Head coach Gregor Townsend spoke to the media after naming Scotland in their final Six Nations game against Ireland.
Here are the key points:
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Townsend said there was “no talk” about Scotland’s chances of winning the title this weekend, adding “this is the last chance for this team to go out and compete”.
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Despite the poor record against Ireland, he insists “the belief is there” but knows playing away in such a high-stakes game “is a huge challenge in itself”.
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He added: “Ireland seem to be doing well against us so that’s what we’re looking forward to.”
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Townsend has been impressed with the players’ response to “momentum swings” in games throughout the Six Nations, adding that this is a “big area” they are looking to improve on following the autumn Tests.
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The Scotland coach stressed that “this is not a final, it is not a cup final, there are not just two teams in this tournament”. But he added: “It’s the last game of the championship so we’ll leave it all there.”
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It’s been 16 years since Scotland last beat Ireland in Dublin, but Townsend said “we’re not going to talk about that. The players know that if they put in the effort and the fitness matches it, then you’ll be rewarded.”
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Townsend insists he is not thinking about leading Scotland to a first Six Nations title: “No. It’s really out of our hands. We can only do certain things. For us, it’s a game against an opponent that we’ve had the upper hand for many years.”
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The Scotland boss hopes his side can take a bit of pressure knowing their fate in the title is out of their hands, adding “that’s the way we play every game”.
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The Scotland boss is also not optimistic about the prospect of completing the treble with a win over Ireland, but admits it would be “nice to finish it off with a win and finish on a high note”.
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Scotland “didn’t spend a lot of time” focusing on Ireland, with Townsend admitting he was “guilty” of over-analyzing Ireland in the past.
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On team selection, Townsend said Max Williamson will be “determined to play his best rugby” after struggling against Wales.
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Magnus Bradbury “brings the ball forward for us” while Kyle Rowe has impressed in training. Freddie Douglas and Josh Bayliss “unfortunately missed”.
