Former Scotland director of rugby Scott Johnson always had a way with words. When he was assistant head coach of Wales, who were about to play the All Blacks back in 2004, he sparked outrage by claiming that New Zealand was just ‘a poxy little island in the Pacific.’
Later, when asked to apologise to the population of New Zealand he replied, “I do apologise, it is two islands.’’
When he was Scotland interim head coach and asked if Sean Maitland was ready to make his international debut against England at Twickenham in the 2013 Six Nations he replied : “He’s ready. Sharks were made to swim.” Scotland lost but Maitland scored a try after just nine minutes.
Love him or loathe him you could never ignore Johnson and one of his phrases from his time with Scotland came to mind this week when what seems like an never-ending Scotland summer tour finally came to an end.
To keep the Scotland players motivated during their 2012 southern hemisphere tour when he was assistant to Andy Robinson he kept telling them to make sure there were ‘no rocks under their beach towels,’ when the three matches against Australia, Fiji and Samoa were over.
By that he meant that they should give their all from the first game to the last to ensure they had no regrets that would be nagging away at them when they lay on the beach taking a break.
That got me thinking about what players have come out of the tour of North and South America with no rocks under their beach towels.
Before I name the men I felt used the tour to their advantage can I say I am glad it is finally over. It seems to have gone on longer than Bob Dylan’s Never Ending Tour.
Edinburgh are back training, Glasgow Warriors -who have sold 4,000 season tickets already - start back soon, yet the Scotland team is only just back from a four-week trip to the Americas.
Scottish Rugby has been praised for agreeing to take on four second Tier nations but why does it have to be Scotland?
England, Ireland and Wales - who were appalling in the last Six Nations - all faced tier one nations in money-spinning matches that were real tests that their players would learn from.
Scotland have paid their dues by playing four tier two nations in a row. It is about time other tier one teams took their turn.
Gregor Townsend’s team clocked up the air miles but learned little as they won every game -albeit they made heavy weather of the victory over Uruguay.
Townsend admitted he didn’t have a say in playing Canada and the USA with World Rugby forcing these fixtures on Scotland but he had decided to voluntarily take on fixtures against Chile and Uruguay.
He thought it would help him learn more about his players but the way they performed so badly in the final fixture against Uruguay suggests the main thing he would have learned is that four matches is too many to take on.
I hear that next summer when the British and Irish Lions are playing Australia the Scotland team will be playing sides from the Pacific Islands so yet again there will be no tier one opposition on a summer tour.
Whoever takes over as the new Scottish Rugby chief executive should make one of his or hers priorities making sure Scotland get a fair crack at the whip against New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina in future summer Test matches.
At least Scotland players who will be up for British and Irish Lions selection for the tour to Australia next summer such as Finn Russell, Zander Fagerson and Blair Kinghorn were given this summer off by Townsend and will be fresh for the new season.
With them out of the picture and with four games to show their quality there were a few who did their future Scotland chances no harm but let’s not get too carried away.
The quality of Canada, USA, Chile and Uruguay was poor. Although you can only play what is in front of you this wasn’t a summer tour that left you talking about who emerged as the next breakout star.
In saying that I had a sneaking suspicion before the tour that Dylan Richardson, the back row turned hooker, would impress and he did.
Ewan Ashman may be the first pick for Scotland but Richardson has the potential to take the starting jersey away from him.
Patrick Harrison, who came on for Richardson in the 52-11 win over Chile and got a try against Uruguay got some international minutes under his belt and will be better for the experience.
Kyle Rowe started at full-back in the win over Chile and on the wing for the victory over Uruguay. That versatility will do him no harm when it comes to being selected for the next series of matches which are against Fiji, South Africa, Portugal and Australia at Murrayfield in November.
Scrum-half Gus Warr of Sale Sharks has the potential to put pressure on Ben White, George Horne and Ali Price- who looks the most vulnerable of the three- for a place in the November Test match squad.
Arron Reed did okay on the wing but what was even more pleasing for Scotland fans was pictures of Darcy Graham, who missed most of last season through injury, back training with Edinburgh.
This tour showed that Adam Hastings has won the battle with Ben Healy to be back up to Finn Russell at fly-half going forward.
Newly-signed by Glasgow Warriors, he has more flair about him than Healy. In tight Test matches you need someone with a bit of spark to unlock defences. Healy is solid, won’t let Scotland down, but you need more than that nowadays at international level.
When it came to leadership, Rory Darge did an excellent job when called upon to be captain on the summer tour and Townsend may want to again name him co-captain with Russell for the Autumn Nations Series.
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