I watched Edinburgh’s game and whilst I am delighted they won, I so wish they could have made the most of the opportunities they created. I guess this is where Scotland’s problems arise from.

Listening to the Glasgow match I hear that Dan Parks i killing the Ulstermen with his boot, and that’s great for points in the bag, but Dan Parks isn’t the guy to get you going forward with ball in hand. If Scotland – or Edinburgh or Glasgow – are going to be a threatening team with ball in hand, we need a #10 that will create things. I dream of another Gregor Townsend because I now genuinely believe that we have runners who can run off such a player.

The Ulster – Glasgow game is still going…

This was a game there for the winning and instead of clinically killing off the Argentines the Scots grabbed a hammer each and helped the Argentine half-backs whack nail after nail into the coffin that was this match.

The BBC Scotland commentators mentioned a couple of times that the game was “coming to life”, but I think a half empty Murrayfield watching Scotland putting ten sideways phases together does not constitute “life”. It represents a slow decline into extinction.

If Scotland’s rugby team cannot capitalise on a result as magnificent as the one achieved last week, they may as well go home.

Positives? Thom Evans got the ball a couple of times and made yards. That’s about it.

I don’t want to be hard on the likes of the Lamonts – they both did well, Sean in particular, but we expect that each and every week. And I hope for Scotland’s, Toulon’s and Rory’s sake that his injury wasn’t as bad as it might have been. I thought Godman distributed the ball well, although he could have mixed it up a bit, and Oh! if he had worn last week’s boots! Grove had a mixed game, but I find that encouraging because this is the first time he’s had to attack AND defend against quality. I feel for Ben Cairns because despite his usual tenacity didn’t effect much on the field. I think he will be disappointed with his performance but he will get many more opportunities.

Scotland’s best player was Nathan Hines. He showed genuine “go forward” and demonstrated that he can play the off-loading game that Andy Robinson has talked about. It’s unfortunate that none of his team mates followed suit. His yellow card was justified – he’s one of those players – but I felt that Robinson was wrong to substitute White for Hines when the ten minutes was up.

Chris Cusiter put in a performance reminiscent of those which made is name: shovelling shit behind a quickly retreating pack, and clearing up the mess behind. Its something he does very well; I bet it wasn’t on his C.V. though.

The match was disappointing on so many counts. We hoped to see some rugby. Well, we saw some, but only sideways rugby. We hoped for a resounding Scottish victory. I think it was plainly clear that that was not going to happen from about the third minute.

So what contributed to this result? Many talk of a “hangover” after a great victory. I think this was evident – the Scots clearly didn’t play with the vigour of last week. Was this down to fatigue? I can’t believe that the coaches had worked them too hard this week so I’d be inclined to look elsewhere. Was it because they thought the Argentines too comfortable a foe? I can’t believe anyone in international rugby would make that mistake.

I think perhaps the Scots thought they could play a bit against the Argentines and actually played too much rugby. The one-up-bosh-then-go-wide approach that Scotland took against Fiji would have worked wonders against Argentina, as long as they could have backed it up with a high tempo and the stamina to go like that again and again.

On the evidence of this year’s Autumn International’s Scotland are once again looking down a pair of barrels. Italy even held the All Blacks to 20 points.

I like Andy Robinson’s selections and as much as the Jason Whites and Chris Patersons are legends of Scottish rugby, I can’t help but feel that their time has passed and it’s nice to see younger, enthusiastic players in their shirts. Obviously it’s nice to have the senior guys on the bench for the odd dropped goal or seismic tackle in midfield.

So, Scotland’s Autumn International Series ends with a mixed bag of huge extremes – huge optimism and massive disappointment. What’s next?

As I’ve mentioned I can only see a fifth or sixth finish in the Six Nations. Yes, the Scottish sides are doing well in the Magners, but they rarely do well in the Heineken Cup, and almostt alway lose against English or French teams.

Progress though is appreciated by the fans, and as long as Andy Robinson can turn the talent we have into gradually more frequent wins, it’s a good start. For any Scottish rugby fan to believe we can win the Six Nations let alone the World Cup is probably deluded, but there may just come a time when all the pieces fall into place…

Against Fiji Scotland were expected to win. Against Australia Scotland were expected to compete and not capitulate. That they actually won the contest is not much more than a Lottery scratch card win – now that they’ve done it once, we now expect them to do it every time. They won’t.

