Let's Hope Things Are Better In 2019 Than In 2018

AS I strike these keys to write this blog, there are less than 15 hours remaining of 2018, a year which I feel the Scottish Rugby community will not be sad to see the back of. Sure, we have had the odd high – none higher than thumping England to regain the Calcutta Cup, but, we have also had some awful lows – Cardiff anyone.

But for me, Scottish Rugby in 2018 has been like British politics. While the politicians and the fans of this subject have been besotted by Brexit, which in truth has become almost like East Enders – a miserable soap opera, featuring a cast on largely unlikeable caricatures, going nowhere other than round in circles.

In Scottish Rugby, we are seeking someone heroic, to rise above the constant arguing about Super-6, to cut through the uncertainty about Agenda-3 and to lead us to a promised land where we are relevant in the world.

The year 2018 has been dominated by argument, about S6A3, about where the S6 “amateur” teams would play. Along the way we have had Russellgate to excite the lieges. I rather think TCD is a wee bit like Theresa May, kicking the can down the road a bit, playing for time and hoping something – Gavin MacColl QC and his Governance Committee maybe, will appear to save him and his beleaguered Board and Council.

Things can surely get better and improve in 2019, but, as ever, I am in the Scottish default position at the gateway to a new year: “An' furrit tho' Ah cannae see, Ah guess and fear.”

BEFORE starting this piece, I had a quick look at what I was writing this time last year, and, well I never, it was deja vu all over again.

My last piece of 2017 was all about the Glasgow leg of the 1872 Cup. At least Mikey Adamson, who had that game, rather than the first leg, as he had this year, got off a bit more lightly than George Clancy did at the weekend, but, the refereeing was the main point of discussion.

Twelve months ago, I said: “Rugby at the professional level is all but unrefereeable.” Nothing has happened since then to dissuade me of this view. I do not blame the match officials, who are making the best of a bad job, but, again, I wonder what John Jeffrey and his committee on World Rugby does. I repeat something I have been saying for years – we need a thorough overhaul of the Laws, and, we certainly need to -

BRING BACK REAL RUCKING!!!

At this point one year ago, Glasgow was our top club, today, I am not as certain of that statement, such is the improvement in Edinburgh since the players began to buy into Richard Cockerill and his approach. If you look at who are now Scotland's main players, you have the exiles: Messrs Laidlaw and Russell, Sean Maitland and the newcomer Sam Skinner, then you have a phalanx of Edinburgh players – Stuart McInally, WP Nel, Hamish Watson, Ben Toolis and Grant Gilchrist, before you get to the first Glasgow player – Stuart Hogg.

In a year, Jonny Gray has gone from an automatic pick, to arguably being only our fourth-ranked lock. We are now starting to ask if Ryan Wilson's nuisance value is still sufficient to place him above the new back-row bunch – Bradbury, Fagerson minor and Ritchie.

We are going into a World Cup year, and certainly Gregor Townsend has some big calls to make.

For me, THE Scottish players of the year have been Hamish Watson up front, and Finn Russell behind the scrum, while the breakthrough player has surely been Darcy Graham.

I am excited about this year, we have a young international team, but an improving one. However, we are only a couple of injuries to key men away from potential disaster.

My big wish for 2019 is that we can put an end to the bickering in clubland and sort things out properly. The big battle will be over where the S6 core clubs play, and I worry about this. Again, we have to hope Gavin MacColl and his team can come up with something workable on governance.

The SRU Board and Council has been concentrating on the performance end of the game, they now really need to look at clubland, get the guys at the grass roots onside and end the infighting. But, hey, we're Scots, infighting is our default position.

I certainly hope, during January, we can stop kicking the can down the road and get some things sorted out, because, we are rapidly running out of time when it comes to sorting-out a few major issues.

Can I send my sympathies to top referee Lloyd Linton, who endured a torrid time when given the Italian Derby between Benetton and Zebre at the weekend.

Firstly, he was, at one point, pinned at the foot of a ruck by some over-enthusiastic counter rucking by Benetton; but, he regained his dignity and control. Then, minutes later he got the ultimate undignified rugby injury – the sharp end of a booted Gilbert ball right in the haw maws.

Lloyd assures me, he counted them, and both are still there, but, this was a difficult injury to run off. Still, he's a former hooker, the blow was nothing.

And finally, can I wish the great WM McMurtrie (Paisley Grammar School, Galashiels Academy, the Glasgow Herald, Glasgow Warriors, the SRU and GHA) a better 2019 than 2018 was.

Both Bill and his good lady have been troubled somewhat with illness over the past 12 months, but, I understand are now, slowly, on the mend. I know it embarrasses him when I say this, but, Bill is the best president the SRU never had, he is one of the few remaining pillars of wisdom and good sense in the game and we really need him restored to good health and able to offer his wise counsel throughout the coming year and hopefully for a guid few years to come.

The same hopes and good wishes also go to another giant of our game, the great Allan Hosie, another man who has been spending more time in the care of the excellent Scottish NHS than we want to see.

So – have a great time tonight, a Guid New Year tae ane an' awe – and, see you across in 2019.