ContinueTwenty Four hours after Scotland pulled off a famous win down under and I'm wondering just how good a result it was.
Don't get me wrong. Beating Australia in their own back yard is a magnificent result for the All Blacks, let alone the Scots, who put up such a heroic defensive display that it will go down in Scottish sporting folklore after a horrendous series of results preceding the Wallaby win. But there is a "but," or actually quite a few.
First a fierce storm rolled into New South Wales just in time for the game, with 80mph gusts rendering expansive rugby as impossible.
Ross Ford may have stated that the conditions were the same for both sides, which is true, but they undoubtedly suited the defensive, kicking, non-try-scoring Scots more than an Aussie team who like to play.
It was a game in which the Scots failed to score a try - again - (OK, so did the Wallabies but scoring tries is not normally their problem) and it was a win over a significantly under-strength Australia.
Does all this sound churlish? I stress it will be forever seen as a magnificent win, and that you can only beat the team that runs out against you and, after such a miserable run of form, to show the spirit to travel to Newcastle and beat Australia is a fantastic effort.
Hats off to head coach Andy Robinson, his management team and all the players involved. I just hope this win does not paper over the cracks that resulted in Scotland experiencing their worst world cup and a whitewash in the Six Nations, two tournaments that highlighted the Scots inability to cross the whitewash and their consistent failure to close out games.
Let's hope this monumental win provides the added confidence the Scots so desperately need.
With the likes of Tim Visser soon to be playing on the wing in a blue jersey, and the confidence that Edinburgh's Heineken Cup run and Glasgow's RaboDirect Pro12 success should have provided, the portents are looking better. But let's wait and see. One win will not justify another seven losses.
