Rugby: Scotland and Robinson Try to Establish Themselves on World Stage

For the Scottish rugby team and their loyal supporters, it has been a difficult decade with little success.

They won the last-ever Five Nations in 1999, but since then it has been a hard road, which has seen Frank Hadden step away from his post to be replaced by Andy Robinson.

Worse for Scottish fans, when it seems they are about to turn the corner, the regression sets in again. All of the Six Nations teams, with the exception of Scotland (and Italy), have had a fair share of success this millennium. 

Scotland’s reading since then is a bit ugly, winning only 37 matches since 2000, and in the Six Nations, they have won only 14.

This is only eight more than Italy, who played their first international 80 years ago, while Scotland played in the very first test match 138 years ago. 

The highlights have been minimal. 

They defeated England 15-9 in 2008, but this was their only Six Nations win that year.  They were impressive in a 31-21 World Cup warm-up win against Ireland in 2007, and also defeated Wales 21-9 in that year’s Six Nations, but again, that was their only win last year in the tournament.

2006 was probably their best year of late, with wins over England (18-12) and France (20-16).

Andy Robinson has been brought in to try to stop the rot, and the former Bath stalwart (as player and coach) and England and Edinburgh coach already has the spotlight on him.

But having signed a three-year contract, he will be given some time by the SRU and boss Gordon McKie.

While some are quick to point out that Robinson hardly set the world on fire as England coach, he does have a solid list of achievements.

Robbo did guide Bath to a Heineken Cup in his first year in charge of the club, and was Clive Woodward’s assistant during England’s 2003 World Cup win.

But it was probably his exploits as Edinburgh coach that sealed the deal with the Scottish rugby chiefs, taking the Gunners to third- and second-place finishes in the Magner’s League in the last two years.

It will be this surge in form from the two Scottish clubs that Robinson will look to utilise, with both Edinburgh and Glasgow having sound seasons, both winning four from six in the Magner’s League and being the two best attacking teams—in terms of points scored—in the competition.

While some may argue that Scotland is at a disadvantage in not having the number of Magner’s teams as Ireland or Wales or having the glut of professional teams that England has, Scotland still has a thriving club network.

Robinson already is under some criticism for naming his squad so far out from Scotland’s first test against Fiji, with many believing that telling players their places are all but guaranteed is a bad thing.

Still, this is in keeping with Robinson’s oft-repeated mantra, "form may be temporary, but class is permanent."

The core of his first Scotland squad is 10 Edinburgh players with three uncapped men within the squad.

The trio, loose forwards Alan Macdonald, Richie Vernon, and centre Alex Grove, were all part of the IRB Nations Cup-winning Scotland A team that Robinson took to Romania.

Clearly, Robinson has been forming his plans for some time and is not afraid to heap pressure on any player, least of all the 24-year-old Macdonald, who Robinson has compared with England legend Richard Hill.

While some expected Robinson to clear out the Scotland camp, the only major casualty was Dan Parks.

Some believe this is a mistake, with Edinburgh’s Phil Godman the only recognised first five in the squad.

While the lack of options at No. 10 led many to believe that Parks would be an automatic inclusion, Robinson’s statement that he was pleased with his progress, but still had aspects of his game to work on could either be coaching genius or madness.

The same goes for the omission of Edinburgh flanker Ally Hogg, who was one of Robinson's key men in the success he had with the regional team. The No. 8 has been far from his best in recent weeks, and in his exclusion we see another telling piece of man management.

Robinson is effectively saying this: I may know your capabilities and rate you and trust you, but I expect you to be in form if you are to be honoured with test selection.

It is clear the coach requires mental toughness, something seen to be lacking by Scottish players in recent times. Much of this can be garnered by the performances of Edinburgh and Glasgow recently.

They can dazzle in the Magner’s League, but on the grander stage of the Heineken Cup, they can be overawed by the occasion.

While Scotland may still not possess the raw talent or their fellow home nations, they are capable of posting the results. With three nations that are ranked higher in the world rankings coming to Murrayfield, the challenge is for the side to break their recent mediocrity.

Scotland Squad

Backs

Mike Blair (Edinburgh), Ben Cairns (Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick de Luca (Edinburgh), Thom Evans (Glasgow), Phil Godman (Edinburgh), Alex Grove (Worcester), Rory Lamont (Toulon), Sean Lamont (Scarlets), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow), Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais), Nikki Walker (Ospreys).

Forwards

John Barclay (Glasgow), Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow), Kelly Brown (Glasgow), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Dougie Hall (Glasgow), Nathan Hines (Leinster), Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow), Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh), Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Richie Vernon (Glasgow), Jason White (Clermont Auvergne).

Robinson's Record as England Coach

Played 22, won nine, lost 13.

Home winning percentage: 53.3 percent.

Scotland's Record Since 2000

Played 101, won 37, lost 63, drew one.

Home winning percentage: 47.2 percent.

Scotland’s Upcoming Matches

Sat, 14 Nov. 2009: Scotland v. Fiji @ Murrayfield

Sat, 21 Nov. 2009: Scotland v. Australia @ Murrayfield

Sat, 28 Nov. 2009: Scotland v. Argentina @ Murrayfield

Sun, 07 Feb. 2010: Scotland v. France @ Murrayfield

Sat, 13 Feb. 2010: Wales v. Scotland @ Millennium Stadium 

Sat, 27 Feb. 2010: Italy v. Scotland @ Stadio Flaminio

Sat, 13 Mar. 2010: Scotland v. England @ Murrayfield

Sat, 20 Mar. 2010: Ireland v. Scotland @ Croke Park

Sun, 25 Sep. 2011: Pool B: Argentina v. Scotland @ Jade Stadium

Sat, 01 Oct. 2011: Pool B: England v. Scotland @ Eden Park

Scotland’s last test: XV (v. England)

Scotland

Paterson; Danielli, M Evans, Morrison, T Evans; Godman, Blair; Dickinson, Ford, Murray, White, Hamilton, Strokosch, Gray, Taylor, Taylor.

Replacements

Low, De Luca, Cusiter, Southwell, Hall, Hines, Brown