Courageous Scotland aim for clean sweep

Published on Sunday 22 November 2009 23:18

SOME believed one World Cup was enough success for any man, which was why Andy Robinson struggled with England post-2003, but in his new incarnation as Scotland coach Robinson is quickly proving that he believes there is much more joy to be had in international rugby after witnessing the "most courageous performance" from any team he has been involved with.

The players were the heroes in Saturday's 9-8 victory over Australia, through great teamwork, concentration, dedication and desire, but, crucially, the four pillars the coaches have built for this team of inspiration, motivation, sound technical planning and self- belief were also there for all to see at Murrayfield.

Reamrkably, the team now looks to the possibility of a clean sweep of victories in the autumn internationals if Argentina can be beaten at Murrayfield on Saturday. Three wins out of three was Robinson's target for these games, but after years of under-achievement at international level, few were expecting the kind of swift turnaround of fortunes that has made this goal achievable.

The squad shape and its ability to threaten sides remains a work in progress, with just two Tests played, and Robinson was quick to salute the players, and also his defence coach Graham Steadman, a key figure behind the solidity and confidence in a triumph founded almost wholly on Scotland's ability to contain the Wallabies.

But Scottish players have been competitive and worked very hard before, and placed the odd big win amongst the under-achievement; some teams have been unlucky. Indeed, there was a feeling at times on Saturday night that all the bad luck wrapped up in near-misses of the past two decades was being repaid in this one Test match.

However, just as losing by narrow margins is rarely an accident, so winning, however fortunately, does not come through mere good fortune. Winning has been the mantra since Robinson came to Scotland. No dubiety, no fudging the issue over performances.

Robinson said: "Some days it's going for you and there's going to be days it doesn't, and we have to stand tall and be the same as we are today, and be objective about what's happening. We are under no illusions as to what we've got to do, but lots of people talk to me about performance and style, and you don't get a better feeling than winning, and international sport is about winning, and here we got more points than Australia.

"I've said to the team that that was the most courageous performance I've ever been involved in – the effort put in to the way the team got off the floor and defended was incredible considering the amount of ball we gave Australia to play with.

"We needed a bit of luck but I thought the guys worked hard to establish that luck. If we can perform like that, with that same courage every time we go on the pitch, then we can grow a team and that's what we're about now. That's the base-line for our performance. The guys have belief. I would like us to play with a bit more ball, and keep hold of it a bit more, but there's a platform there now for us to do that.

"Credit has to go to Graham Steadman for the way he has put this defence together. I thought there was huge defensive work in terms of our spread and ability to get organised, and ability to get off the floor, but also we slowed a lot of their ball down, and put them under pressure, so technically were a lot better in the way we were able to defend."

Results this year suggest this is not the best Australia team to walk the earth, but it was a quality one nonetheless, a core of proven world-class talents in Rocky Elsom, George Smith, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell and Benn Robinson supported by young stars such as Will Genia, Adam Ashley-Cooper and James Horwill, and the beast that is No8 Wycliff Palu. They may not be in the world's top three for much longer, but they deserved their place before being demoralised by Scotland.

This Scottish squad is just two games into shifting patterns, new demands and expectations under a new coaching team of Robinson, Steadman and Gregor Townsend, so is far from a complete side, yet that only makes the achievement in becoming the first team to beat the Wallabies since 1982 more impressive.

Steadman was a reluctant hero, the former Great Britain Rugby League cap from Castleford as emotional as any Scot at Murrayfield. He had continued with his preference for watching the game from behind the posts, where he can see defensive errors more clearly but whereas he was a lonely figure at the Fiji game, a crowd of over 44,000 ensured he had much company on Saturday.

"You learn one or two things in the comments being made," he said, with a smile, "but I don't think the supporters knew who I was. They probably knew after 75 minutes when I was ranting and raving."

A key factor in Saturday's victory was how the team improved their technique, speed and intensity in defence in the space of a week after some slipshod moments against the Fijians which left few believing this Scottish team was ready yet to claim such an historic win.

Steadman admitted: "If you'd asked me 15 minutes into last week's performance against Fiji how we'd developed as a unit ... well, I know Robbie Deans (Australia coach] would have been rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect of breaking us down. But in some respects that worked in our favour because the boys knew that they had to put real quality work in preparation for this week.

"The most pleasing for me was the manner in which the players addressed Australia, physically and mentally. There was a belief throughout the team that a surprise was on the cards, and I think this result will send shockwaves across world rugby. To be a part of it was special and I am very proud of every one of them. I have never known so many Yorkshire people texting me to say they'd become Scotland converts."

Few of us doubted that Robinson had the ability to improve the international squad, his pedigree with England and the Lions only enhanced with Edinburgh and Scotland A, but the real test is whether he can make a lasting difference to Scottish rugby, whether he can uncover that holy grail of consistency. He tarted his period as England's head coach with two wins, a 70-0 effort over Canada and then a 32-16 defeat of South Africa, before suffering a 21-19 loss to Australia. This new dawn has come with a subdued win against Fiji and a thrilling shut-out of Australia, and today the Pumas arrive in Edinburgh bidding to deny Scotland only their second-ever unbeaten autumn Test series.

Victory over Australia stands as a remarkable achievement for these players, coaches and Scotland in the professional era, but players under Robinson will be reminded this morning that there is much improvement they can make, notably in how they attack and score tries. They will tackle that challenge, however, with new confidence.