In Argentina Scotland face a team that on paper is pretty much like for like. Sure the IRB rankings suggest differently, but Argentina’s ascent to fourth in the World came off the back of a superb run in the last World Cup, and since then they’ve lost a few matches, including one home test against Scotland and the recent defeat to England.

A team that thrives on quality ball from the set piece Argentina are currently missing Juan Martin Hernandez – my nominee for Best Player in the World – and Felipe Contepomi and therefore lack much invention once they’ve won the ball. Sound familiar?

Scotland have re-arranged the back division for this match. Thom Evans comes in on the wing for Danielli, a switch I mentioned previously and one which I favour, despite Danielli playing as well as every other member of the squad against Australia. Robinson has also moved Cairns to 13 and Grove to 12, a move I hadn’t considered before, but one which I like the look of very much. I guess that’s why Mr Robinson has an office at Murrayfield and I just wish I had an office at Murrayfield. Grove, with his pace, jackhammer defence and accurate handling can play the “Second five-eighth” role the New Zealanders employ, whilst Cairns – if he plays with his usual terrier-like enthusiasm – could make a real nuisance of himself out wide. The Lamonts will be, I am certain, the Lamonts and that’s something all Scots can look forward to. I just hope this week – as much as I admire and am a fan of Chris Paterson – that Andy Robinson keeps Rory Lamont on for the eighty.

Up front Alan MacDonald makes his debut in the back row – I can only assume John Barclay is injured – so congratulations to him, and Chris Cusiter returns from what seemed a certain concussion to lead the side again and link pack and backs. A significant plus for Scotland, but credit where it’s due to Rory Lawson who left the pine to play magnificently for an hour against Australia. And he’s our third choice scrum-half! I bet Martin Johnson is jealous.

I would hope that Scotland can win this one comfortably, but things are rarely comfortable at Murrayfield. I hope also that the conditions allow both teams to play some rugby – something that despite the joy of two Scottish wins has been missing from Murrayfield this Autumn.

However almost all of the attributes they credit the Australians with – game breakers behind the pack, efficiency around the collision, few mistakes – are missing from Scotland’s game at the moment.

As I mentioned yesterday, if Scotland are going to win the game they need to revamp the game plan. They cannot rely on route one from a solid set piece. The rock solid defences of the modern game simply do not allow that approach to work anymore. There has to be something else.

Godman says: “We need to stop their go-forward. They have got such threatening backs, especially Matt Giteau, who attacks the line, and he can be devastating with front-foot ball. So, we’ll be looking to get a few big hits in and we’ll have to work really hard.”

Take a leaf out of Gits’ book, Phil. Please?

And so up pops Andy Robinson and Fiji. Frankly a defeat for Scotland would have been unacceptable, more important was the manner in which they won the game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t pretty.

Scotland scored two tries – one was opportunist and one was arguably a forward pass. They also gifted Fiji their one score. The remaining points came from the boot of Phil Godman who kicked very well but did little else.

The pack was solid, and the scrum set piece was particularly impressive. The line-out ticked over nicely. Johnnie Beattie put in a performance to justify starting ahead of Ally Hogg whose international prospects seem to be going backwards fast. Alisdair Strokosch was a bit quiet perhaps suggesting the Glasgow’s Killer Bees (Beattie, Brown and Barclay) should be the starting back row.

Behind the pack Cusiter was superb, and even though Mike Blair is going through a dismal period of form – one that started when he ran onto the pitch for the first time in South Africa with the Lions and which doesn’t appear to be over yet – Cusiter is still by far the best scrum half in Scotland if not Britain and Ireland. Alex Grove had a particularly good debut showing that he has soft hands, gas to spare and Pacific Island tackle on him. Morrison was solid as ever and the Lamont brothers looked like they were enjoying themselves again.

Despite the encouraging performances the second half was perhaps the most turgid period of rugby I’ve ever seen – even I wanted to switch channels, something which has never, ever happened whilst Scotland have been ahead in an international. I think the barrage of substitutions on sixty minutes effectively killed the game. I’d have kept the starting fifteen on and waited for Fiji to fall apart.

In general it was a good performance and whilst the final score doesn’t suggest it, Fiji were never, ever going to win. However, from this long-suffering supporter’s perspective it was a little disappointing. Scotland showed little creativity, little back play and kicked far too much.

