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Scots to face Auld Enemy in World Cup

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Published Date: 02 December 2008
By Gareth Black
SCOTLAND will face England in the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 20 years after being paired with the Auld Enemy in Pool B for the 2011 event in New Zealand.
Scotland will also face Argentina, another European country and a play-off winner. Scotland coach Frank Hadden said: "It's a good draw and one that gives Scotland every chance of maintaining our proud record of being one of only five countries to qualify for the quarter-final of every World Cup."

Scotland's only previous World Cup meeting with England was the 1991 semi-final at Murrayfield, which finished 9-6 to the visitors. England coach Martin Johnson said: "Playing Scotland in the World Cup will be a hell of a game, with huge passion."


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The full article contains 152 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 02 December 2008 9:04 AM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Daft Old Git,

02/12/2008 00:23:32
Great draw. The two teams from the top 8 that we managed to beat last year
2

Helen,

02/12/2008 08:42:03
Hopefully both teams can do really well. It makes for an interesting group....
3

,

02/12/2008 08:52:49
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
4

Lederblix,

02/12/2008 09:50:02
Don't discount the others in group B - the way some of the so-called 'minnows' are improving we'd better beware of potential banana skins - if teams like Georgia find some funding they could be serious opposition in 3 years time.
5

Who?,

02/12/2008 11:08:31
The way sport goes 3 years is a very long time. The fortunes of all 3 teams could be vastly different from the present.

Could we have a situation were scotland are supporting england to win by a big margin?
6

P Rayner.,

Latin America. 02/12/2008 12:15:44
Isn´t it about time to bury this infantile auld enemy nonsense? To perpetuate such rubbish in the year 2008 is tiresome. As for the draw I don´t see it as good for Scotland.Its probable that England will prove too strong and Argentina recently have been much stronger than Scotland.Three years is a long time and Scots by then might be world beaters. History suggests not.I suggest it may have been better for Scots to face one strong SH team, then three weaker ones.
7

the bard,

edinburgh 02/12/2008 12:40:00
#7

i dont agree at all; putting aside the fact that the competition is 3 years away; Scotland are more likely to play above themselves against England and win than against any other team. As for the Argies; well, we have this year's World Cup defeat to avenge. Also, we were always going to be up against two highly ranked teams, given our seeding.

I am just glad we have avoided New Zealand, who we always seem to meet at some stage and get thrashed!

All in all, i think it was as good a draw as we could have hoped for.
8

Osama Bin Liner,

edinburgh 02/12/2008 12:44:40
Seems a bit of a waste of time interviewing Johnson - try guessing who'll be in charge of England at the time and asking them.

This season will determine whether Frank's in for the long haul.

9

Swanny,

Sao Paulo 02/12/2008 13:06:24
Scotland have always played better when they had more competitive matches in the group stage, rather than a World power. I'm thinking the years we played France and Ireland. Argentina and England are both going to spur the team on towards believing they could qualify. For the fans to there is a chance.
Anybody know if the games will be in Dunedin?
10

P Rayner.,

Latin America. 02/12/2008 13:16:08
8.I take your points as good ones. Certainly we would all wish to avoid NZ. However,on present form I still think it might have been better for Scots to accept one of the SH teams in return for facing three lesser ones. Ofcourse Argentina remain a mystery but their recent rapid progress, if maintained, will prove difficult, though less so than the big three, for Scots.Then they´ll face England . And no matter how Scots might raise their game defeat is likely. I should have thought that England will prove to be THE most difficult UNSEEDED team to meet, especially bearing in mind its record in the WC. . Thats why I think it not a good draw for Scotland, TWO difficult matches in which it will not be favoured to win.
11

Doc Martin,

Dundee 02/12/2008 13:17:42
Here's my take...

3 years is a very, very long time and all the chat about our oppositions is not going to make one bit of difference. All you can bet on is expect both England and Argentina to be very competitive.

Lederblix is also right... every match will be tough and the Georgia's etc will make life difficult for all the seeds. Just ask Ireland.

What makes me so optimistic for the future is what I have seen recently.....
The introduction of Lineen and Robinson and the addition on Steadman and Brewster. We have a good balance of coaching philosophies and the chemistry appears to be good, and without sounding churlish, it seems to be limiting the damage that Frank Hadden can impose on the team. He appears a very nice man but I am almost positive he is not up to the task. I firmly believe that the talent is there. We are just one man manager away from a very competitive squad.

12

P Rayner.,

Latin America. 02/12/2008 13:27:44
Ofcourse three years is a long time. I would hope and expect England to be much stronger than now. They´ve had a difficult baptism under Johnson, against the big three. In the 6 nations I expect a better return. The Scots relationship with Hadden remains uncertain and they will be looking for a competent 6 nations.Ireland are getting old,with Wales doing OK. Australia not too good, NZ not as good as they think they are and SA face political interference. For me France are the dark horses. But who knows?
13

Farmernot,

02/12/2008 14:27:57
Reality is ........We're home before the postcards
14

graeme mac,

land of the bog and the little people 02/12/2008 15:10:15
great draw for scotland.
agree with most posts here. lots will change in next 3 years- managers/coaches, playing personnel, approach etc.
one thing that definitely wont change is the natural desire for any opposition to beat England.
it is a waste of time for the dreamers to think it will be ever thus!
15

Doc Martin,

Dundee 02/12/2008 15:15:37
ExpatNI

Couldn't agree more. If, and while not a big if, a sizable if, the talent that is coming through is correctly coached, nurtured and given every opportunity to reach their potential, we have the makings of a very good squad indeed!
16

JCA REID,

Annan 02/12/2008 16:21:08
If & it's a "BIG IFFF", Scotland gets through the Pool stages it will mean a quarter-final match against either New Zealand or France.
It will probably be NZ as the Runners Up in the Pool.
Should be home just when the postcards are arriving!!
17

P Rayner.,

Latin America. 02/12/2008 18:10:29
I think it may be true that much opposition like to beat England. Its nice to be so respected, for thats what the English are, especially in south America. Englands wonderful history and its prominence in world sport probably have something to do with that. Though obviously less successful these days,that old aura still exists.
18

Jim Doonhamer,

Cardiff 02/12/2008 20:02:16
Unlikely that Frank will still be around - I hope he is!!, but which side is he going to put the 2nd XV out against this time?
19

Jock Rafferty,

BVI west Indies 03/12/2008 01:31:04
Think it is a great draw. Its a long time to go and Johnson will be long gone. Agree with everybody the better the teams the better we become. COME ON SCOTLAND !!!!!!!!!!!
20

Lederblix,

03/12/2008 10:47:32
Playing England in NZ, esp if it's somewhere like Dunedin, will be like a home match, so that's worth a few points. When we play the Kiwis we know we're going to be beaten - Scottish psyche - but when we play England away from twickers we know we should be beaten and then we remember Bannockburn and say sod them, lets slaughter the bastards (nothing personal). As for their coach, I think that iconic player though MJ undoubtedly was he may not be a natural coach, in which case I hope he sticks around for a few years.
21

Dr Drikus van Panzerfest, Saffer Shrink,

03/12/2008 23:01:39
You know this game will inevitably be refereed by some professional Welsh jock hating git like Rolland-McDonald?

If some of these hyperventilating whistle blowers who ruin Scotland's progress began making up weird, random penalties for foul play and screaming them out whilst mic'd up I'd really laugh.

Referee comments along the lines of "If you enter the ruck from the side one more time I'm going to stop the game and go and stroke one out" would be great. I'd handle Scotland losing better then.

 

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