This was a week of gloomy predictions in Scottish sport long before the World Cup draw pitted their footballers against the boys from Brazil. Around Edinburgh yesterday, the general consensus was that life might be easier against Ronaldo than Pieter Rossouw or Os Du Randt at Murrayfield this afternoon. Never mind sabotaging the samba, what fate awaits Scotland's rugby finest against South Africa?
Even Jim Telfer, the proudest Scot of the lot, has lambasted last month's display against Australia as the worst he has ever seen from the national team. Subsequent injuries have further whittled away the management's options and any optimism generated by the return of the captain Rob Wainwright must be balanced against concerns over the brave Lion's match fitness.
If it is any consolation, a Scottish side showing six changes from the 37-8 Wallaby walloping should at least avoid defeat by a second successive record margin. If by any awful chance, today turns out worse than their 44-0 annihilation by the Springboks in 1951, no one will be able to ignore the icy winds of professional reality sweeping through the glens.
From a Scottish perspective, it is a situation crying out for some Mel Gibson-esque oratory and their coach Richie Dixon did his best yesterday.
"It is going to take a tremendously improved performance, particularly in the blood-and-guts department," he said. "Against Australia, I watched people I thought I knew very well go out on to the field after halftime and failed to recognise them in the second-half. We need honesty and commitment to the cause. People have got to stand up and be counted."
Numerous home truths have been delivered to the Scottish squad this week, the omission of the Wasps winger Kenny Logan sending out the clearest possible message that talent and reputation no longer guarantee a place on their own. Attitude is all when resources are slim. Opportunity knocks, then, for the likes of the debutant hooker Gordon Bulloch, a late inclusion for the injured Grant McKelvey. The 22-year-old Glasgow captain played in the Scottish development team's summer win over Northern Transvaal and offers a handy mix of power and mobility.
Then again, so do the mighty Springbok front-row of Du Randt, James Dalton and Adrian Garvey. If that trio dominate the scrums, this week's flood in the Murrayfield shop caused by a burst pipe will seem a minor trickle against the likely torrent of South African points, even in the absence of the injured fly-half Henry Honiball.
