Anendra Singh: Scotsman or Englishman

Okay, so the dude from Dunblane has done the deed on the prime real estate of the All England Club.

Take a bow, um, soon-to-be Sir Andy Murray for creating a wave of euphoria in winning the British Open tennis on Monday (NZ time).

For what it's worth, I believe Murray should shelve any thoughts of a knighthood right now because the fan base in Scotland could diminish considerably overnight if the public reaction to Edinburgh-born Olympic champion cyclist Chris Hoy's acceptance of the gong in 2009 is anything to go by.

The politically minded, it seems, are more likely to forgive and forget if he momentarily overlooks his mother in the process of embracing his coach, Ivan Lendl, partner Kim Sears and a swag of coaching crew soon after winning a grand slam title than accept a knighthood.

Murray's straight-sets demolition of Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, at Wimbledon has without doubt injected more life in the men's grand slam singles competition although the prospect of the champion playing left-handed against Serena Williams in an exhibition match is equally exciting.

What is disconcerting, though, is the suggestion the 26-year-old has exorcised some 77-year-old English demon.

Hang on, isn't he a Scotsman?

The last Briton to win the Wimbledon men's single title was the late Fred Perry in 1936, in the sartorial elegance of his pleated and starched trousers.

For the record, the previous Scotsman to win a singles title at Wimbledon was Harold Mahoney in 1896.

Murray, who lives in London but attended school in Glasgow before honing his skills in Spain from his late teens, calls himself "Scottish and British".

Born in Suva, I was always a Fijian when the rugby sevens team excelled but when they stumbled I conveniently, in a jocular vein, embraced my Indian heritage to ward off mates' ribbing.

As a New Zealander I've lost that privilege but, suffice it to say, the British Open champion is making the most of his multiple nationality.

But the elation surrounding Murray's feat takes allegiance and patriotism to murky depths that threaten to slowly but surely suck the marrow out of sports.

TV footage of the final showed the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, standing behind British Prime Minister David Cameron, waving a Scottish flag in the face of the royal box.

With nationalists seeking independence from the United Kingdom through a referendum in October next year, history, as we know it, could shift considerably from its axis in the world of tennis.

Dorset-born Virginia Wade, who learned to play tennis in South Africa after her parents moved there when she was a year old, is the last player to win the Wimbledon singles title but then she's female.

Politics aside, where exactly does the British and Irish Lions rugby outfit sit in the scheme of things?

All right, so South Africa can be instrumental in helping cricketers win the Ashes from this month but they aren't wearing a shirt that is masquerading as a team or country of collectives.

Without doubt the first two Lions versus Wallabies matches across the ditch were the most exciting tests I've seen for a while.

For once, it was great watching two teams not running on to the field trying - to commit a journalistic sin in using a double negative - not to lose.

The sea of yellow and red in the form of 80,000-plus fans added to the electric atmosphere and indubitably had the Australian Rugby Union laughing all the way to the bank.

The script of the third and defining test failed to live up to the hype.

Was it because Lions coach Warren Gatland succumbed to common sense?

Everything suggested the Kiwi should employ a Wales-heavy line-up, something he was familiar with and a formula that promised cohesiveness.

Could the result have been the same if it was predominantly Irish or English players and, more significantly, would it have been more satisfying?

Besides, trying to play politics in reflecting the plurality of four nations at the height of battle will always be a recipe for discord.

Effectively, it took four nations, after experimenting in two games, to break down one country to clinch the series.

Is that fair?

More importantly, should the Wallabies' Kiwi coach, Robbie Deans, take that to heart?

No, because the Ockers were sharpening their knives for the kill ever since the Wallabies prematurely bowed out of the Rugby World Cup here in 2011.

Some would argue the pins were embedded in Dingo Deans' voodoo doll from the day he was appointed.

How in the blink of an eye it could easily have been the Brits baying for Gatland's blood amid the toxicity over the dumping of Brian O'Driscoll, a Paddy.

Deans is adept at coaching and no pragmatic person will ever cast aspersions on that.

Apparently he isn't as shrewd a selector as Gatland if he persisted with Justin Bieber (James O'Connor) at first five-eighth where he looked as comfortable as Martin Guptill opening for the Black Caps in a test match.

No doubt the Aussies would have found other reasons why Deans was not the right man for the job, to the chorus of his Kiwi detractors here.

Reds coach Ewen McKenzie's credentials are impressive but the All Blacks test on August 17 in Sydney will be a litmus test and a sound bite of the Wallaby fans' patience.

The timing of Brumbies coach Jake White is perhaps too early after the unceremonious dumping of fellow South African Mickey Arthur as Australia cricket coach last month just before another over-hyped event, The Ashes.

Arthur's perceived lackadaisical approach to disciplining players has an uncanny similarity to that of Deans.

While the advocacy of home-grown coaches smacks of nationalism, it does ensure a degree of separatism that promises other codes won't end up like syndicates in the America's Cup yacht race.

That is, sailors from myriad countries propping up UN crews and one syndicate even representing a land-locked nation finding traction in a sea of sponsorship dollars.