Should they avoid disaster in their opening two matches, this will be one of the most successful Scotland teams of all by the time Pool B reaches its crunch.
Scotland sides have won four matches in a row on 14 occasions and five successive matches just five times. As the tournament approaches, Andy Robinson’s men have sandwiched a win over Ireland with two victories over Italy.
Since Romania and Georgia are their first two pool opponents, they might just get the chance to match the all-time record of six in a row when they play Argentina in a match that is expected to decide whether they will progress through to the knockout stages.
What more tantalising a prospect could there be thereafter than extending that run when they face England on neutral territory for the first time in their final pool match?
What gives them a chance is the emphasis Robinson, their World Cup-winning head coach, has placed on developing a winning mentality. Since the Englishman took over, wins against Australia and South Africa, as well as victory in a Six Nations match in Dublin, and a two-Test series win in Argentina last year, have offered considerable encouragement that his players are getting the message.
History lesson Scotland was the first nation to enjoy a Test victory when the inaugural Scotland v England match was played at Edinburgh’s Raeburn Place 140 years ago and went on to be founding members of the International Championship, now known as the Six Nations championship. In the interim three Grand Slams have been won when that was a five nation competition, and they were the last winners of the Five Nations championship in 1999. They have not come close to lifting the title since marking the start of the new Millennium by losing the very first Six Nations match to Italy.
Previous World Cup experience The safest of bets to reach the quarter-finals but almost as sure to go out at that stage. Only once have Scotland reached the semis, when co-hosting the tournament in 1991. Playing on home turf at Murrayfield just a year after winning a Grand Slam decider against the same opponents, they went out in the most painful way imaginable after Gavin Hastings missed a chance to put them ahead at a vital stage against England with a penalty attempt from almost directly in front of the posts. As was also the case in the 1987, 1995 and 1999 quarter-finals they played their final match against New Zealand, on this occasion losing a third place play-off in Cardiff. In 2003 their exit came at the hands of Australia after they squeezed through the pool stages with a dramatic last-ditch win against Fiji and last time around in France they were beaten by an Argentina team that also shocked the hosts twice.
The coach Andy Robinson came to Scotland to rebuild his career and coaching reputation after becoming the scapegoat for England’s problems in the wake of their World Cup win in 2003. He established himself quickly as a hugely popular figure in the Scottish game, taking Edinburgh to second place in the Magners League in his second season in charge before taking over as the national team’s head coach following the sacking of Frank Hadden in the spring of 2009. Since then he has guided the team to a number of stunning wins, although they are yet to perform as he would like them to during a tournament, winning just one match in each of his Six Nations Championship campaigns. Having spent his playing career as a relatively small figure in the gargantuan world of English forward play he is strangely well suited to the Scottish cause.
Significant number Zero. The number of wins Scotland have registered against the host nation, making it paramount they win Pool B and avoid a quarter-final with the All Blacks that finishing runners-up will almost certainly guarantee.
Famous cheerleader Scottish Rugby’s aristocratic patron really will have split loyalties this time around, since the Princess Royal’s new son-in-law is a key member of the England team.
Who might have a problem at passport control? Both Max Evans and Dan Parks have had their troubles with the authorities, but New Zealand customs are a bit more relaxed about these things than their counterparts in the United States, especially with international rugby players. However, it may give them an excuse to give Parks a harder time when they see his Australian passport.
Five words that sum up Scotland Glorious. Defeat. Chat. Now. Banned.
Keep your eye on Evans, looking happy at his work in a new roving role, not to mention a court case that has been pushed back to allow him to take part.
If Scotland were a film, they would be The Shawshank Redemption. Not much at the box office so far, but could yet become legendary.
Pass mark Have been seeded outside the top two in their pool for the first time, but are still expected to reach the quarter-finals with anything beyond that a bonus.
What Scotland’s rugby legends predict
GARY ARMSTRONG (Scotland and Lions scrum-half, competed in 1991, 1995 and 1999 events) First up, I don’t think that New Zealand will win it -- there will be too much pressure on their players and the expectations will end up getting the better of them. Not a lot has been said about France in the build-up, but they could be dark horses, because they have plenty of talented players, and they have a good history in the World Cup. I also fancy the Australians and South Africa to rise to the occasion. As for Scotland, I would like to think we might win our group and beat England in a one-off match. If we can avoid the All Blacks in the quarter-finals, anything is possible.
FINLAY CALDER (Scotland and Lions flanker, competed in 1987 and 1991 events) It’s hard to look beyond New Zealand if they have Dan Carter and Richie McCaw fit, because these are the two best players in the world and maybe two of the greatest ever. It’s a bit like having [Roger] Federer and [Rafael] Nadal in your Davis Cup team and you’re playing Estonia! In terms of Scotland; they are fit, they have big powerful forwards, and there’s nobody hirpling around, trying to shake off an injury, as has been the case before. I have no doubts that they will get out of their group and they have a good chance of beating England as well, as the English aren’t a cohesive unit.
SCOTT HASTINGS (Scotland and Lions centre, competed in 1987, 1991 and 1995 events) New Zealand are hot favourites, but I am also confident that Scotland will win their group and march into the quarter-finals. I wouldn’t rule us out against France at that stage. At the last World Cup, we maybe believed that reaching the quarter-final was a good enough achievement, but Andy Robinson has changed that attitude in his squad and I don’t think many teams will fancy playing them, certainly not Argentina or England.
COLIN DEANS (Scotland and Lions hooker, competed in 1987 event) I have a feeling that Australia will win the tournament, considering how much they have come on recently. New Zealand are obviously in the running, but look what happened when Carter and McCaw weren’t playing against South Africa [the latter won 18-5] in the Tri-Nations [on the 20th of August]. As for Scotland, I am quietly confident that we can spring a few shocks, and I am optimistic that we can beat England because Martin Johnson has made a few strange choices in his squad.
KEITH ROBERTSON (Scotland and Lions winger, competed in 1987 event) New Zealand have to be clear favourites to win in their own country with the strength of their side. Scotland will finish second in their group, behind England, and they will get beaten in the quarter-finals by the All Blacks.
ALAN TAIT (Scotland and Lions centre, competed in 1987 and 1999 events) I fancy the Australians to win the World Cup, because they have plenty of line-breakers, men such as Will Genia, Quade Cooper and James O’Connor, who can think on their feet and act off the cuff and you need to be able to do that to beat modern defences. I think that Scotland will do well and they will progress from their group -- and once you’ve done that, anything can happen.
KENNY MILNE (Scotland and Lions hooker, competed in 1991 and 1995 events) I will take New Zealand to win the tournament, but I’m positive about Scotland and believe that they will get through their group and go on to give a good account of themselves in New Zealand. In fact, I don’t see any reason why they can’t beat England in the pool match.
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