DAVID SOLE
It is usual to take a retrospective look at the year we’ve just experienced in rugby.
But, given that this will be my penultimate column for The Sunday Post, perhaps I can be indulged by looking back a little further over the years that I have been allowed to share my views on the game.
There has been seismic change in the game since my first column, almost 30 years ago.
The game turned professional in 1995 and that brought enormous change to the landscape in Scotland.
Initially there were four professional teams, which were ultimately reduced to two, with Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh the survivors.
Both teams have experienced some success, but inconsistency is an affliction that seems to be pervasive throughout the professional game in Scotland.
Sometimes the teams are great – Glasgow’s victory last week in France an example – but sometimes spectators are less than impressed when the sides struggle against teams that they really should defeat.
Glasgow seem to have the edge over Edinburgh at the moment, despite Edinburgh perhaps having more Scottish stars amongst their ranks, like Duhan van der Merwe and Jamie Ritchie.
But the capital side have struggled to challenge for honours in the URC or European Cup competitions.
Inconsistency has been a problem for
The coach is lucky to survive – many others haven’t
the national side as well. On their day, Scotland can challenge anyone in the world, and the group of players that they have at the moment, have been labelled the ‘golden generation’, such is their talent.
Yet, when push comes to shove, they have failed. They have been unable to get out of their World Cup group twice in succession under Gregor Townsend, which, even with the challenging draw, is below expectations.
The coach is lucky to survive – many others haven’t with those sorts of results.
Pressing for honours in the Six Nations has also been an elusive thing, despite being reigning Five Nations champions.
Scotland had some horrible seasons and, even this year, promised much before succumbing to the French and Irish.
Anything better than a third-place finish has seemed almost impossible, despite the resources available to the coach.
Most concerning has been the decline in Scotland’s standings at age-group level, with the Under-20 side almost in a tailspin downwards.
It is a symptom of the challenges in the lower echelons of the semiprofessional game that Mark Dodson championed so vigorously and the sparse talent coming through the club game.
The one bright spot has been the form of Scotland’s women on the world stage.
Perhaps still behind some of the other nations, their reputation has been enhanced this last 12 months – they appear to be the one bright light of the Scottish game at the moment, so long may that continue.