Reflections On An Up And Down Sunday Of Rugby Viewing

TO THOSE of us who prefer Finntastic to Finnsanity, Saturday was a good day, with The Gallus One contributing 24 points to Racing 92's 43-38 win over Brive – the Parisians' first away win of the season. In addition, in an on-line poll, Finn was named as the world's second-best number ten, behind Ireland's Johnny Sexton.

Second-best in the world, but, not even third-best in Scotland. Maybe we're awe oot o' step but oor Toony.

I THOUGHT Glen Young was lucky to only cop a yellow card for his take-out of Tate McDermott at BT Murrayfield on Saturday. That said, I felt the officiating team got that one correct, however, if we are going to continue to attempt to drop the tackle height, and safeguard players from head shots, then, we really have to do something about the breakdown.

For as long as players are allowed to jackal, or attempt to play the ball with their hands at rucks and breakdowns, we are going to see controversial clear-outs, leading to head knocks.

The answer is so-obvious, you have to wonder why World Rugby hasn't sorted things out. Go back to real rucking; insist the ball has to be played by a foot, and no scrambling about with hands. That way, the players entering the ruck would have to stay upright, on their feet. I think it would make for faster ruck clearances and a more-dynamic game.

I accept, initially, until the old habits are reformed, there will be a degree of chaos, and yes, there will be the occasional case of boot meeting head with the grounded players. However, with strict officiating, I am sure things would sort themselves out and we would have a more-fluid and dynamic game.

We really have to get the tackle height down, I would go to the waist and police it rigorously, very-quickly, the players would adapt, for the good of the game.

BROUGHT-UP as I was in Ayrshire Junior Football, taken to regular Old Firm games as an impressionable teenager, I am used to myopic supporters who only see one way.

I am also, again through the Juniors, used to 'home linesmen' who findit impossible to give a decision to the opposition. But, after sitting through Sunday's BKT URC meeting of Cardiff and Edinburgh, I can honestly say, compared to the Cardiff fans, and the two Welsh touch judges on-duty, even the most-biased local fitba fans and the followers of the Bigot Brothers are paragons of even-handedness and fair play.

It was amazing how the two touch judges were able to spot an Edinburgh player when he was six inches offside, while Cardiff players, a yard offside, were invisible.

I missed the final seven minutes or so from Cardiff – switching across to Free Sports to watch the FOSROC SUPER6 final from the DAM Health Stadium.

However, when I went across to the S6 game, it was in the confident expectation that Edinburgh would hold out for a thoroughly-deserved and encouraging victory. A result they achieved.

Given they were minus a full team of internationalists, this was a terrific win for the capital side. The really-encouraging thing was the way some of the younger Scottish players stepped up to be counted. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth in the valleys tonight – I reckon the Taffia had this one down as a home banker, so, great result for Edinburgh.

AS TO the S6 final, I would love to know how come, 15 minutes in, with the Ayrshire Bulls threatening via an advancing maul, Watsonians' scrum-half Rory Brand could get away with half a dozen clear punches on the arm of one of the Bulls' forwards – right in front of referee Ian Kenny.

OK, one punch in such circumstances I could let go, but the amount of punches in such a short space of time, delivered by Brand – that was Ali standard, totally illegal and deserving of a red card.

Then, when Elias Caven put Bulls nine points ahead after 52 minutes, he had already touched down when Dom Coetzer barrelled into his back, a clear no-arms and late tackle – which went unpunished. Really, the game should have restarted with a penalty to Bulls from half-way.

I honestly feared for the Bulls as their injuries began to bite – losing skipper Blair Macpherson in particular was a huge blow to them. Then, down the stretch, I felt further bad decisions from referee Ian Kenny favoured the Edinburgh side and got them into extra time level.

That scrum, on the Watsonians' 22, in the final minute of normal time, was as clear a scrum penalty to Bulls as you can wish for – but, they didn't get it. Mind you, before then, what were Alex McGuire and Ed Bloodworth thinking of, throwing their final line-out, deep inside the Watsonians' 22, long? That had to be a front or middle ball and a drive – but, as you might expect from a Pat McArthur-coached team, they messed-up the throw.

