WELL done London Scottish, on gaining promotion to the English Championship - the level below the English Premiership. Back in the day, a strong Scottish meant a strong Scottish and I trust my old mate Al McHarg's head is getting back to normal this morning, after a wee swally in celebration.
Now, however, Scottish's problems will begin, not least because, in the professional game in England, there is a rule which decrees that a certain percentage of a team's squad must be "England-qualified". This might compromise the potential which Scottish's promotion offers Scottish rugby for having additional professional players, playing in British rugby. I dare say, though, there will be a sufficiently-high number of competent Scottish employment law-specialist lawyers in the City of London, able to drive a horse and cart through that ruling, as being racially-aggravated or something.
Another potential fly in the ointment is the fact that Scottish and the SRU haven't always, in spite of the club having sent north an impressive number of Scottish internationalists and SRU "blazers", seen eye-to-eye politically. What's good for Scottish hasn't always been good for the SRU and vice versa.
But, and I'm not holding my breath given the paucity of intellectual giants within Murrayfield, IF Richmond and Murrayfield could find common purpose - it would be win-win for Scottish rugby.
I SEE Chris Cusiter is off to Australia for a summer, to get match-sharp before the World Cup. We may be light in other areas, but Scotland has enviable strength-in-depth at the base of the scrum, with Chris, Mike Blair and Rory Lawson and if necessary Greig Laidlaw, who has developed into a terrific all-purpose half-back. However, I feel, with a fully-fit Cusiter snapping at the pack's heels, we would be better-off than with any of his competitors, fine players though they are.
Chris has had a good break from playing, I hope he goes well in New Zealand in the World Cup.
GOOD piece by Ian Morrison on the appointment of Michael Bradley as the new Edinburgh coach in yesterday's Scotland on Sunday. Obviously the SRU cannot take Ian's caps off him, or delete him from the list of internationalists - but I reckon if he isn't already off the Murrayfield Christmas card list, his deletion will not be too-long delayed.
Well said that man.
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