RUGBY:Scotland has proven to be the natural home for Andy Robinson's passion for rugby, a trait which was neglected a little bit down south, writes JOHN O'SULLIVAN

THE PERCUSSION effect of fist on buckling Perspex, the undiluted frustration and anger that contorted Andy Robinson’s features before he regained a semblance of self possession, belatedly aware that the BBC television camera had captured the moment during Scotland’s defeat to Wales at Murrayfield a fortnight ago, was a throwback to a former incarnation.

The presence of the camera in the corner of the coaches’ match vestry could be considered in terms of intrusion as possibly equating to having bathroom ablutions filmed. Some coaches more than others find animation unavoidable, others more accomplished in masking any inner turmoil.

In a previous life as a highly-regarded flanker with Bath, England (eight caps) and the 1989 Lions, Robinson was noted for his obsession in pursing rugby excellence.

The social niceties in a team environment were subsumed by a passion for the sport flecked by honesty and a sharp intellect. His graduation to the coaching ranks was hardly a surprise for the keen student.

He led Bath to Heineken Cup success (1998), was Clive Woodward’s forwards’ coach when England won the World Cup in 2003, succeeding him in the summer of 2004. Robinson’s two-year stint in charge of the England team produced nine victories in 22 matches – he was replaced by Brian Ashton after the November Tests in 2006 – and the experience scarred him.

He endured a fractious relationship with the media and felt betrayed by the English RFU who foreclosed on his tenure as national coach. Robinson looked in the mirror and deconstructed his personality to better understand what motivated him.

He recalled of that time: “When I lost my role as head coach of England I had to think what I wanted to do next. I had six months to reflect and to think on what I am really passionate about. I looked deep into my soul and I came through with my core values.

“Having gone through those depths and having worked out what I was about I then focused on my career as a coach. I’m quite a confident guy and I have total belief in myself.

“Thinking of what is important to me in my life, coaching rugby and inspiring players to be the best they can be is something I wake up every morning wanting to do.”

Part of the process was to parse painful memories of his time with England so he could learn and move forward. “I understand myself better now,” he said in a recent interview, “and I think that is important. Knowing yourself, what you bring, and who you are is crucial.

“I’m better at involving other people. I understand better who I am in terms of my personality type and how that impacts on other people.”

In the summer of 2007 Robinson took over as head coach at Edinburgh – he also assumed a joint coaching responsibility for Scotland A with Sean Linnen – and during his stint the club finished joint third and second in the Magners League.

He was invited to succeed Frank Hadden as Scotland coach in June, 2009 and in 11 Tests the Scots have won six, lost four and drawn with England.

The statistics are an abridged record, the specifics a great deal more impressive. Scotland beat Ireland in their final game at Croke Park during last year’s Six Nations, won a brace of Test matches during the summer in Argentina, a rarity in itself, and then just last November the 46-year-old became the first Scottish coach to lead his side to victory over the Springboks.

The irony of how a proud Englishman has fitted more snugly into Scottish rugby than he perhaps did in charge of the red rose is palpable. His words dismiss any suggestion that it is a shallow affectation.

“I am who I am. I can’t change that. But my passion for rugby finds a natural home with the Scottish people, which is neglected a little down south.

“Rugby folk in Scotland care deeply and are very knowledgeable about the sport. I witnessed it first hand when I went to Bill McLaren’s funeral and met the players I had watched growing up on television. There’s a real love of the game up here in Scotland.

“I was waking along the road to the service with JJ (John Jeffrey) and tapping at the window is Jim Renwick who invited us in for a bit of breakfast, and Andy Irvine was in there, guys who are world-class people and world-class rugby players in their time. It’s a small community up here but a special one, and a lot of those individuals are mentors for players in my squad.”

The admiration seems to be reciprocated as the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), mindful of recent speculation linking Robinson with a return to Bath following this year’s World Cup, extended his contract until the aftermath of the 2015 tournament.

Although no one will confirm the specifics of his salary, the conjecture is that his new contract elevates him into the top three paid coaches in the world game alongside Philippe Saint André (Toulon) and Warren Gatland (Wales).

In the current economic recession that’s a pretty striking endorsement, especially at a time when the SRU are not selling out their home matches in the Six Nations.

They were six thousand short of capacity for the Welsh game and according to reports in Scotland this week, there are about 4,500 unsold tickets for Sunday’s game against Ireland. That figure may not include tickets returned by the IRFU.

In times past surplus tickets resembled hen’s teeth.

There are only a little over 30,000 sold for the Italian match later in the tournament.

This, at a time when going into the Six Nations, the portents for Scottish hopes looked closer to being realised than at any point in the last 15 years or more.

They had a coach whose technical ability has long been highly regarded while others who have played with him and under his tutelage talk about his facility to tweak a game-plan during a match, yielding positive dividends.

It’s a slight exaggeration to suggest that optimism was unbridled going into this season’s tournament but Scotland deserved to be bullish about their chances.

Three tries, albeit in defeat, to France in Paris did little to stifle the expectation but that came to a shuddering halt on foot of the sheer ineptitude of their performance in defeat against Wales.

Robinson had every right to be livid but on Sunday there’s unlikely to be any lingering trace of recrimination. His team selection articulates a man with a plan, one who understands what will be required to win at the weekend and also the essence of the Scottish game.

He once observed: “It’s important to embrace the culture of the team you’re working with. My belief about Scotland over the years is that they are at their most effective in chaos and when they are creating chaos.

“That’s one of the things we’ve talked about as a squad. Creating chaos is an important part of the history of Scotland teams, and it’s a good way to play.”

That and having a bloody good coach.