Line-out trick won’t work again, say Scots
LONDON: Scotland assistant coach Jonathan Humphreys admits his team can’t rely on the surprise factor any more after a cunning line- out move paid off in their Six Nations win over Ireland.
Ireland were left scratching their heads on Saturday when Scotland centre Alex Dunbar moved into a first-half line- out before diving over for his team’s third try.
Vern Cotter’s side now travel to Paris to face France this weekend in confident mood after kicking off their Six Nations campaign with a 27-22 win. But forwards coach Humphreys, who was credited by Cotter with conjuring up the gutsy move, is sure France will not be so easily fooled.
“People haven’t realised we tried that move against Tonga two years ago and Alex dropped the ball. They know it now though,” he said on Tuesday.
“We identified the possibility that it could work against Ireland. We came to the team run on Friday and Jonny Gray said, ‘Shall we go through that move?’. But I said, ‘Nah’.
“So in reality Jonny should be taking the credit for persevering and saying, ‘I want to do that move on Saturday’. I’ll give it to him.
“Do we expect teams to pay a bit more attention to what we’re doing at line- outs now? Yeah. These are moments in the game that either make you look great or they don’t. But I don’t think your game can be based just around that.”