--- title: "2023 10 09" date: 2023-10-09T09:48:41+01:00 draft: false tags: ['rugby'] --- If you're a Scotland rugby fan, you can't help but be embarrassed by their performance against Ireland on Saturday (a sorry 36-14 loss), for the following reasons. - The pre-match arrogance ("we will end their winning run" - Blair Kinghorn) - The failure to take points on offer in the first ten minutes - The absolute and total acceptance of defeat within twenty minutes (whenever Ireland scored their second try) - The players in tears on the bench (Kinghorn again) - The trip on Jonny Sexton by Ollie Smith and the smirking when given the yellow card - The pathetic handbags following the trip and little push by Sexton - The total lack of creativity and ideas in the face of an admittedly great defence - The Finn Russell being a bit of an arse once given the captain's armband There are probably many more reasons. I get the difficulty of the task, but as ever, Scotland made it far more difficult for themselves thanks to what seem to be endemic shortcomings. I think it will take years to rebuild. Scotland have probably hit their ceiling and the only way is statis for a few years. Perhaps a decade, given the lack of kids coming through. Ref: - [We understand Scotland fans' disappointment](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/scottish) - [A total slating by Tom English](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67047942) - [BBC Match Report](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67043564)