IN 2006 Frank Hadden led Scotland to more victories than defeats in the course of that year’s Six Nations Championship. Now, midway through the seventh season since Hadden vacated the head coach role, those in charge of Scottish rugby have had sufficient time to wield their influence and be judged on Scotland’s performance – and it is not unreasonable to conclude they have presided over the worst period in Scottish rugby history.

Yes, there have been successes, minor ones I would contend, like the rather lucky win in Italy two years ago or Glasgow’s league success last year, although this season’s European campaign has proven that was the worst PRO12 to date.

Throughout this period the men in charge at Murrayfield have had a relatively easy ride, smoothed by an effective communications machine.

However, while it is regularly claimed in sport that comparisons between eras are invidious there are few better mechanisms for doing so than international rugby union in Europe.

The essentially closed-shop nature of what used to be referred to as The International Championship means fair comparison between eras can be made.

There have, then, been many references lately to this being the worst Scotland run for more than 60 years, but it is actually even worse than that.

The simple device to be applied is to withdraw results against Italy over the period in question and here is how that breaks down.

The horror period repeatedly referred to of late is that between Scotland’s wins over Wales in 1951 and in 1955 when 15 successive championship defeats were registered. Extend it to 1956 and there is a comparable period with the current regime. that has lost 10 successive Six Nations matches when Italy is included if we go back to the first season after Frank Hadden departed the post in 2009.

It is tempting to suggest that the relative success enjoyed against Scotland’s traditional rivals in 2010, a draw with England and a win over Ireland, happened before the worst of the damage was done, however credit where it is due, those results need to be included.

The comparison in terms of matches against England, France, Ireland and Wales is as follows then: 1951-56 Played 24, Won 4, Drawn 0, Lost 20; 2010-16 Played 26, Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 23.

It feels all the more timely to make this point after a typically entertaining email exchange this week with PC Brown, the great former Scotland captain, which included his hint at the mickey-taking his fellow golf club member Hamish Inglis still receives about being part of the team of that era.

Any way you look at it is time we left those poor blighters of yore alone when looking for benchmarks because even the 44-0 thrashing that group of amateur players by a well-drilled Springbok touring team that was operating in the closest thing to a professional environment that occurred in the 1950s, does not bear comparison with, for example, the 51-point hammering Scotland’s professionals suffered in Wales two years ago.

No more references to those willing amateurs who took time off their work to give of their best please, then, not least because their efforts can no longer be considered the low-water mark it has been portrayed as, the current set-up having plumbed new depths.

And Another Thing…

Reference to Frank Hadden’s isolated time as a homegrown coach in charge of the national side is all the more relevant because part of the problem seems to be the way those in charge perceive Scotland’s status and consequently set expectations.

It is all very well claiming to have set the bar high when identifying winning the 2015 World Cup as a strategic target. However, to then portray reaching the quarter-finals as a result of wins over lower ranked Japan, USA and Samoa as some sort of success, sent out a very different message about how the sport’s administrators genuinely see Scotland’s standing.

Unpopular as it may be to point out the reality of the situation, the failures of a Scotland team that seems set to continue to be increasingly dependent upon the efforts of ‘project players’ represent only part of the problem.

And before such observations are dismissed, let me offer a final reminder that the performance to be expected of those receiving huge rewards for their involvement in this professional sport cannot, in good conscience, be compared with that of the people who were running and playing the game in the 1950s or any other time in the amateur era.