INTERVIEW Scotland legend says international rugby is boring and fears World Cup will be an anti-climax, writes Neil Drysdale

While Tait was one of the sport’s more redoubtable characters, whether competing in league or union code, he always adhered to the view that crowds thrill more to adventurous attacks than backs crashing into brick walls.

There were plenty of the former during the pre-millennium competition and, not unreasonably, the Scots, who had produced passages of derring-do en route to winning the last Five Nations championship, entered the proceedings with genuine optimism, even though they had to tackle the reigning champions, South Africa, in their first encounter.

Tait and his compatriots enjoyed home advantage, they were a vastly experienced squad, bolstered by such luminaries as Gary Armstrong, Gregor Townsend, the Leslie brothers, John and Martin, and other “Kilted Kiwis”, in the guise of Cammy Mather and Glenn Metcalfe, and they knew they should have no problems swatting aside their other pool opponents, Uruguay and Spain.

Had anyone offered them 29 points prior to the Springbok match, they would accepted the haul gratefully. The only trouble was that South Africa ran up 46 in response at Murrayfield.

“You could look at it both ways,” said Tait, who scored one of the Scots’ tries, as the hosts went in with a 16-13 lead at the interval. “If we had performed to our potential and beaten them, it would have virtually ensured we qualified, but we knew we had to play them sometime.

“I am not going to make excuses for that defeat, because we gave them too many chances, especially in the second half. What does stick in my mind was that players were prepared to take risks and be expansive and it made for a far more open event than has been the case recently.

“Nowadays, teams get longer to prepare for World Cups and coaches have learned that defences can virtually shut up shop if they keep their shape and their discipline. I am not convinced that is the way the game should be going but, back in 1999, we had the attitude that you should be ready to run at the other side from any part of the pitch.

“It made for thrilling matches but it was the last time that it happened and it has left me wondering whether you can really coach attack. Personally, I am not sure that you can: if players don’t have the instinct to think on their feet, and act off the cuff, and become game-breakers for their side.

“We had shown what we were capable of in the Five Nations, but it was a really bad blow when John Leslie picked up an ankle knock against South Africa that ruled him out of the rest of the competition. That was pivotal, a big dent to our ambitions, because the way he had linked with Gregor and me had brought us some excellent results. But you just have to deal with these things; they are part and parcel of rugby.”

The defeat by South Africa put the Scots on a collision course with the All Blacks in the quarter-finals, once they had safely negotiated their remaining pool matches and a play-off contest with the Samoans.

The hosts were unimpressive in dismissing Uruguay 43-12, despite managing six touchdowns, but they efficiently polished off Spain 48-0, with Mather snaffling a brace of tries. Next, they beat the Samoans 35-20, courtesy of Cammie Murray and Martin Leslie crossing the line.

So it was that New Zealand came calling and virtually wrapped up the spoils by surging into a 17-0 lead in as many minutes of the opening quarter. Even at this distance, Tait grimaces at the recollection. “We gave them too much room, too much respect, and let them come at us in the early stages. By the time we sorted things out, they were out of sight,” said Tait, who now coaches Newcastle Falcons. “We were 25-3 down after 40 minutes and it didn’t look great for us. We went toe-to-toe with them in the second period; we actually won it [15-5, with tries from Cammie Murray and Budge Pountney] and, if only we had made a better start, well . . .

“Jim Telfer said the two best halves of rugby he saw in that period were our first-half showing against the French in Paris [the Scots won 36-22] and the second-half display against the All Blacks [they lost 30-18]. The difference was that we gave ourselves too much to do in the latter and it was doubly frustrating because, as the French proved in the semi-finals a week later, the All Blacks weren’t unbeatable.”

That semi developed into one of the most glorious occasions in World Cup history. Les Bleus looked buried when they trailed 24-10, but sparked a magnificent recovery to progress to the final with a 43-31 success, which was founded on all the qualities which have earned the French global plaudits. They couldn’t produce a repeat against Australia, though, and the Wallabies ran out comfortable 35-12 winners to regain the Webb Ellis Trophy.

Over the piece, Tait was convinced the event served up sufficient twists and he covets a similarly unpredictable festival in New Zealand. “I want to see the rugby speeded up and an increase in the number of fast, open games, and much less nonsense around the breakdown area,” said Tait. “I don’t want to watch another boring World Cup with everything focused on defence and people playing the percentages.

“I like the Australians -- they have lots of line-breakers, such as [Will] Genia, [Quade] Cooper and [James] O’Connor -- and the All Blacks will obviously be very tough to beat on their own patch and will start as the favourites. And I rate the Scots as well and think they will give a good account of themselves. But, for the sake of the sport, we need this to be a thrilling, attacking competition.”

Tait has always had the gift of offering honest opinions. Long may it continue.