Flower of Scotland is really a dreadful dirge. The one time it is acceptable, however, is when England come to Murrayfield. ‘Tis 30 years since I first attended the Calcutta Cup. That was a 9-9 draw courtesy of the English prop Colin Smart who, in the dying moments, yapped at the referee causing a Scotland penalty to be advanced into the English half and therefore just within Andy Irvine’s range. The great man duly kicked the goal to earn a draw. Happy, relieved times. The following year I visited Twickenham for the first time and, lord, if you had told my eight year old self that would be the last Scottish victory in south-west London for 30 years, that wee boy would have wept. Then there was 1984 which was braw, 1986 which was astonishing (though I wasn’t present on that occasion) and, of course, the daddy of them all: 1990.
Since then: bleak times, with just three triumphs over the white jerseys. Notionally, Scotland are slight favourites for tomorrow’s encounter, a status which is enough to induce much fretting and doubt. I rather like the look of this English side and fear they are up to no good. They are in the odd position of having everything to play for and little to lose. This makes them dangerous. Here’s to a cracking game which ends with Lee Jones, the 13th Selkirk RFC man to be capped, scoring the winning try for Scotland.
Since it’s the 30th anniversary of my first Calcutta Cup, I offer a Friday afternoon parlour game diversion: the best composite Scottish and English XVs I have seen, 1982-2012. First the Scots:
15 Gavin Hastings, 14 Andy Irvine, 13 Gregor Townsend, 12 Jim Renwick, 11 Alan Tait, 10 John Rutherford, 9 Gary Armstrong, 1 Tom Smith, 2 Colin Deans (Capt), 3 Iain Milne, 4 Nathan Hines, 5 Doddie Weir, 6 John Jeffrey, 7 David Leslie, 8 Simon Taylor
Some positional shenanigans have been needed to get the best players on the field in the back division. I was very sad to leave out David Johnston, Roger Baird, Roy Laidlaw, Iain Paxton, David Sole, Derek White, Jason White and Chris Paterson. If you insisted upon a mite more orthodoxy, I would play Baird on the wing and move Irvine to full-back.
And the English:
15 Josh Lewsey, 14 Jason Robinson, 13 Jeremy Guscott, 12 Will Greenwood, 11 Rory Underwood, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Nigel Melville, 1 Jason Leonard, 2 Brian Moore, 3 Phil Vickery, 4 Martin Johnson (Capt), 5 Paul Ackford, 6 Richard Hill, 7 Neil Back, 8 Dean Richards.
Rob Andrew is very unlucky to miss out. This will, naturally, pain him. Ditto Lawrence Dallaglio.
As for tomorrow: writers and commentators are reminded there is no requirement to lard your copy with trite references to Alex Salmond (who will be at the game) and his independence referendum. Points, in fact, will be awarded fro resisting this temptation.
Meanwhiile, in the other games I expect France to marmalise Italy and hope Ireland treat the Welsh likewise.
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