Scotland boss Andy Robinson was left fuming following his side's shock defeat against Tonga in Aberdeen on Saturday.
The loss was Scotland's third defeat this November and appears to have undone the progress made during their unbeaten tour of Australia, Fiji and Samoa back in June.
"The performance was totally unacceptable and I'm very angry," said Robinson.
"I'd like to apologise to the fans who turned up here to watch us. There will be consequences as a result of today. We're going to look at everything."
"We knew it was going to be a tough game. They dominated well and fought us at the breakdown. It became disjointed and the game became a fight and a mess."
"This is rugby at the highest level but you've got to deal with it. The performance reflects me as a coach"
Scrum-half Rory Lawson tweeted his disappointment following the match:
"Short of words to describe disappointment. Congrats to Tonga who fought for every inch. Apologies to all Scottish rugby fans. We let u down," said Lawson.
Comments
Ramage says...
Scotland is paying the price for inept administration.They fought against professionalism and seem dominated in their thinking by the outdated conservative public school thinking, so out of date in the modern world. When their administrators found themselves hopelessly in debt, they turned to, of all people the financiers and bankers who have made such a mess of all western societies with their greed and self serving motives. These discredited bankers who took over the SRU did not have the empathy or foresight for the game and the inovators and true rugby men such as Jim Telfer were eased out and their plans cut from the forward looking plan that had been developed. Scotland has struggled ever since. These bankers closed up the Borders team.The only part of the country where the general populace support rugby and are not part of the old Public School clique that run rugby in Scotland.
Rugby has for years been on the decline in Scotland and the fans there don't deserve this shabby treatment by the SRU. Surely they must be the best fans in the world the way they pack out Murrayfield to cheer on their team only to be sent home with another loss.
Can anyone name any Scottish test referee within the last ten years? I fear not, as they too have also lost their way and so nobody of any merit has been forthcoming to referee test rugby. Such a big change from the years before.
If Johnson is the man to bring Scotland out of its doldrums then Lord help them, he might have to help them through the 6 Nations but after that it should be Lineen or someone from further afield.
All is not doom, there are good players but they need pro teams to play for. The rugby development officers put into the regions will, over time, find more players who can be developed further. Referees need to be trained to let the game flow, not be pedantic and realise the players are the game not them.
Posted 01:45 29th November 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
I'm sure there are loads of clubs who'd sign Andy up in a shot.
As far as Scotland goes... You could get Henry, Smith and Hansen in and they wouldn't be able to change them into world beaters. The SRU will not have enjoyed seeing Robinson walk away, where do they go from here? If england can't tempt in a big name, who on earth will Scotland find?
The Scotland question, how far do you go to find the right answer... the radical move is to start at the grass roots and look at how scottish players are developed. Two professional rugby clubs shouldn't be able to give you enough players for a national team, now if they are then something's dreadfully wrong with scottish rugby because nobody is interested in the sport. if there's scope for another professional club and the SRU just can't afford it then the SRU may just have to bite the bullet and declare themselves amatuer and rebuild a more useful domestic league that'll help boost Scottish rugby. Scotland may have to accept they are a minnow nation and reinvent themselves. The sad thing is that the rugby world won;t help them. look at the south sea islands to see what kind of support they can expect. Scotland you are on your own.
Posted 12:02 26th November 2012
PREEST says...
I remember when Scotland was a good side. Gavin and Scot Hastings and the like...I really hope Scotland can rediscover themselves, as even teams like Italy have gone past Scotland. Another wooden spoon in the six nations is on the cards...
Posted 05:44 26th November 2012
jontheref says...
Andy Robinson, so you fell on your sword.
Best of luck, you will find a good club to re energise.
Does this mean scot johnson is now in charge?
God help Scotland!
Posted 17:06 25th November 2012
Ramage says...
Im afraid passtheball is right the game in the NH is slow and pedantic unfit referees dont help. The way in which the gaame is being playedespecially in NZ is to involve backs and forwards in a fast and skilled game. One only needed to watch the ITM Cup teams playing this game at pace and with skill. Until the game speeds up and the skills improve then yes there will be more of these defeats.
Robison failed with England and has failed with Scotland and they were fooled by their win over a second rate OZ team pulled together without any preparation i June a game taht never should have been scheduled and for which partially led to John O'Neill the Oz CEO being sacked again.
Posted 13:43 25th November 2012
passtheball says...
get used to it - there are more to come.
NH rugby is suffocating under pedantic refs and rulings and unimaginative team plans and coaching and a general lack of player skills.
Posted 09:33 25th November 2012