State of the Nation: Scotland
With the November internationals now done and dusted, we look at the state of affairs in each of the competing nations. Next up it is Scotland.
Gregor Townsend, and the Scottish public, can look very positively into the future after seeing Scotland deliver two wins out of three this autumn in a style set to entertain.
The former Glasgow coach has settled straight into the role at Murrayfield with so many of the systems and individuals he implemented at Glasgow already part of the national fabric.
The downside being two wins out of three may well have been a full house had they taken their chances against the current world champions New Zealand.
A 22-17 loss bred a sense of frustration in Edinburgh showing just how far Scotland have come. Had it not been Beauden Barrett on the cover tackle, as Stuart Hogg used his pace to burst through the line, we could well have been marking an historic moment.
That reverse to the All Blacks was sandwiched between a high scoring win over Samoa before they battered the Australians in a record win.
The absence of long time leader Greig Laidlaw was seen as a potential hurdle for Townsend to negate but his replacement Ali Price looks like becoming a permanent fixture in the Scottish XV.
Firstly for the fact that he plays weekly with half-back partner Finn Russell at Glasgow – although that will come to an end this year when Russell makes a lucrative move to France with Racing 92.
Nevertheless, the tempo and quick ball that Townsend sees as so integral to his strategy is best implemented by the energetic Price than it is by the slightly more calculated Laidlaw.
In fact, in all three matches this autumn, Townsend opted to start with a backs division compiled completely of Glasgow individuals. Only an injury in the warm up to Hogg prior to the Australia test prevented a Warriors shut out in the autumn.
It's that consistency and understanding which has helped Scotland look so affluent in attack. 16 tries in three games of rugby certainly legitimises the new style of rugby Townsend has looked to exercise.
The continued emergence of Huw Jones was also a massive plus for Townsend. The only negative for the 44-year-old is that he never got the pleasure of coaching Jones at Glasgow with him just making the move from South African side the Stormers.
Nevertheless the centre has hit the ground running, scoring in all three internationals this autumn. His combination with Alex Dunbar shows plenty of potential and could continue flourishing at Scotstoun.
The way in which they, at times, laboured through the Samoa contest and shipped far too many points is perhaps the only negative for Townsend in an otherwise very successful month or so.
England were the last team to meet a somewhat labouring Scotland in the Six Nations back in March. That day the Scots shipped 61 points in the only blip in an otherwise advantageous 12 months.
Talk is already strife that Scotland are the team best placed to knock the Six Nations crown off English heads and prevent a hat-trick of wins. The meeting at Murrayfield on February 24 is already thought of as a potential title decider, and it could yet prove the toughest assignment yet for Eddie Jones.
Rightly or wrongly, Townsend didn't travel as part of the Lions coaching set up in the summer, but he is still the most highly thought of British coach applying his trade. Surrounded by Southern Hemisphere coaches within the home nations, Townsend is leading a one man band as such but his drum is starting to make some serious noise.
by Sam Meade