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

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.”