We’re not going for a Roman holiday
SIX NATIONS Brown: We’re up for Italian job
FRASER BROWN reckons Scotland’s Six Nations finale against Italy will be no Roman holiday.
Victory over the basement boys could seal a third-placed finish for the second Six Nations campaign on the trot.
But hooker Brown warned that the hosts are more powerful than their dismal record indicates.
He said: “They lost by a big margin in Wales on Sunday but for the first 50 minutes they were the better team.
“Some of the tempo they played at was impressive, especially the speed of ball they were getting from rucks.
“They are also very strong in their lineout driving so that’s another area we will have to look at.”
Glasgow star Brown came off the bench for the last 20 minutes of Saturday’s defeat by Ireland in Dublin for his first involvement of the series after shaking off the effects of concussion.
And despite a lack of action he is ready to play from the start this weekend if boss Gregor Townsend picks him or if Stuart McInally is forced off early.
Brown said: “Anyone who is in the matchday 23 must be ready to play the full 80 minutes. As a hooker I’m not sure I’d be happy to play 80 minutes but I know Stuart did it twice recently and I did it a few times last year.
“It’s brilliant to have a guy like Stuart constantly raising the bar because it means I have to do the same.
“Skipper John Barclay made something like 27 tackles, Jonny Gray made 25 and Stuart made 17 or 18 in 60 minutes. So when you have someone playing that well in your position it forces you to up your game.
“It is more difficult for me at the moment because I was out of action for almost three months.
“But that has forced me to look at myself and make sure I’m performing from the first minute I get on the pitch.”
Brown was backed up by assistant coach Dan McFarland who said: “There will be no reduction in the pressure on us in Rome. It is all about earning a third win in the championship against a proud nation who won’t want to finish empty-handed. Everybody knows just how competitive the tournament is and we see another big test ahead of us.”
McFarland also echoed Townsend’s demands for more scoring chances to be finished off.
He said: “We were profligate in Dublin. We left three – maybe four – tries out on that pitch.
“I watch our guys in training and in matches and 99 times out of 100 we would have taken these chances.
“In any Test match, if you give up chances like that the momentum of the game can swing away from you. That’s what happened but we are making strides.
“Consistency is the next step. Ireland are at the level the rest of us aspire to – and we will get there.”
Meanwhile, Townsend has called up four more Glasgow men in the build-up to Rome.
Lock Scott Cummings, breakaway forward Matt Fagerson, stand-off Adam Hastings and centre Richie Vernon will be fully involved in training to give them experience but are unlikely to make the match squad.