Six Nations 2025: 'Does it always have to be so dramatic, Scotland?'

At the 50-minute mark, Scotland were playing with a freedom and exuberance at Murrayfield. They had already scored five tries and were leading by 27 points, with Finn Russell conducting the team's attack like a seasoned traffic cop, orchestrating their movements with precision.

Scotland demonstrated an all-court game with width, skill, pace and execution, making them a joy to watch. Blair Kinghorn, Huw Jones, D’Arcy Graham, Tom Jordan, and even Duhan van der Merwe left his wing to get involved, showcasing their versatility and attacking prowess.

The game showcased the best of this team, and it was devastating. They were untouchable, with Wales looking fragile when the ball was moved wide and clueless when Scotland broke the line, struggling to contain their dynamic attacks.

Wales' heads dropped, and before Scotland’s fourth try, Ben Thomas made a mistake to gift them seven points. Not only did they have a man sent to the bin, but they also looked like they had lost all hope, facing an uphill battle against the relentless Scottish offense.

However, this sense of certainty doesn't sit well with Scotland. For decades, if you were ever comfortable watching Scotland, you should start feeling uneasy. Last year in Cardiff, Scotland were 27 points up early in the second half, but ended up hanging on. Saturday was similar, though not quite requiring the oxygen mask of 2024, highlighting their tendency to falter despite strong leads.

While no one can be sure, from the 62nd minute onwards, Wales scored 21 unanswered points (plus a Talupe Faletau try that was chalked off), and many would have put money on Wales to win if the game had gone on a little longer, demonstrating their late surge.

In boxing terms, Scotland were on the ropes, almost defenseless, eyes rolling back in their heads as Wales rained down the blows, barely clinging on. The final bell saved them from what could have been a painful knockout, preventing a complete collapse.

The lead they built in the first half got them the win, which is to be applauded. They won, they got five points, and now they head to Paris to try and stop the seemingly inevitable – France winning the title, a daunting task ahead.

Of course, they will head to Paris with good wishes from friends. Suddenly, Irish fans are Scotland fans. They are generously wishing Gregor Townsend and his players well in Paris. It may be a little late to get the tartan out, but they’ll be supporting Scotland nonetheless, hoping for an upset.

Saturday was Scotland in a microcosm, the good and the bad. It was another game that showed that even when swimming in optimism, it is difficult to see them graduating into the company of title contenders, highlighting their inconsistency.

When Russell went off injured and the replacements came on, that’s when it all started to go wrong. Too many of them didn’t add anything positive and instead added errors and confusion, disrupting the team's rhythm and cohesion.

When Teddy Williams scored with 11 minutes to go, the Scottish defense had completely disintegrated. It was far too easy, and the home side stopped doing what they had been doing before, losing their focus and intensity.

Faletau’s disallowed try still had an impact. In the move before, Stafford McDowall and Kyle Rowe missed Blair Morgan before Rowe was then stepped by George Horne. Even though the score was rightly chalked off, Wales had the momentum, driving forward with determination.

The final try summed up the shambolic state Scotland were in. Joe Roberts stepped Kinghorn, then wriggled out of a tackle by Rowe, Jordan and Matt Fagerson as if he was covered in goose fat, showcasing their defensive frailties.

A penalty, a lineout, and Max Llewellyn scored. Murrayfield was silent save for the faint sound of sobbing, a stark contrast to the earlier celebrations.

The camera cut to Russell, who shook his head, looking like he wanted to say something beginning with ‘F’, before the director cut away, capturing his frustration.

“Scotland fell asleep,” he said later, “they switched off.” He stated that the message all week had been to play for 80 minutes, but they didn’t, again, highlighting their recurring issue with consistency.

Russell deserves credit, not just for his elegant play, but for his honest assessment, acknowledging the team's shortcomings.

There is a deeply ingrained and frustrating tendency for this team to ‘fall asleep’ in games. On Saturday, they didn’t score in the last 33 minutes. Against England a fortnight ago, they didn’t score for an hour; against Ireland, they had spells of 41 minutes and 26 minutes; against Italy, they went 33 minutes without scoring, revealing a pattern of inconsistency.

This is a recurring theme for Scotland. Similar numbers appeared last season and the season before, underscoring the persistent nature of this problem.

This ‘doze’ didn’t cost them this time, but why it keeps happening remains a mystery, raising questions about their mental fortitude. Will they always have a nap in a game, regardless of the situation?

That’s why we can admire so much about this team, but it’s difficult to trust them. We can marvel at their creativity, but talent alone will not get you over the line in the critical moments of a tournament, emphasizing the need for reliability and resilience.

Next up is a trip to Paris to face the might of France. If Scotland are at their best, they are unpredictable and crazy enough to give Fabien Galthié a horrible day at the office, presenting a challenge to the French team.

Scotland are not a conventional team. They have players who can hurt France, and they have the determination to rip through them and make them think, posing a threat to the French defense.

They won’t have the same mental hang-ups against France as they did against Ireland, approaching the game with a different mindset and potentially less pressure.

France will surely win – and probably win comfortably – because as well as the flair behind, they have a monstrous pack. Lots and lots of monsters, giving them a significant advantage in the forwards.

They have eight starting and probably seven on the bench. Fabien, fuck it, let them win 8-0. Get all the brutes out there, from Perpignan to Picardy, showcasing their depth and power in the pack.

France won a massive game in Dublin and will now feel invincible. Scotland won a wobbly one in Edinburgh, and God knows what they’ll be feeling now, highlighting the contrasting emotional states of the two teams.

But they won, and that’s the point. Does it always have to be so dramatic, emphasizing the importance of the victory despite the challenges faced?