Home advantage in three of their first four matches offers “mature” Scotland a clear opportunity to assert themselves in this Six Nations as they aim to prove they have eradicated the flakiness that has plagued previous championship bids under Gregor Townsend.
On their day, the Scots have proven capable of defeating England, Italy and Wales home and away in recent season, while they have also shown they can match France both in Edinburgh and Paris.
Unfortunately for those desperate to see the Scots capitalise on having what is widely deemed their strongest squad in decades, they have lacked the consistency – both match to match and in-game – to challenge at the business end of the tournament.
Their second-half collapse away to Italy last March, which cost them the chance of a rare top-two finish and a potential title decider in Ireland, is a primary case in point.
“I think we obviously have a brilliant team that’s been playing well, but we haven’t necessarily clicked for a whole tournament over these last couple of years,” said Toulon scrum-half Ben White.
“We’ve been close, but we have to have ownership now to take on the challenge and to go for it, and we can’t allow ourselves to lose games that we should win.”
The Scots are adamant they have learned from tournament-wrecking blips of the past and are now ready to deliver on their undoubted promise.
Edinburgh prop Pierre Schoeman says, in terms of dealing with the loss of focus that undermined them against France and Italy in particular last year, Scotland are now “mentally as a group, more resilient, patient, confident and mature”.
Scotland showed their ruthless side in their last match in November when they cruised to a comfortable victory over an Australia side who arrived in Edinburgh amid a blaze of hype after defeating England and Wales.
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt said afterwards he felt the Scots were “in their sweet spot” in terms of their maturity as a squad.
With a core group of experienced, high-calibre Test-match operators in their prime and dancing to the tune of the talismanic Bath fly-half Finn Russell, it feels like it is now or never for Townsend’s Scotland.
We've been close, but we have to have ownership now to take on the challenge and to go for it.
The fact they begin with back-to-back home games – in the year of Murrayfield’s 100th anniversary – merely heightens the notion that they must grasp this opportunity.
“With the amount of talent and confident players we have in the group, depth in each position as well, and the way we’ve been cohesively connected through a few campaigns now together, we have to pitch up and produce,” said Schoeman.
“With three home games, it is an advantage but you can’t take any team lightly. You have to go full-on. It’s also Murrayfield’s 100th year, so there’s massive things this year. Now it’s about producing.”
Ireland, of course, are the nut Townsend’s Scotland have been unable to crack, with 10 straight defeats, although they have taken heart from a spirited four-point loss in Dublin last March.
Ready for the next instalment of this historic championship 🏆#AsOne | #GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/8uWMIjQwT8
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) January 21, 2025
The Murrayfield showdown between the two on matchday two looks key to whether or not the Scots are able to develop a genuine title challenge before they travel to Paris, scene of their last championship triumph in 1999, for what could be a mouthwatering final match.
“Look, Ireland are a fantastic team with brilliant players,” said White, dismissing any suggestion that the defending champions may be a diminished force this year. “They’re still playing well and they’re still winning games.
“We know that every team in this Six Nations is well-oiled and is confident, so you can’t underestimate anyone.”
Pre-tournament optimism has been doused somewhat by untimely injuries to captain Sione Tuipulotu and key second-rower Scott Cummings, with Russell and back-rower Rory Darge thrust back into the co-captain roles they held in the last Six Nations.
Following an injury to Sione Tuipulotu, Rory Darge and Finn Russell will co-captain Scotland in this year’s Guinness Six Nations 🏴 pic.twitter.com/YaK5UcwjoL
— Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) January 20, 2025
“Of course, it’s a huge loss to the group because of the people that they are and the great players that they are,” White said of the injuries.
“But as a group, we also have brilliant players behind them that can step up and do the role really, really well.
“In this tournament, you’ll pick up injuries or suspensions and stuff, so it’s a whole squad effort to make sure that the team’s in a great place come the end of the tournament.”