Beattie’s try came from a fluffed line out that Cusiter pounced on. Sure the support play was great and the execution was perfect, but it all came from a mistake. Teams like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa don’t make many mistakes so there needs to be something else. Something that I haven’t seen Scotland do for many years now is run with the ball.

There are some fantastically creative backs in Scotland at the moment – the Evans brothers, Cairns, De Luca, etc – and I’d really like to see Scotland deviate from the “big and quick” set of requirements for three quarters. This approach firmly sets the cross-hairs on the likes of Morrison, Danielli and arguably at least one of the Lamonts.

Godman is the best fit ten that Scotland have. Unfortunately he’s plodding yet solid, magnificently unspectacular yet very accurate in what he does. He’ll put Scotland in the corners. He’ll kick the goals with a better than average success rate and he’ll stick over a drop for three if needed. That is all. I can’t help but feel that he is keeping the seat warm for Ruaridh Jackson.

Morrison is big and quick, and he has a magnificent left foot step that straightens things up nicely. Cairns and De Luca can do that too, but also offer a bit more creativity and better hands. However, Morrison is a solid peg to hang the defensive line on, so I’m inclined to keep him.

Grove has already shown that he has all the attributes I like to see, so I’d be inclined to keep him in the side and see if Australia can beat the beginner’s luck out of him. Max Evans is the other prime option at outside centre someone I believe will become a great, great player, but is currently injured.

At full back, Rory Lamont is having a Jonny Wilkinson-esque revival at Toulon and is playing magnificently. The only other option at fifteen is Paterson and let’s face it – he was only ever picked for his goal kicking.

On the wings Lamont, S. and Danielli typify the big, quick lump style of back, however Sean Lamont offers that much more. He looks for work, he fills that fourth back rower role the Ben Cohen played so well, his defence is shudderingly effective and he rarely makes mistakes. Danielli’s main contribution against Fiji was to rush the line and concede the try. I don’t want to knock the guy – I’ve seen him put in some great performances and score some wonderful tries for Scotland – but I just don’t want him in this Scotland side.

Thom Evans is the obvious replacement. Whilst Danielli is big and quick, Evans is big and really, really quick. Whilst his inexperience may be an issue, and I’m not going to make a judgement about his defence just now, with that much pace on the park you’ll concern any opposition.

So in actual fact I’ve only picked one player different from the starting line against Fiji. Which I think highlights the fact that whilst there is some fantastic talent in Scotland, there isn’t the depth. Most positions have a two choices, albeit a choice between two excellent and world class players (for example Cusiter versus Blair, forgiving the latter’s current form). However a couple of positions only really have one choice (fly half, full back) and that is the problem.

Andy Robinson’s winning streak is almost certainly going to end against Australia on Saturday, but in the same way that the manner of victory was important against Fiji, the manner of defeat against Australia is of crucial significance. If Andy Robinson won’t let these players try to run and pass and score tries then we might as well all go home.

Bread is a funny thing. I personally love crusty, chewy flavourful artisan breads. The kids want sliced white. I guess that’s the adult taste buds coming into play. Oddly though, in the same way that near-flavourless swill like Bud Light is almost impossible to brew at home, so is near-flavourless stodge like most commercial sliced white loaves. Really interesting sourdoughs, ciabattas, multi-grain loaves however are a breeze when you get the hang of it. I’m not going to tell you how to make bread – but what I will say is: try it, and stick with it. It took me a long time to get “the knack”, but I’m very glad that I did.

Making butter is simply a case of violently abusing some cream. The easiest way to do it is by pouring some into a clean jam jar and shaking the shit out of it. It will go through various stages – sloshy, whipped, almost weightless – until, just at the point where your arm begins to cramp up the butter will suddenly separate from the buttermilk and you’ll feel it thud around in the jar. The next step is to “wash” the butter and this is as simple as squeezing it in your hand under running water, just as if you were squeezing a lemon. I like to then salt the butter, but you can leave it as is. The flavour is extraordinary and for recipes that call for “a knob of butter” such as at the end of making a risotto you will be glad you got that arm cramp.