However, we Bulls fans can moan all we like. We were handicapped by injuries, we got nothing from the referee, but, from the manner in which the Edinburgh side controlled the first half of extra time, they deserved to triumph. I do not begrudge such as nice guy as Fergus Pringle his success.

It really was a marvellous final, credit to both teams. However, I dare say all those people who wouldn't open the curtains to watch if an S6 game was being played in their back garden, will be rushing to tell us this tier of rugby is rubbish and we should go back to the Premiership.

A final thought on the S6 final, it says a lot about Edinburgh Rugby that Bulls had the bigger support inside the ground. The Bulls' fans were quite happy to travel across Scotland from Ayrshire, the 'Sonians' fans couldn't be bothered travelling across Edinburgh.

 

Will We Ever Learn To Stop Conceding Daft Penalties?

IN THE several years during which I have come up with this pish, one of the stories which I have regurgitated, more than most, is to quote the wise words of Jock Stein – who used to regularly remind his Lisbon Lions, and the other sides which he managed so well: “Never give the referee a chanced to make a decision which could hurt you.”

Somebody ought to remind Gregor Townsend of the truth of the Big Man's sound common sense – because in losing to a fairly-average Australian team at Murrayfield, our boys certainly gave Luke Pearce and his team too-many opportunities to hurt us – which they took.

Australia didn't win that match, Scotland lost it, through poor execution, poor decision-making and terrible indiscipline.

Another area where Toony has to do something, is: Find and pick an international-class place kicker, because you cannot win internationals without one.

OK, even if Toony was to choose to select him, Finn Russell, who is an international-class place kicker, couldn't have played against the Aussies, but, it doesn't do Scotland much good when the first-choice place kickers for both our professional sides are Non-Scotland Qualified.

We weren't rank rotten against the Wallabies, but, we were the worse of two average sides. We now need big games from the Anglo-Scots when they come back for the next three games, because, Ah hae ma doots about the home-based Scots being up to the job of winning internationals.

I WOULD still far-rather see the Glasgow and Edinburgh teams 100% Scottish, but, must concede, on the evidence of Friday night's events at Scotstoun – we've won a watch or three with some of the new guys.

If the Bigot Brothers could sign Argentinians of the quality of Sebastian Cancilliere and Domingo Miotti, they might still be in the Champions League, assuming their home Scots could lift their game to the level some of the younger Warrioirs achieved on Friday.

I will not hear any: “Ach! It was only Benetton they beat,” playing down of this victory. They won with tries to spare, kept a clean sheet and managed this with more than a team of internationalists either injured, not available due to Scotland calls or simply not selected – that's depth.

One or two of Friday's team, such as Tongan Number Eight Sione Vailanu, whose 60 metre solo try was one of the highlights of the night, are at best third or fourth choices. Then, from an SRU Player Development point of view, the fact some half a dozen of the squad, such as debutants Alex Samuel and Euan Ferrie have come through the much-maligned FOSROC SUPER6 system was another bonus point.

Also, Head Coach Franco Smith, when he takes the team through their debrief on Monday, will be able to pinpoint one or two instances when they might have done better – they certainly left at least ten points out there on the night.

However, and sadly there has to be a however; Warriors' timing was slightly out – producing such an encouraging result, just as they go into the Autumn International break. I bet Smith is wishing they could go again next weekend, to maintain the momentum of this marvellous win.

WARRIORS' WIN meant a joyful ending to a day which began badly for the Glasgow rugby family – with the announcement during the day of the death, at the age of 71 of Bryan Gossman, the former Glasgow and Scotland outside half.

Brian (pictured above), was a lovely guy, with a great sense of humour. He first came to prominence, as a scrum-half, with Ardrossan Academy, then Ayrshire Schools, Glasgow Schools and Ardrossan Academicals. He then joined Kilmarnock Ayrshire, where he switched to outside-half with the arrival of Hugh McHardy.

He then took Bill McMurtrie's mythical drove road, to Burnbrae and a West of Scotland XV which, in many respects was an Ayrshire Exiles XV. He became Glasgow's number ten, however, his hopes of multiple Scotland caps were denied him by an accident of timing – his career ran parallel with that of a certain John Rutherford.

