IT is a positive time for Scottish rugby; two wins and a near-miss against New Zealand in the November matches, a rediscovered style of playing, a side demonstrating real self-belief and confidence.
There is plenty to look forward to by the time the Six Nations rolls around, with few negatives in sight at the moment.
What I found particularly heartening was that Scotland were in a certain amount of trouble against Tonga yesterday and dug themselves out of it. They were under the cosh for a lot of the first half, but found ways to solve the problems Tonga were posing and came good with a flourish at the end as their superior fitness and understanding of the technicalities paid dividends. It was a great response. Two years ago, when Scotland lost to Tonga up in Aberdeen, they just could not respond to the challenge, could not change anything. This time just altering a few little things, using the blind side better and getting joy from that, things like that, and the game turned full circle.
Tonga are a team that if you come straight at them will hit you really hard. Scotland did that a bit too much by playing into their hands. They needed to move the ball quicker, use more than one pass - the tip-on and that kind of thing - and more options in the backs.
As a result, Tonga were full value for their early lead in an extremely scrappy first period with a lot of mistakes. Even then, however, in some ways it was a good sign because Scotland were trying to play a lot of rugby. However, you can't do that against a side like Tonga and make the number of mistakes they were making. With ill-discipline adding to the problems, they could not produce any momentum.
The changes brought in by the coach have worked though. Vern Cotter has the guys moving in the right direction, and there is a bit of confidence back. For a long time, they did not have control up front, but they wrestled it from Tonga in the second half and never let go. Cotter is more in the Telfer mould, with a lot of passion and he tells players exactly where they stand. It is usually basic stuff, but he has come in and wanted to look at the way Scotland players play. It is very much a New Zealand style, high-tempo game and the players are obviously responding.
There were a lot of individual performances to take heart from. Greig Laidlaw and Finn Russell seem to be forming a good half-back partnership that varies its options well. They showed a bit more composure in the second half, started to hit their lines, and Alex Dunbar was impressive in that department. He is a guy who can be a real star on the international stage, he is quick and strong. I had him at Under- 20s and he is getting better every week.
There were the usual impressive performances in the forwards, but also a couple from players I didn't expect to see so much of. Blair Cowan is someone I did not know much about before this series, but I thought he had another good game.
He works hard and does a lot of the grubby, dirty work in the rucks, while Geoff Cross had one of his best games in a Scotland shirt and fully deserved his try.
Looking forward, there is a lot of cause for optimism. One of the biggest issues has been the line-out and now we have one that is functioning really well. Ross Ford seems to have lost a little weight and the new leaner, meaner version is hitting his targets. He looks a bit more mobile and is playing a lot better because of it.
Come the Six Nations, we have Ireland, Wales and Italy at home, and I see no reason Scotland can't win those games. The skills have to improve, the basic accuracy and quality of the skills at times, but I'm sure they will work on that and the result will be a really tight Six Nations.
Overall, it was a positive international series for Scotland. Good to see them beat Argentina, a disappointing end against New Zealand because it was a game we had a chance to get ahead in and see what happened, and now revenge over Tonga.
There is lots to look forward to: all positive, no negatives at all. We are moving in the right direction.
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