Rugby: Beattie suspects Scots’ rankings drop may have forced Robinson’s exit

By BILL LOTHIAN
Published on 30/11/2012 12:00

Andy ROBINSON’S exit as Scotland rugby coach last weekend may have been inevitable the moment the team dropped to 12th place in the world rankings due to a tipping point clause in the 
former England flanker’s 
contract.

That’s the view of former Scotland and Lions cap John Beattie, who has also pinpointed a specific weakness culminating in that 15-21 defeat by Tonga.

“My guess is there was something in the contract,” he said. “If you go down X number 
(of places) there will be 
trouble.”

Beattie added: “He (Robinson) was either half pushed or whatever. You could tell by body language after the game he was on his way out.” Pointing to the Scottish midfield, Beattie said: “(Positions) 10, 12 13 is our weakness. We don’t really create much there.

“We have a good bunch of foraging forwards who probably won’t get stuffed by too many teams but resources are quite small. We don’t have, as has been claimed by our Union, a golden generation. We shouldn’t have put down as our target that we’ll win the next World Cup.

“We are not getting through midfield for tries – it is interceptions or from Visser on the wing.”