P.S.

SCOTTISH football could always be worse off, of course. It could be in the situation faced by professional rugby clubs for a crucial chunk of their season. Starting next month, both Edinburgh and Glasgow will be without many of their best performers for the duration of the Six Nations. And then, as is the norm in rugby, be expected to carry on with a full programme of Guinness Pro12 fixtures. In other words, a Glasgow team with a real crack at the title is penalised essentially for having so many good players. The Pro12 are currently considering a shutdown during the Championship. It’s long overdue.