The danger of scheduling the most glamorous contest of a four-match series in second place is that everything after it – win, lose or draw – was always going to feel like an anti-climax by comparison.
Perhaps Scotland would have gone into Sunday afternoon’s clash with Argentina with a greater spring in their step had they managed to fashion an elusive victory against the All Blacks last weekend but, alas, that painful loss has served only to add to the general feeling of apathy encircling the national team right now.
A so-called golden generation that has threatened to show they belong among the elite, only to keep tripping over every major hurdle, is running out of time to finally shed that nearly men tag.
The same can’t be said of their opponents who arrive at Murrayfield without any of the All Blacks magic dust or mystique but who can instead point towards a chain of major victories that demonstrate both their threat and also the progression made over the years.
There is a reason Los Pumas are listed two places higher than Scotland in the world rankings and likely to be among the top seeds when the World Cup draw is made early next month.
How Gregor Townsend and his players would love to be able to boast a list of scalps that, this year alone, includes the British and Irish Lions, New Zealand and Australia, while Argentina also came within two points of beating the Springboks. Last weekend they put more than 50 points on poor Wales in Cardiff. That’s mighty impressive stuff all told.
The Pumas beat the British and Irish Lions in Dublin earlier this year
Graham was amongst the Scots left dejected after running the All Blacks close last week
Scotland can lean on their favourable overall record in this fixture but a lot has changed since the last meeting three years ago when the home side eased eventually to an eight-try win in a bad-tempered contest.
‘Yeah, that was a wild game,’ recalled Darcy Graham who scored a hat-trick in the 52-29 win that was closer than the scoreline might suggest. ‘There were cards galore, tries and it was a high-scoring game but I don’t know if it will be quite the same this weekend.
‘The defences are getting tougher to break down now but hopefully we’ve got our game plan in place to counteract it and hopefully put on a show and score loads of tries. But Argentina are a world-class team and you have to pay them a huge amount of respect.
‘You look at the Rugby Championship and they’ve done bloody well. And they’ve got world-class players playing all over, like Toulouse and everywhere else. So, we’re going to have to be on our game. This is probably one of our hardest games.’
With Townsend making just one change to his starting XV, the biggest storyline to emerge ahead of this one centres on Graham who wins his 50th cap.
That’s a significant milestone for the player but also for the route he has taken to get here. You can’t help but fear that there won’t be many others who will get the chance to follow in his footsteps in an era dominated by privately schooled, academy-raised prospects.
The winger will again take the field this weekend, however, winning his 50th Scotland cap
‘I’d love to see more people coming from the Borders and stepping up into that Scotland jersey,’ admits Graham. ‘But it’s very difficult now. It probably has changed a lot since when I came through the academies and played age grade. It’s just pure numbers.
‘It’s very difficult and the big factor is money talks. A lot of kids are now going to football and they’re walking away from rugby so there’s something probably on a wider scale.
‘So, we need to encourage kids to keep playing. And hopefully when they watch the national team play that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to inspire the next generation to come through and want to play rugby and go out there and pick up a rugby ball.’
Graham believes the restoration of the Scotland sevens programme could also prove vital in developing the next generation of talent.
Scottish Rugby will run a full-time programme – and also take charge of the men’s and women’s Great Britain teams ahead of World Series events – operating full-time from Oriam, the national sports performance centre based at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh.
Like many of his international team-mates, Graham began his career by playing sevens and is hopeful this latest plan could support the growth of future Scotland players.
‘It’s class that we are bringing Scotland’s sevens back,’ he added. ‘The boys have been training at Oriam and it was massive for my development.
‘It was huge for me. I don’t think I’d be sitting here right now if it wasn’t for sevens. It’s good to see them bringing that programme back. We’ll see the benefit of that.
‘I learnt so much from it. You look at the squad now, how many boys have come through it; me, Blair [Kinghorn], George Horne, Maggie [Magnus Bradbury] played a bit.
Los Pumas were comfortable winners in Cardiff against Wales last time out
‘So, I think it can only be a good thing, especially when we’ve only got the two pro teams. It turns into our third pro team and we can just chuck some young boys in there and see how they get on because it’s a different level out there.
‘The athletes are incredible. You have to defend so much space and you learn a lot about yourself and you do learn a lot out there. Like I said, I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am without that programme.’
Fifty caps confirms as much and Graham shared Townsend’s opinion of him that he has developed into an all-court player over the years.
‘I think that’s just part of growing up. Since I’ve come through the ranks, people know I’m a threat. I do feel sometimes that I get targeted a wee bit more so then that brings a couple defenders onto you.
‘It’s about how I can put somebody else through a hole – I don’t have to always score one of the tries. I think you just add every year.
‘I’m trying to improve and see how I can get on the ball more and how I can influence the team. You’re always learning and developing.’