Gregor Townsend admitted that elements of Scotland’s success in this year’s Six Nations had even surprised him, but that he always had faith that his group of players would rebound after such a disappointing World Cup.
“I always felt it was possible,” he said after the 14-10 victory over Wales in Llanelli. “There was a lot of thinking and reflection from me and others after the World Cup – things that we had to change, based around consistency and being in positions to win games as we go into the final 20 minutes.
“We’ve always had the ability, I believe, to score 14 points in two minutes as we did in the game at Twickenham a year and a half ago. The players we have in the team can make those things happen, but the stubbornness and hard work and especially the set-piece power was a pleasant surprise.
“We have players really taking control at the set piece and the coaches we have in that area has probably surpassed what I thought we could achieve this season, but I have always had big belief in this team.”
The resilience of the side in difficult conditions in Llanelli, and over the course of a disrupted 2020, had also impressed the head coach.
“It has not been easy to miss the chance to play Wales seven months ago when we had really built momentum,” he said. “We maybe didn’t play as fluently as we would have liked here but we still had that determination that we weren’t going to lose.”
Scotland will use all their squad in the four Autumn Nations Cup games that are scheduled for next month, and not just because injuries such as those on Saturday to Finn Russell and Adam hastings will force them too, added Townsend.
“We will have to change the team because there are a couple of injuries and players maybe coming back from injury. There are players coming into this tournament whose form merits a start or a chance off the bench.
“There are people who missed out today who we would like to introduce, and we have three different opponents to come in Italy, France and Fiji who play different rugby.
“The long-term aim is if we can have that 30 to 35 man squad where, just like the front row today, the quality is as good coming off the bench as started the game, then that should make us even stronger.”
Townsend also paid tribute to captain Stuart Hogg, who with Jonny Gray won his third trophy in successive weeks – the Doddie Weir Cup to bring home to the legend in the week he was so deservedly named to Scottish Rugby’s Hall of Fame.
“Stuart brought a lot of energy this week,” said Townsend. “I did say to him in the changing room that it’s not like this, winning a trophy every week. Jonny is living the dream, he’s only been down at Exeter a couple of months and he’s won his third trophy.
“It was in the back of my mind their energy levels might be tougher today after the emotion of those last two weeks to be playing in such a big game today, but I thought they both got better and better as we went through the game.
“They are a strong influence on how the team works – they are leaders in different waysand they allow others to lead.
“It has been great for Stuart after going through a difficult moment in Ireland that he has got the best out of the team and the team has improved under his captaincy.”