Some key scores from the Tonga game

But there was another “score” off the field that is of increasing relevance: no waste at the stadium went to landfill.

As Scotland hosts the United Nations conference on climate change, COP26, Scottish Rugby is working with its partners and supporters to enhance our collective awareness and care of what we can all do to protect our planet’s precious resources.

The Tonga match attracted a crowd of more than 32,000 and capacity attendances of 67,000 are expected for the matches against Australia, South Africa and Japan over the next three weekends.

Scottish Rugby’s new waste and recycling partner, Biffa, did its own post-match analysis last weekend.

It collected:

• 3,367kg of general waste. Some 49.9% of the total.
• 2,669kg of dry mixed recycling, equivalent to 39.5%.
• 456kg of glass, equivalent to 6.8%; and
• 255kg of food, equivalent to 3.8%.

Biffa’s Kelly Lock said: “Overall we lifted 6,747kg of waste from which 3,380kg (50%) was recycled and the remainder went to RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel).The benefit to the environment is that absolutely nothing went to landfill.

“It’s very pleasing to see the amount of recyclable material being lifted from a match day and with the Scottish Government poised to introduce its deposit return scheme from next July, I’m sure there will be a concerted effort across the country to encourage more people to think carefully of the benefits of responsible disposal of waste.”

The Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of a deposit return scheme for Scotland, meaning that Scotland will soon be the first part of the UK to introduce such a scheme for drinks containers.

The scheme is due to launch from 1 July 2022 and will make it easier for everyone to recycle their used bottles and cans, including all drinks sold in PET plastic, metal and glass.

A Scottish Rugby spokesperson said: “It’s heartening that working with Biffa we’re recycling products and materials and we’ve all got a part to play as we seek to eliminate waste.”