Is it time to ditch Flower of Scotland?

Later this month, BT Sport will air a documentary version of the celebrated rugby book The Grudge, looking back at the incredible showdown between Scotland and England in 1990. Something else special about that time, though? It was that year that Scotland first adopted Flower of Scotland as their anthem.

But according to legendary Scottish coach and former international Jim Telfer, it’s time the Scots moved on from the anthem and took up something else.

In an exclusive piece with The Times Scotland, Telfer calls for the ‘anti-English’ tune to be abandoned, saying: “We need to stop defining ourselves through England, and it would be a sign of maturity if we got ourselves a decent national anthem.

Related: Who Has The Best National Anthem In The Six Nations?

“We should change it and have something that reflects us as a mature nation, instead of talking about another country. It would show us in a better light. Back then (in 1990), it really got the crowd behind us, but I’d like to think we have moved on.”

Do you agree with Telfer on this or do you want to keep the anthem? Certainly for neutrals, the a cappella second verse echoing around BT Murrayfield has taken on a haunting quality some see as a vital experience in the Six Nations.

Scotland have three home matches in this year’s Six Nations tournament, facing Wales, Ireland and Italy in Edinburgh. So you’ll see plenty of the lone piper…

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us through rugbyworldletters@futurenet.com or by hitting us up on our social media channels.

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