FORGIVE the Diary for being cynical, but surely we have to reappraise our Scottish willingness to be quite so proud and happy in defeat. First of all the All Blacks scored 62 points against Scotland in the first Test down under. We at this desk were taken in by it all, proud that the Scots had posted the highest ever score against the New Zealanders.

Remember, of all Scotland's games on this tour they have only played against one first division provincial side, Waikato, and they lost to them too. Everyone seems to have forgotten for a moment that the All Blacks scored sixty two points in the first Test!

Sixty two! It was a disgrace to concede so many points, and no matter some of the naive utterings of those in charge it has to be seen for what it truly was and that is an utter thumping.

Then Scotland ``battled'', as they always do, and were ``brave'' as they always are, but were ``disappointed'', as per flaming usual, on the soccer pitch. There is a huge difference between battling away bravely and winning, and we should be fed up by now of watching Scottish teams battle bravely and lose.

It is simply not good enough, and just goes to prove how poor we are at sport in this country. The sporting Dairy thinks that a re-think is needed throughout sport to get this country to win a little more often. Sport is important and it must be given more priority in the schools which are turning out the most unfit kids we have ever seen. There, got it off the chest.

q GRAEME Thompson, Glasgow city council's rugby league development officer, has confirmed to the Herald that he is trying to bring rugby league to Glasgow in the summer time.

``I am looking to start a summer rugby league competition next year, using existing rugby union players and facilities.'' says Thompson. ``It would be purely amateur, and running between April and August.''

Thompson, who sits across a desk that also houses Shade Munro, the rugby union development offices, has also told the Herald that professional rugby league is investigating the use of Scottish football clubs as homes for Scottish based teams, and both Clyde and Partick Thistle have been approached to stage a Scotland versus Ireland rugby league international.

q AH, the fun and games of the off season. Dougie Wyllie, the international back, is no longer joining Heriots as backs player coach, instead he is to join Currie from Stew Mel. Heriots coach Kenny Milne, we hear, has been doing rather well on the telephone approaching, among others, Glasgow Accies second row Stephen Begley to join the Goldenacre club.

And GHK have been examining a hit list of players which includes, as does every other hit list in the country, the three Stirling County players who will join anyone if the price is right. There's something wrong at Stirling County and the Diary wishes it could put its finger on it.

Little cracker

I WAS invited to a megarugbyfest in Netherpollock - a great day to promote rugby. I signed autographs as never before for kids who don't play too much rugby.

``By the way big man,'' asked one small chap who had insisted on having his forehead signed while he gazed longingly at my hub caps, ``Who the **** are you anyway?''