NERVE-JANGLING FINISH BUT THE END RESULT THAT EVERYONE CAME TO SEE
THE SCOTLAND support and the Murrayfield night-time atmosphere motivated the team last night and they delivered with the result everyone came to see. It was not the easiest of games and again came down to a nerve-jangling finish. But I know only too well that international rugby is all about winning and Scotland came away with a victory when it could easily again have gone the other way.
That is what matters. Test wins have to be earned and Scotland earned this one.
What we saw were two evenlymatched teams. I was delighted with the way our set-piece started and felt Zander Fagerson — still just 20 years old — matched up well with one of the best scrummaging sides in world rugby, and gave us a stable scrum.
Magnus Bradbury, on his debut, brought a dynamism to the team. He showed why he had earned his pace with good contributions around the park, from taking the kick-off to his intent with ball in hand.
Having played that position most of my career, Magnus looks like he has the ability and athleticism to be a real potent force in attack and defence.
I have to say, however, that at the other end of the age scale John Barclay has been a revelation for me.
I can still remember him coming in for the 2007 World Cup, debuting against New Zealand, and his game has developed so comprehensively from one of the best openside flankers into one of the most consistent back rows, and formidable No8.
He now has the ability to play six, seven or eight, handling like a threequarter, getting into the breakdown like the genuine openside he is. He was one of our best lineout forwards last night.
Jonny Gray was immense again and a key factor in our side going toe-to-toe with the Argentinians.
I was a bit surprised not to see Jonny or Richie Gray picked up in the Lions tour chat, but Jonny will take no notice of that and showed again why he will be considered next summer with a second successive world-class performance at the heart of the Scotland pack.
In truth, both teams’ defences were very good and that stifled the play of our side and Argentina in the first half.
The tactics will undoubtedly have been to play a more expansive, attacking game, from both sides, but when we got Stuart Hogg on the ball, we were dangerous.
Finn Russell also showed his value in defence, again punching above his weight in the tackle.
I remember playing in Test matches like that where you are striving to get the phases going and develop your game-plan.
But Argentina are extremely good at getting up in your face at the breakdown and in defence. They make it very difficult to maintain a momentum through phases.
We saw that with some niggle too throughout the game and it was good to see the Scotland boys sticking together and refusing to take backwards steps, because that is important against a team as physical as the Pumas.
And again it came down to a dramatic final 10 minutes.
Finn missing the drop-goal, Greig Laidlaw hitting that same post that denied him a conversion last week — which would have won the game against Australia — had us all holding our breath.
Sean Maitland somehow got the ball back and Finn’s next drop-goal was charged down. Argentina could not hold onto possession for the final minute, we get the penalty and up steps Greig.
I know Greig so well and you are aware he kicks those in his sleep but at that point in a game, I have often wondered how a goal-kicker keeps his cool, brings the heart rate down to under 160 when it feels on that pitch as if the whole of Scotland are holding their breath waiting for you to score.
And especially when the previous one has hit the post. But if there is anyone you would want to have that opportunity to win the game at the death, it’s Greig Laidlaw. He has followed Chris Paterson to become a truly world-class goalkicker.
It was great to see the players celebrating and earning reward for sticking at the game last night. The question now is where do we go from here?
The obvious answer is to finish this autumn series with victory over Georgia, build on this win and earn the world ranking points towards the World Cup in Tokyo in 2019.
We have a team now that has been competitive with the best in the world.
To be truly among the best, however, you have to be ruthless against teams such as Georgia — who are very capable of producing upsets against sides not fully prepared physically and mentally — and grasp a convincing victory.
With three home games in the RBS Six Nations, Scotland have a good period of Tests and momentum to look forward to building.
But it starts with the launchpad of the autumn Tests, so two wins from three would provide a good return from which to take confidence.
At the other end of the age scale, Barclay has been such a revelation for me