Scotland winger Kyle Steyn has issued a stark and honest admission about the national rugby team's current form, stating their recent performances are 'just not good enough' and that supporters are right to question the squad's mentality in crucial matches.
A Brutally Honest Assessment
The confession comes after a deeply disappointing Quilter Nations Series this autumn, where Scotland suffered two dispiriting defeats. First, they let a golden opportunity to secure a historic first-ever win over the All Blacks slip through their fingers. A week later, the team collapsed spectacularly, squandering a commanding 21-0 lead against Argentina to lose 33-24 at Murrayfield.
Reflecting on the losses, the 31-year-old Steyn pulled no punches. 'I’m sure the people of Scotland are sick of hearing excuses,' he said. 'To be honest, we don’t have any. We’re not hiding from this. At some point we’re going to have to ask ourselves the question, ‘Do we have the marbles in the big moments?’ Until we show it, then fair enough to the Scottish people for doubting that.'
Facing the Fan Reaction
The nature of the loss to the Pumas, which involved conceding five unanswered tries, prompted a chorus of boos from the home crowd at the full-time whistle. Steyn stated he has no issue with this reaction from the fans and believes the team must use it as fuel.
'We can only say sorry,' Steyn commented. 'We’re really thankful for the fans who stayed behind and clapped us... And to those who booed, I think we just appreciate that the people of Scotland demand a higher standard of us, and we demand that of ourselves too.' He acknowledged that the booing was a direct reflection of the team's poor performance and was therefore justified.
A 'Golden Generation' Failing to Deliver?
The current period under head coach Gregor Townsend, which began in 2017, has been marked by underachievement for a squad often labelled a 'golden generation'. The team has failed to progress beyond the group stage in the last two Rugby World Cups and has never seriously challenged for the Six Nations title, despite moments of brilliance.
This underwhelming trajectory is reflected in the World Rugby rankings, where Scotland have fallen from fifth when Townsend took charge to their current position of ninth, sitting below nations like Fiji. Steyn directly addressed the frustration surrounding this unfulfilled potential.
'We feel like, and we’ve been saying for ages, we’ve got this golden generation or whatever you want to call it; a golden group of players,' Steyn added. 'You get frustrated when people knock us down and don’t kind of show the proper respect, but, ultimately, we’ve got to shut up until we do it.'
He concluded with a promise of introspection and hard work, emphasising that the team is determined to find a way to reach the potential they genuinely believe they possess, moving beyond mere post-match explanations.
