Rugby Club ISSUE 83 | Page 10

Scotland FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER.COM/RUGBYCLUBMAG Scotland Scotland 33-20 Italy Scotland 13-22 Ireland There can no argument that Scotland have improved significantly in recent years with a much more entertaining style of rugby having been integrated into their game. Following the home defeat to Ireland at the weekend there is a danger that they do not push on from the platform they have built. The team’s rugby has become much more progressive in recent times and they have been rewarded with memorable victories over England and Australia among others. They have players with genuine class and generally speaking, their home record has been superb. However, they have failed to make a significant impact at the top of the Six Nations table and it will be difficult to do so again 10 Issue 83 this year. Anything other than a win away to France in their next game will leave them looking at a bottom half finish. They have already claimed a bonus point victory against Italy and they have been left short of options in their forwards due to a number of injuries. Their current failure to take the next step is more a case of lacking depth than quality in their XV. With that in mind, there is still plenty of reason for optimism for Scottish supporters and whilst this Six Nations may prove difficult they still have a great chance of making an impact in the World Cup later in the year if they can get their key players fit. Speaking after the game against Ireland, Gregor Townsend said, “We probably should have scored one try more and I’m frustrated that we gifted them a try, but I am very happy with the way we played in the first half.” “In the second half, the execution of our set-piece plays to get us into our game and to put more pressure on Ireland just didn’t happen. Both of the teams’ energy levels dropped in the second half because of the effort that they put into the first half. “With the tackles, carries and contact work at a very high level, you can’t keep that up for 80 minutes. I’m so proud of the players, with the way they played and the effort they put in. “I thought we won those battles and our contact work against a very good defence, who will look to hold you up in the tackle, rip the ball or compete for the ball, was outstanding. “Just that final piece, the execution off our set-piece, which has been really good, that fell off the jigsaw today and that’s my fault. “I’m the attack coach and we weren’t able to get those two or three phases, either to get in behind the defence or set up our attack shape which was working well in the first half. “We got a lot of our attacking game into play, really good decisions and really good work rate off the ball meant that we were finding space in that first half. If we were able to replicate it in the second, I think we’d be here with a win.”