Some good games at the weekend there including a solid result for Andy Robinson’s A Team which saw the Scots win their first piece of silverware in years. Rumours of Ruaridh Jackson’s kicking game going AWOL were put to rest with his kicking from tee easing the Scots into a solid lead before some sloppy play at the breakdown let the French back in. Eventually though a nifty wee offload from Ben Cairns put Richie Vernon over the line to seal the victory, and the trophy. Some of the players (like captain Chris Cusiter) will have done their chances of a return to full national honours no harm. Congratulations to the whole squad and coaching staff.
Next up for Robinson is Fiji in the autumn, and his job truly begins. But for now, most of Scotland’s players find their seasons at an end – time for a holiday.
Apart, of course from the doughty Scots holding up the tail end of the Lions squad, who may yet have a role to play. A great – if wildly inconsistent test match on Saturday saw the Lions blown off the park in the first half, only to run back on and do the same to the Springboks for most of the second half. What a difference a scrum makes, and Euan Murray must consider himself very unlucky to pick up an injury at the exact moment his services are required. The bulk of Hines could also be used in the second row. Mike Phillips did little wrong apart from going the same way too often but Blair could be lucky and see the bench in the remaining Test matches. The Lions could definitely have won that test match, but can they win the next one? The challenge will only increase as the Boks aim to plug the holes in their defence left by our centres and will probably leave their front-line troops on the pitch until the game is definitely won, rather than until they think it is won.