World Cup: ‘The North’ proves deserving of bigger slice of the action

Because this entertaining encounter, won 39-16 by Scotland after a first-half fright, was one of just six games in the 2015 tournament played in the north of England.

It was the second of the weekend in Leeds after Italy’s narrow victory over Canada kicked off a whistle-stop visit to West Yorkshire on Saturday.

There are three further games at Newcastle’s St James’ Park to come and England’s final pool game against Uruguay at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday week which, by then, could be a dead rubber.

But that’s it. Six games from 48 in total. Three venues out of 13 north of Leicester.

If a World Cup is as much about the footprint it leaves behind as it is the action, then the north of England barely gets the little toes.

Opportunities to grow the game with days like these – when die-hard fans mingle with young families enjoying a day out – are rare as it is, without limiting them further.

Yet in the spirit of making the most of what you are given, Yorkshire folk responded admirably to their small role, embracing World Cup fever all the way from Millennium Square to Billy Bremner’s statue, which yesterday was the backdrop to a line of bag pipers who enriched the pre-match entertainment.

A crowd of more than 33,000, largely of Scottish persuasion with a smattering of star-spangled banners, created a vibrant atmosphere in the sunshine.

Twenty-four hours earlier, a similar number saw a considerably more even game as Italy squeezed by Canada.

That threat of a second surprise result of the tournament following the shockwaves Japan sent through world rugby a week earlier, resurfaced yesterday when the USA opened up a 13-6 lead at half-time.

But as much as fitness is a deciding factor between tier one and tier two nations, like Scotland and the USA, decision-making and composure also plays a part.

In an often open game, the USA were able to create space that they too-frequently spurned.

Scotland, similarly, were struck with their own panicked moments early on, Stuart Hogg breaking clear, only to throw the ball at Tim Visser’s knees.

What USA lacked in guile they made up for in physicality. Nigel Melville, USA Rugby’s chief executive who was back in the city of his birth, told The Yorkshire Post on Saturday that union is gaining popularity Stateside because of the growing concussion issues in American football. Some of the bone-shuddering tackles the likes of Thretton Palamo was dishing out for the USA Eagles yesterday afternoon suggested otherwise.

The underdogs, a mixture of amateurs and professionals, led courtesy of prop Titi Lamositele’s try and Alan MacGinty’s place-kicking.

The second half was always a question of how long they could hold out against the established Scots, and seven minutes was the answer. First Visser crossed in the corner and then Sean Maitland dotted down after a delightful off-load from Finn Russell.

Further scores for WP Nel, Matt Scott and Duncan Weir secured the bonus point and kept Scotland on course for the knockout stages.

It took until the 72nd minute for a Mexican wave to break out around Elland Road – at the Olympic Stadium last week when New Zealand steamrollered Namibia it was barely 20 – which is a testament to the intrigue of yesterday’s fixture, the sense of occasion and that perhaps Yorkshire, and the north, deserved a bigger slice of the World Cup pie.