Scotland ready to take on world says Toolis

BEN TOOLIS says that Scotland are proving they can compete with the best as the World Cup comes into view.

South Africa were made to scrap all the way for victory at Murrayfield as Gregor Townsend’s men proved again that they are closing the gap.

And Edinburgh lock Toolis feels only small repairs are needed to an exciting game plan that has produced results more often than not.

“There are minor fixes that we need to do,” he said.

“We can compete with the best in the world. We’ve won nine out of the last 11 games here at Murrayfield and pushed some teams close away from home.

“Definitely we are up there, we’re working towards the top five. Other teams are starting to acknowledge that we’re an improving side. That’s the exciting thing.” Of the errors that need to be corrected ahead of Saturday’s clash with Argentina, the soft underbelly that allowed South Africa to strike – particularly for the second try when Handre Pollard danced through after the Scots coughed up turnover ball inside their own 22 – will be the most pressing for coach Townsend.

But Toolis, right, said: “We’re improving each year. We’re scoring a lot more tries than previously. We build this team from defence and we’ve come on leaps and bounds with that.”

Scotland could square off against South Africa in next year’s World Cup quarter-finals if both teams make it out of their pools and Toolis believes his team have already laid down a big marker. “They only beat us by six points and they’ll be thinking that we’re a tough team to play against. If we do play them at the World Cup they’ll know it won’t be an easy game,” he said. “We’ll be there to front up and won’t take a step back. “It’s always going to be in the back of your mind the last time you played a team, especially 12 months out from a World Cup. That’s just natural. “But we’ll take a lot of positives from this game and see what we need to fix. That’s how you get better.”