With the Six Nations JUST around the corner, we start 2025 with a look at Scotland and Wales and what lies in store for them this year.
Scotland the brave desperately need to turn that marvelous quality into results at long last, and this is perhaps the year they have the best chance of doing it. Scotland are one of our FAVORITE sides to watch year in year out, and we never label them with the tag underdogs like we do a side such as Italy. On any given Saturday (or Sunday), Scotland can beat anyone and often do – the problem is they just don’t do it with any level of consistency. Brilliant one day but a disaster the next is perhaps what best sums up back to back Scotland performances. Add to that the fact that the injury gods invariably single out Scotland for special treatment throughout the year, coupled to a limited depth pool and sadly it all too often unravels for Scotland before the party has even begun. Despite fielding the oldest squad in the Six Nations this year at an average age of 29, there is a plethora of world-class talent in amongst their ranks. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever, if Scotland can weather any injury crises that unfold as the tournament progresses and develop some consistency why they couldn’t win the Six Nations this year, as well as any of the big Tests, as yet to be determined that they will face this Autumn.
Meanwhile, across the Severn in Wales, it has been a decidedly gloomy couple of years for Welsh fans. Gross mismanagement of the sport in the Principality has led to talented players either giving up on rugby or seeking their fortunes elsewhere. Warren Gatland has once more returned to the land that gave him so much success as a Coach and has taken up the mantle of trying to sort out the national side for a record 15th year and is the longest serving Coach of any national side, having been in charge of Wales on and off since 2007. Wales have not won a Test match since the 2023 World Cup and last year was probably the greatest low point in this proud’s nations legendary rugby history as they lost all eleven of their games last year which is literally unheard of. They may be down as they start 2025, but definitely not out, and although another very tough year is in prospect, we think it can only get better from here on in, albeit painfully slowly.
The Six Nations perennial dark horses look set once again to cause some genuine havoc, but is this the year they turn it into BIG silverware?
Firstly, let’s clear the record here. Nothing we say about Scotland should indicate to anyone that we think they are a poor side. Quite the opposite is true. We actually regard them as one of our favorite teams and one brimming with world class quality and talent. Our criticisms, if they are perceived as such, stem more from a sense of frustration that a team which on paper looks so good and often takes our breath away on the pitch is often left clutching the scraps at the end of any tournament.
Look at 2024 as a case in point. Scotland could have won that tournament but sadly didn’t. They impressed against Wales, but after storming to an impressive 27-0 lead at half time somehow decided to let the Welsh back into the game in the second half and allow them to score 26 unanswered points, leaving Scotland with a distintcly uncomfortable 1 point win. They seemed to learn little from that match as they headed back to Murrayfield the next week, and proceeded to keep France under pressure and themselves ahead on the scoreboard until the final ten minutes where they appeared to simply switch off, allowing the French to take the win. They redeemed themselves by retaining the Calcutta Cup a fortnight later in a masterclass against England, but then travelled to Rome and failed to crack Italy’s resolve as the Azurri doggedly held on to their 2 point winning margin despite Scotland throwing the everything including the kitchen sink at them for the final ten minutes. Last but not least, they traveled to Ireland and simply did too little too late despite a brilliant final twenty minutes. As a result, we were left scratching our heads that after some incredible displays of rugby at times, Scotland found themselves a lowly fourth on the Six Nations log.
They headed to the Americas in the summer with a young and energetic development squad who essentially annihilated all four of their opponents, Canada, USA, Chile, and Uruguay. The Autumn saw a handsome win over Fiji, a titanic but ultimately losing struggle with South Africa, and perhaps their best game of the year – a thrilling display against Australia resulting in a much deserved win over a dramatically improved Wallaby side.
