Proud Gatland record is set to continue

– Warren Gatland (right) will be protecting an 18year unbeaten personal record against Scotland when he bids to emerge from a week of turmoil in Welsh rugby by moving within one step of an historic Grand Slam hat-trick at Murrayfield today.

Wales were beaten 29-13 in Edinburgh two years ago but that was when Gatland, the mastermind of their current all-time record run of 12 successive victories, was on a sabbatical as coach of the British and Irish Lions, with Rob Howley in temporary charge.

Following wins against France,

Edinburgh

Italy and England, Gatland is on course to emulate his Grand Slam successes of 2008 and 2012.

No coach has ever achieved three clean sweeps in the Five or Six Nations Championship, with the Kiwi currently level on two with Wales’ John Dawes, England’s Geoff Cooke and France’s Jacques Fouroux, Jean-Claude Skrela and Bernard Laporte.

In his 12 seasons in charge of Wales, Gatland has won all 10 of his matches against Scotland.

He last suffered defeat against the Scots in his final year in charge of Ireland – a 32-10 loss at Murrayfield in September 2001.

Wales have not lost since a 3727 reverse against Ireland in Dublin on February 24 last year.

Scotland kick off today following back-to-back defeats at home to Ireland and away to France.

But any threat of complacency may have been removed by a week of wrangling, with Gatland admitting his players had been “distracted” by failed attempts to merge the Ospreys and Scarlets.

Of Gatland’s 23-man squad, 13 are employed by the two regional franchises, who insisted on Wednesday the proposed deal had been scrapped.

Against that background, Gatland has made just the one enforced change to his starting XV, with Ospreys lock Adam Beard replacing the injured Cory Hill.

Scotland have been bolstered by the return from injury of two key players in flyhalf Finn Russell and tighthead prop Willem Nel.

And Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has gone even further following a lacklustre 29-10 defeat against France by dropping captain Greig Laidlaw to the bench, with Glasgow’s Ali Price stepping up to the starting scrumhalf berth.

Hooker Stuart McInally will lead the side. –