It’s a big sporting year for Scotland. The Ryder Cup will
bring the focus of the world of golf to Gleneagles and the Commonwealth Games
come to Glasgow, putting world focus on them twice in the coming months. Before
the summer, it remains to be seen if the Rugby team can repeat their heroics of
last year and come close to repeating their third place finish in the 6
Nations, their best tournament finish since winning the last edition of the 5
Nations in 1999.
Scott Johnson, an immediate improvement on Andy Robinson, is
moving aside what yet another managerial upgrade in Vern Cotter, arriving in
the summer, adding yet more hope for Scottish rugby at the top level with a
World Cup now fast approaching.
Johnson’s success has been powered by a dynamic, skilful,
and explosive backline, mainly centring around Stuart Hogg, Tim Visser, Sean
Maitland and Matt Scott, who ran rings around even the best on their way to
notching up a seven try tally, their best since 2009. Tim Visser’s injury is a
crushing blow, but Lions Maitland and Hogg have provided a real threat since
their recent breakthroughs for the team and were two of the shining lights in a
disappointing Autumn campaign. Matt Scott’s absence from the starting XV is a
potential worry but he should be fit for both home fixtures.
Greig Laidlaw’s uber solid boot, the source of a
barely-deserved win against Ireland (at least on a statistical basis, with
Scotland having less than 30% possession and territory), provides the
leadership needed from the halfbacks but one can’t help but feel that the lack
of a top class 10 is holding Scotland back from making yet further progress. Duncan
Weir is given the start against Ireland but neither him nor Rudardih Jackson
has really released the backline on regular occasions and it remains to be seen
just how they perform this year.
The pack has always been a source of price for Scotland, but
the obliteration at the hands of South Africa in the Autumn brings significant
concern with England and France, the two visitors to Murrayfield this term,
bringing massive forward power with them. Kelly Brown, Dave Denton and
Montpellier’s Jim Hamilton are all fine ball-carrying tacklers to lead the line,
but the nature of their capitulation towards such elements as the driving lineout
is a significant worry although they have a reasonably strong scrum.
It looks likely that with France and England expected to win
here, their battle with Italy for the wooden spoon will be decided with their
visit to the Stadio Olimpico, one that is tough to call at this point, although
the future looks might brighter than two years ago.
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