Our resident scribbler in the stand Alex Gordon was off on Saturday taking in the delights of the Netherlands

Netherlands 34 Lithuania 25

You might be abroad, the language is strange, the beer is better, but there is something very familiar about visiting Castrumse Rugby Club. The club house has a framed jersey from the club and items from other clubs hung on the walls. The crowd of 1,700 would be great for a Scottish club game but this was an International match in the European Nations Cup. It is a scene that any Scottish rugby player would recognise.
Rugby is on the up in the Netherlands, with the women’s game especially in Sevens leading the way. The “Dames VII” are 10th in the World with Rio and the Olympics their firm goal. The men haven’t been left behind, the “Heren XV” are unbeaten in the current campaign and have recently beaten Israel to earn the right to challenge for the Repechage spot in the European qualifying process for the Rugby World Cup in 2015. There is something familiar about that as well, for the Dutch to succeed it is likely that they will have to defeat their larger neighbour Germany in a match in Amsterdam. Imagine Murrayfield, if Scotland had to beat England to qualify for the World Cup? This is the prospect for the Nederlandse Rugby Bond, the players, the coaches and the knowledgeable band of supporters.
Before the match, I met Marc Visser, the Netherlands most capped International as well as father of Tim and Sep, who was formerly at Boroughmuir. Much like Scottish Rugby, rugby in the Netherlands can be a family affair, a familiar feeling.
Marc spoke of his pride in his sons’ achievements and then when I asked if he wished one of them had been a forward, he smiled a wry smile and we laughed together as forwards do at the sadness that some players are condemned to be backs.
The match was spoiled to a certain by another familiar aspect, the weather was very Scottish. Handling was difficult and errors, by both sides were frequent, but when the ball went to hand the Dutch lived up to their tag as favourites. Initially, they went behind to an unexpected Lithuanian try but this prompted the Dutch to assert themselves eventually scoring five tries, two by Sep Visser. There was a minor blip after they scored their 4th try when they took their foot of the gas but they pretty much dominated the tie.
There is a Dutch word gezellig, it is how you describe a night with good friends when you take away warm memories. Rugby culture and the Dutch make a gezellig combination.

This article was posted on 10-Nov-2013, 10:19 by Hugh Barrow.