Scotland’s Identity Crisis in the Six Nations

Scotland is entering this year’s Six Nations tournament with a sense of uncertainty. Are they a “golden generation” of players who repeatedly underperform and fail to meet their potential, or are they simply not as strong as many initially believed? This question remains unanswered.

The squad undoubtedly has talent spread throughout. Players like Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Jack Dempsey, and others consistently showcase their abilities while playing for Glasgow Warriors. Similarly, Finn Russell’s leadership at Bath and Blair Kinghorn’s presence in Toulouse highlight the quality within the team. These performances suggest that the group has the capability to achieve great things.

Recent victories over England and Australia demonstrate what this team can accomplish when everything aligns perfectly. There is much to admire when they perform at their peak. However, these moments of brilliance are far too infrequent. A squad that should be among the top six in the world and competing for the Six Nations title every year lacks the consistency needed to realize its potential. In short, the sum of the parts often falls short of expectations.

This inconsistency in performance is reflected in their results. The team can challenge elite sides like the Springboks, All Blacks, or Ireland but often ends up on the losing end. They can display electrifying backplay early in matches only to falter later. This split personality is frustrating and likely to prevent the team from reaching the heights it could have achieved.

The recurring pattern of underperformance has created an air of ambivalence around the team as they prepare for their Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome. This match is particularly challenging given Italy’s recent improvements and Scotland’s tendency to be skittish on the road.

With Gregor Townsend leading the team for the ninth time, it’s hard to imagine this championship turning out any differently than the previous eight. There have been positive signs from the camp about a winter reset and addressing past failures. However, if the team continues to fall short, Kyle Steyn believes they can’t keep misleading the public with promises of improvement.

“I think the people of Scotland are sick of us talking about whatever it is we have been talking about,” said the Glasgow captain. “Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to deliver results against top teams on a consistent enough basis. I think they deserve to see us doing something as opposed to just carrying on talking about it.”

Steyn acknowledges the pressure but notes that it is part of the environment. He points to the recent autumn games against New Zealand and Argentina, which fell below expectations. “We had some really raw and honest conversations off the back of that. I think that was why we are so excited for the Six Nations to come around. Because ultimately in Rome against Italy, that’s going to be the first time we’ll see whether we can deliver on what we said we were going to.”

A recurring issue for the team is their inability to capitalize on strong starts and maintain momentum, especially when the opposition begins to fight back. This suggests a mental weakness rather than a physical one. Steyn admits the team needs to improve in this area, starting with the upcoming match.

“We’ve just got to be better under pressure,” he added. “In both the New Zealand and Argentina games, we put ourselves in a position to win the game. And we didn’t win the game, which is just…unacceptable is a strong word, but I think that’s kind of how we feel, particularly with the Argentina game.”

Steyn’s character and leadership make him a strong candidate to start on the wing against Italy, with Darcy Graham or Jamie Dobie on the opposite flank. This selection dilemma is one that Townsend will need to address in the coming days. However, Steyn is prepared for whatever outcome the head coach decides.

“His [Townsend’s] big message this week has just been to make training competitive. And that’s exactly what it’s been like in the back three. It’s fairly well documented now, the level of competition there is in that position. We’re all good mates with each other, all a good bunch of boys, so we understand the fact that there needs to be competition and we’re all pretty hungry for that.”

Steyn is also happy to have had a good run of games and to build momentum, especially during this time of year for Glasgow. “The last two years I’ve missed out on what is a real crunch time of the season. So, it’s just been really fun to be involved.”