I'm so down hearted today after the rugby yesterday. Not that we deserved to win against Argentina but everybody I meet today are more upset for the Irish team than "les bleus". The French had already written of their team weeks ago but of all the countries left at the weekend Ireland were definetly the favourites.After our group win last week the locals looked forward to playing "les blacks" rather than Argentina. There was a very small hope that maybe they could repeat the win in 2007 and that a real French team would turn up. However after the massacre on Saturday all our hopes were on Ireland. It was depressing to say the least.
We choke when it comes to the big occasion against Southern Hemisphere teams. Our record against Argentina is good but not in World Cups (played 4 times. won 1). We are kidding ourselves to think of going further. In the North we play one style of rugby, in the South they play a better style. There the fifteen man game is learnt, here it's always forwards and backs. Slow and steady, grinding out a win, boring the spectators to sleep. Why has the Mexican wave been so predominant, because the spectators are so fed up with what they are seeing on the pitch!
When will we finally get a team (and a trainer) who wants total rugby, a fifteen man game of touch rugby, moving the ball quickly, playing attractive rugby. Then we'll compete against the teams from the South. Against New Zealand played 28, lost 27. Against Australia played 32, lost 21. Against South Africa played 22, lost 15. Against Argentina played 16, lost only 6.
I would feel prouder being Scottish today, a team that were written off before the competition, cheated out of a well deserved win against Australia. Maybe I'll have to follow soccer if the Republic can join their neighbours here in France for Euro 2016. Come on you boys in green (whichever shade)!!