After the shock – and seeing as this is a Scottish based publication and we don’t have to care about neutrality – utterly glorious Calcutta Cup victory of last week, the Scotland camp were under no impressions of the next challenge they face against Wales at an empty BT Murrayfield.
“We just concentrate on our jobs. That is all we are looking at. We are not going to have the home crowd advantage like we normally have so we have to create energy in the right way and make sure we are solid from one to fifteen and enjoying the challenge”, said captain Stuart Hogg, who had one of his best games in years when wearing the Thistle last week, and arguably his best performance since he has become captain.
The shockwaves of last week’s result have been noticed worldwide– how could they not be? – when you consider how far behind the pack Scotland have been in recent years, and breaking the record of having lost at Twickenham since I was still crapping in nappies. 38 long years.
That’s why Hogg isn’t convinced that Scotland are favourites, particularly when coming up against a Wales side loaded with experience and British & Irish Lions.
For example, the seemingly indestructible Alun Wyn Jones has 52 less caps than the entire Scotland forward pack combined. And despite the fact they struggled to beat an Ireland team reduced to 14-men – which was about the same number of minutes that had passed before Peter O’Mahony was red-carded – they have been notoriously tough to break down over the last few years, particularly when Warren Gatland was in charge with Sean Edwards as defence coach.
“I know a fair amount of these Welsh boys. They’re absolutely outstanding individuals and I think they’re going to come here full of beans. They’re ready to put in a big performance both individually and as a team.
“Some people might say they haven’t played their best rugby, but they’re still winning games. They’ve got a lot of experience in there, a lot of talent.
“And that’s the games you want to be involved in, the games that you want to challenge yourself against. There’s nine British Lions in that squad, numerous boys who have won the Grand Slam, so a hell of a lot of experience. We’re going to have to be on the money for 80 minutes and make sure we’re living in every single moment.”
Forwards coach John Dalziel was also quick to establish that they don’t see themselves as favourites, and that him and the rest of the coaching staff had not had to try too hard to remind their charges of it.
“What we’ve talked about all this week is that it was one thing being able to win, it’s another thing to be able to back it up.
“We’re fully aware of the challenges which are coming our way against this Welsh side but we feel we are in a good place and were excited for another challenge.
“As coaches we talk often about how lucky we are to have such a good close group who are really engaged. They want to drive their individual and team game.
“They were looking at the England game on their computers and sending me stuff before we had even got into the review. So that’s excellent. There is no stone left unturned. The boys just want to get better and we know they can. What we’re determined to be as we grow this young group is to not be a team that takes one step forward and two back. That’s the leap we need to take. And that starts by backing up wins and getting consistency in this championship.”
We’ve seen a number of one-off victories against the best sides in the world over the years, but consistency is what makes a good team a great team.
Four 6 Nations wins on the bounce still isn’t enough to convince us long-suffering fans, or even this talented squad containing a handful of world-class players such as Hogg, Finn Russell, Jonny Gray and Hamish Watson to turn the page over and keep getting the “W”s in the table.
“Last week is done with. We can draw a line in the sand – take a huge amount of confidence from it – but understand that this week we are going to have to make it happen again.”
“We’re just focusing on the first 20 minutes and making sure we get that right. If we do get that right then we’ll start to grow in confidence and hopefully as the game goes on we’ll get better and better.” Is this the year that the false-dawns stop? With the current atmosphere in a content seeming, highly-talented squad, let’s keep believing until the dark cloud rises.
10 responses
I told you Gregor Townsend would beat Pivak ha ha ha haaaa
I can’t see Gary Graham ever playing for Scotland again, we missed the likes of John Hardie , or as Onhnathan avies would call him Ohn Ardie
That referee was an absolute disgrace no where near the level of international class. An absolute joke. There is no point watching rugby, given the poor quality of referees.
Don’t know why he went to the TMO he had clearly already decided, he then ignored the TMOs suggestion of mitigating circumstances. Joubert the second, surprised he didn’t leg it up the tunnel at the end.
Where was the TMO when Liam Williams led with his elbow?
I agree , a jealous English man gave the game to Wales , Leigh Halfpenny should have been sent off for his dirty tackle on Darcy Graham. The Welsh coaches will always out smart Townsend though, Townsend is the wrong social class to understand how working class geniuses think . Had Vern Cotter been in charge sill , then we would have won.
John Hardie is dearly missed. I witnessed John Hardie interception of a thief in Edinburgh , it’s a shame that bravery hasn’t been rewarded by the Scottish rugby union
Let’s not bring this forum into disrepute by blaming the ref for everything. Scotland were 18 -3 up and managed to lose the game. Whether or not it was a red – simply by playing in that manner you risk being carded. It was totally avoidable. We bottled it. Still, we played very well and Wales have now used all their luck tokens. Make no mistake, his championship is still very much alive. What an offload by Russell. What a captain in Hogg.
The red is marginal. But Carley had decided he was not accepting any mitigation. It was a tmo check though that brought it to Carley’s attention, yet other incidents aren’t brought to his attention. Disappointing.
The breakdown penalty not being given at the end is inexplicable to me. Harris (I think) is there and looks like he is competing for the ball and Carley shouts off his feet. Eh he’s standing up….
Gutting. yet again we do conjured a defeat from a winning position.
I absolutely love Rugby but I don’t think I can watch rugby again. The referee was a disgrace and wasn’t fit to referee at this level. Finished with rugby forever!
I don’t like losing but was this not what sport is all about. Drama, no lack of skill from each side at times, doggedness of both sides to stay in the game , game on a knife edge. We’ll have our day when we win by one again and we’ll celebrate it. We now have a team that has always got a chance and this was not always the case. Let embrace the highs and lows of sport and be thankful we now have a team that will give us more highs than the lows