What an interesting year for Rugby!!!

They do say that unexpected results are what makes sport so interesting; when the underdog comes good or someone comes good at the right time.

Well as a rugby fan that is certainly the case. Yesterday a team, Scotland, that enjoyed (if that is the right expression) less than 30% of the possession, played in their own half of the field for over  3/4 of the time and were required to make almost three times as many tackles.........won the game.

Their defence was ferocious, manic and sometimes "just there", but it held aganist an Irish team that was profligate in the way it wasted opportunities. 12-8 is what goes into the records....and that is what counts.

A better French side turned up on Saturday and gave England a match until their management decided to take all the best players off..well almost all. In contrast I think England brought some of their best on....I think Youngs and Vunipola were better than Hartley and Marler, but it is just relative.

So in a few short months, New Zealand were stuffed by an emerging Engand side (no-one expected that), Italy beat France (again!), Ireland not just snatched, but fully embraced defeat when even a child would have expected victory. In a few weeks time this could be capped with the possibility of France playing Ireland for the wooden spoon (though I still think Italy are in with a shout) and Scotland contending for third place in the Six Nations.

I bet the bookies are struggling to know which way to turn. I suspect that more than a few loyal Scottish supporters would have partied well on their winnings.

With the Lions coming up and little more than two years until a home Rugby World Cup, I am really looking forward to more interesting results and hope (maybe I should say believe) that we have yet to see the best of Lancaster's England and that they should be a force in 2015.

Maybe I will go look at the odds on them now and place a bet.