Another 6 Nations mercifully over. And this one feels even worse for Scotland than last year.
Not because in 2014 the wooden spoon and whitewash were barely avoided by Duncan Weir’s last kick drop goal in Rome. Scotland definitely played better this year, but any measurement of progress in deficit of defeat is not worth dwelling on for a nanosecond.
The extra hurt comes from the genuine and largely justified optimism we had coming in. Also, the fact that France, Wales and Italy were all eminently beatable in the first three games (Wales got a LOT better later on).
Vern Cotter impressed in the autumn but he looked pretty much as helpless as any other failing or failed Scotland coach of recent times at the end of it all.
Scotland still may reach the last eight of the Rugby World Cup, the absolute bottom-line and only realistic target left for 2015, but there’s precious little enthusiasm for the Six Nations of 2016 unless something radically changes in the next six months.
Here, in a tear-stained stream of consciousness, are Scotland’s few positives and many negatives from the 2015 RBS 6 Nations.
INJURIES. This of course is mostly luck, but Scotland were properly banjoed this year, especially from our starting point of meagre strength of depth.
At various points we were down to fourth choice fly-half (Peter Horne), third choice No 8 (Johnnie Beattie, but it should have beensee below) sixth choice second row (Ben Toolis), fifth choice wing (Dougie Fife) and in the final game Tim Visser lined up at centre, where he is no choice at all.
You can argue and I do that Ireland and Wales do a much better job papering up the cracks caused by rugby’s modern biff-bang style, but there was no escape for Scotland this spring.
TIGHT HEADS. Euan Murray is not the force he was, and undecided if he will carry on after RWC. Geoff Cross, even if his yeoman efforts are never cranked less than maximum, is not a frontline starter. Jon Welsh’s face or his work ethic don’t fit even at Glasgow, who’ve packed him off to Newcastle.
That means we wait on the unremarkable WP Nel to qualify in the summer, or Rossouw De Klerk to follow. Zander Fagerson looked quality for the excellent Under-20s and his time will no doubt come but he’s just 19, and dominating other 19 year olds.
JONNY GRAY. The most tackles by anyone in the championship, stunning for someone just 21 last week, but not all that surprising to anyone who has seen him come up through the ranks and the amazed faces of coaches reading his performance stats.
Had Grant Gilchrist not broken his arm Jonny would not have played in the autumn. Credit to Cotter for blooding him, he was the most consistently excellent player over the entire international season.
SECOND ROW DEPTH. Two men down, we were in tatters. Richie Gray’s importance to Scotland cannot be underlined more starkly than in the collective forward performance over the last three games. It is remarkable to think that Scott Johnson dropped him for being “a quality rather than quantity player” in the last 6 Nations, easily the most stupid selection decision of the last two years, and there’s been plenty.
BACK ROW. I can’t understand the clamour to recall Kelly Brown and (to a lesser extent) John Barclay. Their perceived leadership strengths didn’t exactly help us win many games in recent times and I agree with Cotter and Jon Humphreys that Adam Ashe, Rob Harley, Blair Cowan and David Denton are better, more rounded and dynamic players.
Barclay should have been at No 8 instead of Johnnie Beattie for the first three games and shouldn’t be discarded entirely. But Cowan pirated more ball than any other player in the championship, and the 22-year-old Ashe in particular looks the complete player. Josh Strauss will soon qualify, and while I have my doubts about his effectiveness at international level, he’s a quality and proven leader.
GREIG LAIDLAW. Because he’s such a great lad with a huge heart, kicks his goals and fronts up without fail, Greig’s failings a slow service and an inconsistent field kicking game are sometimes ignored. They shouldn’t be.
It’s vital for Finn Russell, if he’s to be given the 10 jersey long term, to get peerless service. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne’s is better, he’s as good a kicker from hand and tee and quicker across the ground. Chris Cusiter, with his speed of pass and reading of the game, is the bridge if SHC is considered too callow.
RUSSELL AND BENNETT. They’re going to make some mistakes for a while longer, but the potential benefits far outweigh the slight setbacks. By the 2019 World Cup Finn and Mark will be in their absolute prime, and they need those jerseys to themselves, with Matt Scott and Duncan Weir as solid back-up. They’re also solid defenders, but only when paired with
ALEX DUNBAR. Hard to imagine four years ago when the Dumfriesshire farmer was going pretty much nowhere in pro rugby, but Dunbar is now as important to Scotland as anyone. He’s blossomed into a physical force in attack and defence as evidenced by the sheer desperation in Cotter’s voice as he wished him early recovery from ACL surgery in five and a half months that is, barely in time for RWC.
STUART HOGG. Along with maybe Richie Gray, our only true, proven world class player. After last year’s various wobbles, Hoggy was professional, industrious and tried to spark Scotland whenever he could. His defence was a revelation, single-handedly holding the English at bay at Twickenham. He’s up to nine tries and must pass Ian Smith’s all time Scotland record. Still just 22, remember.
My Scotland matchday squad for the RWC (with stars aligning and everyone fitdon’t laugh): Hogg; Maitland, Bennett, Dunbar, Seymour; Russell, Cusiter; Dickinson, Ford, Murray; J Gray, R Gray; Strauss, Cowan, Ashe.
Replacements: F Brown, Grant, Nel, Gilchrist, Denton, Hidalgo-Clyne, Weir, Scott.