Townsend’s Scotland give Wales expansion template

A NINE-MINUTE spell when Wales played New Zealand last November summed up where Warren Gatland’s men must improve to become contenders on the world stage.

Fifteen minutes into a game Wales would eventually go on to lose 18-33, All Black scrum-half Aaron Smith found himself in space in his opponent’s 22 following a Rieko Ioane break and off-load to his diminutive team-mate.

Knowing he was a long way from support, Smith slowed, checked his run, stepped to the right and floated a sublime 20-yard pass off his weaker hand for winger Waisake Naholo to score without needing to break stride.

As exercises in execution go, it pushed perfection.

By contrast, nine minutes later Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny was put away down the right-hand side following a strong charge from flanker Josh Navidi with winger Hallam Amos free outside and with the try line beckoning. But the pass was rushed and hit Amos on the shoulder. The winger couldn’t grasp it and the chance went begging.

Gatland has placed a strong emphasis on putting width on the ball, moving away from the more direct trucking up-the-middle game loosely termed ‘Warrenball’ Wales have favoured since the New Zealander took over in 2008.

But with width comes pressure on skills and Wales must improve their passing game to reproduce the all-court game they crave to move from a middle-ranking international team to consistently challenge the likes of New Zealand, Australia and England.

EMPLOYED

They need to play with the type of style that is employed by Scotland under Gregor Townsend.

Scotland have risen to so many Six Nations false dawns that when the curtain is drawn on this year’s tournament the cautious among their supporters could be forgiven for staying in bed.

Alongside losing in Cardiff, it has become a Scottish tradition that an encouraging autumn is succeeded by a damp-squib spring.

Scotland have had few better Novembers than 2017, culminating in that 50-point Wallaby walloping.

They bring with them the confidence of home and away wins over Australia and a best performance against the All Blacks for three decades. There is plenty to put a spring in Scottish steps.

But it has to come with a note of caution, one that begins with the word ‘Fiji’. Days after winning in Australia – the sort of victory Gatland had doubted Scotland’s ability to achieve – they lost in Suva.

Next on the note, with a due nod to Gatland, would be Scotland’s dire record on the road in the Six Nations. They have not won in Cardiff since 2002, when Townsend was on the field and Bill McLaren in the commentary box.

Scotland captain John Barclay, the insider in the camp thanks to his knowledge of Welsh rugby through his club the Scarlets, believes that there will an element of old Wales on show under the roof of the Principality Stadium – which was originally open and then closed on Thursday in another ridiculous case of pre-match mind games.

“They’re two different teams and Warren Gatland obviously has his way of playing, so I’d be surprised if they suddenly tore up his way of playing and adopted a totally different style,” Barclay said.

“The way Warren and his team have been coached has been very successful, so I’d be surprised if they changed that.”