HERE we go again - "wanted, masochist to take charge of perennially under-performing national side: apply - SRU, Murrayfield, Edinburgh". Will the next sacrificial victim please make himself known?
I was never totally convinced by Andy Robinson; he was and still is a terrific coach, however, even when he was in charge of England, a much-bigger country, with a much-deeper player pool, there were doubts about his selectorial ability. I can see a selector/coach getting into a fankle when he has to decide between three players, of more or less equal ability, competing for one position, but that situation doesn't arise too-often in Scotland, or certainly as often as in England.
The more myopic or generous amongst us might have been able to make excuses for Scotland's defeat on Saturday - had we been playing a better-regarded team than Tonga, but, not withstanding their defeat of eventual finalists France in the last World Cup, there is really no way we should lose at home to the South Sea Islanders.
Yes, the referee let them away with murder at the breakdown, but, it has always been the case in rugby, if opponents insist on lying offside and slowing down your ruck possession, then you - the players, if the referee isn't seeing it, to sort it out.
How about, somewhere inside the opponents half, after several go-forward rucks have been illegally-disrupted by the opposition, you give the culprit a bit of a shoeing, then, when the referee produces the yellow card - your captain bluntly tells him: "Hey baw-bag, how come you could see our guys rucking him out of one ruck, but you couldn't see him lying offside at the last three? Either play fair or GTF."
A player might have to take a ten-minute seat, but, I'd wager you'd get a fairer call next time.
Ian McLauchlan always said that the player who said: "Do that again and you're for it" had lost the argument.
Hit them, then say: "That was your warning", was always the McLauchlan way - I think it worked.
However, to blame it all on the referee (again) would be wrong. The reality is, our players are lacking in the basic skills, and they don't have the mental strength which is necessary for international rugby.
I am fully aware that the six or so inches between the ears is the bardest part of the human body to boost. It's easy to spend hours in the gym bulking-up, a lot more-difficult to get the brains and particularly that secret something called "game intelligence" to work properly.
Back in 1958 the Brazilian FA, fully-aware that their players for the World Cup Finals in Sweden had the ability to win the tournament, but, doubting if they had the brains to do so, took along a psychologist with the party.
Brazil won, and it wasn't all about Garrincha, Didi and Pele. Fifty-four years later, maybe, instead of recruiting another Head Coach, the SRU should recruit a good psychologist - to convince our guys they have what it takes to win internationals.
The skills failings can be sorted out, just as our former lack of bulk has been, it's the mental failings which will hold us back for longer.
MIND you, we're not alone in having players lacking something upstairs. What was Andrew Hoare thinking about? This, of course, assumes a Kiwi hooker is capable of rational thought - discuss.
Then, what about England. The Saffers were there to be taken, but, England failed to beat them.
England, in truth, are not that good. English rugby players come from a culture of painting by numbers almost; every move has to be pre-planned. When it comes to ad hoc, off-the-cuff thinking, they are lacking and get things wrong.
I am sure Clive Woodward would have had a system in place for the position they found themselves in, awarded a penalty, three minutes from time, when four points behind - that's one situation when "painting by numbers" works.
England failed to take advantage, then, they blew their last chance by poor kick-off reception: they had three choices:
1, Let a kick-off which was obviously too-long and going straight-out, drift out, then take the attacking scrum back on half-way.
2, Let the number eight, the man in whose direction the ball was travelling, take it, set-up a ruck and then try to mount a series of drives aimed at getting you within range for a match-winning dropped goal (the 2003 option).
3, Mess it up totally.
They chose option three - how very English (or Scottish for that matter).
FINALLY, when will somebody else notice - the Welsh are not that good either.
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