Scotland’s first concern this year is on the eve of the Six Nations, the fact that they have lost their Captain Sione Tuipolotu for the entire campaign. The Glasgow centre has been arguably one of the best players in Europe this season. On the plus side, there are a few players already stepping up to take his place, and while lacking experience are definitely not short on skill. The fact that two of them also hail from Glasgow Warriors, Stafford McDowall and Tom Jordan, along with Northampton’s outstanding Rory Hutchinson whose passing is some of the best in the English Premiership this season, should give Scottish fans some comfort.
Fly half Finn Russell is now a household name in International rugby and considered one of the most gifted players in the modern game, and on a good day can give the likes of France’s Antoine Dupont and Emile Ntamack a run for their money. Not quite as reckless as he has been in the past, the player likened by many to a mischievous Elven Lord, definitely has magic in his boots and an ability to seize and create opporunities out of thin air. Scotland may not be as proficient in the set pieces as they would like to be but are still no slackers, and their backs are some of the finest in the modern game. For us Scottish number 8 Matt Fagerson is a joy to watch, an athletic and powerful carrier in the loose but also outstanding in the contact areas, Fagerson brings an edge to Scotland’s efforts both in attack and on defence, ably assisted by the live wires of Rory Darge and Jamie Ritchie, provided the latter can keep his discipline and temper in check.
As mentioned before though it’s that truly astonishing set of backs that keeps us glued to our TV screens. Winger Darcy Graham has been plagued with injury since last year, but when on song the dimunitive winger’s speed and agility has to be seen to be believed. With big bruising South African import Duhan van der Merwe on the opposite wing Scotland has more pace out wide than most teams would know what to do with. Tuipolotu’s centre partner at Glasgow Huw Jones has been lighting up European pitches all season this year, while utility back Blair Kinghorn has blossomed into the world class player we all knew he was destined to become since he has started plying his trade week in week out with the likes of Antoine Dupont, Emile Ntamack and Thomas Ramos at Toulouse.
Many of Scotland’s squad will be putting their hands up for Lions duty this summer in Australia with Andy Farrell, and there is little doubt that his touring party is likely to have a very Celtic feel to it. Scotland’s Autumn fixtures have yet to be announced, but New Zealand is likely to feature in their plans.
Can Scotland ultimately win this year’s Six Nations? How long is a piece of string, we hear you ask? As far as we’re concerned, we think they can without any shadow of a doubt, especially if there are no more injuries and they don’t decide to switch off at key moments. However, the reality is that injuries and Scotland’s ulitimate lack of a killer instinct and the focus needed to go with it are likely to trip them up at key moments once again this year. A strong third or even second is definitely on the cards but unless they go storming into their final game against France in Paris with three commanding wins under their belt we can’t see it happening, but sincerely hope we will get proved wrong.
Perhaps Scotland’s biggest challenge this year will be that Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham in the middle of the Six Nations. If they were to win that and hang on to the cherished piece of silverware and with it International Rugby’s oldest rivalry for a remarkable run of five years in a row, then perhaps the sky really is the limit for Coach Gregor Townsend and his men this year. Either way we can’t wait to see how Scotland’s campaign unfolds this year, and in terms of sheer entertainment value whatever happens over the next two months, you can rest assured Scotland will be top billing.
Despite the Welsh Dragon rarely breathing fire these days, better times may not be all that far away
It’s our humble belief that Wales are perhaps the bravest and most dogged side in International Test Rugby. Despite being written off during their annus horribilis of 2024, we can honestly say that they still managed to play for the jersey and display a sense of resolve that clearly defied the almost insurmountable odds stacked against them. Wales despite their recent misfortunes are still a passionate and proud nation with a persistent collective belief that better days lie ahead – just as it’s not unusual to hear the strains of Tom Jones’ Delilah echoing around the Principality Stadium whether Wales are winning or losing.
