No grudges borne

WHEN Tom English contacted me to obtain my views on the match between Scotland and England 20 years ago, I felt that it would have been small-minded not to have spent time talking with him for his book. Had I known that the tone and output was going to be of the nature as serialised over the weekend in The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday, then I would have had second thoughts.

To call the book The Grudge is, in my view, a serious misrepresentation of what the Calcutta Cup match of 1990 was to the players. Many of us had toured together 12 months before with the British Lions in Australia on a tour which was extremely hard, mentally and physically – it remains the only tour where the Lions have won the series, having lost the first test.

Friendships were forged that remain to this day but, above all, a mutual respect grew amongst the squad of players – respect that carried over from 1989 to the Five Nations Championship of 1990.

For me, the 17 March, 1990, was an opportunity to achieve something special for the team, the coaches and backroom staff and as a legacy for Scottish rugby. It was not a question of settling scores, of getting "one over" on the English or of putting political wrongs right. It was simply a game of rugby – the only difference was that there was a Grand Slam at stake.

It is a shame that the victory has been interpreted by some as something more than that, but if that is the belief that they hold, then that is their right, but to do so diminishes what the game represented for many others.

To continue to hold such xenophobic beliefs is not healthy for Scotland as a nation. We should continue to be fierce rivals of England, but in my view that rivalry should be no different to any other nation that we compete against.

Let us be proud of our achievements – and I shall be extremely proud of the Grand Slam of 1990 – but let us view them for what they are – great moments in sport, no more, no less.

DAVID SOLE OBE

Former captain of both Scotland and the British Lions