Last weekend in Ireland we suffered another disappointing loss in the RBS 6 Nations.

In the immediate aftermath, it's hard to savour the honour of playing rugby for Scotland.

It's a reminder how much less enjoyable professional rugby can be when you're not winning. It's even tougher when the hopes of a nation are pinned on the back of every game you play.

We all play rugby because we love the game and enjoy playing it. It's a great job to have - being able to make a living from something you enjoy so much - however, there's no question that at this level the quality of your team is measured almost entirely on results.

Playing attractive rugby is very important to a lot of supporters but at the end of the day we are measured on the number of wins we achieve. In my first RBS 6 Nations, I've learned this the hard way, as well as the importance of momentum and a winning mentality in a squad.

Looking at the potential and the talent we have in the Scotland team, it's frustrating to see how we have underachieved.

In periods of downtime I often wonder how different this tournament might have been if we had managed to muster that little bit of magic to win our first game against England at Murrayfield.

A team that is on a winning roll is hard to stop and I believe we have shown in every game that we were more than capable of a win.

It's been well documented that this is a team with great potential. There is an awful lot of talent and ability within the squad and it's something we completely believe in.

I believe we have come out stronger and, as we gain more experience and begin to understand each other better, we will become a force to be reckoned with.

Saturday's match, the first in a "Super Saturday" of international contests in the championship, gives us one last opportunity to set a marker for our future performances and how this team will move forward.

It's another massive game for and we need to show what we are capable of.