Scotland U20 seek momentum shift as Ireland come calling

Ross Thompson breaks past the Italy defence during last Friday's Six Nations opener at Netherdale. Picture: Bruce White/SNS/SRU

But momentum is all in this competition and Ireland have it. It can only get harder from here on for the Scots so what is the mood in the home camp?

“That was the overwhelming feeling, that it was frustrating,” said Thompson referring to Scotland’s opening loss to Italy. “There were quite a lot of missed chances, small errors we made put us on the back foot and then we were chasing the game too much. We came out in the second half, put a couple of tries on them and the momentum shifted but errors meant we were chasing the game.

“Ireland had a really good win against England. They played well but we’ve had a look at them, we know their strengths and some weaknesses that we need to take advantage of. We need to make sure that they don’t get a foothold in the game.

“Last year we lost the first two games, then beat England who were one of the favourites to win the whole tournament so it just shows that every game is up for competing. It’s frustrating losing the first game but just because we have doesn’t mean we’re out of it.”

On a personal level it’s been a slow and slightly frustrating season for the stand-off who had to contend with a broken scaphoid, his first  serious injury, and has been groping his way back to form with Glasgow Hawks, who have occasionally utilised him at full-back.

The fixture list shows a tricky fixture away to France coming up after the rest weekend. If Scotland are two defeats from two before heading to France they will have little chance of beating a team who stuck 69 points past them last year on Scottish soil… not that Thompson will admit as much.

“There is a lot of talent [in the Scotland squad],” he said, “and with the exile guys coming up they do bring a different element to the game. We have a South African guy as well, he brings real physicality to the game.

“I had played with quite a lot of them before at U18 and I’ve played School rugby with two of them. We have quite good forwards, like we had last year as well. It’s good having a  dominant pack.”

Scotland will need a dominant pack and any other advantage they can find this evening at Netherdale.