No let-up in intensity for Italy clash vows coach
Scotland will push through the line to achieve the best possible finish to a Natwest Six Nations Championship of highs and lows, insists forwards coach Dan Mcfarland.
The 28-8 loss to Ireland at the weekend ended slim hopes of contending for the title but the assistant was adamant that there would be no release of pressure in the build-up to this weekend’s trip to face bottom side Italy in Rome.
“We are focusing going to Italy and playing against a proud nation who desperately want to win a match in the championship this year,” said Mcfarland, below. “Everybody knows how competitive the Six Nations is and we see another stern test ahead of us. Italy have threats. They have a good tradition of forward play.”
Mcfarland was disappointed with the lineout in Dublin, where four losses on the Scottish throw overshadowed a couple of steals.
“That’s a learning curve for me. Perhaps a little bit of a different approach. We obviously play a style that likes to get the ball in fast, so the more you speed lineouts up the less time you take over it. That is always going to take a reduction in accuracy, however that is my job to make sure we are up to the level we need to be.” With players likely to be released for Edinburgh’s re-arranged game against Munster on Friday, Scotland have called up Glasgow Warriors quartet Scott Cummings (lock), Matt Fagerson (back-row), Adam Hastings (stand-off) and Richie Vernon (centre), as well as Gloucester centre Matt Scott, to the training group.