Allan Massie: Shoots of recovery bloomed in Argentina but still work to do

WE HAVE been rising slowly from the depths into which we sank when Matt Williams was coach after the 2003 World Cup.

It has taken a long time but by winning the latest series in Argentina Andy Robinson's team has taken us to a level we haven't reached since 1999. To be fair to Williams, he did pick out some very young players, notably John Barclay, who have contributed to our recovery, while Frank Hadden laid the foundations on which Robinson has built. It was, after all, Hadden's team which also won in Argentina two years ago, and Hadden's team which came within a whisker of beating them in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final.

What was especially pleasing about the win last Saturday was that all the starting XV and the six replacements used made a contribution to it. Usually when as many as six substitutions are made, a side loses much of its shape and the game becomes ragged. This didn't happen on Saturday. Quite the contrary. The Scots closed out the game successfully, Mike Blair marshalling his forwards with authority, and Scott Lawson making yards with head-down charges on three or four occasions. There would have been no anxiety at all if a penalty award hadn't taken Argentina deep into our 22. Even then Scott MacLeod, only on the fringe of the squad for the last two or three years, rose majestically in the line-out to steal the Argentinian throw.

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There's no need to dwell again on the transformation of Dan Parks, pictured, in recent months, though some of his kicking from hand was comparatively poor on Saturday, his garryowens either too long or not high enough. Quite simply, however, he has become an absolutely vital player – and I would have taken long odds against writing that sentence a couple of years ago.

Four others have really established themselves in recent months. Rory Lawson, who has waited years for his chance, has been very good indeed. I daresay that in the autumn the decision as to the first choice scrum-half will depend on current form. Al Kellock has been magnificent, and should surely be given the chance to stay as captain. Moray Low has played so well that he must now be above Euan Murray in the pecking order; and Kelly Brown has been outstanding, game after game.

These victories have been achieved without a number of players who were in the starting XV at Cardiff before injuries ended their season: Chris Paterson, Rory Lamont and Thom Evans. Chris Cusiter, Nathan Hines and Euan Murray of the team that won in Dublin have also been missing. We don't know if Thom Evans will play again, but the others will still be available and challenging for places come the autumn. There are other senior players whose time may have passed, Simon Taylor and Jason White, most notably. But who knows? If both have a run of matches free from injury, they may return to contention. Taylor may find his move to Bath reviving his career, as may Ally Hogg who is going to Newcastle from Edinburgh.

We may well need some of these experienced players in or around the squad in the months to come – for there will doubtless be other injuries. Moreover, the very disappointing performances of the A team in the IRB tournament in Romania suggests there will not be many from that group of players breathing on the necks of the members of the full Scotland squad.

We have more strength in depth than we had a few years ago but the depth does not yet go very deep. There are a few others who for one reason or another didn't play in either Argentina or Romania: Phil Godman, Alex Grove, Jim Thompson, and Ross Rennie. If fit, they will remain in contention. Rennie has suffered serious knee injuries, but if his comeback proceeds, even John Barclay will have to remain at his best to fend off his challenge, for Rennie is an astonishingly gifted player.

The coaches and players all recognise that there is much work to be done and improvement to be made before Scotland can be ranked among the top half-dozen teams.

We are still failing to score tries as the best sides do. It is symptomatic of our failings that our two best midfield runners, Max Evans and Nick De Luca, often make half-breaks or even full breaks, which open up defences, but yet don't result in tries, because the final pass is mistimed or badly delivered.

Then, in the regrettable absence of Thom Evans, we lack genuine pace on the wing. Both Sean Lamont and Simon Danielli played well on Saturday, without ever threatening to break free and score a try. It was sadly typical that our only try in the two Tests came from that classic Scottish distance: a couple of yards.

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Well, Jim Calder's try from that distance was enough to secure us a Grand Slam victory against France in 1984, but if we are to compete against the best, we need to recover the ability which Scottish teams featuring at different times the likes of Andy Irvine, Jim Renwick, John Rutherford, Gavin Hastings and Gregor Townsend used to have: that is, the ability to score tries from deep, even from deep in our own half.

Until we regain this ability, this team will win close matches by good organisation, aggressive defence, forward power, and the kicking of Parks or Paterson, but we won't put the opposition to the sword.