Real mayonnaise is NOTHING like mayonnaise you buy in the shops. They should really be called different things. As much as I love a dollop of Hellmann’s, real home made mayo is something else. The procedure is thus: beat together an egg yolk or two with LITERALLY a drop of olive oil until it’s all mixed nicely. Then add more oil very gradually – a drip at a time – whisking all the while. As long as you take your time, you will eventually end up with a thick, unctuous bowl of golden mayonnaise. You could then just add seasoning and be done with it, but you could also add lemon juice, mustard, fresh chopped herbs, vinegar and so on. It’s not something I’d make every day to go on sandwiches, but it is certainly worth making every now and then.

Like mayonnaise, fresh home made pasta is a very different beast to the shop-bought dried stuff. By using the freshest free range eggs and high quality flour you can make a pasta that is tasty, rich and which actually has some flavour. Admittedly wrestling with a pasta machine can be a bit of a challenge, one which I am yet to master, but armed with a rolling pin there are an awful lot of shapes you can create.

Of the four, pasta is perhaps the easiest, but I’d urge you to try all of them at least once.

I’ve decided on a change of tack for the blog. I no longer have a grand project to document, so instead I am just going to write about the day to day goings on of life – like every other blogger does. Who am I to buck the trend?

Obviously topics such as home brewing, chicken-keeping and self-sufficiency remain a large part of my life, and will therefore feature regularly, but there will also be more about the other things I am interested in – music, rugby and thermo-nuclear physics.

OK, I lied about the thermo-nuclear physics. No-one’s really interested in that.

The success stories of the month have undoubtedly been the peas and green beans, almost to the point that I wince at the thought of yet another serving of French dwarf beans. Maybe though because I picked a good variety – or, Hell! Maybe I’ve just been lucky – the beans are utterly delicious. And the peas… Well I think it’s pretty much impossible to not enjoy freshly podded peas. The bean plants – and I have both climbers and dwarf varieties – are kicking out more beans than I can eat. One patch of peas has given up the ghost now, so damn lucky I planted a second patch, isn’t it?

Last night I lifted my potato crop which amounts to a good few kilos of spuds in a range of sizes between monster and micro! The texture is not what I’d hoped – I wanted that perfectly waxy texture that you get in good salad potatoes, but the flavour is superb.

I’ve also been able to harvest cabbages, cauliflowers, and copious amounts of parsley, basil, sage and coriander from the various herb patches, and last week I pulled up my twenty or so garlic bulbs which drying under the cold frame at the moment.

The unprecedented success of July though has been beetroot. Since pickled beetroot represents the high point of Satan’s career to date I grew it purely out of interest. It has subsequently become one of my favourite vegetables. Fruity, earthy and sweet, beetroot goes equally well in a salad with potatoes, lettuce, and home made garlic mayo, or into a smoothie for breakfast with blackberries, strawberries, oats, a spoon of honey and a dash of milk.

The not so good parts of the month have been the systematic decimation of my salad crops by a slimy bastard slug (or slugs), and the slow progress of my polytunnel crops (tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers) no doubt caused by the cack weather we’ve been having. At least my water butt is full.

As I’m writing this the sun is actually shining which is a rarity for the last few weeks. I doubt it’s enough sunlight to kick the polytunnel into action, but I guess every bit helps.

Anchor Steam is one of my absolute favourite beers and I always grab some whenever I see it (which isn’t very often). Stylistically it sits in a bit of a grey area between lager and a light (coloured) ale – think of it as an extremely malty, dry lager.

The style was developed by immigrant brewers in San Francisco – mostly German – who were trying to replicate the helles and pilseners of the old country. Without mechanical refrigeration and with a consistent year-round temperature hovering between 15 and 20 °C they were unable to lager the beer in the traditional German way (ie: aging the beer at near freezing temperatures) and so the beer was fermented slightly warmer and therefore developed more fruity esters and flavours than a typical lager beer would.

After listening to a podcast from The Brewing Network (suck it, Schuman) which featured the guys from Linden Street Brewery in Oakland, Ca I decided to have a crack at my own version of the style. Despite being a relatively obscure beer style, there’s actually a lot of information available about the beer. After studying Designing Great Beers, Brewing Classic Styles and the BN podcast I came up with a recipe that I hope will bring me somewhere close. (I should point out that my recipe has been influenced by the ingredients I have to hand. Unfortunately I don’t have a local home brew shop so I have to buy my ingredients in bulk and do the best I can with what I buy. Northern Brewer is the classic California Common hop but I don’t have any – German Perle will have to do. Or I just call it a Nottingham Common instead!)