Scottish pride is restored
 By David
Ferguson
THE SALTIRES are being waved with some pride once again and Scots head
to Dublin this weekend with real hope restored.
Scotland’s victories over France and England, the tournament favourites
on the eve of their Murrayfield matches, have transformed belief in a
nation which less than a year ago was walking away from the sport in droves.
The Scottish Rugby Union hierarchy was in meltdown, Matt Williams was
spinning out of control in justifying a one-win-from-10 Six Nations games
and players were stating they no longer wished to be part of international
rugby.
No surprise then when rugby supporters starting staying in. Only 14,000
trooped into Murrayfield for the autumn clashes with Argentina and Samoa
and more than 20,000 seats remained empty as New Zealand put the seal
on only their second-ever Grand Slam. Scotland finished the year in a
new low IRB ranking of 10th.
Now a few months on and Scotland are expectant closing in on the next
two spots. Rugby is splattered across the front pages of Scottish newspapers
and calls are ringing out again for more funding from the Scottish Executive.
How has this change occurred?
The reason appears to be the determination of Frank Hadden Williams’
successor as national coach to develop real self-belief within his players.
The Dundonian and former Edinburgh coach is a proud Scot who has always
defended Scottish ability and inheriting a squad low on self-belief and
morale his approach to giving players their heads and encouraging attack
seems to have worked wonders.
Williams introduced some great youngsters to the Test arena and improved
strength and conditioning but claims far more credit than is due. The
key difference is players are playing for their coach now and that has
brought genuine optimism.
Most encouraging is that the players remain grounded which owes much to
the depths of frustration plumbed in recent times. Chris Paterson, the
wing and goalkicker, recalls vividly how Williams’ brief faith in
him as a stand-off and captain disappeared around the last trip to Dublin
in 2004 and their relationship soured from that point on.
Like everyone else in this Scottish side he has never experienced the
feeling of beating Ireland in Dublin and believes the current team have
much still to improve upon in the first three performances of the 2006
championship.
He said: “There is no way we can go there expecting to win because
Ireland are a very good side but we can go with more hope and confidence
this time.
“We have beaten France and England without really playing as well
as we can in certain aspects and we were annoyed after analysing the Welsh
game to realise we cost ourselves victory in Cardiff by our own mistakes,
not simply the red card.
“It is nice, though, to be going to Lansdowne Road believing we
have a chance again.”
Such is the belief now coursing through Scottish rugby supporters that
the nervous anticipation of the last two seasons has been replaced by
genuine smiles both inside the squad and out. But will they be smiling
at the end of the 80 minutes against Ireland.
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