What were your main takeaways from the win over Australia? Who stood out and what impressed you about Scotland’s performance?
Calum Crowe: In the second half, Scotland were outstanding. In terms of the level of opponent, that was probably their best 40 minutes of rugby all year.
Blair Kinghorn was named man of the match and it was hard to argue with that given his involvement in so many of Scotland’s best moments in attack. But Jamie Ritchie also had an excellent game. That’s his best game in a Scotland jersey for a long time. He set the tone for Scotland with his aggression up front.
They dominated the contact area and the breakdown and made the Wallabies look pretty ordinary. Is one game enough for Ritchie to keep his place heading into the Six Nations? No. He needs to now go on a run for Edinburgh over December and January and maintain that form. If he does that, I think he gets back into the team for the Six Nations.
Scotland players celebrate at full-time after their win over Australia at Murrayfield
Blair Kinghorn was named man of the match after Scotland’s thrilling victory over Australia
Forward Jamie Ritchie impressed on his return to the Scotland XV
Andy Nicol: We beat a side that was full of confidence following two big wins against England and Wales without really playing great. It was a poor first half, but we upped things in the second half to completely control the game and see out the win very comfortably.
It was a good performance defensively as the Aussies have some huge ball-carriers and we defended the gain line very well. They only scored one try and that was a bit of a freak at the end, so that was very pleasing considering how well Australia had attacked against England and Wales.
I thought Jamie Ritchie put in a great shift both in attack and defence and fully justified his selection.
Jason White: The second half was especially impressive. We saw how dangerous our back line can be with fast, front-foot ball. Our first-choice back three were excellent, with Darcy Graham creating chaos any time we got the ball to him.
I am also acutely aware that for any back line to fire, the forwards have to deliver — and our pack were excellent. We did, however, waste a number of opportunities to build pressure on the Aussie line through errors at lineouts. Against tougher opponents, that wouldn’t cut it.
Looking at the Autumn Series as a whole, what will Gregor Townsend have taken from these past four weeks?
CC: There has definitely been some more depth added to the squad. Tom Jordan was excellent in the couple of games he played at full-back. Given that he covers No 10, 15 and also the centres, I can see him being the ideal bench player for Townsend’s side.
That probably demotes the likes of Adam Hastings. Penny for the thoughts of Ben Healy as well, who wasn’t part of any matchday squads at all.
Having given up the chance of a career with Munster and Ireland in order to switch to Scotland, Healy was on the bench for the A team against Chile last weekend. I don’t think that’s how he envisaged the move panning out. Elsewhere, Max Williamson was good against South Africa and he adds some freshness and youth to the second row.
Tom Jordan’s versatility will be invaluable to head coach Gregor Townsend
captain Sione Tuipulotu and coach Gregor Townsend celebrate after victory against Australia
AN: We achieved what we needed to achieve; three wins and a competitive performance against South Africa, so job well done really. The disappointing aspect to the loss to South Africa was not scoring a try and this follows not scoring against them in Marseille in the World Cup. To go 160 minutes and not score a try is a poor return for a good attack but probably says more about the Boks’ defence.
We have a good and settled team which pretty much picks itself when everyone is fit. The key is to develop our strength off the bench and the emergence of Tom Jordan and Will Hurd is a real positive.
JW: All in all, I think Gregor Townsend will be satisfied. He and the players were open about the fact they had to win against Australia and they duly delivered.
He has a settled team and has now created depth across most positions with the bonus of introducing some players for the future.
Tighthead is the one exception, where the difference between Zander Fagerson and the others feels very big. He’s so important to us performing against the top teams. Wrap the big fella in cotton wool!
What did you make of Sione Tuipulotu as skipper? Should he retain the captaincy heading into the Six Nations?
CC: The Scotland captaincy has been passed around far too much over these past few years, to the point that I think it’s actually been devalued.
Tuipulotu has been a breath of fresh air. He’s an engaging character who speaks well and speaks honestly. He doesn’t dress things up or over-hype things.
From a journalist’s point of view, I’ve found him really refreshing to deal with over these past few weeks. I think he should retain the captaincy. Sometimes the captaincy can weigh heavy on players’ shoulders and affect their performance, but I didn’t see that with Tuipulotu.
He’s an infectious character, a world-class player, calm and composed in his dealings with referees. I see no reason why he shouldn’t continue as skipper. More than that, I think he might even have half a chance of captaining the Lions.
AN: He should absolutely keep the captaincy for the Six Nations. He is on top form, having elevated his performances to new highs in the last year, and his leadership qualities are very good as well.
I was quite close to the pitch on Sunday and saw, and almost heard, him inspire his players when they did good things.
He is the real heartbeat emotionally for the team which is great because he can let Finn Russell run the show. Sione is a real class act on and off the pitch.
JW: Firstly as captain, you need to nail your own performance on the pitch and, in that regard, Sione was very good over the four weeks. He is both brutally physical but also has the ability to pass the ball on the gain line.
Public perception is also important and the feel good PR around his Granny coming over to watch the Australia match was a masterpiece.
