Karen Koren: Six Nations is a boost for Capital

I don't know the first thing about rugby, other than it has been a huge part of the Scottish sports scene over the years and it is the winter sport of most fee-paying schools. My father and uncle where big rugby players, my Uncle Rolf being asked to play for Scotland back in the early 1950s but was unable to as he was a Norwegian citizen, living in Scotland. So it was with interest I observed that Scotland won their match against Ireland on Saturday and it made for a very happy Edinburgh.

Scotland and Ireland fans mingle before the match at Murrayfield. Picture: SNS

The fact that Scotland was playing Ireland in the Six Nations game made for a very good-humoured crowd. Ireland were favourites to win this year’s Six Nations crown, on the back of their successful Autumn internationals where they beat the mighty All Blacks for the first time.

Vern Cotter, Scotland’s head coach, stated that the match ranked as the best win during his time in charge of the Scottish team. The match was exciting as Scotland had come from behind to win a game in the last ten minutes after totally dominating the first half but hanging on by their fingertips for the whole rest of the game. In the final minutes, the Murrayfield crowd roared Scotland on to win as they scored two late penalties to seal what looked like an unlikely victory for much of the second half.

It was Scotland’s match and it’s a great start to the Six Nations championship and Edinburgh certainly enjoyed the crowds from Ireland, the pubs were filled and even though they lost the Irish took it in good spirit.

A news report last week said that the Six Nations tournament was set to be watched by the highest average attendance per match of any tournament in the world of sport. No wonder then that so many rugby fans come to watch the match live and this is when Edinburgh comes into its own, hosting visitors from all over the world at Hogmanay, the Festival in August and great sporting events such as the Six Nations. The next match Scotland play will be in Paris on Sunday and we wish them the best of luck and hope that their strength on the pitch lives on!