HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE, rugby fans. This time tomorrow night, all eyes will be on the Millennium Stadium for the big kick-off.
Before that, we’re continuing our team-by-team guide as Rory Baldwin of the Scottish Rugby Blog gives us the lowdown on our Celtic cousins.
Who will win the Six Nations?
If it’s not going to be Scotland, I’d go with Ireland. They seem a contented camp and have a very astute tactician at the helm.
How are Scotland shaping up? Good form, happy camp?
We’re also pretty happy too with our own new Kiwi tactician. The team is being picked on form and given leave to play heads up rugby. We’re lucky to have a narrow but rich seam of talent coming through, not least in the backs where there is actual competition for places between players of a similar standard finally. As usual though Scotland fans are dreading another false dawn and the prospect of our 6 Nations challenge lasting all of about 15 minutes.
Six months out from the World Cup, how is Big Vern handling the pressure?
Big Vern doesn’t handle pressure, he kills it violently down a darkened alley. Seriously though, if there was pressure on Vern you wouldn’t know it. There’s mild expectation after the SRU announced a strategic plan to win the thing, but while it’s a noble aim no-one is expecting more than a half decent showing for once.
Who or what is your biggest concern in the Scottish team?
The bench for the first game has been hit by injuries to Lamont, Pyrgos and Scott, all of whom might have been on it. I worry if the game is tight or we are chasing it – likely, let’s face it – then we don’t have anyone to bring on and change things up. Naturally I would love to be proven wrong.
Who will be your key player?
All the talk surrounds Finn Russell, but for me it will be Jonny Gray. He’s the engine of the team and if we can get going forward and control the lineout like we did in the autumn, we’re in good shape.
From any country, who do you think will be a surprise package this spring?
I’d look out for Sam Hidalgo-Clyne coming off the bench to earn his first cap. Lively scrum half who has played 10,15 and wing in the past, he’s got the break of Mike Blair and the kicking of Greig Laidlaw.
Which game are you looking forward to most of all?
It depends on how the early games go. I’m looking forward to seeing how the team responds under pressure if they’re in with a shout. I’d love them to have a real crack at Wales at BT Murrayfield and at England at Twickenham. I think Scotland have a real point to prove against Wales so that would be the one I’m most looking forward to seeing.
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