Ball Carrier - Mossy Deserves Better

I CAN still remember the last time the Commonwealth Games were held in Scotland, in 1986. The build-up was shambolic, the whole thing was hijacked by "Cap'n Bob" - Robert Maxwell and, looking back, it would perhaps have been best if we had simply said: "forget it".

 Anyway, the opening ceremony was cringe-inducing, including such "highlights" as Nessie (Loch Ness Monster) going round the track and Sir Yehudi Menhuen, in a top of the range Moss Bros hired kilt, joining a Scottish Country Dance band to play for an eightsome reel, danced by some of the strictly White Heather Club members of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.

But, the most-cringe-inducing part of that ceremony came at the very end, when the person chosen to carry the baton containing the Queen's message to the rostrum, where it was ceremonially handed to "Chooky Embra", entered the stadium.

The baton carrier was Allan Wells and I think only Liz Lynch (as the apparently soon to be ex-Mrs McColgan was then) got a bigger roar - when she won the 10,000 metres.

Wells might have been in the twilight of a stellar career, and indeed, he had not been chosen for the Scotland team for those games, but he was still bigger than the rest of the Scotland team.

I re-hash this story as a cautionary note to the SRU. It is a good move to allow the Scottish public to give Mossy a final cheer and to thank him for all he has done for Scotland and Scottish rugby - but, getting him to walk onto the park and hand over the match ball. Nope, doesn't work for me.

When I was a boy, internationalists were tough, self-reliant men. At half time, they stood, on the pitch, they ate their organges, listened to the captain, then got back to the business of winning. Simpler days but at least you had someone to watch as you waited for the resumption of hostilities.

Today, off the troop to be cosseted by their massive support staffs, leaving the field to the ministrations of the ground staff.

Why not bring Mossy out then, and have HRH the Princess Royal give him his MBE, or a special cap, then we can give him a proper cheer and the right send-off.

But, to save the referee - who is going to shaft Scotland at the first opportunity in any case - having to carry on the match ball. FFS, Mossy's better than that.

AS A fully-paid-up member of the Honourable Order of Front Five Donkeys, I bow to no-one in my respect for props and am fully aware that props are the most-intelligent members of any team.

The Blessed Chunk might not appear as such, but, for a boay frae the 'pans who at five-foot-ten square was clearly meant for service as a mobile auxiliary pit prop at Monktonhall - to be able to do joined-up writing and deliver an autograph is no mean feat.

However, with Moray Low's injury, the elevation of rocket scientist Ed Kelman to the national squad to join Dr Geoff Cross and qualified vet Euan Murray means that the right-hand side of the Scottish front row is now one seriously-clever area.



TOLD you - pardon the smugness,but I did reckon last week the seven games of the Premier A campaign would see some shock results. But, over the next rounds of matches, is anything likely to surpass for shock value the way Dundee HSFP over-turned that 26 point half time deficit at the Greenyards?

Jock Craig came over to the press box at no side at Millbrae on Saturday to enquire if we had heard anything, he had had a text telling him of the turn-around. We didn't believe it until Ron Evans's man at the game called him with the news - Shockeroonie indeed.