Scotland enjoyed ending all the talk of ‘backing up’ and winning their first two games of a Guinness Six Nations – but the focus goes no further than Paris.
Just four points separates Scotland from favourites Ireland at the top of the table. They’re the only sides now who can win a Grand Slam, and they meet at Murrayfield in a month’s time.
However the Scots need to negotiate the French first, and head coach Gregor Townsend, skipper Jamie Ritchie and stand-off Finn Russell were all preaching caution.
‘Probably the biggest test we have had’
“I think (the title) is a long way away yet,” said Russell, man of the match in the 35-7 rout of Wales. “There are still three games to go.
“Last week we were definitely happy with the result, but we knew we had a lot more in us. We knew from previous experience of winning that first game that we had to back it up.
“In two weeks’ time when we go over to France it will be a massive test for us, probably the biggest test we have had.
“It is great to be able to celebrate, but we know the job is not even halfway done. There is belief in the team, but we need to keep ourselves grounded.
“There is no point in us starting to run ahead with it and thinking about the second last and the last game. We need to go over to France and perform as well as we can.”
Townsend gave his team eight out of ten after seven against England, but is happy with the team’s progress.
“There’s an intent about how we play,” he said. “There’s not the total accuracy yet.
“It was there in the second half. That’s what we’ve got to keep fine-tuning, be demanding of each other.
“Jamie spoke at half time that the communication and calmness was really good on the field, in that tricky period when we’d got a yellow card.
“Experiences we’ve had over the last couple of years might have been painful at the time. But they’ve registered and we can say, ‘okay we know when the momentum goes to the opposition, we stay disciplined’.”
‘We have to win either way’
That was for you 💙@MNDoddie5 | #AsOne pic.twitter.com/MnK26RxtUb
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 11, 2023
Townsend admitted surprise at how open the game was between Ireland and France in Dublin, where the No 1 team in the rankings beat the No 2 32-19.
“I thought Dublin was quite fractured and loose, I didn’t expect Ireland to play such a loose game,” he said.
“In our game I thought it was going to be a stop-start game, but then the game broke out.
“We have to win either way. Either it’s a tight game, where our mauling has to be very good both in defence but especially in attack, and defensively we look in control and disciplined.
”Then when the game breaks up, that’s where we have some players who work hard to get on the ball and make good decisions as to where the space is.”
Stuart Hogg suffered blurred vision which caused him to fail an HIA, but given his past history he’ll only go through the six-day return to play protocol. Luke Crosbie suffered a stinger but had shaken it off soon after coming off.
The home-based Scots will reconvene after three days off. The exiles return to their clubs and will regather next Sunday to prepare for Paris.