Scotland are 'improving, gelling and learning'

I watched the Scotland game against France on the Newcastle Falcons team bus last week and at the end of the game Greig Laidlaw was speaking to his team in a huddle on the pitch.


At the end of his chat there was a ripple of applause from the players and the cameras moved off them.


I presume the applause was for Sam Hidalgo-Clyne winning his first cap but one of my smart-alec English chums laughed and said: "Is that them applauding themselves for at least making a close game of it?"
I laughed, but the reality is that this is still progress.

Scotland were right in the gam…