Vern Cotter has never been interested in memorable soundbites or making himself the centre of attention.
A big, brooding fellow from the Land of the Long White Cloud, the 55-year-old outgoing Scotland coach was never going to depart the job amidst a deluge of tears.
Yet, when one considers the progress that Murrayfield’s finest have made since Cotter took over in 2014, it’s unarguable he has transformed the previous losing culture which pervaded the Scottish circuit.
His swansong summed up his modus operandi. The time was when Italy really fancied their chances against their SRU adversaries, but they were swept away emphatically on Saturday in Edinburgh.
As usual, they huffed and puffed, but their opponents had more guile, pace, penetration and basic skill. They looked like scoring tries whenever they cut loose.
And the likes of Finn Russell exorcised some of the dark memories of last weekend’s Twickenham mauling.
Cotter, as always, stood on the sidelines with an impassive stare. When Russell scored his side’s first try, the coach allowed himself the glimmer of a smile.
He briefly beamed when Matt Scott added a second. And the knowing look on his face as Tim Visser and Tommy Seymour applied the coup de grace was instructive.
It brought the Scots a try bonus, and ensured Cotter’s troops finished with a 29-0 win. The days when they “nil” anybody are few and far between on the Test stage.
Ultimately, Cotter is a character of genuine substance and it still seems strange he wasn’t offered a new contract, considering the steps forward being taken.
Granted, his successor Gregor Townsend might not have stayed in Scotland indefinitely, but it’s a small world these days. Some fans have been critical of how Cotter has been treated. It’s hard to escape the conclusion they have a valid point.
But, for the most part, the New Zealander has done his utmost to deflect the limelight. In the days leading up to the Italian contest, he diverted any questions about his imminent exit by sticking to the mantra that all that mattered was the displays of the Scots on the pitch and not the man on the periphery.
This philosophy has summed up his stewardship and it has paid dividends.
From the nadir of his initial Six Nations Championship campaign in 2015, when his charges were whitewashed, there have been myriad signs of progress.
And Cotter’s record of 19 victories in 35 Tests means he is the first Scotland coach in the professional era to achieve a win ratio above 50%.
Given the mess which he inherited, that’s a significant achievement. And, despite the disappointment at the capitulation against England, Vern’s vim and vigour have galvanised his largely youthful squad.
He has encouraged them to trust their instincts, express themselves on the pitch, and perform with freedom.
In terms of the report card from the 2017 campaign, the Scots merit at least 7/10.
They surged out of the blocks against Ireland and survived a second-half onslaught to gain a notable success.
They were excellent in the second half against Wales and finished up with an emphatic triumph.
They could have beaten the French in Paris – especially if Russell had kicked a straightforward conversion with the score tied at 16-apiece. And, while they had to withstand sustained pressure from the Italian pack, Cotter’s personnel were good enough to ensure the rapier bested the blunderbuss.
As for England….well, nobody is pretending these Scots are the finished article. But new coach, Townsend, has plenty of material to work with in the future.
There is a youthful brio along their backs, fuelled by Stuart Hogg and the other try scorers on Saturday.
Even without their talismanic Richie Gray and the metronomic Greig Laidlaw – who was definitely missed at Twickenham – and the behemoth, WP Nel, Scotland have the luxury of strength in depth. Until recently, this was always a major deficiency.
So Vern Cotter deserves immense credit for what he has orchestrated. Quietly, unflashily, and without adopting any of Eddie Jones’ bellicose bravado, he has dragged the Scots up by their bootstraps and made them a force to be reckoned with again.
He might not be singing “My Way” tonight. But he has been a force for good and the catalyst for the start of a Scottish renaissance.
Take a bow, sir!