THE Rucker is pleased to report that a lot of people are delighted with my suggestion last week that we should expand the songbook of the rugby fans of Scotland.

But it seems I annoyed a few people with the suggestion that Wild Mountain Thyme be one of them. Ian Hewitt wrote: “Whilst I agree with the idea, I am afraid that your choice of Wild Mountain Thyme falls at the first hurdle as it is in fact an Irish song! It was written by Francis McPeake, of Belfast, and first came to fame when the family band the McPeakes recorded it in 1957.”

The Rucker knew that, of course, but the tune is undoubtedly Scottish – Bob Dylan said so – and McPeake acknowledged that it was Scottish, and that he merely rewrote the original words put to the tune by Robert Tannahill two centuries ago as “The Braes o Balquhidder”.

So why doesn’t somebody put new Scottish words to this fine Scottish tune? You could have yourself a new national anthem there…and don’t forget, Highland Cathedral was written by two German folkies.

Alan Stewart wrote: “I like “Floura” as a song but think it sends out the wrong message when defeating proud Edward’s army. Ancient History!

Much better with part of “Hail Caledonia” I think.

“Let the Irish sing of their Emerald Isle

Let the English praise their valleys and their braes

And the bonnie blooming rose

But give me the land of the heather and the kilt

The mountain and the river

For my heart leaps in my veins when I hear the bagpipes playing

Scotland, dear old Scotland, for ever.”

There you have it, all positive and only in praise of Scotland. If the SRU printed the words in the programme and played the music I’m sure the fans would pick it up. It is also so old I imagine it is out of copyright.

Angus MacRuary wrote: “Really good idea to extend the repertoire at Murrayfield (and away games).

“There are lots of great songs out there, but there is one over-riding rule that must apply – they must be ‘singable’.

“For example, ‘Scotland the Brave’ is a superb song, but the range it covers is too much, resulting in tortured screeching on the higher notes.

“I have always loved Runrig’s ‘Alba’ – the chorus couldn’t be simpler and builds as it goes, so maybe Rory MacDonald could be asked to provide an alternative to the Gaelic verses. (The translation doesn’t do it justice.)”

Keep these ideas coming, and we might just get those songs sung at Murrayfield yet.

Last word on the Six Nations goes to Meg Anderson of Skye: “Gave up watching part of Ireland-Scotland game as got fed up listening to Scottish commentators/analysts who seem to think that the only way to show how impartial they are is to rip the Scotland team apart!”

We all know exactly how you felt, Meg, and sometimes you want to remind pundits that the game they played in ancient days was nothing like today’s brutefest. Email: nationalrucker@gmail.com.