We’ve Cott to finish on a high note
Outgoing Scotland coach eyeing win over Italy after flop
AFTER a chastening Twickenham experience Vern Cotter insists his focus will be on one more good home performance rather than his farewell from the Scotland job when Italy visit on Saturday. The New Zealander has received plaudits for his team’s displays at Murrayfield turf against Ireland and Wales.
There was credit, too, for one of the more encouraging performances in Paris as they came close to an upset.
But records tumbled as his side were humbled 61-21 in London, with England matching their biggest-ever margin of victory against their oldest international rivals. It was the most points Scotland have ever conceded in a championship match.
England head to Dublin this weekend looking to win backto-back Six Nations Grand Slams. Scotland’s hopes of pinching the title, meanwhile, were crushed as Jonathan Joseph scored a hat-trick of tries and set up another for replacement Anthony Watson.
If results fall the right way Scotland could yet claim a best-ever Six Nations finish which would be seen as fitting by the many who believe a major error was made in sacking the coach who was beginning to turn things around.
Cotter is keen to set such considerations aside in preparing objectively for the visit of an Italy side facing the prospect of suffering a third whitewash in four years. “Nobody likes that,” was his stating-theobvious response when asked about his determination not to finish as a loser.
“I’m going to think more about the game and try to get as many players on the paddock as possible,” he added, alluding to the injury problems that saw Stuart Hogg, Ryan Wilson and Tommy Seymour become the latest to go off with head knocks while Mark Bennett suffered a serious looking leg injury.
The coach did acknowledge that there is an extra incentive for a number of those involved since most of his management team will be departing with him while he hinted that this was the last campaign for some team members.
“It’s not just me finishing. It is the last game for this group of coaches and perhaps some players,” said Cotter.
“There will be passion and hard work though the week and we will be determined to put in a good performance.”
That naturally invited speculation regarding the plans of, in particular, veteran and former captain Ross Ford who has lost his place in the starting line-up this season.
Whether or not he should have might be questioned following the loss of discipline of Fraser Brown, who has replaced him as starting hooker.
His tip tackle on Elliot Daly less than two minutes after kick off crucially meant his team-mates had to face a fresh England side a man short and were lucky not to be down to 14 men for the whole match.
“We got caught out with the yellow card,” Cotter admitted.