Scotland face Ireland at Murrayfield in the second round of the Six Nations Championship
Looking at the Six Nations, what sort of platform does the win over the Wallabies provide? Ireland won’t have Andy Farrell in charge since he’ll be on Lions duties. Simon Easterby will be in charge instead. Should Scotland not be looking to make it two wins from two with Italy and Ireland in the first two games at Murrayfield?
CC: Ireland have become a well-oiled machine under Farrell and I certainly don’t expect them to fall to pieces in his absence. They will still be there or thereabouts, but it’s inevitable that there will be at least a slight drop-off.
We saw it with Wales in 2017 when Warren Gatland was on Lions duties and Rob Howley was in charge. They only won two games. I don’t see Ireland falling to that level, but it opens up a chance for the likes of Scotland to beat them at home.
Making a fast start in those opening two games will be the key to opening up the Championship and, potentially, a title challenge for Gregor Townsend’s side.
AN: Scotland will go into the Six Nations full of confidence but also realism that they have not won anything meaningful. This means that they can only focus on the first game against Italy and nothing more.
If they take that game lightly and focus on the Ireland game in week two, they will, most likely, lose to an ever-improving Italy side, who beat us last year.
Scotland’s feet must remain on the ground but there should also be confidence that, if we get our full game on the pitch, then we have a real chance of being in the mix at the end of the Six Nations.
JW: The start of the Six Nations and getting out of the blocks is key. There are no easy games but anything less than two victories will not be good enough.
We have momentum from and to have any chance of challenging for a Six Nations title, we need to get two wins on the scorecard. Ireland did not seem as strong over the Autumn but we know they will raise their game. But it’ll still be a big opportunity for Scotland to beat them at Murrayfield.
Warren Gatland is under serious pressure after a series of bad results for Wales
Looking elsewhere, what do you make of England and Wales? The Welsh look to be in a hell of a mess. Do you think they’ll stick with Warren Gatland?
CC: Scotland have never won three times on the trot at Twickenham, but I don’t think they will ever have a better opportunity to make it happen.
They travel to HQ in round three of the Championship, on the back of two games against Italy and Ireland. By the law of averages, there’s a part of me that feels surely this run of dominance over England can’t continue?
Maybe that’s just the inherent pessimism we have as Scots. But, on paper, I think this Scotland team beats this current England side.
As for Wales? Good grief. It does look like they are going to part company with Gatland, but I’m not sure that really solves anything. He’s the greatest head coach in their history.
The problems run far deeper and there’s a lack of top-class talent. If they bin Gatland, I think they would be favourites to finish bottom of the Six Nations.
AN: I think England are close to getting things right, but they are not quite there yet. They have the players but not sure the structure of their team is right either in attack or defence.
This needs to improve if they are going to win the really big games.
Wales are in a black hole and it’s hard to see a way out of it at the moment. Quite bluntly, they don’t have the players to compete against the top teams at the moment. They look very lightweight; South Africa blew them away physically, which you would expect, but so did Fiji and Australia.
I don’t think any coach could turn this around quickly but sometimes a change is what is required, so Gatland should move on. I think his style of rugby has not developed and can only operate with big physical players winning the gain line and he just does not have these players.
JW: Welsh rugby seems to be at its lowest point certainly that I can remember. The gap after losing experienced players like Alun Wyn Jones has been too much with the young players learning on the job. They will improve, but it will take time.
It seems untenable for Warren Gatland to continue. The press, the ex-players, just everyone around them, seem to be creating an environment where I don’t see how it works.
As for England, they have looked reasonable in patches but not playing like they should with the players they have. I am not complaining though!
Finn Russell could be in line for a lucrative salary if rugby breakaway series plans go ahead
What about the new rebel breakaway series that has been mentioned over the past couple of weeks? Do you see it happening?
CC: I do think we will see some kind of major change to the global game over these next couple of years. Rugby has a problem in that players are over-worked and under-paid.
Look at star names like Finn Russell, earning close to £1million per year at Bath. That’s still viewed as top dollar in the rugby world. Yet, in the landscape of elite professional sport, it’s actually peanuts. Jobbing footballers at the likes of Bournemouth and Brighton earn more than that.
Rugby is vulnerable in this regard. It is a prime market for a new mega-bucks breakaway competition. The players will no doubt be outcasted initially and told they’re chasing the money. But, like in golf with the LIV Tour, they will soon find a way to co-exist with the more established competitions.
AN: Every sport is looking and assessing if the current structure they have is the correct one for the future. Rugby is no different but when the assessment is done by the major stakeholders, like the Six Nations or Premiership Rugby, they look at self-preservation and how things can improve for them.
Having a third party come in and offer a different structure is maybe what we need to effect real change to allow international and professional rugby to have a sustainable future.
JW: We need more details, the one thing that changes peoples’ minds with these things is always money. The Middle East groups certainly have that and it could be a goer.
But it would be a massive call for any player to effectively end their international careers to go and play in a brand new league with no history. That’ll be a decision some players would have to make if these plans do go ahead.
