Six Nations: Andy Robinson seeks right blend as Scots try to outsmart Wales

Published on Friday 11 February 2011 20:14

CONSISTENCY of performance is one thing, but Scotland head into their second game of the RBS Six Nations Champonship knowing that even if they retain the good elements of their play from Paris last weekend and improve the poorer aspects there is no guarantee that this game will follow the same pattern as any they have played in before.

One often wonders what the machine-like All Blacks would make of a tournament that travels around six European capitals and where the unexpected is the only constant for players, coaches and supporters. Scotland and Wales losing their opening matches in the 2011 Championship was not the biggest surprise, as reigning champions France and tournament favourites England represent the most formidable foe. Yet, both sides flicked through the embers of their opening battles knowing it could have been so different. Had both controlled the ball better at crucial times there was enough in the Celts' performances to have won both games.

Scotland were the better, more ambitious and dangerous, but that counts for nothing now. Al Kellock's men are seeking improvement in their scrummage, and know that a more solid set-piece, allied to good lineout work - hooker Ross Ford is acutely aware that there is no margin for error with his throwing-in in a game expected to go to the wire - and ambition in attack will threaten tries against the Welsh. But Wales will be a different prospect to France. They have moved the silky James Hook for a start, from full-back to stand-off, where he can be more dangerous and from where Jamie Roberts, the powerful 6ft 4in, 17-stone outside centre, hopes to receive passes sooner than the 41st minute that ball finally came his way last Friday night. What Andy Robinson would give for Roberts not to see the ball before half-time this week.

Scrum-half Mike Phillips' ears will still be stinging after Warren Gatland questioned his display against England, so the pivotal figures at nine, ten and 13, the gateway to the finishing talents of Shane Williams and Lee Byrne, are men with a heightened desire to prove a point. Hook could be brilliant and ignite the Welsh attack. Scotland have a confidence that three tries in Paris ensured would not be shaken by defeat to France. Now they have added long-awaited tries, they need to rediscover the other parts of their game that were solid, notably scrum and cover defence.

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The key for Scotland lies with balance. They are developing an off-loading game, where some passes come with risk, and want to move ball and allow Joe Ansbro, Max Evans and Nikki Walker to break lines, as they all did last week.But field position and momentum must be garnered first, not poked at, but genuinely grasped to send real fear into the Welsh defence. They will have studied how Wales were beaten up front by the dominating English pack and the Scottish forwards should believe that they have the beating of the home eight, and relish the prospect of driving lineouts and mauls. But it must work in tandem - the desire to take Wales on up front and to attack channels wider out - if they are to keep the Wales danger men, Ryan Jones and Hook, Roberts and Williams have all crushed Scots hopes in recent years.

Robinson is not given to switching radically between game styles, but is trying to create confidence in his players' ability to switch their mode of attack. He agreed that the key to winning this evening was all about finding the right balance, but hinted at some new tactics. "We go into every game with a number of styles we can play," said Robinson. "We want to keep that balance to our game and hopefully you will see some new things coming out that will ask questions of the Welsh defence. You always need to get the forwards in the game on the front foot and ball carrying. It is important that you have got the ability to carry ball. But, you do have a balance to the way you play. I am really, really looking forward to the Test match. We have two sides that want to play and play well with width. That is exciting.

"The key for both teams is how to get go forward ball. We have to stop Wales getting go forward ball with their runners - Jamie Roberts, Ryan Jones, Bradley Davies and Matthew Rees at hooker. There are some big ball carriers for them. We cannot let them get go forward as they can get good width and great one-on-one runners."

Wales are missing a handful of leading players, notably props Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones, No 8 Andy Powell, and wings Leigh Halfpenny and George North, but still boast a raft of Test and British and Irish Lions experience and players with enough experience of beating Scotland to stride into Murrayfield confident.

But, games at this level are as much about mental strength during the 80 minutes as any technical or tactical attribute and even experienced world-class players have doubts when reliant on others. Wales are searching their first win in eight Tests, and while most defeats were to southern hemisphere opposition, they need evidence today, preferably in the first 20 minutes, to remind themselves they are winners. If they do not get that, and Scotland cause them problems early on, the doubts will show, and the eagerness of players under pressure to change the pattern could break the team ethos.

Then, it is a question of whether this Scotland side is hard enough and clinical enough to exploit that. Wales have spoken about targeting Dan Parks, but rightly Robinson said yesterday that virtually every team targets the opposition fly-half, so they are ready for that.Parks has to show he is ready by kicking with conviction to touch, into the sky and at goal, and choosing moments to attack the line and surprise the drifting Welsh backs.

This game is about forward momentum, and that needs to come from every player. But it will not simply be a case of tighten up and score at will; there is no opportunity to re-run the French game with the bad periods filled in this week with good. The Six Nations is not that prosaic, which is why it remains an engrossing tournament and why Scots will pour into Murrayfield this evening believing a victory is possible, but not quite knowing how it might come about.

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