Supporting Scotland is tough going at the best of times, but the last four-and-a-bit months — since that abrupt wake-up call delivered by Ireland on the opening weekend of the 2019 World Cup — has been particularly fraught.

So here we are again, on the cusp of another championship, the first of the decade.

Bath’s nightmare Heineken Champions Cup campaign continued as Stuart Hooper’s men were hammered 52-26 by Clermont Auvergne.

As he prepares to lead Ulster out at home for the first time since taking over as captain, Iain Henderson has a vision of what he wants.

Us Scots have had to grimly accept the gently triumphalist banter — before smirking discreetly behind cupped hands when Ireland got their comeuppance against Japan on Saturday

Those of us with an emotional investment in Scottish rugby have a complex relationship with the concept of hope.

TOKYO — It has been decidedly low-key this week in and around the Scotland team base in the opulent Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in the Shinagawa area of Tokyo. Not in a bad way. It just feels like after nearly three months of training camps and ever-increasing hype, there is nothing left to say or do — it is now time to get into the action. And while they might not be shouting it from the rooftops, there is definitely a deep-rooted sense of belief within the group that tomorrow’s World Cup opener against Ireland is a match they can win.

Gregor Townsend has opted to name an experienced line-up ahead of Scotland’s World Cup opener against Ireland.

Scotland bounced back from last weekend’s humiliation in Nice with a gritty 17-14 win over France at Murrayfield.

La Rochelle have lost on all 16 of their visits to Clermont in the club's history.

Coach Gregor Townsend says Scotland are keeping a close eye on Ireland as both sides prepare for their opening weekend showdown at the World Cup in Japan next month.

French referees will take charge of the Irish provinces' Champions and Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Every Six Nations weekend generates a blizzard of statistics, come hail or shine, writes Peter Jackson.

Here's how both teams rated as Ireland defeated Scotland 22-13.

Ireland bounced back from their painful home defeat to England as they got their Guinness Six Nations title defence back on track with a much-needed victory at Murrayfield.

Gregor Townsend’s side got their Six Nations tournament off to the perfect start.

We look back at a fascinating 2018 tournament. 

Greig Laidlaw's last-gasp penalty ensured Scotland avoided a final-day slip-up.

Not for the first time, Eddie Jones has been in the spotlight after opening his mouth.

You don’t have to be an incurable optimist to support Scotland but it helps. Year upon year of sky-high hopes being dashed when reality hit home could make even the most fervent fan start to wonder if that gleam they see in the distance is the light at the end of the tunnel or just another train coming to crush their dreams.

Greig Laidlaw has warned Ireland to beware Finn Russell after revealing the Scotland stand-off is in the mood to wreak further havoc after masterminding the dismantling of England.

The line between triumph and disaster is seldom more than gossamer thin in the Six Nations.

Scotland registered their first victory over England in a decade to reignite their NatWest 6 Nations title aspirations and leave the champions nursing a conclusive 25-13 defeat.

Scotland 32 France 26: A relieved Greig Laidlaw has demanded improvements from Scotland despite seeing them come from behind to see off France in the NatWest 6 Nations.

Greig Laidlaw booted 22 points on his return to Scotland's starting line-up as Gregor Townsend's men kick-started their NatWest 6 Nations campaign with a 32-26 win over France.

Gregor Townsend believes it was not the “true” Scotland that were well beaten by Wales in their Six Nations opener.

Is it any wonder the structure of the professional game in Ireland is the envy of so many of our international counterparts at present?

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend says Chris Harris has earned his place in the starting line-up of their NatWest 6 Nations opener in Cardiff.

Newcastle back Chris Harris will make his first Scotland start against Wales in Saturday's NatWest 6 Nations opener.

Scotland flanker John Hardie has been suspended by club side Edinburgh and told he will not be selected for next month's autumn Test series amid a Scottish Rugby Union investigation.

Robbie Henshaw is only a week away from a return to competitive rugby with Leinster but the Irish international is allowing himself a sneaky peek at a possible reunion with Bundee Aki come November.

Johnny Sexton has one game to prove he is a starting British & Irish Lion Test fly-half on this tour to New Zealand and that opportunity comes tomorrow in Whangarei.

Warren Gatland has thrown down a challenge to his Lions to get the tourists off to a winning start this Saturday after last night naming a strong team to face the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians.

British and Irish Lions rugby union head coach Warren Gatland has named his team for their opening match on the tour of New Zealand.

Whoever organised the accommodation arrangements for the British & Irish Lions last week at Carton House must have had a chuckle when they made Johnny Sexton and Dan Biggar room-mates.

The British and Irish Lions must head to New Zealand without one of the most destructive forwards in world rugby after England number eight Billy Vunipola withdrew from the squad through injury.

They sat side by side on the same subs bench on a summer’s evening long ago, father and son far from the madding crowd in the English countryside.

Wales forward Ross Moriarty has described his barnstorming performance against England as “the best game I have played.”

Former British and Irish Lions head coach Ian McGeechan believes Dylan Hartley remains a contender to be captain for this summer’s tour to New Zealand.

Shaun Edwards has delivered a detailed analysis of the Wales "mistake" that potentially cost them victory over England.

At the last official count two years ago, England had 2,057,797 rugby players, almost 50 percent more than the rest of Europe combined.

Ireland intend to vent their anger on Italy in Rome next weekend for the slow start that caught them cold in Scotland.