Not the end of the world, but almost certainly the end of the tournament.

Barring the remote possibility of Georgia beating Argentina by more than seven points in Palmerston North this morning, the World Cup is over for Scotland. Over, in some eyes, before it has even begun.

The eyes in question belong to the big hitters of world rugby. For New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, France and, yes, England, the World Cup only gets under way at its knockout stages. It is then, they will say, that it’s all about winning and losing, and no longer about calculating bonus points and differentials. What they mean, of course, is that the deadwood has gone.

It would be harsh to use such a term to describe Scotland. Andy Robinson’s side led England for all but 11 minutes – eight at the start and three at the end – of yesterday’s match in Auckland. Against Argentina, six days earlier, they had their noses in front for half the game. But still they lost on both occasions. It would be an act of gibbering idiocy to say they deserve any better than a trip home.

When Scotland’s football players flew back from the debacle of the 1978 World Cup, they were greeted with a barrage of abuse from workers at Glasgow Airport. Robinson’s squad are unlikely to suffer a reception of that sort when they return, but public indifference will tell a tale of its own. They failed to capture the imagination, failed to inspire. All in all, they have had a very humdrum tournament.

And yet, it is hard to feel enraged. Nobody died, there were no arrests, no dwarfs were hurt in the making of this movie. Assuming Georgia do not turn the group on its head, Scotland will have performed exactly as their seeding suggested. They were narrowly ousted by Argentina in the race for a place in the top eight of the world rankings on which the draw was based, and it seems they have been narrowly ousted by Argentina in the battle to reach the knockout stages.

Certainly, they have not experienced the calamities suffered by Ireland and Wales four years ago. In 2007, Ireland had a wretched tournament, losing to France and Argentina in the pool stages, while Wales fell at the same hurdle, with defeats by Australia and Fiji. Neither reached the quarter-final stage.

Cue widespread revolt? Cue years of turmoil for rugby in Ireland and Wales? Cue searching inquests and years spent rebuilding the sport?

None of the above. Less than six months after their shock loss to Fiji, Wales were hammering France 29-12 for a Six Nations Grand Slam. A few weeks later, Munster lifted the Heineken Cup for a second time. The following year, that trophy was taken by Leinster, just a couple of months after Ireland had won their Six Nations Grand Slam. When the 2009 Lions squad was selected, 26 of the 37 players were either Irish or Welsh.

Perhaps it is the level of despair to which Scotland should try to aspire. It is also a sharp reminder that there are other things in this sport beyond the World Cup. Since the tournament’s beginning in 1987, rugby has danced to a World Cup tune, organising its affairs to fit with the competition’s four-year cycle. Yet the sky does not fall in if you happen to have a bad one.

The best response to Scotland’s ejection from this year’s event is to shrug, have a couple of beers, and keep setting the alarm clock. Rising early and stationing yourself in front of the television is so much easier without a knot of apprehension in the gut. Enjoy what’s left of the tournament. Shout for France if you must.

Scotland may never previously have failed to reach the World Cup’s knockout stages, but it would be pushing it to say they have ever threatened to win the thing either. The 1991 semi-final was reached with the advantage of playing every game at Murrayfield – with a side many believe was the best the country has ever produced. Realistically, for Scotland to win the World Cup would mean beating three – possibly four – of the top eight countries in the world over consecutive weekends. Robinson’s team have pulled off some spectacular one-offs, but such a streak of results is almost inconceivable. Setting your sights lower can sound like defeatism, but most of us would happily trade a World Cup quarter-final place (and the almost inevitable loss to the All Blacks) for a little more success in the Six Nations.

That deal is not actually on the table. However, with many in the current Scotland team unlikely to play in another World Cup, there is a lot of sense in putting a new emphasis on emerging players. That means allowing Edinburgh and Glasgow to develop as independent sides and not simply playthings of the national team.

After all, it’s only what Ireland and Wales did. The best piece of news for Scottish rugby this weekend came not from Auckland yesterday morning but from Murrayfield on Friday evening, when Edinburgh beat Munster 29-14. There were young players in that game – Matt Scott, Lee Jones, Dave Denton, Gregor Hunter – who could easily be core Scotland players by the time of the next World Cup in 2015. It would be nice to think the new generation will be given their chances.