While much of the focus on international rugby has been on
the touring parties of England, Ireland and grand slam champions Wales, it’s
been relatively easy to overlook the achievements of Scotland in the past 2
weeks.
Given the three test series schedules those other home
nations have against the ‘big 3’ southern hemisphere teams, it is reasonably argued that
Scotland have had a pretty easy time of it.
But given the run of 7 successive defeats coming into the first test
against Australia this summer, any tour to the southern hemisphere was going to
provide a stern test for Andy Robinson’s men.
Two games in and Scotland have grabbed two notable victories
in very different circumstances. The
historic win against Australia in shocking conditions in Newcastle was a true
demonstration of an adaptive game plan, a resolute defence and an overcoming of
odds. It maybe wasn’t the best game to
watch, but it was as absorbing as the player’s shorts, heavy after such a
gruelling fight against the wind and rain.
Conditions couldn’t have been more different as the Scots
travelled to Fiji and thoughts of a slip up were very much at the forefront of
people’s minds. Taking on the Fijians is no mean task, just ask the Welsh in
recent years, and playing them in blistering hot weather in their own back yard
was always going to be tough. But
Scotland came through, thanks to a 22 point haul from now firm favourite Greig
Laidlaw and a brace of tries from the much anticipated debutant Tim
Visser. There were some hairy moments
with 15 minutes to go, but a win is a win and 4 tries in a game is a collector’s
item for Scottish fans these days.
The returning Max Evans against Fiji
So that leads us to our next match against Samoa, which
holds perhaps the most significance of the tour so far.
I mentioned a few months ago that Scotland had it all to do
if they had any aspiration of making it into the top 8 of the IRB rankings by
the end of the year and therefore into the top two pools for RWC 2015
selection. Being in the third pool not
only represents poor form for the Scots, but obviously also represents a far
harder prospect when trying to escape the group stages of the World Cup. RWC 2011 in New Zealand was a classic
example, the first time Scotland had been in Pool 3 and were drawn against
Argentina and England, subsequently failing to make it to the quarter finals
for the first time.
It is beyond me as to why the RWC groups are picked so far
in advance. Following the group selections, Scotland beat Argentina twice on tour prior to the world cup, England leap frogged them in the rankings and Scotland got themselves to 7th at one point. That’s an arguement for another day.
Following the 2012 Six Nations, Scotland had 6 tests to pull themselves back
from their lowliest ever position of 12th back into the top 8. After these two victories away from home,
Half the job, in theory, has been done as the latest IRB rankings place them 10th.
The significance of this weekend’s game against Samoa is
that the south sea islanders lie 1 place ahead of Scotland, in 9th. A victory would go a long way to continuing
Scotland’s steady rise up the world pecking order. Should they win, the Scots will be returning
home after a completely successful tour, confidence restored and a renewed
determination to consolidate that magic top 8 spot when the All Blacks, South
Africa and Tonga come to visit Murrayfield in November.
No mean task, but it will be a hell of a lot more achievable
if Saturday’s result goes their way.
Results against the top teams are few and far between, and should be
rightly celebrated when they do come along, but it is paramount for Scotland to
beat those around them if they have any aspirations to contend in the major
tournaments. In that respect, Samoa are the team to beat on this tour. A win
would be priceless.