However, with Rutherford injured, he did win a cap, in a 6-17 Cardiff loss to Wales in 1980, winning a further two caps, against France, in Paris and Wales at Murrayfield in 1983. Both these games finished in narrow, 15-19 losses.

Bryan was a balanced runner, an excellent kicker, both from hand and as a place kicker. He was also as are so-many natural footballers, a brilliant golfer, playing off scratch at West Kilbride GC.

Brian was joined at West by his younger brother Jimmy, a hard-running centre, who won one Scotland cap, off the bench, against England in 1980.

In those amateur days, Bryan's day jobs were in finance. He began, after Strathclyde University, with the Bank of Scotland, before Gordon Brown head-hunted him to Bristol and West Building Society. He later joined the Dunfermline BS before ending his business career as a Senior Partner with St. James Place Wealth Management.

The Gossman connection with rugby was continued by Jimmy's sons Craig and Kerr, who have won Scotland Sevens and Club XV caps and are still active with GHK and Edinburgh Academicals respectively.

My sincere condolences to Judy, his wife, children Peter and Wendy, his grand-children and the wider Gossman family, like everyone who knew Brian, I find his sudden and unexpected death very sad.

OVER MY half century in this daft game of sports writing, I have observed and commented on English referees over a variety of sports: basketball, ice hockey, rugby, football, to name but a few. Aside perhaps from Wayne Barnes, few have impressed me. In general they are shite, and often over-hyped and over-promoted.

But, I did have high hopes for young Craig Maxwell-Keys, until Saturday, when he had a shocking last few minutes in charge of Harlequins v London Irish. I felt he had 'Quins to win somewhere and he made a consistent string of woeful decisions which allowed the home side to steal the victory.

 

Can Scotland Really Afford To Leave Out a 90%+ Place Kicker?

GREGOR TOWNSEND announced his XV plus replacements for Saturday's BT Murrayfield clash with Australia on Thursday; I was distinctly under-whelmed with the squad, which (in 1-23 order) is:

Pierre Schoeman, Dave Cherry, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Sam Skinner, Jamie Ritchie – CAPTAIN, Hamish Watson, Matt Fagerson; Ali Price, Blair Kinghorn; Duhan van der Merwe, Sione Tuipulotu, Mark Bennett. Darcy Graham, Ollie Smith. Replacements: George Turner, Jamie Bhatti, WP Nel, Glen Young, Jack Dempsey; George Horne, Ross Thompson, Damien Hoyland.

I use under-whelmed in the sense, it was hardly a surprise. I picked my preferred 23 earlier in the week, and got 12 of the starters and 4 of the replacements right, so, it wasn't that hard a team to pick.

Biggest surprise for me is the omission of Scott Cummings, who has been in immense form for Glasgow, from the 23. (Late edit: he has a broken toe). I also thought he would start Dempsey at number eight, rather than capping him off the bench.

I also do not think Sione Tuipulotu is a 12, to me he's a 13, but, with Sam Johnston injured, Toony didn't have much option. I honestly don't see us winning this one.

AS I have frequently pointed-out on here, the SRU's management model for raising the cash they need to generate to run the game up here is based around a Scotland team, playing attractive, attacking rugby, in front of a Murrayfield full-house.

Worryingly, on Wednesday, three days before the opening match of the Aumumn series – the SRU website was attempting to drum-up interest in the still unsold tickets for the match against Australia.

As things stand, we are ranked sixth in the world, with the Australians in ninth place – but, they are not far behind us. The Wallabies always play an attractive brand of rugby, so, this is one game for which there ought to be a big crowd. However, we should bear in mind, these are difficult times and money is tight. Maybe Baldrick should have a look at the pricing policy for tickets.

Speaking of which, this is a busy weekend for the game. We have Glasgow entertaining Benetton at Scotstoun on Friday night, followed by the Murrayfield international on Saturday, then, on Sunday, we have the FOSROC Super6 Final at the DAM Health Stadium, while in Cardiff, Edinburgh are the visitors.

As regards the Glasgow game, I am delighted to see young Alex Samuel making his debut, from the start. This kid has been awesome in the FOSROC Super6 with Ayrshire Bulls and has definitely earned his debut. I hope this is the start of a huge career for him.

