SO much rests on Scotland winning their opening game of the Six Nations against Wales in Cardiff. If they lose the reaction will be that it is another Scottish false dawn, and nothing much is going to happen.
I’m not sure that perception would be right, because Scotland have definitely turned the corner. It would make their chances of winning the Championship more difficult because they would have to win their next four games – but because they follow the trip to Wales by playing France and England at Murrayfield before going to Dublin and Rome, it is not out of the question.
However, to shut everyone up they have got to start by beating Wales. It should be a new beginning for the Scots with Gregor Townsend in charge. He knows this tournament as a player, and as a coach – he was an assistant to Andy Robinson – and he is on a mission to set Scotland free by building on the foundations and solid structure put in place by Vern Cotter.
International rugby is a tough place, and the Six Nations is among the toughest because you are under the microscope for almost two months, and are reminded every moment of any shortcomings you have.
The number of times that Scotland have won less than 50 percent of their games in the Six Nations in the last decade, finishing fourth, fifth or sixth in the table, is disappointing, and they have not won in Cardiff in the tournament since 2003.
Front row injuries have taken a toll on the Scots, so Wales should have an advantage at the scrum. Wales will be expecting to mount pressure, and the Scottish pack has to stop the Welsh from dominating the scrum.
The best way of doing that is by making no mistakes – and that is a team effort. The Scots can take the pressure off their front five by not giving away scrums through knock-ons, forward passes, inaccurate kicking, not-straight line-outs and offsides.
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