THE growing tide of Scottish expectation has been broken on the barriers of both New Zealand and France.
There is no disgrace in defeats to the best team in the world - however weakened the All Blacks were in November - or to France in Paris. But Scotland has to frank hope, to complement enterprise with the mark of victory.
Wales, beaten and bruised by England in Cardiff, roll up to Murrayfield on Sunday. Greig Laidlaw, the Scotland captain, does not duck the suggestion that this is match that must be won.
"Yup. It is about winning, getting across the line," said the Gloucester scrum half.
"I have every faith in the boys that we can do it. The way we defended at the weekend gives me great belief."
The problem for Scotland, ranked ninth in the world that their RBS 6 Nations schedule now involves playing Wales (No.6). Ireland (No.4) and England (No.3). The Italians, rated at 14, are the only side rated poorer than Vern Cotter's side and should be beaten at Murrayfield later this month.
The reasonable assumption is that Scotland have to improve merely to rise above fifth in the table. Laidlaw, who accepts the reality of the record, maintains triumph is within the collective hands of the squad.
There were moments in the France match when Scotland looked vibrant, even potent.
"It feels as if we are getting there. I absolutely believe we are not very far off being a very good team," he said.
He added of the 15-8 defeat at the Stade de France: "I thought the performance for large parts was brilliant. And that was not a one-off because I felt we played very well in the autumn tests too. I believe we are building something but we just need to knuckle down and train well and that hopefully lead to us winning."
Wales suffered a painful defeat on Friday to an England side that outmuscled them in the second half. Laidlaw believes the Scottish pack goes into the game in good form with the scrum "brilliant" and the driving maul "fantastic" against France. The lineout, too, has improved immeasurably under Cotter, though there will be one change at least in the forwards with Euan Murray, the 34-year-old prop who conjured up a slick try-making pass against France, missing out on playing on Sunday because of his religious beliefs.
They will also be bolstered by an increasing verve in the back-line. Stuart Hogg, who was sent off at the Millennium Stadium last year in the 51-3 defeat, looks an extraordinary threat from full-back and Laidlaw is surrounded behind the scrum by youngsters such as Finn Russell (22), Alex Dunbar (24) and Mark Bennett (22) who can confound the most regimented 6 Nations defence.
But Scotland scored the only try in Paris and lost because of the concession of penalties that were ruthlessly converted into points by Camille Lopez. Leigh Halfpenny will be similarly unforgiving if Scotland are penalised on Sunday.
Laidlaw spoke of not giving away "silly" penalties but this is easy to say, less difficult to achieve when a mass of Welsh manhood, hurting from a beating by England, descend on setpiece or loose ball.
Penalties are given up through a mixture of inexperience or simply by bowing before superior strength or technique and finding only a desperate, illegal way to thwart momentum. This is what happened in Paris when Johnny Beattie was yellow carded when attempting to stall an increasingly powerful French maul.
It is correct to call for discipline, but there are valid reasons for why it evaporates in the heat of battle.
Laidlaw, vastly experienced at 29 and 35 caps, pointed out: "The players need to be their own captain. That is something we have spoken a lot about. You have to be in charge of your own game. You can pull everyone in at times say ''tighten up" or "hold on to the ball" but split second decisions have to be made out on the field. It is small margins that these Test matches are won and lost on."
He was blunt about the requirement on Sunday. "We need to take the next step this weekend and get a win," he said.
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