 

A FRIEND of this blog sent me the latest edition of The Rugby Pod, in which Big Jim Hamilton and his gang discuss Finn Russell's omission from the Scotland squad. This is not an easy watch if you're a 'Pailmerk.' Check it out for yourself via this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWWo9jY8FkE

The same friend sent me a link to a Times interview with Phillipe Doussy, Skills and Kicking Coach at Racing 92. Doussy is amazed at Finn's omission, but, from a Racing point of view he is delighted to have the player at the club.

He waxes lyrical as to Finn's form and attitude and points out, in passing, this season Finn's kicking percentage is 93%.

Can Scotland really afford to leave out a 90%+ kicker?

That, by the way, is a textbook example of Betteridge's Law of Headlines.

 

Am I Bothered? Suis-je Dérangé? Might Be Finn's Reaction To His Omission From The Squad

JUST A THOUGHT – maybe Finn Russell isn't particularly bothered about his omission from the Scotland squad for the Autumn Internationals.

He turned 30 last month, he is approaching the conclusion of his Racing 92 contract and, at that age – his next contract will almost-certainly be the last for which he can demand a star's salary.

Apparently, he enjoys the French lifestyle, so, if he is not going to be missing for half the season because of international calls, he is a more-attractive recruitment possible to other French sides, or possibly in following Greig Laidlaw from French to Japanese Rugby; while not going off to Scotland games will also help him if he wishes to negotiate a contract extension with Racing.

Possible Lions selection for the next tour, to Australia in 2025 is another factor. There is, however, the potential here for Gregor Townsend, if his coaching star has not been eclipsed before then, to be named as Head Coach – given he was Attack Coach last time out.

In this stooshie between the Russell supporters and the Toony ones – I reckon Finn holds the better hand, however, one thing is certain the Russell/Townsend Relationship, or lack of one, will be a talking point for a wee while to come.

REGULAR readers of this pish will not reminding, I consider the SRU's Communications Department, and in particular its Honcho 'Buddy the Elf'' to be as much use as a chocolate teapot. That having been said, I have to congratulate them on being the first to reveal what is happening around the Team GB Sevens programme, which will go forward to contest the World Rugby/HSBC Sevens Series, the Sevens World Cup and the Olympic Games.

Team GB's website had nothing on this. The RFU website – Twickenham is supposedly the leaders on this – also had nothing, but, the SRU website had chapter and verse – kudos to them.

There is a good Scottish presence. Ciaran Beattie will be 'Programme Lead' – or team manager if you like. Beattie will also be Assistant Coach to Head Coach Tony Roques, while oor ain Robbie Fergusson has been named as a Player-Coach, his coaching portion of his contract asking him to focus on technical aspects of Sevens play, working with both the Men's and Women's squads.

The 16-strong Men's core squad includes six Scots: Fergusson, Kaleem Barreto, Jamie Farndale, Paddy Kelly, Ross McCann and Max McFarland. Englishman Tom Williams is another familiar name to Scottish rugby fans, from his time with Ayrshire Bulls in Super6.

No Scottish women have been named in the women's core squad; however, only nine women have been named. Further names will be added following the conclusion of the Women's World Cup. The Men will head for Hong Kong next week, but the Women's series does not kick off until the Dubai Sevens, in early December.

Wales's Nick Wakley has been named as Head Coach of the Women's squad, but his Assistant has yet to be finalised.

Team GB is taking steps to avoid accusations of being: “England as Team GB,” while the initial training camp will be held in Loughborough, there will be further camps at Ravenscraig and in Cardiff, as the programme gets up to speed.

THERE is a small, exclusive but busy “Think Tank” associated with this site. Myself and one or two regular readers exchange emails with our ideas on the game and where it is going. We don't always agree, I should say – some of the other members don't share my enthusiasm or vision for Super6 for instance.

We have, this week, been discussing what might happen in the currently unlikely event of Toony being asked to fall on his sword, with considerable enthusiasm among our number for recruiting as Tonny's successor – Crusaders Head Coach Scott Robertson.

Robertson is from good Caledonian Diaspora stock, and he has previous Scottish experience from a season playing with Ayr. He is often touted as a possible as the next All Blacks coach, but, somehow, New Zealand rugby politics cast doubts on this happening.

