Scottish Rugby: Achieving a Position Between Ireland and France Deemed a Success

BBC Scotland’s chief sportswriter, Tom English, has addressed questions from readers regarding Scottish rugby. George inquired about Scotland’s missing elements for a Six Nations victory, referencing “mentality, the bench etc.,” and asked if the current period, with Ireland appearing less strong and favorable fixtures, presents an opportune moment. In response, Tom English advised George to consult their latest podcast for further discussion on the topic. He urged “all sorts of caution about this notion Ireland aren’t as strong as they usually are,” noting that while Ireland is “making a few tweaks at 10 and maybe 15,” they remain “a very formidable outfit.” English further stated that “The best defence and the team with the most power normally wins the championship,” alongside “the team whose error count is lowest,” emphasizing “No stupid mistakes that cost you tries.” English assessed Scotland’s team, describing their “power game” as good and their “attack” as exceptional, with “defence” being decent and “the bench” improving. He identified “the lineout” as “an issue that can be fixed.” The primary deficiency, according to English, is “Consistency.” He elaborated that while “Scotland’s squad is really good,” they must perform “really good for five games in a row,” or alternatively, “be as dogged as hell and grind out a really ugly win along the way,” highlighting that “Winning ugly when their attack is not firing is something they need to improve on.” Ken posed a question, expressing his belief that “Scotland have the team and the quality in depth to win the Grand Slam,” and that “rugby is all about belief in yourself and the team.” He then asked if Scotland could achieve a Grand Slam in 2025. Tom English replied to Ken by pointing out that Scotland has “never finished second in the Six Nations, Ken, not to mind first and not to mind first with a Grand Slam.” He ranked “France, to me, are the best team in the northern hemisphere and Scotland are second and Scotland are third,” concluding that “Splitting France and Ireland would be a success.” English acknowledged that “This team definitely believes in itself and are at home in their first two games, so they have a chance to build momentum.” However, he stated, “I can’t see Scotland winning the championship but I’ll be really disappointed if they’re not in contention to win it after three or four games.”