Opinion

Long ago, in the amateur days, Andy Irvine remarked that, while Scotland’s first XV had a chance of beating anybody, a second XV would lose to the second XV of most of their rivals, and a Scotland third XV would most likely be slaughtered.

After the fixture list was announced by the SPFL earlier today, we look at nine of the most keenly anticipated matches in the new Ladbrokes Premiership season.

It’s that time of year again. The SPFL have released the fixtures for the upcoming football season and, along with anticipation building around the wonders of what could lie in wait, there has been a healthy dollop of bleating to go along with it. Tradition is tradition after all.

The Olympics could learn a lot from the World Cup. No drawn out, storied pageants tracing the history of Russia back to the Palaeolithic 
period, just a bit of B-list yodelling from Robbie Williams in working men’s club mode, accompanied by the much 
finer tonsils of Russian soprano Aida Garifullina. Twenty minutes. Done. And that included erecting and removing the set. Budget opening ceremonies R us.

Rangers have signed the centre-back on a four-year contract for a fee believed to be around £2million. Here’s everything you need to know about the club’s fifth summer signing

Yesterday’s six-run victory over England at the Grange has been called the greatest result in Cricket Scotland’s history - but what other results run it close?

David Milinkovic endeared himself to the Hearts support with his performances last season, now fans are pining for the club to bring the player back to Tynecastle explains Joel Sked.

Back in February Chris Harris enjoyed his first cap for Scotland in the opening match of the Six Nations. I say “enjoyed” but in truth the Newcastle
Falcon had a miserable time of it at 
outside centre. He looked completely out of his depth; scorched by the red-hot intensity of the game in Cardiff. Yesterday morning in Edmonton, Harris was selected at outside centre for his second start for Scotland and he did pretty well. He snaffled one early turnover to win a penalty inside the Canadian 22 but then he also lost the ball in contact inside the opposition red zone.

So, Lionel Messi, what kind of season did you have for your club… you’re not too tired for the World Cup, I hope? Let’s see: in 
2017-18 you became the first player to score 350 La Liga goals. You notched your 100th goal in Euro competition, quickly followed by your 100th in the Champions League. You achieved 600 appearances for Barcelona. You broke Gerd Muller’s record for the most goals with one club. You followed that with your 600th Barca goal. You matched Ronaldinho’s record for the most Barca strikes direct from free-kicks in a single campaign. You finally made Gianluigi Buffon fish the ball out of the net, scoring against him for the first time.

Alone among what we used to call the Dominions, Canada has never established itself as a rugby power. South Africa and New Zealand have been for much of rugby’s history the two strongest teams, with Australia not far behind. All three have won the World Cup more than once. But Canadian rugby has never promised much. No doubt this is partly on account of geography, the two rugby-playing provinces, Ontario and British Columbia being far apart, and no doubt it is also on account of the savage Canadian winter. Be that as it may, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have rarely fielded a full-strength side against Canada.

The lowdown on centre-back Connor Goldson who is set to sign for Rangers on a permanent deal from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Deep in the bowels of Estadio Azteca in the early hours of Sunday morning, a relieved-looking Alex McLeish was asked if he would do it all again. Yes, he said. Yes he would. But then the caveats arrived.

Everything Aberdeen fans should know about their new midfield playmaker.

Everything you need to know about the 20-year-old midfielder, who is set to join Rangers on loan from Liverpool for the duration of the 2018/19 season.

Hearts have added more depth to their midfield with the signing of Aussie Ryan Edwards from Partick Thistle on a two-year deal. Here’s everything Hearts fans need to know about their eight summer recruit...

For a nation which still boasts far too many coach potatoes, Scotland has proved itself more than adept when staging major sporting events.

Andy Goram has become the first — though probably not the last — ex-Rangers star to call for Steven Gerrard to play next season. Craig Fowler explains why that’s not a good idea

“Football is a ballet for the masses.” This phrase belongs to Dmitri Shostakovich, an outstanding Russian composer and pianist. It gives this magical extravaganza a mesmerizing Russian “Bolshoi” twist.

Joel Sked gives his take on Scotland’s much maligned friendlies with Peru and Mexico which ended in 2-0 and 1-0 defeats respectively.