That World Rugby found a way to fine and sanction Scottish Rugby – really, chief executive Mark Dodson, as he was the one making the statements in Yokohama a month ago – should surprise no-one.
Magnus Bradbury had eight or nine days off after the “mental rollercoaster” that was his Rugby World Cup experience, but even that was too long for the big back rower.
Scotland in 2023, at the next World Cup, will have vast experience in some positions. Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell will be 31. Hoggy should be the most capped Scottish player ever by then, and probably the record try-scorer as well.
Scotland’s future is still bright despite the crushing blow of failure to reach the last eight in the Rugby World Cup, says Gregor Townsend – and he still has the stomach for “the best job in the world”.
The “fastest rugby in the world” is a phrase that has come to be a millstone around Scotland under Gregor Townsend, and specifically so after Sunday’s loss to Japan.
The recriminations can wait a little while, a few paragraphs at least. Scotland lost their crunch match with Japan in Yokohama last night due to the whole, undeniable cliché – the Japanese just wanted it more.
Losing out in the pool stages of the Rugby World Cup for only the second time in nine attempts was a bitter blow for Gregor Townsend and the Scotland squad, he admitted after the defeat in Yokohama.
Scotland are out of the Rugby World Cup and Japan deservedly through the quarter-finals after the host nation’s dynamic and entertaining game won the last and maybe best of the pool games in this competition.
Scotland's crunch Rugby World Cup match against Japan will be played on schedule at Yokohama International Stadium.
Stuart Hogg wants to play Japan tonight and doesn’t care where it happens.