Saturday is the 150th anniversary of the Scotland v England fixture – the world’s oldest international rugby match – and among many things a glorious chance to doff a cap to one HH Almond and his words of wisdom amidst the controversy and rancour that often attaches itself to this annual tribal gathering.
Hely Hutchinson Almond was the umpire that day, in effect the referee, in a sport that hitherto had optimistically asked the two captains to come to a mutual decision on key incidents and disputes. As if.
A redoubtable Scotsman and educationalist, Almond had bought Loretto School in 1862...