A return to the knockout stages of the World Cup was very welcome for Scotland after the disappointment of missing out for the first time ever in 2011, but 17 years after we reached the finals of a major tournament in our national sport comparison with the football equivalent of this tournament is sobering.
Japan’s performance in the same pool as Scotland was one thing, but the rate of progress being made by the entirely homegrown Georgians and Romanians was at least as ominous.
By combining their voting power the Celtic countries may be able to protect themselves artificially for a little longer by keeping these teams out of Europe’s top competition but if World Rugby does its job ways will be found to give them the necessary exposure to be properly competitive at future global gatherings.
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