Sturmey-Archer vs Derailleur

Are Sturmey-Archer gears a Good Thing? I cannot decide. I was given a long lease of a bike with S-A gears earlier this year. It is the first time I have ridden a bike with them, and I can see the advantages: the gears are not exposed to the elements, and are protected from snagging, kicking etc. However, when they go wrong, they are impossible to fix by any rational means. They have to be taken to a Mechanic. This has happened to me now. I suppose it could be compared to Word vs LaTeX. The latter is less intuitive, perhaps, but it allows delving. My bike turns out to be Dutch, and the mechanic has to speak to a friend in Wales to see if he can get the appropriate spare parts. In the meantime, I have to cycle in top gear. Thank you, Cambridge, for being so dully flat.

Scotland managed a 0-0 draw with Japan on Saturday, which meant that Scotland won the Kirin Cup. It's not much, but it is a start and is a continuation of the team's vastly improved form since Walter Smith took over.