BIT of a spring in the step yesterday, you could say for the first time in 10 years. It had been a while since we’d managed to beat the Welsh, but while a great many of us thought it possible (rather than probable), the manner and margin of the win made it all the sweeter.

Finn Russell was simply outstanding; it was almost as if the more responsibility he was given, the easier the game became for him.

He dictated the match, deciding when to keep the ball in hand and use the backs, or, with some strategic kicking. What we also saw, was another dynamic to his game, that of leadership. He wasn’t captain, but, there was a lot of responsibility handed to him, and he coped with it admirably. His place kicking was world class, and kept the scoreboard ticking over as the Welsh fought for a way back into the contest in the second half.

We’ve all thought that Russell could make the plane to New Zealand for the Lions. Right now, the speculation should be turning to who isn’t going because of the Scotland No.10’s form and influence.

The TV cameras picked up on Warren Gatland once or twice during the game. He never really looks happy at the best of times, but on Saturday, you couldn’t be sure if he was feeling it as a former Welsh coach, or, that he was thinking he’d need to take a rubber to some of those names he’d probably pencilled in for the Lions a few weeks back.

He cannot be anything but impressed with the way the Scots boys have, in two home matches, utterly outplayed other Lions contenders in the head-to-heads, some who would have looked shoo-ins for New Zealand.

Russell comes in to that category, especially after the turnaround at Murrayfield. And what a second half. Twenty unanswered points in international rugby is not something that’s common these days.

But to do so from a deficit at the break, showed just how little panic there was among the Scots, sticking to their game plan and really sticking it to the Welsh over the second period.

It wasn’t as if the Welsh played badly. Their back-row unit was excellent, up until they started changing personnel and switching them. That also coincided with the Scots introducing Hamish Watson, who once again, while unlucky not to start, played a stormer when he came on.

I also must give Ali Price his deserved share of the plaudits, because even against a quality scrum-half in Rhys Webb, he pulled off a fine performance, full of guile and maturity.

Saying that, maybe he was a wee bit too eager to impress early on. But you could put that down to the adrenalin being pumped. But once he settled down, he really came on to his game.

I said the other week that I thought Greig (Laidlaw) didn’t commit himself enough on wee solo bursts, but Price sniped a few times, and while he maybe didn’t make complete breaks or big yardage, he kept the Welsh back-row honest all day and made them think twice about getting involved in other things.

Ali’s box kicking helped relieved the pressure on Scotland defensively, and, meant Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg weren’t always in the line of fire as the men giving us an out by kicking long. Price just kept knocking the ball 20-yards ahead, a big carrot for the forwards to chase.

And here is one; when Greig was ruled out, one or two heads dropped. Today, after how Price and Russell played, no-one is even thinking about Greig. Ali was excellent until exhaustion set in, and Finn was the match winner with the boot. International sport is all about taking opportunities, and that’s what our half-back pair did.

So too did John Barclay. Go back, look at what I said; I couldn’t believe he wasn’t a starter in previous games. But that was a captain’s performance against Wales. How good must it have been for him, given that he was beating quite a few of his team-mates and adversaries at club level.

What was also nice to see was him keeping everyone’s feet on the ground after the win. The target of three home victories this term is now on, but, Barclay knew the next match, against England at Twickenham, would now be centre of attention.

Perhaps he was staying calm because he has to be picked first!

However, the fact of the matter is that we are going down to London with as good a chance as we’ve had in ages.

Not because we are necessarily better team than than we have been at any time since our last win at Twickenham in 1983, but, because there is something about this team that is a bit edgy, a bit brave, and, a bit confident.

We won’t get ahead of ourselves. I only ever got one draw away to England. It has always been that tough. But now would be a good time to write a wee bit of history – just don’t think it out loud …