Six Nations Rugby: Walker believes Scotland finally have the squad to cause a stir

Published on Thursday 3 February 2011 13:20

Scotland's only try scorer in the current international rugby season today sounded a rallying call ahead of the opening RBS Six Nations Championship encounter away to France in Paris tomorrow.

When Nikki Walker blazed through to the posts when Samoa were dispatched in Aberdeen in November it was the first try by a Scottish outside back in more than a year.

Nevertheless, it provided further evidence that Scotland had re-discovered a winning touch and only one defeat has been recorded in the last seven matches.

However, it is trophies that now appear to be preoccupying the ex-Hawick winger who plies his trade in Wales with the crack Ospreys outfit. Says Walker, who has been rewarded for that Autumn touchdown - his fifth in 18 caps - with a starting role in the Six Nations for the first time since 2008: "People are expecting things of Scotland and we expect things of ourselves. We go into this tournament confident but we have said the same for the last couple of years. I think it is time to deliver. We need to deliver more in the Six Nations than we have in the last couple of years.

"My Welsh clubmates are well aware that Scotland are now a dangerous side who should have beaten them in Cardiff last season. When Scotland beat South Africa, and Wales struggled to get a win, they have been more than impressed but it is time to produce."

In looking to continue spearheading the Scottish attack Walker added: "I'd like to carry on scoring.

"I feel I have been playing well. I'd like to score more but feel I've been contributing in other areas as well."

One of this Scotland team's most appealing features is the contrast between the powerhouse Walker and the slighter figure of Max Evans on the opposite wing. Is this the combination that can finally get the scoreboard moving without reliance on goal-kickers?

"There is a good balance with a big wing and a smaller wing.

"We have different strengths and hopefully that will keep the French guessing, but it is a different looking French side as well. I suppose, though, that's France - you can never be totally sure of what you are going to come up against."

Echoing those remarks is Nick De Luca, who returns to Scotland's ranks for the first time since overcoming groin problems which followed the successful summer tour of Argentina. He will gain his 20th cap at centre and says: "In many ways we have to wait and see what sort of team turns out against us.

"More than most opponents, French teams can blow hot and cold.

"The one thing we won't be doing is sitting back and letting the French come to us because that would be unwise.

"We have to start aggressively, develop momentum and start to impose our game on them."

In forming a new midfield partnership with Northampton's Joe Ansbro, De Luca is desperate to help Scotland off to a winning RBS Six Nations start for the first time since 2006.

"I was on the bench the last time Scotland visited Paris when we did well enough to know how eerily quiet the Stade can become if the opposition get on top of France, even if we didn't end up with the victory we wanted.

"So, the hope is we keep the French crowd subdued while recognising they are going to come out all guns blazing after losing heavily at home to Australia last time.

"We've watched that game and also other footage of French matches and individuals. That has meant picking up bits and pieces that can hopefully be exploited."

De Luca is one of five Edinburgh players in the matchday squad of 22 including Mike Blair, who starts on the bench but who has battled through injuries to arrive at the start of the tournament in fine shape.

Scrum-half Blair understandably takes encouragement from the fact that although he has only started one of the last seven Tests he has been kept involved throughout various travails. "It's been an unfortunate 18 months but I have been lucky to have been kept involved with the coaches keeping faith even to the extent of getting on the bench in Wales last season after I hadn't played in three months.

"It was a big boost to my confidence that I didn't miss a game through non-selection."

Coach Andy Robinson has indicated that Blair will come on (to gain a 67th cap) at some stage in replacing Rory Lawson and the former Edinburgh Accies and Boroughmuir ace added: "Hopefully I can repay the coach's faith now that I'm fit and firing and help Scotland win matches."

Like the rest of his colleagues, Blair has been avidly studying tapes of the French.

"For over a fortnight, files of the French in action have been on our computers.

"(Analysts) Gavin Scott and Ciaran Beattie get all the footage together from the last six or seven French games and break down every aspect of their play.

"When we switch on, the information is all there for us and hopefully it will be enough to ensure we really hit our straps early. There was concern about the way we opened the Autumn Tests (losing 3-49 to New Zealand) and we go into this tournament on the back of a hit out against an Edinburgh-Glasgow combined side."

Records show that if Scotland are to be successful then not only will they need a tight defence but a sharper attack, with coach Robinson indicating it will be impossible to win if conceding more than 21 points and, certainly, that hasn't happened in the Championship since beating Italy 33-25 in 2003.

During the 2010 Championship, Scotland's haul of three tries was the lowest of any team. Further evidence of the need to score more is gleaned by a glance at how goal-kicker Dan Parks has harvested his 207 international points. Much was made in the Autumn regarding Parks overtaking John Rutherford as the country's leading drop-goal exponent with 13. In fact, Parks has actually landed more than three times as many drop-goals as conversions (four) while his penalties total 11.

Of course, periods when Chris Paterson was goal-kicker have to be taken into account but, nevertheless, Parks' sure-footedness has to be a prime factor tomorrow.

So, how does the player himself see his kicking range and how can conditions inside Europe's fifth largest stadium affect his likely performance assuming penalties - if not conversions - can be forced?

"In France I don't think there is too much going on with the wind in that stadium.

"I kicked a goal in the World Cup from beyond halfway. You can look at kicking goals from that range."

Ruaridh Jackson landed a last-gasp penalty to beat Samoa after Parks had withdrawn. And Parks was on target with a late three pointer to deny Ireland at the end of the 2010 championship. So, temperament shouldn't be an issue, as confirmed by Parks who has had a good season for Cardiff after switching from Glasgow. "Matchwinning opportunities are what every goal-kicker wants," he said.

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