On Rugby So Far in 2019

The Six Nations is over.

Scotland will be a bit disappointed with the outcome. I know I am.

When I looked at our form in the last 24 months and the schedule of the games I had hoped that we would do better than 5th. Playing most of the tournament with our 3rd XV didn't help but we should have won the game against Ireland and we probably ought to have managed the last 3 minutes of the England game a little smarter. Hey ho.

Looking ahead to the World Cup in Japan in the autumn I'm less concerned today than I was at the beginging of the Six Nations.  Scotland need to (in order)

1) finish in the top 3 in our group, by beating Russia & Samoa (therefore qualifying for the 2023 competion)

2) finish in the top 2 in our group, by beating everyone  in our group, except either Ireland or Japan (therefore qualifying for the knock-out stages and being knocked out by New Zealand)

3) finish top in our group by beating everyone in our group (thereby playing South Africa in the second round, with a 50:50 chance of reaching the semi-finals and playing Australia in the semi-finals.

I'm happier, now,  that Ireland are beatable. By Scotland.

So a few warms up tests in the summer, then off to Japan.

Meanwhile, I'm off to watch Edinburgh in the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup on the 30th and Boroughmuir RFC U-18's in the under-18's  Scottish Cup final on the 31st, both at Murrayfield.