But nothing compared to the noise which greeted the arrival of the Scotland team, who entered the arena last in their white shirts and kilts and lifted many in the capacity crowd from their seats. A large Loch Ness Monster representation then emerged, before, backed by bagpipers and drummers, a rousing rendition of Flower of Scotland followed. The next section of the evening featured theatrical performances – a show billed as "a love letter to Glasgow and the Commonwealth". There was a point, after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as hosts in 2023, when some thought these Games would not happen. There are eight fewer sports involved compared to 2014, given the short build-up, and venues from 12 years ago have been repurposed.