He might be an option, but the AB's job will, one has to accept, always be his first choice, also, recruiting him would be an expensive move, not perhaps one which Baldrick will be keen to make in the current financial climate.

In any case, given how well Edinburgh are playing on his watch, Mike Blair has to be seen as Duke of Rothesay to King Gregor I.

 

Follow The Money - Down The Stank

RUGBY PASS is at the more-sensible end of the English-based social media platforms on Rugby Union. And they deserve credit for having the gumption to check-out the House of Commons website and discover exactly how deep the debt lake in the Gallagher Premiership is. Well, it saves the rest of us having to look.

The figures are mind-boggling:

• WASPS went into administration owing £112.3 million

• BRISTOL owe £51.2 million

• SARACENS are £40,8 million in the red

• BATH are in hock to £37.8 million

• LONDON IRISH are just outside the top four in this table, owing £37.3 million

• HARLEQUINS are up to their eyes in £33.7 million of debt

• NEWCASTLE FALCONS owe £32 million

• SALE SHARKS' liabilities are measured at £30.9 million

• LEICESTER TIGERS owe £30.1 million

• GLOUCESTER have £27.1 million of debt hanging round their neck

• NORTHAMPTON SAINTS owe £26.5 million

• EXETER CHIEFS owe a mere £13 million

• WORCESTER WARRIORS' £30 million debt was not included in the list.

The total owed by the 13 clubs adds up to £502.7 million, even a Tory government would struggle to build-up that amount of debt. Apparently some £36 million of this cumulative debt is owed to a single creditor – HMRC.

Somebody should maybe remind the clubs, it was unpaid taxes which did for such diverse non-tax-payers as Al Capone and Rangers FC.

These figures are eye-watering and, given received wisdom is that International Rugby is the only level of the game where it is possible to make real money, you just wonder when it will dawn on the Rugby Football Union that – the club game as currently organised in England is unsustainable.

In another development this week, Bath managed to overturn in court the 1922 Covenant, which had hitherto prevented them from re-developing their historic home at The Rec.

Obviously, every development is different, but, if we take a median figure of £7000 per seat, this redevelopment could set the club back some £18 million of additional debt, on top of the £37.8 million they currently owe.

The RFU will need to take the lead on this, because, if it is left up to the clubs to self-police, nothing will change. Perhaps all those ambitious millionaires, keen to enhance their profile but unable to compete with the foreign money pouring into England's football Premiership, will decide to get into the Rugby Premiership – and the party can roll along for another few years.

Mind you, as we have seen up here – where common sense indicates, we need fewer National League clubs and more regionalised competition – when the SRU asked the clubs what they wanted, the answer was more national league teams.

Getting the English clubs to change their ways will be a very-difficult, I would say impossible task. We will see a lot more financial pain, before we see gain for the game, I fear.

STILL ON the subject of the over-hyped English game. I thought oor ain Jamie Lyall had a good game, on the mike for Sale v Harlequins. Additional kudos to Jamie, for not pittin' the heid oan co-commentator Austin Healey.

Harlequins won well, but for me, the first puzzling question is: why are the English commentators still so-obsessed by Manu Tuilagi? He was shite in this game, indeed, I don't think he's had a good game since well before Covid. To me, he's over the hill.

The second puzzling question is – how come Danny Care's pass tp Marcus Smith in the build-up to 'Quins' opening try wasn't, at the very least, checked by the TMO? I called it forward when it was delivered, I've seen two or three replays, and to me, it is still, definitely, a forward pass. But, as we are always told, English match officials are the best, so it must have been ok. Aye Right.

Now, in case you think I am being, consistently and maybe unfair to Wee Sprite, the bold AH has come up with one opinion which I think is worth pursuing. He believes the pro clubs should do away with Academies, instead promising young players should be directed towards University Rugby, where they can gain qualifications which would see them earn a living once their professional playing days were over.

Makes sense, but, wasn't that the way we did things in the amateur era?

 

When It Comes To Rushes Of Shite To The Brain, Nobody Beats A Boer

SOME Pacific Islanders in rugby, apparently cannot help themselves – they just do daft things: high, dangerous, no-arms tackles being a common error they commit. However, when it comes to what we here in God's County of Ayrshire refer to as: “rushes of shite to the brain” in Rugby Union, I think South African forwards of Boer extraction are your men.

