Rugby World Cup: Scotland fans have seen this all before

Dejected Scotland players after losing their pool match to England 16-12. Photo / Natalie Slade

Nobody does losing like Scotland. Nobody. Gallantly. Agonisingly. Honourably. Hopelessly.

Not hopeless in the sense that they cannot play. They might have trouble crossing the field's most important white line with the ball in hand, but they can play. Their hopelessness refers to the feeling they leave their fans.

Few Scots looked as if they were grieving when they filed out of Eden Park on Saturday night - they'd seen it all before.

"I feel very proud about the way our team has gone about and tested very good opposition," said Scots coach Andy Robinson.

Which is precisely how he felt last week.

"Scotland players, the whole 30, have got to take massive pride in the way they have carried themselves in this tournament. The friends that they have made and the way they have gone out and played their rugby," he continued.

Watching them dominate Argentina's vaunted pack on the way to a 12-6 lead in Wellington last weekend, a premature message was sent to a rugby writer of Caledonian heritage who replied: "Don't worry, they'll find a way to [stuff] it up."

Some minutes later, he was proven right.

Up by three against England late into last night's game and awarded an attacking penalty, did Scotland think they might win?

Going for a bomb when they have one of the better lineouts in world rugby suggests that they had run out of any ideas as to how they might actually score a try.

When all else fails, stick the ball into the mixer and see which way it squirts out.

Without taking away from the skill England showed in not only cleaning the pill up, but advancing it the length of the field in the next couple of minutes, it almost seemed pre-ordained.

"I thought England were very clinical when they had their chance," said Scotland captain Alastair Kellock. "We played a lot of rugby, we chucked ourselves at them, we created a few opportunities and we didn't take them."

Scotland haven't taken any try-scoring opportunities since the final minutes of their opening game against Romania.

They have nothing to offer on attack except putting it on the toe and hoping. When it went through the hands the attack looked wooden. Nobody has told them that throwing an inside ball works only when the first receiver has taken it to the line, not throwing it five metres in front of the defensive wall.

The Scots have some ability. You don't dominate teams as good as Argentina and England for long periods by being clueless. You hope Robinson will be given more time as he has his side playing some nice patterned football, particularly from numbers one to nine. But he is a Sassenach who has led Scotland to their worst World Cup result, so he must now be under pressure.

Really, though, if they want to be anything more than bravehearted losers, they have to find some players in jerseys 10 to 15 who can beat a man; players who can score a try.

Without tries there is no hope.