Rugby College: Scotland"s summer tour results offer hope of improvement

Scotland finished the 2012/13 season in similar fashion to last year with another last-gasp victory when another defeat seemed inevitable.

Just as they had done in Fiji last summer, Scotland somehow managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

A try from Alasdair Strokosch after the full-time hooter had sounded ensured a well-deserved win after an attritional, yet valuable, summer tour of South Africa.

Scotland’s involvement in the maiden Quadrangular series has flown by somewhat under the radar in the UK media due to much of the focus being on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia. The squad was already missing Stuart Hogg, Sean Maitland, Richie Gray and Ryan Grant to that cause, with the likes of Max Evans, Nick De Luca, Ross Ford and Chris Cusiter who were being rested and in Cusiter’s case, recovering from an injury-ravaged season.

Credit must go to the South African rugby union as this type of new series of Internationals was exactly what this young Scotland team needed to become accustomed to the brutality of tournament rugby, with the added incentive that 2 of this month’s opponents, Samoa and South Africa are in Scotland’s group in the 2015 World Cup; now only 2 years away.

The back-to-back fixture format deployed by the tournament organisers in South Africa ensured that not only did the players from each country get to play different opposition each weekend, as opposed to three Tests against the same nation, but also the fans in the 3 host cities, Durban, Nelspruit and Pretoria, got effectively two Test matches for the price of one resulting in a unique and enjoyable atmosphere in all 3 stadiums.

Scotland’s 30-29 victory over Italy, their second in five months, was the result of a newfound attitude amongst the squad which seems revitalised under the relaxed stewardship of the philosophical Scott Johnson. This has seen them record impressive wins when defeat seemed likely, particularly against Ireland in the Six Nations, and should have been enough to overcome a youthful Springbok side in Nelspruit on Matchday Two.

The most encouraging aspect of the summer tour has been the new centre combination of Edinburgh’s Matt Scott and Glasgow Warriors’ Alex Dunbar, who have long been touted as the answer to Scotland’s woes in midfield after nearly 15 years of failed combinations.

Scott was perhaps unlucky not to be called out to join the Lions tour after Welsh centre Jamie Roberts was ruled out of the first Test, but the young trainee lawyer has been a revelation in the inside centre position, scoring impressive tries against the Italians yesterday and the host nation last weekend.

Scotland have not had a quality playmaking 12 since John Leslie in the late 90′s, and his partnership with the equally impressive Alex Dunbar – who scored the second try against the Springboks last week – should be afforded time to grow into one of the most dynamic and exciting midfield partnerships in the Northern Hemisphere, such are their combined talents.

In the forwards there were also encouraging signs as the likes of Ryan Wilson, Rob Harley and Dave Denton continue to improve at Test level, whilst Strockosch enjoyed probably his best-ever display in a dark blue jersey against the Springboks.

In the absence of Richie Gray, Grant Gilchrist and Tim Swinson were given more time in the secondrow, although it is still unclear if Glasgow Warriors skipper Al Kellock will still be in the squad come the 2015 World Cup. Both Jim Hamilton and Tom Ryder will be vying for selection along with Gray’s younger brother Johnny who has just signed his first full-time contract with Glasgow Warriors.

Concerns, however, are that there appears to be a worrying lack of depth at hooker and possibly at fullback. Scott Lawson and Peter Murchie both deputised sufficiently in the absence of Ross Ford and Stuart Hogg, whilst Pat MacArthur was extremely unlucky to be sent home from the tour after picking up an injury minutes into the Samoa clash.

Looking ahead to Scotland’s Autumn series against Japan, South Africa and Australia, Scotland must continue their progress from the successful Six Nations and this summer’s tour, and look to claim at least 2 victories in November.

The foundation has now been laid and with new coach Vern Cotter not due to arrive in Edinburgh until next summer, the opportunity is there to familiarise combinations and styles of play against quality opposition in front of a boisterous Murrayfield crowd who have rediscovered the feel-god factor in recent months and will look to this team to continue in the right direction.

Far too often, Scottish sides have taken one step forward and three steps back with this time last year an example of the national team’s rollercoaster in fortunes. But having witnessed the displays against Italy and Ireland in the Six Nations, as well as the last two fixture’s against the Springboks and Italy on foreign soil, there is now a real sense of genuine optimism that a corner may have finally been turned.

You can follow Finlay Morrison on Twitter.