My first article in university paper!

A copy of my first published article in a newspaper.

I am very grateful for the opportunity in the sports section (even it they did include a Match Results add on with the wrong result) and looking forward to next weeks piece.

Thanks to the Gaudie Newspaper.

Dismal display

Wales 2 Scotland 1

Above is the men's national football team's latest result (if you didn't already know!) What baffles me as a sportswoman is certain peoples obsession with continuing to always blame performances on the manager. If my hockey coach changed monthly there would be absolutely no consistency or belief among the squad. Levein is giving it his best but perhaps it is the players who have not performed well enough in these big games? Take one look at the standard of the SPL compared to the PL and there is no comparison. One has worldwide following, lots of money, foreign players whereas the other not so much. Perhaps, our squad is just not good enough? What do we as a nation need to do to successfully produce homegrown talent? Remember our Olympians and Paralympians? We certainly have sporting talent in our small nation and can compete on the world stage. So how can we produce this on the football pitch? How can Scotland get back up the rankings to the good old days? Maybe we need to take a look at our national health statistics and realise more sport has to be played than moaned about.

I admit this is a generalization here and that the country can produce and has produced world class footballers but frankly there are not enough. Look at the women's squad reaching the Euro playoffs against Spain for the second time running this weekend under Anna Signeul who has been in the job since 2005 - that is 7 years in the job showing a managerial post is not an overnight success!

Scotland loose to a team ranked one below them in the FIFA world rankings and again it is an outcry of "sack the manager". Wales are ranked 57 and Scotland 56 and I understand these are only numbers and we were 1-0 up and lost two goals in the final ten minutes but what continuity and confidence will be brought to the squad now if we don't at least give Levein a chance until the end of the campaign? Serbia ranked 33  in the world and we draw 0-0 and so it is "sack the manager". Macedonia 1-1 and it's all the managers fault that we cannot beat a lower ranked team.  

Now, do not get me wrong there was that dodgy tactic with no player up front in Prague but Levein has proven himself as a top class footballer on the pitch and a successful manager winning SPL manager of the month 6 times. 

There is no doubt about it, there is talent out there and it is about recognizing what needs to happen to help youngsters progress successfully through to senior level.

Remember that time we won the World Cup?

"It's not the defeat that get's every Scotland fan, it's the hope beforehand" (Bell, 2012).

I would be really interested to hear people's thoughts on football in Scotland- just comment below!

"Crouch, touch, set"

Back in June, The International Rugby Board announced a trial for new scrum calls to be introduced throughout the rugby union game next season. There had been calls from various  corners to change the call the referee makes prior to the scrum. The new call - "crouch, touch, set" will replace the old "crouch, touch, pause, engage." Many believe that a high number of resets are due to this more prolonged process leading to scrums collapsing. For example, the two syllable word "en-gage" means that these extremely strong athletes react at different times compared to the short one syllable word "set".

Hopefully this will be slightly safer for the players involved but also a better, more fluent game for the spectators to watch. It is important to rugby that the scrum is not lost as the idea of two packs of men colliding with strength, power and technique is what makes the game unique. However, we shall have to wait three years while the IRB's Steering Group complete their findings. 

Have you been watching the domestic season so far? Do you think the new calls have made an impact on the game?

RIP Nevin Spence

Speaking of the domestic rugby union season over a month has past and the RaboDirect12 and Aviva Premiership are fully underway. Northampton sitting on top down south with five wins from five and Ulster doing the late Nevin Spence proud sitting top of the celtic league. A shocker so far for Sale whom signed an array of big players including Scotland's own Richie Gray but are currently sitting bottom of the league not having won a game. At the other end of the RaboDirect 12 it is both the Italian sides Treviso and Zebre whom again have failed to make much of an impact. Although, with the European competitions starting next weekend could we see a shift in team line ups and results? Will wait and see!

Here are the fixtures for both leagues this weekend;

Friday, 5 October 2012

Sale v Leicester, 20:00

Zebre v Ospreys, 18:05

Scarlets v Newport-Gwent D'gons, 19:05

Ulster v Connacht, 19:05

Edinburgh v Treviso, 19:30

Saturday, 6 October 2012

Gloucester v Bath, 14:15

Exeter v Harlequins, 15:00

London Irish v Northampton, 15:00

Cardiff Blues v Glasgow, 18:30

Leinster v Munster, 18:30

Sunday, 7 October 2012

London Welsh v Saracens, 14:15

Wasps v Worcester, 15:00

Miracle of Medinah

What makes the Ryder Cup so unique is that it's the rare occasion where Europe agree and come together in sport as one against the Yanks. There was the home pressure on US shoulders coupled with the hope for the long awaited return of the Ryder Cup versus the pressure on certain European players to perform and the emotion's flowing through Olazabel as captain, a close friend of the late Seve Ballesteros. Who was going to buckle and who was going to claim the 39th Ryder Cup?

Day one and first blood drawn to the US finishing the day 5-3 up. Colsaerts player of the day with 8 birdies and an eagle!

Day two and another morning of foursomes and afternoon of fourballs whereby it was looking extremely challenging for Europe finishing 10-6 down. Ian Poulter shining some light!

Day three and the final day. All the US team needed were 4 and a half more points to win whereas the Europeans had an enormous challenge to even get on par. Sunday's singles started bizarrely for "Snory" Rory McIllroy pitching up in a police car ten minutes before his tee off time. Apart from that, straight talking Donald opened with a winning scorecard for the Europeans allowing his fellow Englishmen to follow suit through Poulter and Rose. Lawrie who had been under par so far, showed his experience and class winning comfortably from Snedeker. Decibels started to escape the Chicago crowds "U-S-A" chants and everything got a little bit more tense. Was it time to believe? Could this be happening? The match had reached 10 a piece. Solid scoring from the Johnson's and Dufner tipped the balance back over but sassy Sergio had nicked it off trusty Furyk on the last! All hope lay with Kaymer. Could the not in form German hold his nerve and sink his second putt on the 18th and of course, he nailed it! Europe had retained the Ryder Cup. At this point they had thought it was all over but it wasn't quite yet the final singles finishing all square and Europe had WON THE RYDER CUP!

Watson v Donald 2&1
Simpson v Poulter 2UP
Bradley v McIlroy 2&1
Mickelson v Rose 1UP
Snedeker v Lawrie 5&3
3&2 D Johnson v Colsaerts
2&1 Z Johnson v McDowell
Furyk v Garcia 1UP
2UP Dufner v Hanson
Kuchar v Westwood 3&2
Stricker v Kaymer 1UP
Woods A/S Molinari

Final score = Europe 14 and a half vs. USA 13 and a half.

Unbelievable comeback from Europe and a devastating loss for Davis Love III and his men! A golf encounter full of beers, cheers and plenty of tears! Roll on Gleneagles 2014 and may the Seve spirit live on!

Ola Ola Ola Olaaaa!