Those of us who hold this to be a self-evident truth of the game had our beliefs reinforced during Saturday's Zebre v Edinburgh match-up in the BKT United Rugby Championship. MJ Pelser surely gave referee Craig Evans the easiest red card decision he will ever have to make, when he made that utterly senseless charge into that ruck. Once he had gone, it was a case of how many would Edinburgh score.

Mind you, I thought the Italians put-up an impressive show in defeat, once they were handicapped by their stupid Saffer's dismissal. This was helped by Edinburgh perhaps unconsciously thinking, in the second half, they had already done enough to win.

A FAMILY CELEBRATION – Number Two Grandson's graduation from the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan, meant I missed most of Watsonians' win over Heriot's in the FOSROC super6 semi-final. It was game-over by the time I got home, but, this was one which Watsonians, provided they were at better than two-thirds of their best, were always going to win.

Ben Cairns faces a big task in making The Nails competitive again – too-many of their squad have gone past their use-by date, I say use-by since none of them has a sell-by date – you wouldn't get an offer for them.

I THEN got a rude awakening, at around 6am on Saturday, when Bridget and the Brat, our two Irish Setter pups, burst into my bedroom in a failed effort to hide and not get dragged down to South Shields for a Championship dog show.

Their unsolicited wake-up call, enabled me to see the final quarter of the Black Ferns v Scotland, Women's Rugby World Cup match, from Whangerei.

Yes, our girls were brave in defeat, of course they gave their all, but, we, and in particular The Murrayfield Junta has to realise, we are years behind other nations when it comes to women's rugby.

Notwithstanding the justified view – we were screwed by incompetent referees and indifferent place-kicking in the first two games, against Wales and Australia, our system is wrong, our infrastructure is not fit for purpose. If we are going to treat women's rugby with the seriousness it deserves, then huge changes need to be made – from top to bottom. It will be a massive task.

BOROUGHMUIR BEARS defended magnificently, but were seldom seen as an attacking force, so it was no surprise that a somewhat misfiring Ayrshire Bulls won the second FOSROC Super6 semi-final at Millbrae at tea-time on Saturday.

The Bulls were below par, but still had too-much fire-power for their gallant opponents,who received a lot of help from referee Jonny Perriam, who spotted a good number of Bulls' offences, but failed to see the Bears when they broke the Laws in similar fashion.

The conditions certainly decided this was never going to be a classic, but, for all that, it was an enthralling contest. Next Sunday's final, between, by some distance the two best squads in S6, on the synthetic surface at the DAM Health Stadium, will be an entirely-different match, however.

IN BETWEEN the Edinburgh game in Italy and the Super6 game, I enjoyed the Exeter Chiefs v Saracens Gallagher Premiership clash at a near-capacity Sandy Park.

I switched over late, so missed the Owen Farrell yellow card. I am therefore unable to state if a yellow was sufficient punishment, or if he should have been immediately shot, but, again, he and the almost as obnoxious Maro Itoje were immense as Sarries snatched victory with a last-gasp Andy Goode penalty.

I was very-worried when Stuart Hogg went off for a first half HIA, but, thankfully, he was able to return. As ever in an English game, there was too-much aimless kicking for my liking, and the Gallagher is, for me, a worse competition than the URC. Mind you, it might be that that stupid haircut he's sporting makes him a target. I doubt if he'd sport it back in Hawick, the abuse he'd get in the Station Bar might persuade him to go for another look.

Or, perhaps we get Wee Nigel to remind him: “This is not soccer.”

A WEE BIT of a weekend Facebook stoshie is brewing as I write, after someone posted a clip of some typically outrageous Finnsanity in Racing 92's win over Montpellier.

The man who is apparently only Scotland's fourth-best number ten and who, had he still been under SRU control, might well have been at ten for Ayrshire Bulls on Saturday, contributed 18 points and three try assists to Racing's victory. At least two of the assists were the sort of passes no other contemporary ten would even attempt, far-less pull off.

Maybe Toony is correct, however, and we should let him find some real form before we think of a Scotland recall.

