HARD HITTING VIEW
2019 was not one of Scotland’s finest from a rugby perspective.
Fifth in the Six Nations and then dumped out of the Rugby World Cup at the pool stage after being well beaten by the hosts Japan.
I’m sure that the new year cannot come soon enough for Gregor Townsend because, at times, it was not that the team were defeated, but the manner in which the games were lost.
In their worst outings, it seemed like the Scottish team never got off the bus.
In the first half of the Calcutta Cup match, the first summer test against the French and in the opening game of the World Cup against Ireland, Scotland were dire.
Yet the team often showed glimpses of brilliance as well – in the match against England it happened in the second half but even then, the side could not close out the game with a seven-point lead.
That inconsistency and inability to learn is massively frustrating – not least because the team and individuals show signs of pure brilliance.
A resolution for 2020 must be to become more consistent.
Off the pitch, the SRU was also under scrutiny once again.
The Gammell-murray report was finally published and has lain out some fairly radical recommendations for reform. The clubs are still to have their say and judging by the “mood
‘ A resolution for 2020 must be to become more consistent
music” around the country, the report is in for a rocky ride. The governing body likes control, as was evidenced in the row over Typhoon Hagibis during the World Cup, an incident when no one enhanced their reputation.
The SRU will have more money to play with in 2020 as CVC, the private equity giants, have bought into the Pro14 and are rumoured to be about to buy into the Six Nations.
CVC believe they can do a better job commercially than the governing bodies – and who could dispute that, given how they transformed the world of Formula 1 racing.
It will be interesting to see where the SRU direct the money – hopefully within Scotland rather than overseas.
Not only that, but some of the windfall should come the way of the Scottish club game, which still struggles to stay afloat financially.
Mark Dodson’s Super Six is well under way now. But the interest in it is questionable.
Edinburgh and Glasgow remain the draw for Scottish rugby fans outside of the international scene, and perhaps the balance of power is shifting back east as far as results are concerned, despite the difference in investment between the two teams.
Having had high hopes this time last year, the overall report card doesn’t read that favourably.
The game is at an inflexion point and the next few months will be very interesting – but it is time to put 2019 behind us all.