Scots can be red hot in Cardiff cauldron

Ifeel like a kid waking up on Christmas Day — and the closer I have got to today, the more excited I have become. There has always been a huge buzz ahead of the Six Nations as it is such a great tournament.

This year, however, it feels different. There is a sense that Scotland have a genuine chance of having a say in the outcome of the Championship. And I like this feeling.

Over the years, some more than others, there has been optimism and a hope that the Scots could win a few games and be competitive. Sadly, that expectation was often misplaced — and sometimes extinguished on the first day of the Six Nations.

last year was only the second time in the history of the tournament that we won our first game and what a difference that made; our optimism increasing moving on to the second weekend.

As it was, though, Scotland lost that second match against france and, although we had that sobering experience at Twickenham (a 61-21 defeat), overall it was a positive Six Nations for us with three wins.

The irony was that we still finished fourth in the table, level on points with second-place Ireland. What has increased the excitement levels to these, maybe unreached heights before, is what has happened since the end of last year’s competition.

There has been a change in coach, with Vern Cotter off to Montpellier and replaced by Gregor Townsend but the positivity continued with a brilliant victory against Australia in Sydney last summer.

That was a great result but nothing to what Scotland did to the same opposition back in November.

After running New Zealand so close the week before, I wondered how the Scots would cope having to back that performance up with another against the Wallabies. Over 50 points and eight tries later, I had my answer.

Scotland had annihilated the third-best team in the world playing a brand of rugby that had the balance of power and directness alongside a razor-sharp attack; a potent and hugely exciting combination.

This is why I am so looking forward to the game in Cardiff.

Can Scotland again reach the heights of performance they achieved in the autumn when it counts in the Six Nations?

Can they produce the type of rugby that lit up Murrayfield when they are playing away from home? There is no reason why not, but winning away is seriously difficult in the Six Nations.

Ignoring the games in Rome last season, there was only one away win in the whole championship — england beating Wales in Cardiff courtesy of a 76th-minute try.

Again, other than Italy, the Scots have not won an away game in the Six Nations since beating Ireland in Dublin in 2010.

So I am excited and nervous at the same time.

Both Scotland and Wales are short of players who would be considered first choice but it has to be a good time to play the Welsh when they are without Sam Warburton, Taulupe faletau, Jonathan Davies and liam Williams. All world-class players that any team would miss.

However, Wales coach Warren Gatland has turned to the one successful team in the Principality — the Scarlets — to replace them.

History is mixed when international teams are picked almost fully from one club.

Ireland did well when Munster were flying high and Gatland won his first game in charge of Wales when he basically picked the Ospreys team en masse. There are other examples, though, when it has not worked; Scotland have relied heavily on Glasgow over the last few years with mixed results.

International rugby is a step up from pro rugby. It is more intense, quicker, with more riding on the outcome and the hype is massive for the Six Nations. Some players cannot cope with this step up and struggle; others thrive.

Wales will fancy their chances taking Scotland on up front. They will play direct and go for the power game but it will be interesting to see if Gatland allows them to play with the freedom and ambition that most of the players have at the Scarlets.

If this game was taking place at Murrayfield or on neutral territory in a World Cup, I think Scotland would win by 10-12 points.

But it is in Cardiff, which brings Wales right back in to the mix.

The crowd there can inspire their team to great things but it should also inspire the Scotland players.

The likes of Ali Price, Huw Jones, finn Russell and Stuart Hogg should revel in the atmosphere and aim to bring their form from the autumn into the Six Nations.

If they do, then Scotland can get their campaign off to a winning start with two games at Murrayfield to follow. Bring it on!