Townsend must get his Scots to forget their away-day blues
BRENDAN GALLAGHER looks at Scotland’s mission in Dublin – and their famous past clashes
SO here’s the dilemma facing Gregor Townsend: In the last two games at Murrayfield the Scots have sent the French packing and then played rugby from the gods to dismiss England from their presence and that is on top of a riotous win over Australia in November and a match against the All Blacks they should probably have won.
Yet a month ago, adopting the same free booting expansive style that has brought them much success and hope, they were humbled 34-7 by Wales at the Principality Stadium in yet another away defeat. Does Townsend go with the flow and renewed confidence and trust that Cardiff was an aberration or does he try and modify their gameplan for this week’s visit to Dublin where unbeaten Ireland lie in wait. Stick or twist?
And it’s even more nuanced than that. As we enter the final stages of the 19th season of Six Nations rugby, Scotland have won only six games on the road, four of those being in Rome. Wales in 2002 and Ireland in 2010 are their only away wins against Home Unions. Hence no Championships, let alone Grand Slams.
And just another thought to hold in your mind: Ireland haven’t lost a Six Nations match at the Aviva since England squeezed past them 12-6 in 2013. This is going to be some match.
“There is probably a twin challenge in what we need to do to beat them but also how we can do much better away from home,” admits Townsend. “It has been an issue for Scottish teams since the Six Nations began. We have to make sure we play close to our potential. If that means we win the game, then brilliant. But if it means that we just put in a very improved performance compared to the likes of Cardiff and Twickenham last year, then that is a big step forward.
“It’s not something new. Part of it is that it is tough to play away from home, as England found out here. All teams have much better home records in this tournament than, say, in November games or in World Cups.
“We took lessons from Cardiff into the French game. The selection changed, more experienced players came back into the group and they have really helped us over the last two games. As a group, we talked straight after that Wales game about what we had to do better in terms of our mental focus. Now after two good wins we must talk again about how we can improve our mental focus away from Murrayfield.”
Contrary to the general perception I don’t think Scotland were physically slow out of the blocks in Cardiff, they looked very energised, but they did cross the line between alert and frantic and then got rocked back with that early interception try. Wales then scored with the next visit and from that point onwards Scotland were playing catch up against a Wales team with the wind in their sails.
Another problem in Cardiff was that Wales had no qualms kicking deep to Scotland’s back three which confounded the Scots a little as they fell into a cleverly- laid trap with Wales’ well organised defence corralling them into areas where the Welsh tacklers were lined up. Ireland, if anything, have an even better kicking game than Wales courtesy of Conor Murray and Jonny Sexton, so Scotland need to rehearse mentally how they are going to counter attack if the Irish are happy to ignore the touch option and just kick deep. The other huge factor in Cardiff was that Finn Russell, below, endured one of those days when nothing he did came off and like many instinctive, slightly mercurial talents who don’t play the percentage game, that left him looking rather skittish and ineffective. Townsend, back in the day a player of almost identical temperament and talent as Russell, subsequently backed his ten all the way and was repaid in buckets with a better performance against France and a majestic display against England.
Russell is a free spirit, a libero, and must be given his head but the return of Greig Laidlaw provides the necessary counterbalance. If the canny Laidlaw thinks Russell is getting a bit too loose and random and Scotland are going nowhere he has the nous and authority to slow it all down and to go through a few phases with his forwards. Ali Price is an exciting prospect but at this stage of their development, he and Russell are too alike. Both play at 100mph which in Test rugby is occasionally too fast.
“The pleasing thing was seeing Finn play the rugby we know he can play against England,” reflects Townsend. “Putting passes in space, tackling well, making good decisions. He created a lot of space for us and he can kick on from here.”
Townsend needs to flag up one other possible issue at training this week. While taking absolutely nothing away from their glorious victory over England they won’t have Nigel Owens reffing.
And I am not referring to the two ‘disallowed’ England tries in the second half, both of which were manifestly the correct desions.
No it was Owens’ reffing – or non reffing – of the breakdown that was interesting with an old school wild west saloon scenario rapidly developing.
Scotland, and fair play to them, reacted to this the quicker and John Barclay flew into the rucks off his feet while Hamish Watson got away with a very obvious illegal neck roll at the ruck immediately preceding Sean Maitland’s try.
Such a free for all at the ruck perfectly suited the tempo at which Scotland wanted to play the game against England’s big, and on the day, rather lumbering pack.
Scotland might not find Wayne Barnes so relaxed at the Aviva next Saturday if the English official applies the laws in the style we have become more accustomed to in the Premiership. If that is the case the Scots need to react quickly and change their modus operandi.
As for Ireland, their pack, despite the absence of Tadgh Furlong and Iain Henderson, still proved much too
muscular for Wales and laid the foundations for victory despite spirited Welsh resistance in the second half. In fact the Irish pack did against Wales what the much-vaunted England pack had been expected to do against Scotland and it will be Irish forwards who lead the charge at the Aviva on Saturday.
Memories of going 21 points down in the match at Murrayfield last season are still fresh and Ireland will want a particularly fast start.
Three out of three and naturally Ireland fans are beginning to talk quietly about Grand Slams. With just two in their history Slams haven’t lost their novelty value over the Irish Sea but, as ever, coach Joe Schmidt is trying to dampen down expectations
“Other people make assessments, but I wouldn’t. It’s a lot easier for us than it is externally, because we do live in a bit of a bubble during the Championships. In the early part of the week the guys won’t get too excited. They may well see they have to roll up sleeves.” That win over Wales was achieved without the very considerable services of Robbie Henshaw and potentially his absence in the centre has seemed a problem, but his replacement, Munster’s Chris Farrell, stepped in and gave an MOM performance reminiscent of Henshaw at his best. Alas Farrell twisted his knee in training on Tuesday and has required surgery on a minor cartilage tear. For most other teams that could present a problem but Ireland will now be looking to Gary Ringrose who, this time last year, was challenging for a place on the Lions tour. Ringrose has had his own injury problems to overcome but potentially his partnership with Bundee Aki could be a bit special. The extravagantly gifted Joey Carbery has been spotted also training at inside centre this week. People talk about England’s strength in depth but I rather fancy Ireland top them at present.