Stop tittering at the back there.

 

Toony Might Not Have Lost The Dressing Room, He Has, At The Very Least, Misplaced The Key.

BACK last century, when I was Graham Speirs' spy in the alien world of Ayrshire Junior Football, where, if it moved – you kicked it; if it didn't move – you kicked it till it did: Wee Britney used to suggest I surveyed my domain from a cave, high on a bluff overlooking the blood-soaked plains.

All good knockabout stuff, but, like much of what, then and now, passes for football comment in Scotland – pure pish. Mind you Mr Speirs remains one of the few oases of good sense in his profession. These days, however, as I pontificate on matters rugby union, I should add, I still inhabit the same cave, and the battle-fields over which I now observe, remain equally blood-soaked as back then.

To come right up to date, and Wednesday's Scotland Squad announcement. I might not go as far as to suggest Gregor Townsend has “lost the dressing room,” but, I fear he has misplaced the key. However, as things stand, it's his key to lose.

That's the thing with “The Head Coach as God,” as long as things are going well, he's fine, but, when the seas get rough, things have a habit of going awry fairly quickly. Toony is in rough waters right now.

If we still had a selection committee, the blame for leaving-out one of our very-few genuinely world-class players could be passed around. We all remember the story of the star Welsh scrum-half, who was dropped from the national side following a defeat, but able to tell his team mates on the following Saturday – as The Western Mail called for the heads of the men who had dropped him – that every single selector had been in-touch to tell him: “I voted for you to keep your place Boyo!”

Strictly speaking, The Finnster has NOT been dropped. He did not go on the Summer Tour to Argentina, he has not started a Scotland game since we played Italy on 12 March, and his last appearance was a 14 minute cameo, with the match already lost, against Ireland on 19 March. Clearly the Head Coach has decided – we can do without Russell.

That's his decision – he has to own it. But, given, by a lang Scots mile, Finn is our best play-maker, our Number One goal kicker (33 of our 121 points in last season's Six Nations), Toony is taking a huge risk in leaving him out of the squad.

To be fair to Toony – he could have used the fact Russell would not be available for the first Autumn International, which falls outside the international window. He could have come up with a story along the lines of: “Finn cannot play in the first game, then his partner is due to deliver their first child, so, given they live in France, I will leave him out for these games,” but, he chose not to do that. Mind you, that line about finding form and fitness – come on, Liz Truss has come-up with more credible lines of late.

I fear, if we don't have a good Autumn, that shoogly nail on which Toony's jaiket is hanging at BT Murrayfield, will be a whole lot shooglier going into the Six Nations. We are approaching end game in the Townsend Reign.

In the next five months, Scotland will play nine internationals, the four Autumn games then the five fixtures in the 2023 Guinness Six Nations. Seven of these games are at BT Murrayfield.

Scotland is currently ranked sixth in the world. In calendar order, we will face home games against the sides ranked ninth, twelfth, fourth and eighth. We then go to Twickenham to face England (5), welcome Wales (7), to Murrayfield; travel to Paris to face second-placed France, before entertaining Number One-ranked Ireland back in Edinburgh, and signing-off the Six Nations against 14th-ranked Italy, back at Murrayfield.

Now, some of these rankings will alter over this period, but, realistically, the only two of these nine opponents we can confidently expect to beat are Fiji and Italy. We have, with home advantage, a reasonable chance of beating Australia, Argentina and Wales.

So, five wins out of nine games is the minimum we might expect from these upcoming games, if wee ar being optimistic – anything above that and Tonny is, I think, safe to take Scotland into the World Cup this time next year. But, anything less, and in particular if Finn Russell is not recalled, then I think Toony will be toast.

THIS LATEST Russellgate sequel – I've lost count of which one we are now up to by the way, has taken the shine off what should have been a special day for new Scotland Captain Jamie Ritchie.

It's fair to say, the captaincy has been coming the way of the Edinburgh flanker for some time; he's been one of those players who, from his first cap almost, had the aura of a man born to lead his country.

I congratulate him on his appointment and trust he has a long reign in the job. He certainly has a good leadership team around him in the dressing room, with at least four other guys who have captained Scotland there to assist him.