Caledonian Craig

I doubt it has a chance if the DUP do not back it. However, if they do somehow get it voted through then the next GE could be a blood bath (so to speak). The Brexit Party are fuming at this deal seeing it as a kop out and I have no doubt they'd stand against Tories across the UK and further erode their vote share as a result.

No but they fear greatly that happening is what I mean.

Well he has but he hasn't. The DUP will not vote for it in its current guise and that almost sinks it straight away. The DUP are thinking of their precious union here and wanting to keep Northern Ireland as closely tied to it as possible. They fear that Stormont having a say in whether to extend the agreement (which they would not back) would be passed by the greater numbers of nationalist parties and they cannot stomach that.

A first round win in the European Open for Andy Murray in Antwerp. He beats Belgian Coppejans 6-4 7-6. His live ranking moves from 243 to 224 as a result.

It has been a cracking game of rugby though. Full credit to Japan. Fully deserved. Scotland's tournament hit skid row against Ireland and they never recovered.

Even more Scottish like if we were to win by seven points and go out.

Lots of similarities between the football and rugby side. Under long time coaches Strachan (football) and Cotter (rugby) there were signs they were just edging in the right direction. Changes were made and momentum lost somewhat and things seem to have regressed.

The sands of time beginning to drain away....

Scotland showing a bit of fight to get their third try. They trail 28-21. They still need at least one more try for a bonus point and need to win by a minimum of 8 points. So Scotland (from here) need to score another 15 points. Unlikely I'd say.

To be honest I am not too fussed as regardless of us getting through today we would have been totally annihilated in the QF's. Besides on the evidence of the first half Japan merit it.

We have talented players in one confined area of the pitch but precious little else.

Our problems are obvious. We are just too weak at the back and always prone to leaking goals. To counter that you need to be able to score goals of your own and we just do not have that. In short we can't defend and we can't score - a recipe for disaster at any level of football.

This is fast becoming Russia V Scotland on a rugby pitch. They lead 21-7 at half-time and are a try away from eliminating Scotland.

Japan too good for Scotland so far. Lovely handling, running and hand-offs from the Japaneses. They lead 14-7. At the moment it is men against the boys.

I'd put New Zealand on a different level to everyone else in this tournament. South Africa probably in a tier below them containing perhaps three or four other teams.

Should be a cracking match. However, even if Scotland win there is no way on Earth we will beat New Zealand in the QF's. Ireland cannot be passed by Scotland so should we win they play South Africa.

A decision (for now) has been made. The England V France mstch is OFF on Saturday as is Italy's next match. The Scotland match is still on for now but another decision will be made 6 hours before kick-off. It is expected that the Typhoon will have passed through by then.

Rumour has it that the track of the storm has deviated slightly and the England game is in greater doubt than Scotland's.

As is Scottish independence.

A bitter sweet match for Murray which he loses 6-7 6-2 6-7. He served twice for the match in the third set but couldn't see it out and lost the tie-break tamely by his old standards. A match he could and should have won but standard of play in general from both was great.

True but the 11K BS was being reported nationwide by the media and seen as written in stone whereas the 200K BS would have only been reported to a smaller audience.

Seemingly, Andy Murray is confirmed for the Australian Open and will enter with a protected ranking of No 2 seed.

True that game time is what youngsters need but...... Talented youngsters may be at clubs where their development is stinted by lack of chances. That being the case surely it is worth giving them that game time for Scotland...bear with me here. Look at Darren Fletcher. As I recall it he was not getting any first team football for United but Vogts threw him in and his career blossomed from there. I am sure that could be the case for several youngsters we have now. After all in many areas we have exhausted a lot of the alternatives out there anyway in various areas of the pitch.

ATP Live Rankings now have Andy Murray at No 242 n the world.

Andy Murray wins 2-6 6-2 6-3. Improved as the match went on and played some good stuff in the third set. In the second round he'll play either Fognini or Querrey. All very valuable ranking points for him to as he starts that long climb back up the rankings as he is now into the 200s.