48 minutes ago
1
Much of what Gregor Townsend had to say over the past month didn’t really make a whole lot of sense. Deflection, denial, delusion - it was all in there.
He saved the best for last. After Scotland’s win over a hapless Tonga side last Sunday, he was asked to reflect on the autumn series as a whole.
Would he accept that the campaign was a failure, given the defeats to New Zealand and Argentina? Those were the only two games that mattered.
‘I don’t know if there’s an entitlement around us beating the All Blacks and Argentina - these are top-quality teams,’ said Townsend. ‘We have no right to beat any team.
‘Coaches aren’t too important and relevant in team performance at times. We learn game to game. I’ve never been more convinced [that this team is moving forward].’
The line about entitlement wasn’t just clumsy. It was completely and utterly tone deaf. A slap in the face to all Scotland fans who paid top dollar for tickets over recent weeks.
Gregor Townsend seemed to be suggesting that Scotland fans expected too much during autumn series
Scotland somehow managed to blow a 21-point lead against Argentina at Murrayfield
For the All Blacks match, some tickets were priced well in excess of £100. Tickets for the Argentina game weren’t exactly cheap either.
Come along, fork out your hard-earned cash, have a great day out - but don’t expect Scotland to actually *win* these games. Perish the thought.
Expecting Scotland to be able to see out a 21-point lead against Argentina has nothing to do with a sense of entitlement.
In fact, it was perfectly reasonable to expect they should win the game from that position. Good teams don’t capitulate like that.
Likewise, there was no entitlement around the feeling that Scotland blew a massive chance against New Zealand.
The All Blacks were eminently beatable, as demonstrated by England the following week.
Townsend’s comments only sought to excuse his own failings.
They were completely at odds with what he said only a few weeks earlier heading into the series.
He declared that Scotland were in absolutely tip-top shape, the best they’ve been throughout his eight years in charge.
So how can he then have a pop at fans for apparently expecting too much?
Townsend's team never had a better opportunity to beat New Zealand, but still fell short
The feeling grows among many fans that Gregor Townsend has run his race as Scotland head coach
He washes his hands of all responsibility and claims that coaches can only have a certain level of influence?
Nonsense. Ultimately, nothing that happened over Scotland’s autumn campaign dispelled the feeling that Townsend has run his race as head coach.
If anything, that feeling has only grown stronger heading into a Six Nations campaign which starts in early February with a daunting trip to face Italy in Rome.
The SRU will hold their AGM today and there’s little doubt that chief executive Alex Williamson will offer his full support to Townsend.
It’s with this lack of leadership and accountability that the whole thing falls down. Townsend is finished.
It’s clear as day. The only people who can’t see it are those who should be showing him the door.
