Craig Chalmers has told Scotland they must ensure the sense of injustice at not winning Saturday’s controversial Guinness Six Nations match against France does not derail the remainder of their championship.
The 55-year-old former fly-half was as exasperated as anyone while watching from the Murrayfield stands as referee Nic Berry and TMO Brian MacNeice decided they were unable to award the Scots a match-winning try when the ball appeared to have been grounded on the line by substitute Sam Skinner in the last action of the game.
It meant Les Bleus clung on to win 20-16, ending any hopes of a Scottish Grand Slam and ensuring bitterness and frustration in the home camp over recent days.
“I just don’t understand how the referee didn’t see it,” Chalmers – speaking to promote Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race – told the PA news agency.
“The big mistake he made was saying on-field ‘no try’. Inside the stadium, it 95 per cent looked like a try to me. He should have got in closer to it and put his hands in and had a better look.”
Chalmers knows from experience how such moments can sting, but he feels the Scots – with one win from two matches – must park their anger and focus on getting back up and running at home to England a week on Saturday.
He also believes they must look inwardly at some things they could have done better, such as kicking for the posts when they were on top instead of playing for tries.
“It’s frustrating because Saturday was a game we should have won but the players and coaches have to get over it now,” said Chalmers.
“There’s nothing they can do about it, it’s done. We’ve all been there before when things have gone against us but you can’t change it.
“Some of these things you never get over, look at the 1991 World Cup. We all still wish Gavin Hastings kicked that (penalty in the 9-6 semi-final defeat by England).
“You probably remember these kind of things more than some of the good things that happen.
“When you get beat like that, you want to get back playing but it’s probably a good thing that they get a break this weekend, and also a chance to look at the decisions they could have made better.
“I think we should have taken our points at times, especially at the end of the first half, just get the three points over the bar and keep the scoreboard ticking.
“Scotland were testing the French all the time but we just didn’t take our chances.
“You’ve got to do that at this level, especially when France are missing their two talisman players at half-back, (Antoine) Dupont and (Romain) Ntamack.
“France were poor and the Scottish coaches and players know that’s one that got away, especially considering we were all talking about potential championships and what we could do this year.”
England have won only one of their last six meetings with Scotland and Chalmers feels the Calcutta Cup match a week on Saturday gives Townsend’s team a good chance to banish their disappointment.
“We’ve just got to try and focus on England and winning that one because we can still win a Triple Crown and the championship,” he said.
“England have become a team we like beating over the last five or six years, and I don’t think this year should be any different.
“I think Scotland know what they’re trying to do, they’ve got a way of playing that they all buy into, whereas I don’t think England have really worked that out yet.
“They’ve got a lot of new guys in and they’re in a bit of a transition but they have won eight of their last nine games so they will have a little bit of confidence on the back of that.”
Craig Chalmers was speaking to promote Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race, which launches on 28 February.
England and Saracens number eight Vunipola fined after arrest in Mallorca
England international Billy Vunipola has confirmed he has been fined after an incident which saw him arrested in Mallorca on Sunday, with his club Saracens set to launch an internal investigation.
On Monday, widespread reports claimed Vunipola had been tasered by Spanish police in the early hours of Sunday morning, with an altercation taking place after he left a club in Palma.
Saracens later confirmed they were aware of an incident and said they would deal with it internally.
The number eight, who was born in Australia but has represented England 75 times, later released a statement of his own via his club, denying that any violence took place and confirming the police investigation was now closed.
"I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand," that statement read.
"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.
"I was charged with resisting the law and, following an 'express trial', I have paid a fine of €240. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.
"I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved."
Fraser Brown ‘hugely proud’ of Scotland career as he announces rugby retirement
Fraser Brown declared himself “hugely proud” of his Scotland career as he announced his retirement from professional rugby.
The 34-year-old Glasgow hooker has not played since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the World XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham last May and he has now conceded defeat in his bid to return to action.
Brown won 61 Scotland caps, with the first of them coming against Italy in 2013 and the last in the Six Nations match at home to Ireland in 2023, the same game incidentally in which Stuart Hogg won his final cap. The front-rower went to both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
“When you have a serious injury like I did with an ACL at the end of your career, it is always going to be hard to come back from,” Brown told Scottish Rugby.
“That probably made it a little easier to announce my retirement but it’s still a surreal and strange feeling.
“I’m hugely proud to have played so many times for Scotland during my career. To get one cap was great, but then my second one came against the All Blacks at Murrayfield which was such a special occasion.
“To reach 50 caps was a big moment as I had to deal with a lot of injuries throughout my career and to be part of the growth process of the team which has resulted in where they are now has been cool.”
At club level, Brown made 141 appearances for Glasgow after joining from Edinburgh in 2011.
The hooker helped them win the Guinness Pro12 in 2015 with victory over Munster in the final in Belfast, while his last appearance for Warriors proved to be last season’s Challenge Cup final defeat by Toulon in Dublin.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith paid tribute to Brown, saying: “Fraser is the epitome of a modern professional and someone who should serve as a role model to any young player starting their journey.
“The respect with which he is held, not only within the Glasgow Warriors community but within the wider rugby family, should serve to underline the achievements he has earned throughout his career and the manner in which he has achieved them.
“His work ethic and determination to bring the best out of the people and players around him has been clear to all throughout his career.
“I wish him the very best for whatever comes next and I know he will apply that same work ethic and determination that made him one of this club’s most distinguished Warriors.”
Brown becomes the second experienced Scotland front-rower to announce his retirement in the space of a month after Edinburgh prop WP Nel recently revealed he would be hanging his boots up at the end of this season.
England tap into knowledge of Brian Ashton to play entertaining brand of rugby
England have been tapping into the knowledge of veteran attack guru Brian Ashton to achieve their aim of filling Twickenham.
The Red Roses ran in 14 tries in an 88-10 victory over Ireland that places them on the brink of claiming a sixth consecutive Guinness Women’s Six Nations title when they face France on Saturday.
A thrilling attacking performance before a 48,778 crowd was born out of the belief that in order to play in front of a full house of Twickenham at next year’s home World Cup, they must play appealing rugby.
And helping them achieve that aim is Ashton, a former England men’s head coach regarded as a visionary in the game whose expertise has been enlisted by Red Roses boss John Mitchell.
“Brian makes us ask questions. ‘If this is the picture, what is the easiest way that you can take the wins?’” said Dow, who ran in a hat-trick against Ireland.
“I do think it is about asking those questions and having Brian Ashton available throughout the week…I absolutely adore the man.
“The way he phrases things almost makes you re-think the philosophy of rugby. I think in the English brand the philosophy is ‘let’s kick to the corner, let’s take the territory’. But is that the philosophy of all rugby? Can we expand that?
“At the end of the day, professional rugby is a business in its own way. We need to be proving to the whole of England that we can play an exciting brand of rugby.”
While England march on by overwhelming the opposition in front of them, Ireland’s blowout highlights the gulf in class in the women’s game and affects the credibility of the Six Nations.
The Red Roses have accumulated 228 points after four rounds and France are the only European team capable of taking the wind out of their sails when the rivals clash in Bordeaux.
“I 100 per cent think teams will catch up and as much as we may be on top now, it is on us to try and work to keep that place and demand more from ourselves,” Dow said.
“Because as much as we’d love the game to grow, we want to keep the gap ourselves and continue to prove that we can be the best.”
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