RBS 6 Nations Preview: Struggling Scots still pose threat to Wales

cyRil · Feb 9, 2012

The opening weekend of the 2012 RBS 6 Nations held contrasting fortunes for Andy Robinson and Warren Gatland - respective head coaches of the Scottish and Welsh national sides.

At Murrayfield on Saturday Robinson's Scotland hogged possession, displayed grit and determination, but huff and puff as they might they could not blow England's house down. A controversial TMO decision to disallow substitute fly-half Greig Laidlaw an opportunist try caused consternation within home ranks and ultimately kept the visitors' lead in tact. But the fact remained that Scotland just didn't use the ball they had wisely or make the most of the number of chances they created to score.

There were no such problems for Wales at the Aviva Stadium the following day as a topsy-turvy, fast-paced affair went the way of the men in red. Despite contentious refereeing decisions going in their favour, few could argue that Gatland's men were not full value for the crucial win in Dublin. Undeterred by profligacy from the kicking tee, an extra incisiveness in the back division with ball in hand proved decisive and left their Irish opponents clutching at straws - rather than Welsh shirts - in despairing attempt to deal with the visitors' added flair, pace and finishing ability.

For the meeting with Scotland at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday star performers in that backline Jonathan Davies, George North and Jamie Roberts continue to forge a formidable presence out wide; last-gasp penalty hero Leigh Halfpenny and rookie Cardiff Blue Alex Cuthbert maintain their roles as full-back and wing respectively; whilst Rhys Priestland and Mike Phillips keep hold of their half-back spots.

There are enforced changes in the forwards with Bradley Davies's 7-week ban for dropping Donnacha Ryan on his head putting paid to the lock's championship. After his heroics at flanker on Sunday, Ryan Jones moves to the second row in Davies's absence to partner Ospreys clubmate Ian Evans.

Dan Lydiate has recovered from the back pull that cost him his place against Ireland and will accompany Number 8 Toby Faletau and captain Sam Warburton, who proved his fitness at training on Thursday.

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In the front row, Gethin Jenkins returns sooner than expected from a knee injury to replace Rhys Gill and form a capable unit with Huw Bennett and Adam Jones.

Lou Reed comes in to provide second row cover on the bench and will win his first cap if he is required; but the changes mean there is no place in the match-day squad for Gill or Justin Tipuric - a disappointment for the young Ospreys leader who enjoyed a barnstorming cameo as Warburton's replacement last weekend.

For Scotland, the main news in the build up for the trip to Wales has been Dan Parks' decision to retire from international rugby with immediate effect.

The Australian-born pivot experienced something of a nightmare in Round One with his charge-down leading to the game's solitary try and costing Scotland dear; whilst Parks also had the ignominy of being replaced early as his side sought a way back into the match.

The Cardiff Blue's less-than-specific reasons for hanging up his boots do not require much reading between the lines to draw conclusions and it is evident that this was simply one infuriating loss too many for the head coach - with Parks clearly providing Robinson's scapegoat for another insipidly blunt performance.

In his place comes the more exciting prospect - but inexperienced - Greig Laidlaw, who makes his fourth appearance and first start for Scotland. His half-back partner, Lions tourist Chris Cusiter, will look to accomodate Laidlaw and guide him through his new role. However, one wonders how much the veteran can offer as relief and support for the outside-half amidst a baying Welsh crowd in the unforgiving cauldron that is the Millennium Stadium.

Laidlaw's outside backs remain the same group that were powerless to penetrate England's defensive line at Murrayfield and must look to play a more expansive and unpredictable attacking game if they have any chance of breaching Davies, Roberts, et al.

Up front there is only one change with Geoff Cross coming in at tighthead for Euan Murray, who refuses to play on Sundays due to his religious beliefs.

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Otherwise it's as-you-were, with Ross Ford continuing his captaincy at hooker, Richie Gray and Jim Hamilton locking the pack and Alasdair Strokosch and Ross Rennie flanking the impressive Dave Denton at Eighth Man.

As Gatland has done before him, Andy Robinson is seemingly putting his trust in youth with the uncapped Stuart Hogg, Duncan Weir and Ed Kalman taking bench spots; but how much game time, or effective each player can be on the international stage clearly remains to be seen.

On the face of it, it seems a relatively simple task for a Welsh team in exuberant form and, as always, buoyed by an ever-excitable home crowd. But Scotland displayed enough in defeat last week that they will definitely bring a threat with them down from the highlands. Their forwards in particular will look to take a strangle-hold of proceedings in order to stifle Welsh play - as they did at the same venue two years ago, when the work put in by the likes of John Barclay and Kelly Brown brought the team within a whisker of a famous win in Cardiff.

But, as Scottish fans know all-too-well, Robinson's men failed to maintain their composure and spectacularly imploded to hand Wales the win that day. It is this lack of belief and conviction to carry the job through to its conclusion a record a 'win' that plagues the Scots and has been their undoing for quite some time.

Gatland and his coaching team will look to use this inability to close games out to Wales's advantage on Sunday as they attempt to take a second step towards a possible third Grand Slam in eight years.

Such talk will not even be whispered in camp this week, but it is evident that the belief and talent is there in spades for Wales - James Hook, who Andy Robinson would give his right arm to be from Dundee, sits on the bench; and although Scotland will, as ever, prove a stern test of credentials, Warburton and his men will be gearing up to this fixture with their eyes firmly set on the prize.

cyRil's Prediction: Home crowd, intense atmosphere and superior personnel and attacking mindset should see Wales over the line. WALES 28-16 SCOTLAND

TEAM SELECTIONS:

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); Alex Cuthbert (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), George North (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Bayonne); Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), Sam Warburton (Blues, capt), Toby Faletau (Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Ospreys), Lou Reed (Scarlets), Andy Powell (Sale Sharks), Lloyd Williams (Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Scott Williams (Scarlets).

Scotland: R Lamont (Glasgow Warriors); L Jones (Edinburgh), N De Luca (Edinburgh), S Lamont (Scarlets), M Evans (Castres); G Laidlaw (Edinburgh), C Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors); A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Ford (capt, Edinburgh), G Cross (Edinburgh), R Gray (Glasgow Warriors), J Hamilton (Gloucester), A Strokosch (Gloucester), R Rennie (Edinburgh), D Denton (Edinburgh).

Replacements: S Lawson (Gloucester), E Kalman (Glasgow Warriors), A Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), J Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), M Blair (Edinburgh), D Weir (Glasgow Warriors), S Hogg (Glasgow Warriors).

All images courtesy of www.rbs6nations.com, www.scotsman.com & www.telegraph.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter @ThomasODavies

Seaton · Feb 9, 2012

Going back to the game in 2010, it is nice to see that Thom Evans has got himself fully into athletics and is aiming to participate in the 200/ 400 metre sprints in the Commonwealth games.

Just to make my feelings known, Lee Byrne dived

Darwin · Feb 9, 2012

Great preview cyRil, really enjoyed reading that!

coonor · Feb 9, 2012

Great preview and hopefully a great game!

dullonien · Feb 9, 2012

Very good preview Cyril, a million times better than the drivel found on the BBC, Wester Mail or every other news source.

Me 1 · Feb 9, 2012

Nice work CyRil, good, straight-forward preview.

RBS 6 Nations Preview: Struggling Scots still pose threat to Wales

cyRil

First XV

Seaton

First XV

Darwin

AKA Dingo_Darwin

coonor

First XV

dullonien

International

Me 1

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