It’s true that Coach Warren Gatland did not look a happy man in 2024 as one loss followed another and he must have surely questioned his life choices in agreeing to take up the reigns of Wales’ top job in the Coaching box again in 2022. However, as scarce as the results were last year, and in actual fact there weren’t any, we’d urge you to look more closely at the scorelines come the final whistle for a more balanced view of where Wales fortunes really lie. Of eleven Tests played they lost 4 of them by five points or less, most notably Scotland by one point and a narrow two point loss to England at Twickenham, culminating in that final humiliating Six Nations loss to Italy in Round 5 by a mere three points. In short, apart from the hidings dished out to them by Ireland and France, Wales were competitive for a large chunk of the tournament. Where it all went horribly wrong was their summer exhibition match against South Africa at Twickenham in June followed by their two Test series in Australia, against a Wallaby side that many considered to be in even worse shape than themselves.
The Autumn Nations series was at best humiliating for Wales and their supporters, as they were beaten by Fiji and then handed serious schoolings by both Australia and South Africa. At that stage, the end of 2024 just couldn’t come soon enough if you were Welsh.
However, this year, we’d argue there is some room for cautious optimism. Welsh club sides have started to improve their fortunes with very strong showings from Cardiff in the URC and respectable efforts from both Ospreys and the Scarlets in the European Challenge Cup. Will Wales end up clutching the Wooden Spoon once more this year? Sadly, probably yes, but we have a very strong hunch that, unlike last year, they will not emerge totally winless – there’s one game to be had in there somewhere just when everyone is least expecting it.
While the Welsh squad picked for the Six Nations is unlikely to strike fear into the hearts of teams like Ireland, France and Scotland all of whom with the exception of Ireland they have to play away from home, there could be an upset when they meet England at the end of the tournament at the Principality Stadium. The chances of such an event could be heightened if an England side promising much this year has failed to deliver by that point. Extremely challenging trips to Paris, Rome, and Murrayfield lie ahead of them before that fixture in this year’s Six Nations, but don’t write Wales off just yet.
In Captain and back rower Jac Morgan, Wales have a youthful and tireless servant who consistently plays above and beyond week in week out at club level. He’s proven to be a fine leader and shows a maturity and wisdom well beyond his 25 years. In short, he works, plays, and leads like a veteran in their early 30s or at the prime of their playing career. Add Tommy “Turnover” Refell into the mix alongside him coupled to youngster Christ Tshiunza in the second row partnered with Dafydd Jenkins and these four could go a long way to addressing the numerous concerns that remain around Wales competitiveness in the set pieces and especially the lineout.
There are some pacy backs starting to catch the eye again in Wales and electric winger Tom Rogers is considered to be the next big thing for the Men in Red. If the Scarlets man is made full use of by Gatland and his team, Wales’ opponents will find him a handful. The other player for us lurking off your radar screens but likely to be front and centre for Wales by the time the tournament wraps up is 21 year old Ospreys fly half Dan Edwards. The 10 jersey has been a real problem for Wales ever since its guardian in the glory days of Gatland’s tenure, Dan Biggar departed after the last World Cup. Watch Edwards in action in the URC and Challenge Cup, and it’s hard to believe that he is only 21, given the composure and confidence he plays with and sound decision making that backs it all up.
While we don’t see many Welshmen being handed tickets to Australia by Lions Coach Andy Farrell this summer, we’d argue that the next two months should provide an indication that a start is being made to end the rot that has pervaded Welsh rugby for the last eighteen months. Wales still have a long way to go before they are out of the woods and it’s not going to happen just yet, but we have a hunch that noone is going to be taking them all that lightly this year especially at home. The will and the belief is there, of that we have absolutely no doubt. You don’t bring a proud nation steeped in a glorious rugby history like Wales down in the space of just one year. We are convinced that once the Principality Stadium finds it voice once more and starts singing again, Wales will hit some of the right notes at long last – for rugby’s sake, we hope they do!
Well, that it’s folks for now. Over the course of the coming weeks and prior to the start of Super Rugby we’ll continue this series looking at the Southern Hemisphere crew of Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa along with our usual updates on the Six Nations. Till then, Happy Sixmas Eve once more, everyone, and let the games begin!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Lineout 