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Neil Drysdale: 1872 Cup mediocrity was a stark reminder of how Scottish rugby is under-performing

Jeremy Guscott (centre right) and John Jeffrey and Tony Stanger (centre left) of Scotland battle for the ball during the 1990 Five Nations Championship match between Scotland and England at Murrayfield.
Credit: David Cannon/Allsport
Jeremy Guscott (centre right) and John Jeffrey and Tony Stanger (centre left) of Scotland battle for the ball during the 1990 Five Nations Championship match between Scotland and England at Murrayfield. Credit: David Cannon/Allsport

IT seems like a long time ago since many pundits were expressing genuine positivity about Scottish rugby at the start of 2019.

There were hopes that a new crop of young talents could spring a surprise in the Six Nations and use that impetus to thrive at the World Cup in Japan.

Sadly, of course, none of that scenario materialised. Gregor Townsend’s side were off the pace against Ireland and Wales and only sprung to life in the second half of their thrilling 38-38 draw with England.

In many ways, that fightback was a microcosm of the whole year;  the Scots only hit the heights after committing the sort of basic errors which would have embarrassed a schoolboy contest.

There’s no point wasting any more breath analysing the non-event of their 27-3 loss to Ireland at the World Cup, which meant they were always staring at the exit door thereafter.

But sadly, many of the same deficiencies were on display when Glasgow met Edinburgh in the first tussle of the 1872 Cup derby at Scotstoun at the weekend.

In the end, the hosts edged past their city rivals 20-16, with a late try from George Turner, but the more sobering aspect of the match was the remarkable amount of mistakes perpetrated by both sets of combatants.

We know there is plenty of class scattered throughout these collectives, but you would rarely have guessed it in the first 60 minutes, as thud and blunder proliferated and cards – of the yellow variety- were produced like confetti.

On this evidence, Townsend needs a shot in the arm as he prepares for a potentially crucial Six Nations campaign, with his job on the line if his charges don’t improve significantly.

His defenders will argue that he can’t be held responsible for well-paid professionals spilling passes, missing kicks, butchering chances, getting sent to the bin, or generally failing to achieve their potential on a regular basis.

But rugby is a results business and there is scant sign of the Scottish teams reaching the heights as they did in 2016 and 2017.

There needs to be a marked improvement when the sides meet again at Murrayfield, or the SRU’s elite performers will once again be accused of under-performing.

And, with Glasgow and Edinburgh dominating every aspect of rugby in their homeland these days, we can’t afford their star-studded international line-ups to escape criticism, while the club circuit continues to wither on the vine.

It will be 30 years in March since David Sole and his troops beat England to lift the Grand Slam on an afternoon which remains seared on the memory.

With Ireland in transition, Italy on the ropes, the Welsh best by injuries and the French still inconsistent, it shouldn’t be impossible for Scotland to be in contention in 2020.

But I don’t know anybody who is tipping them for the championship. And, on the evidence of that pallid 1872 encounter, that is perfectly reasonable!