Winning mentality key to future Scots success

Rugby union: Jones tasks team to repeat All Blacks intensity in every match

Huw Jones says it was no surprise Scotland put on a show against New Zealand last weekend – but admits the challenge now is to repeat their display against the All Blacks when they take on lesser opponents.

The Scots pushed Steve Hanson’s men desperately close at Murrayfield on Saturday as they once again failed to record their first win against the world champions.

Yet, the stirring nature of their display in the 22-17 Edinburgh loss has raised hopes that Gregor Townsend’s men now stand on the brink of being genuine top-level contenders.

But Glasgow centre Jones has preached caution after admitting it

“That mindset of wanting to play at that intensity no matter who the opponent is”

is easy to raise your game when squaring up to the best team on the planet.

The hard part, according to the 23-year-old, is reaching those heights when the other side is not quite so stellar.

“That’s a mindset thing,” said the former Stormers midfielder ahead of Saturday’s clash with Australia. “Pretty much every team will have their best game against the All Blacks because they’re number one in the world.

“It’s easy to raise your game against them.

“Now it’s about getting into that mindset of wanting to play at that intensity no matter who the opponent is.

“If you look at our first game against Samoa we didn’t have our best game.

“I don’t think we underestimated them but perhaps we weren’t in the best mental shape.

“But, for most of us, the All Blacks game would have been the biggest of our careers so far and if you’re not in the best head space for that there’s something wrong with you.

“So, it’s about replicating that frame of mind for every game.

“But I think we’re getting to that. It’s more about focusing on ourselves more than the opposition.

“Obviously, you have to prepare for the opposition but if we can get ourselves to the level we did on Saturday in every game then we should get some really good results.”

There is little chance the Scots will take this weekend’s opponents lightly, though.

The Wallabies may have suffered a painful 30-6 thumping by England last time out but they are an outfit on the up.

Jones missed the Scot’s 24-19 Sydney win in the summer but says victory Down Under finally convinced the rest of his team-mates they are capable of toppling the world’s strongest nations.

“It’s given us massive belief,” said Jones, who scored twice on his debut against the Aussies in Edinburgh 12 months ago.

“We came really close against them this time last year so to finally beat them

in Australia was no easy feat.

“It’s given us a lot of confidence and that’s carried through to where we are now.

“The fear factor now is gone. We go into every game thinking we can win.

“The Australians were unlucky against England as some of the tries came against the run of play. However, Australia will be strong on Saturday.

“They showed at Twickenham they can attack really well, so we can’t look at that scoreline and think it’ll be easy as it definitely won’t.”

CROSSING OVER: Scotland’s Huw Jones, left, scores the Dark Blues’ second try during their 22-17 loss against New Zealand at Murrayfield on Saturday