It has been confirmed that Scotland Sevens will be representing the land of wild haggis, Nessie and the Buckfast triangle at this years Commonwealth Games. Whether they will send the usual mix of academy players and the legend that is Colin Gregor, or whether they will turn out a team of pro-team ringers as they do at Murrayfield every year remains to be seen. The ringers may be less available given the event takes place smack in the middle of the Magners League season. I can’t see the PRL allowing Hoggy to leave Newcastle for a jaunt to Delhi, can you?
The Heineken Cup pools for next year were announced the other day. Edinburgh have the slightly “easier” group, with Saints (Chunk vs Euge, anyone?), Castres and Cardiff all potentially beatable, while Glasgow get champs Toulose, Wasps and perennial bogey team the Dragons. Again. Could be a good opportunity for Glasgow to gauge the undeniable progress made this year against some top teams. Or it could be painful to watch if the departures of Parks and Brown prove to be costly ones as some are predicting…
Meanwhile Scotland’s U20 team continued their baptism of fire against bigger and better prepared Southern Hemisphere opponents in the U20 World Championships with a 73-0 humping at the hands of the baby Boks, following on from a 58-13 beating by Australia earlier in the week. Next up, Tonga. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right guys?
Good luck to Scotland tomorrow! Good luck to anyone trying to hid from football for the next month or so!
