GREGOR Townsend thinks Scotland can do it, so does skipper John Barclay. It has been a while since a Six Nations Championship, a Grand Slam, or a Triple Crown has been claimed – 1999 for the championship (when there were only five countries invited), 28 years since Scotland collected a full house.

After a near miss against the All Blacks, and a record win over Australia, Scotland look like being in the mix for the top prizes when the annual festival of rugby kicks off next weekend. However, is confidence misplaced, or do Scotland really have the credentials to see it through?

Here are the key areas that will make or break Scotland’s Six Nations ambitions.

Opposition

Forget Eddie Jones and his comedy routine. England are title holders and favourites ahead of this championship. They are the team to beat – but so is every nation in this competition if you want the big trophy.

Last year was a high-water mark for Scotland in the Six Nations: three wins for the first time, all at home, while losing narrowly in Paris. England at Twickenham was more painful.

Matching that 60 per cent record would be an achievement. But you almost get the feeling that would be the minimum accepted. Bigger prizes are sought (it has been a long time) and that means Triple Crowns and Grand Slams.

If Scotland don’t get it right in their opening game against Wales, there isn’t much point in even looking at the threats England or Ireland, or what the continental duo may pose.

Next week’s opponents have Warren Gatland back from his Lions secondment, eager to put a marker down to his ability amongst the best the Northern Hemisphere has to offer, but especially against the home nations.

He might have expected to utilise some of the star turns who performed so memorably last summer in New Zealand, but, Gatland’s planning has been disrupted somewhat. Skipper Sam Warburton will be hosting a lunch with Doddie Weir when normally he would be rousing the troops. Dan Lydiate and Taulupe Faletau are also out, as is Jonathan Davies, injured in the Autumn Test loss to Australia while Rhys Webb succumbed to a knee injury in the last few days and is another absentee for the duration. And on top of that, Liam Williams is extremely doubtful for the opening game.

Max Boyce may have told tales of No10’s being manufactured at the Outside-Half Factory, but productivity has dropped since the ’70s. Which is why, with Rhys Priestland suffering hamstring issues, and Dan Biggar’s shoulder problem guaranteeing he won’t make an appearance until the fourth round of matches, Gatland is suddenly having to weigh-up the best of the rest between Gareth Anscombe, Rhys Patchell and Owen Williams as to who will fill in at stand-off.

It will probably be between Patchell and Anscombe, with him going for the latter.

Personnel

Throughout the Autumn Test series, the reoccurring belief was that Scotland had, through a process of elimination and perseverance, developed a squad of players, which, under normal circumstances, could cope with the rigours and demands of a tournament like the Six Nations.

Scotland could always assemble a good XV, which had grown into having like-for-like replacements on the bench and in-waiting.

To get to the eve of the tournament with that pool of players decimated by injury was not something anyone, least of all coach Gregor Townsend, foresaw. Take the problems in the front row alone. At loose-head, Darryl Marfo, Allan Dell and Al Dickinson are damaged, while at tight-head the problem is no less serious, with Simon Berghan banned and WP Nel and Zander Fagerson crocked.

At hooker the situation is no better, with back-up George Turner of Glasgow Warriors sidelined after going down against Exeter, joining Ross Ford and Fraser Brown on the sick list. At least first-choice Stuart McInally was living and breathing the last time we checked.

Such a long line of casualties does little for stability, either in the set scrum, or, in selection. However, while Townsend is down to third or even fourth picks from one to three, elsewhere he has most of his aces to hand, including his main weapons behind the scrum: Finn Russell, Huw Jones and the man who has torn up opposition and this Championship over the past two seasons, Stuart Hogg.

Fixtures

If a Grand Slam is to be won, then the way the fixtures are scheduled, and it being an even-number year, has historically tended to suit the Scots. It did in 1984 and again, six years later. It was nearly the case again in 1996, albeit, having just missed out at Twickenham the previous year.

At Scotland’s best, they had the beating of the Celtic cousins away, while against (generally) the biggest and best, England and France were always better to play at home. Traditionally however, there was no Italy. And, since their inclusion in 2000 (when they opened up with a Six Nations debut win over the title-defending Scots), Scotland haven’t been close to winning the big prize.

One Six Nations win on the road in Cardiff (2002), and similarly Dublin (2010), since the new millennium dawned, is hardly awe inspiring. But then there hasn’t been this level of belief in the team.

Decisions, decisions

Townsend has made one big call already. John Barclay’s quiet and assured leadership on the pitch was a significant feature of Scotland’s games during November. Keeping him in that post, even when Greig Laidlaw is healthy, is a marker from the coach.

But he now has another call to make: does he stick with Ali Price, or, recall Laidlaw?

Price offers more, in terms of speed and direct threat, but while keeping his cards close to his chest, there has been the odd hint from Townsend that Laidlaw’s basics and dependability might just win him the nod.

Breaking up the Glasgow Warriors tandem of Price and Russell would be a gamble. But so would Townsend not going with his gut instinct.