Rugby World Cup: 'No room for excuses after Ireland defeat', warns Scotland legend Gavin Hastings

Scotland legend Gavin Hastings said it was a “sad indictment” that Gregor Townsend felt his side lacked “energy” and “aggression” at the start of a World Cup they have been preparing to take part in for months.
Gavin Hastings reckons there can be no excuses from Scotland from now onGavin Hastings reckons there can be no excuses from Scotland from now on
Gavin Hastings reckons there can be no excuses from Scotland from now on

The listless start against the world No 1 Irish at the Yokohoma led to nothing short of a humiliation on the world stage as the men in green coasted to a 27-3 win in the Pool A opener.In the immediate aftermath of the humbling, Hastings took to Twitter to reply to his former team-mate Andy Nicol.Former scrum-half Nicol had tweeted: “That just sums up our performance today, too many mistakes, not clinical enough!”To which Hastings responded: “Sadly we weren’t even good enough to get to clinical!! Let’s hope next time up we are so on both counts. Well played Ireland.”Speaking to The Scotsman on behalf of Land Rover, Official Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2019, Hastings was still scratching his head over where it all went wrong, and so quickly.“It’s the manner of the defeat that’s hard to bear,” said the former Lions and Scotland captain, who played in the 1987, 1991 and 1995 World Cups.“I don’t know how good Ireland are. They certainly looked good but, then, we were so bad. We just didn’t look like being competitive at any point. It is baffling.“The World Cup is the Olympics of our sport and the players must be very fit after all the training they’ve been doing so they should have come out firing, but they didn’t.“Listen, bottom line, I’m an optimistic person but it’s difficult to avoid the negativity. There was a bit of optimism going into this tournament, which may have been a bit misplaced and now seems very misplaced. But it’s not over.”Hastings is in no doubt that Townsend’s men do, though, find themselves in a very tight spot now, with the physical challenge of the Samoans to come in Kobe on Monday and then, if the Pacific Islanders and then Russia can be beaten, a fearsome pool finale back in Yokohama against the hosts looming.“We’re now in a knock-out situation. There’s no way back now, no room for error and no room for excuses.”Hastings enjoyed a glorious career, with seven Lions Test appearances if you include the one against the World XV at Cardiff in 1986 adding to the 61 caps he won for Scotland.He had some tough defeats too, though, and made it clear: “I’m not going to jump on any bandwagon of criticism because it’s not going to achieve anything.“Of course there is a chance to rectify the situation, there always is but there is no doubt that, having lost the opening game, it’s never an easy path.”Hastings was part of the 1991 team who achieved Scotland’s best ever World Cup finish when they beat then Western Samoa at Murrayfield in the quarter-finals to go on to finish fourth after a tight loss to New Zealand in the third-pace play-off.The Samoans were the darlings of the tournament after they had shocked Wales at the old Cardiff Arms Park to send the men in red to a humiliating pool-stage exit.Their raw physicality and free style of play was seen as something new back then. Well not exactly new, the South Sea Island teams’ flair was well known but, finally, this was as a side who could truly hurt the big nations.Brian “The Chiropractor” Lima, the youngest player and the first of his five World Cups, and company came to Edinburgh with a swagger but the grizzled Scots, much of whom had won the Grand Slam just over a year previous, laid down an early marker.From full-back, Hastings launched in to join his forwards at the back of a maul which drove the Samoans back at a rate of knots. It set the tone and Scotland subdued the upstarts 28-6 to set up a semi-final with England.“The boys will need to be up for it against Samoa,” said Hastings. “They played them four years ago [the 36-33 win in Newcastle which got Scotland out of the pool] and that was a close run thing.“Our gameplan, such as it is, needs to be spot on.”Hastings will be travelling out to Japan in time for the third pool game against Russia in Hamamatsu, which you would think would be earmarked for his stand-off son Adam to follow in his father’s footsteps and make a World Cup starting appearance as Finn Russell is rested for the Japan crunch just four days after.“I’m looking forward to getting out there,” said Hastings. “I have been to Japan once before but it was way back in the mists of time.“In 1987 I went out to play for a Japan President’s XV against the World Cup-winning All Blacks,” he recalled. “They were touring Japan and their captain David Kirk had brought the full strength squad out. I remember me, JJ [John Jeffrey] and Iwan Tukalo went out and played the game at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium. There were some English, Welsh and Irish lads too.“I don’t remember much about the city, it’s a hell of a long time ago. But I remember we had a bloody good time, as we always did in those good old days of amateurism. I’m looking forward to getting some fresher memories of Japan.“It’s certainly been a fantastic start to the tournament. I watched the France v Argentina and the All Blacks-Springboks games and they were both crackers.“The crowds look fantastic, great stadiums and I think already it looks like it’s going to be a tremendous success. It’s brilliant for Japan.”

Glasgow youngster nets World Cup mascot place

Glasgow youngster Jack Sharman was chosen as the first Official Mascot for the Rugby World Cup 2019, courtesy of Official Worldwide partner, Land Rover.

Gavin Hastings reckons there can be no excuses from Scotland from now onGavin Hastings reckons there can be no excuses from Scotland from now on
Gavin Hastings reckons there can be no excuses from Scotland from now on
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 12-year-old Marr RFC starlet was successfully chosen by a star-studded rugby panel comprising 2003 World Cup-winner Lewis Moody, and current internationals Anthony Watson, Leigh Halfpenny, George North, and Scotland's Huw Jones for demonstrating how they embody the values of rugby during a Land Rover UK organised grassroots festival at Bath Rugby’s training ground, Farleigh House.

After being selected, Jack was presented with a bespoke ceremonial Rugby World Cup 2019 Land Rover cap, one of just nine caps presented to selected mascots from the UK.

He lead Scotland out when they played Ireland at the International Stadium Yokohama on Sunday.

• Land Rover is official Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2019. With over 20 years of heritage supporting rugby at all levels, Land Rover is celebrating what makes rugby, rugby. #LandRoverRugby