Optimism not high in Scottish rugby circles

EDINBURGH - Many in Scotland and nearly all of New Zealand might be in the dark about the home rugby team for the final test of the All Blacks' Grand Slam tour this weekend.

Forget household names like Andy Irvine, Gavin Hastings and Finlay Calder -- this current team are largely mystery men to the general rugby public as Scottish rugby battles through a low period in its history.

Less than 15,000 turned out to watch Scotland stagger home 18-11 over Samoa at Murrayfield yesterday as the All Blacks loom large in their Grand Slam bid this weekend.

Scotland won just one of their five Six Nations matches this year, against Italy.

In Edinburgh there is little expectation of success, summed up by rugby writer David Ferguson in The Scotsman today.

He wrote: "One would contest that next weekend, looking like a Grand Slam parade for the tourists, will teach us little more than we know already because this (Samoa) game showed exactly where the current Scotland team are -- rightly ranked 10th in the world, nine places and light years behind the All Blacks and, it would seem, lucky to be two places above Samoa."

Of the likely starters, only halfback Chris Cusiter and No 8 Simon Taylor toured New Zealand with the Lions - Taylor didn't play due to injury.

"I haven't had a look at them at all, I need to get back to the hotel, jump on the computer and check out the game against Samoa," admitted likely All Blacks No 8 Mose Tuiali'i today.

"It is pretty tough, not knowing too much about them.

"I know the passion and love for the game they have over here so they're going to be up for it."

Other notables are fullback Chris Paterson, who brought up 400 test points yesterday, lock Scott Murray and flanker Jason White, while All Blacks backs coach Steve Hansen singled out brothers Rory and Sean Lamont as big, fast wingers.

Thirteen of the Scotland squad play in former All Blacks captain Todd Blackadder's Edinburgh Gunners team, which plays in the Heineken Cup.

Blackadder took Hansen and fellow assistant coach Wayne Smith on a covert spying mission to Murrayfield yesterday and Hansen said it just confirmed what he knew already.

"The key people are well known to us -- White, Murray, Paterson, Cusiter... The other big factor is Mick Byrne worked here," Hansen said. Byrne is the current All Blacks kicking coach.

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