club level, one that still sticks out, was scored by Ayr against Glasgow University back in the early 1970s. Full back Andrew Pickles ran the ball out from behind his own line and every Ayr player, except right winger Brian Boucher-Myers handled, before Jock Craig, one-handed, took a Les McCall pass off his ankles and gave it on for Alistair McLelland to score – that's the two second rows and the loose-head prop as the last three to handle.

Of course, a lot of people will go with Gareth Edwards' try for the Barbarians, against the All Blacks back in 1973, or his fantastic solo effort against us at Cardiff, when he finished up in the cinders.

I dare say that Tony Stanger try from 1990 will be up there, along with any one of perhaps half a dozen tries, scored by various French XVs, which started from a different post code from where they finished.

Hail Caledonia - And The Input From The Anglo-Scots

TODAY, I continue my series of “Best-ever XVs” with one of the hardest ones yet – my Best-Ever Caledonia XV. What made this one particularly difficult was, so-many top players from elsewhere, were actually born in Caledonia, but had to move away to gain recognition.

Some look at region as the weakest in Scotland, well, when you see the quality of the players in my squad, plus one or two who didn't make the cut, that view is clearly wrong.

Again, I don't expect my team to be universally welcomed, and I look forward to the dissenting voices having their say, but, as-ever in 1-23 order, here is the squad I came up with – with the help of one or two good judges of players from that ilk.

Dave Rollo - An absolute shoo-in for the Caledonia XV

1. At loose-head, one of the legendary “Tillicoultry Trogs”, John Manson (Hillfoots)
2. Hooking duties go to that wee lump of aggression that is Kevin McKenzie (Stirling County).
3. One of the absolute absolute shoo-ins for a place, the legend that is Dave Rollo (Howe of Fife).
4. Despite having no Caledonia clubs listed on his escutcheon, this guy is in the Aberdeen Sporting Hall of Fame, and rightly so – step forward Stuart Grimes (Gordonians).
5. Alongside him, one of the present-day stars – the big man from the wee county – Grant Gilchrist (Alloa).
6. He may be considered: “The most under-capped player in Scottish rugby history,” but, there was no way I was leaving him out of this team. I give you Ron Glasgow (Dunfermline).
7. And who would want to be a stand-off playing against this team, since, the other flanker, and captain, is David Leslie (Dundee HSFP).
8. The choice of number eight was a toss-up, since I had two British Lions to pick from. In the end, the jersey goes to Iain Paxton (Glenrothes).
9. Scrum-half was another position where I had British Lions to select from, plus one weel-kent Scottish legend. So, in the end, the place went to Chris Cusiter (Watsonians).
10. Another of today's stars gets the vital number ten role – and unlike Gregor Townsend, I didn't think I had the luxury of leaving him out. My stand off is Finn Russell (Stirling County).
11. The left winger is a guy who won nearly 20 caps at a time when there were fewer internationals, while combining Army service with playing for top English sides such as Leicester and Coventry cost him caps – as Anglo-Scots back in the 1950s could only be capped if they played for London Scottish. He had to turn down an invitation to be a 1955 Lion – today he'd have over 50 caps. Ian Swan (St Andrew's University)
12. One of the all-time greats of Scottish rugby gets the inside centre role, the great Newtonmore-born star of the 1920s – GPS 'Phil” Macpherson (Oxford University).
13. Playing alongside him, one of the strs of the 1960s John Frame (Edinburgh University).
14. Perhaps better-known as the manager of the legendary 1971 Lions in New Zealand, but, himself a star winger of the immediate post-war era, wearing 14: Douglas Smith (Aberdeen University).
15. My choice at full-back might seem strange, but, he was such a terrific player, he could I am certain have played anywhere in the back division. I was determined to get him into the team somewhere, so, the place goes to Chris Rea (St Andrew's University).
16. I was struggling to find a back-up hooker, until I discovered this guy, who had almost made my Glasgow XV, was born in Dingwall, so, come on down Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors).
17. But for the presence of Davie Rollo, he would have started, another of the Tillicoultry Trogs – Danny Herrington (Hillfoots).
18. This guy could play anywhere across the front row, so he is an invaluable bench man – Iain Stanger (Aberdeen Grammar).
19. Another legend, one of the guys who ended the 17-game run of defeats, and was then a Lion in South Africa in 1955, man of many clubs: Ernie Michie (Aberdeen University).
20. Another of the 1955 Lions, widely-recognised as the best coach Scotland never had, covering the back row from the bench: Jim Greenwood (Dunfermline).
21. A British Lion, who led Scotland to one of their most-iconic wins in recent years, but, only a bench place as back-up scrum half for Andy Nicol (Dundee HSFP).
22. The back-up mdifield bench selection is down to fear on my part – he'd kill me if I didn't pick him, so, step up please Brian Edwards (Boroughmuir).
23. The back-up outside back is one of those dual internationalists who were once so-common, a sprinter and long jumper, but better-known as a winger David Whyte (Edinburgh Wanderers).

