Scotland's gruelling encounter against France in Paris in the last round of the Six Nations saw two of their players ruled out of the rest of the championship. They expect Wales to try to bully them at Murrayfield on Saturday, but in a different manner to the overtly physical approach of Les Bleus.
The Scotland captain, Greig Laidlaw, and the number eight, Josh Strauss, sustained ankle and kidney injuries respectively that will keep them out of action for at least another month, while four players received knocks to the head and had to complete the concussion return-to-play protocol.
"I know from experience that Wales will try to bully us mentally," said the Scotland prop Gordon Reid. "We just need to stand up for ourselves; stand up as a team and for Scotland. Teams will be targeting our set-pieces, which did not go that well against Ireland and France, and I think we are getting there. We have been working on technique in the scrum because we know what Wales are going to bring there and we need to front up."
Dead leg
Wales will have their most physical back available with the wing
George North
back in training after missing the defeat to England in the last round with a dead leg. Their defence coach,
Shaun Edwards
, expects the match to be won and lost at the breakdown.
“Both teams are very competitive in that area,” he said. “We practise turning the ball over every day in training and Scotland do the same. They compete heavily on the ball, and it will be a battle royal at the breakdown, within the laws of the game. It will be pivotal in deciding who wins the game.”
Wales have not lost to Scotland since 2007, but they had to come from behind on their last visit to Murrayfield in 2015, and Edwards expects another close match.
“Any team that gets within a hair’s breadth of a World Cup semi-final has to be respected. We are aware of their threat. Stuart Hogg is the talk of the town, one of the most exciting players around, and Finn Russell has done well, but everyone knows games are won and lost up front.”
Defensive record
Wales have the meanest defensive record in the Six Nations after two rounds, but it is the seven points they conceded in the final minutes against England that dominated their debrief last week. After winning a turnover near their line, they kicked the ball to George Ford and two passes later Elliot Daly was scoring in the corner
“We broke off our structure,” said Edwards. “From a position where the backs turn the ball over, we are supposed to go two rucks to get the backs back up on their feet to fill the pitch. We did not do that, instead passing it back to the kicker after one ruck and Jonathan Davies was not expecting the ball, probably one of the reasons why his kick was not as accurate as normal.” Guardian Service
