John Barclay has warned that the thought of Scotland losing to Wales at Murrayfield this Saturday is unthinkable as they aim to revive their Six Nations aspirations. Following a narrow defeat by England in the Calcutta Cup, Gregor Townsend’s squad is eager for redemption against a revitalised Welsh team that displayed significant improvement despite their loss to Ireland in Cardiff.
With only one victory under their belt thus far, Barclay, who represented Scotland 76 times, insists they must increase their win count before facing France in next week’s tournament conclusion. “Defeats by Ireland and England have ended any prospect of a title bid, but there is still plenty on the line for Gregor Townsend and his players when they host Wales before an away date with France on the final weekend,” he expressed in his column for The Times.
Barclay emphasised the severity of the situation: “It really doesn’t bear thinking about for the Scots to be travelling to Paris with one win from four. In that scenario – particularly if the French are still in title contention – it would not be unreasonable to imagine them finishing on one win from five, a categorically unacceptable return in anyone’s book.”
He also noted the growing discontent among Scottish rugby fans due to the team’s inability to progress beyond the familiar pattern of third or fourth place finishes and two or three victories per season.
“They have never managed to reach the next level of a four-win Six Nations, but having set a certain level of expectation, only managing to win one game this time would be a massive backwards step,” he added.
Wales scrum coach Adam Jones has already started the psychological warfare by suggesting that the pressure is squarely on the home team. Barclay concurs with this viewpoint, considering the implications for Scotland’s broader Six Nations ambitions.
Nonetheless, Barclay remains confident in Scotland’s prospects, citing what he perceives as a “lack of conditioning” within the Welsh squad. “I fully expect Scotland to win – and win well – at the weekend,” he asserts.
Despite witnessing some improvement from Wales against Ireland, he believes their reconstruction should be seen from a long-term perspective. The Welsh public craves signs of progress and reasons for hope, not an overnight transformation, which would be necessary for them to secure a victory at Murrayfield.
“Adam Jones, the Welsh scrum coach, was absolutely right to say the pressure is all on Scotland. If they were to lose, it would be far more calamitous than another defeat would be for Wales.”
This article originally appeared on Wales Online