AN ANGLO-SCOT is generally considered to be a Scot who plies his sporting trade in England. However, over the years, some of the top players for various Scotland teams have been English-born, but qualifying to wear the thistle through parents or grand-parents. Here is my selection of the Best of these:

1. Picking the loose-head was a major headache, since I had two absolutely-outstanding players to pick from. In the end, it was his additional gratness as a captain which got the jersey for David Sole (St Luke's College, Exeter).
2. Back to the 1950s for my hooker, to an Anglo who missed out on a few caps,because he told the selectors of the time things they didn't want to hear. He later became a leading coach, so the hooker's berth goes to Bob MacEwen (Cambridge University).
3. My tight-head is one of the quiet men of the 1990 Grand Slam, a guy who has given a lifetime of service to his club – Paul Burnell (London Scottish).
4. But for injury this guy would have won a lot more Scotland caps. He was famously found to be Scotland-qualified, when his mother was seen supporting him, wearing a Hearts scarf. Her son became a British Lion, and led Scotland – Andy Reed (Bath).
5. Every side need “an enforcer,” and few did the job better than this guy – Jim Hamilton (Leicester)
6. The blind-side flanker was one of those quiet guys, who simply got things done, and led from the front: Budge Pountney (Northampton Saints).
7. Next up, the current poster boy for Anglo-Scots, the one and only “The Mish,” Hamish Watson (Edinburgh).
8. One of the last of the amateurs, and first of the professionals, my number eight switched to Scotland, after playing age grade rugby for England, and never regretted his move, as he went on to captain Scotland – Eric Peters (Cambridge University).
9. He has this season become Scotland's starting nine, so he gets that gig for the Anglos – Ali Price (Bedford Blues).
10. An absolute shoo-in, you could not pick a team of Anglo-Scots without picking this Yorkshire-born son of a former Argyll & Sutherland Highlander – Sir Ian McGeechan (Headingley).
11. The left winger is former professional golfer and ocasional centre – Max Evans (London Scottish).
12. Inside centre is one of our more-recent stars, Duncan Taylor (Saracens).
13. Another of today's big names, a player who became more influential as the curtailed 2020 Six Nations unfolded – Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons/Gloucester).
14. Every team needs a good-luck charm, and this guy gaiend a reputation as such during his Scotland career. On the right wing “Lucky” Jim Pollok (Gosforth).
15. A star of the 1960s, as national captain and a British Lion – the full back is: Stewart Wilson (Oxford University).
16. The back-up hooker was a fixture in Scotland's “Mean Machine” pack of the 1970s – Duncan Madsen (Gosforth).
17. Very unfortunate not to be in the starting XV, but, a fantastic prop for Scotland and the Lions, now fighting the biggest battler of his life, against Cancer – Tom Smith (Dundee HSFP).
18. Embarrassingly, after over 40 caps for Scotland, it was discovered that this replacement Anglo, didn't actually qualify for Scotland. However, he buckled down, qualified on residency and did get a deserved cap – David Hilton (Bath)
19. My other two bench replacement forwards each have the ability to play across the back five. First up is Tim Swinson (Tynedale)
20. The second of the pair is another of today's big names – Sam Skinner (Exeter).
21. My reserve scrum-half might have thought his Scotland career was over, when left out of the original squad, but, a late call-up allowed him to add to his caps tally in 2019 – Henry Pyrgos (Loughborough University).
22. Very-much a coming man, with his best Scotland years ahead of him, but, I have no hesitation in picking this man – Rory Hutchison (Northampton Saints).
23. I was amazed to discover the final squad member was actually an Anglo-Scot – and, he could supply the gin for the post-match G&Ts – come on down Ruaridh Jackson.

As always with these teams, dissenting voices and opinions welcomed, join the debate.