The Calcutta Cup
Posted in Sport with tags Calcutta Cup, Murrayfield, rugby, SRU on March 10, 2008 by thekiltmanFinally! Scotland won a rugby match at the weekend! We beat the English! No tries were scored again, but a confident team performance saw the English well beaten by a score of 15-9. It was a cold damp day in Edinburgh, conditions which always seem to suit the Scottish team. I’ve now been at Murrayfield for three matches against the English, and I’ve seen three victories. In 2000, 2006, and now 2008. And on all three occassions the weather was damp, cold and generally inclement.
Standing for the players to come out, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and suddenly I felt we could win for the first time all week. Flower Of Scotland was sung loudly and proudly, with more passion than I can recall from any other match recently.
The game started in the pouring rain, and I could tell we were looking better than the previous three weeks. This game was won with a strong confident performance. The victory never looked in doubt, and it was so nice to get a win. The English were all depressed, very glum and sad. I think they thought they would just have to turn up to beat us. Great to see them so depressed about the result
And why do I hate the English so? On the morning of the game my friend and I were walking down a street in Edinburgh, all dressed up in kilt and rugby gear. This middle aged guy walks towards us, and snarls in a heavy English accent ‘You guys have absolutely NO chance this afternoon’. ‘Thanks pal’, I responded. Not a hint of banter or humour in his comment, it was all malice. I wish I could have met him again that night
But one Swallow does not make the summer, so whilst it was great to win, Scottish Rugby as been under performing this season. So I think it will be more telling to see what happens next weekend in Rome. Another performance like this next week, and indeed we may have turned the corner. If the team under performs next week, then I think the SRU will be looking for a new coach.
Oh, and on the way back to Amsterdam, I finally bought the headphones at the airport!