'Was it difficult to recover my confidence? A little bit yeah, if I'm honest'
Stuart McInally admits Scotland will have to make major improvements again if they are to wreck France’s Grand Slam bid at Murrayfield.
While Les Bleus are heading to Edinburgh in two weeks’ time looking to take another step towards a Guinness Six Nations clean sweep, the Scots are just relieved to be off the mark following victory over Italy in Rome.
Gregor Townsend’s team were far from slick but did finally grab their first tries of the tournament after registering blanks in defeat to both Ireland and England.
Skipper Stuart Hogg scored the touchdown of the tournament so far with a 50-yard solo run while Chris Harris and Adam Hastings added a shine to a 17-0 shut-out win with second-half scores.
Continue reading below…
WATCH: Wales post-match press conference with head coach Wayne Pivac and captain Alun Wyn Jones after 27-23 Guinness Six Nations defeat to France in Cardiff.
But, having also let at least another three big opportunities to really punish the Azzurri slip, McInally confessed a repeat of their display in the Eternal City will not be enough to stop the French.
The Edinburgh forward said: “There was a bit of relief in the changing room after the game. We’ve got the monkey off our back and managed to get our first win in the tournament.
“But it was also about proving to ourselves. We didn’t play our best rugby out there but we were pretty clinical at times. Our defence was excellent in not conceding a point and we were able to throw the ball around against a side who got a few points against France.
There's been some wild speculation around CVC's motives with regards to rugby union.
– @Jbeardmore takes a look under the hood at the what this massive private equity fund really want #GuinnessSixNations https://t.co/qh0ktIhZAM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 23, 2020
“Italy are a dangerous side, especially at home and we were pleased to keep them to zero.
“Are there more improvements to come? Oh we can be so much better.
“That wasn’t our finest display by a mile. I feel like we won and that is the main thing – but we have got to be better over the next few weeks to be sure.
“France have been excellent so far and it will be a massive game in two weeks. But we’re looking forward to getting back to Murrayfield and giving it our best shot.
“We’ve got two games left and we’re going for two wins. We’ll back ourselves against anyone at Murrayfield.
“We know how big a challenge it will be against France with the form they are in. We played them not long ago and managed to beat them at home and we’ll be confident of doing that again.”
PLAYER RATINGS
Here's how we rated the Scottish players #ITAvSCO ???????https://t.co/yrUPeQGUbd
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 22, 2020
The Stadio Olimpico triumph was the Scots’ first win since beating Russia’s minnows at last year’s World Cup but McInally has few memories to cherish from his time in Japan.
The 29-year-old was named captain ahead of the tournament but struggled under the weight of the role and was dropped for the final group stage clash with the hosts, which ultimately ended in defeat and the Dark Blues’ early exit.
Those brutal experiences left a mark on McInally and it has taken him time to reclaim both his confidence and his starting slot. But, after being restored to Townsend’s team in Rome for the first time since the World Cup, he is ready to put the ghosts of his time in the Far East to bed.
“I don’t know if redemption is the right word but I’m definitely enjoying being back involved and back playing,” he said. “I’m just happy to be playing well, well enough to get a start on Saturday and help the team to a good win.
“Was it difficult to recover my confidence? A little bit yeah, if I’m honest. The best thing for me was that I got a break after the World Cup.
“I got back in with Edinburgh and I felt that was the right thing, to get straight back in and play. Since then I feel I’ve just been back to my normal self. I’m feeling good as new.
“I feel I can learn a lot from that World Cup experience but I guess it’s a clean slate. It’s a new season and what’s done is done. You just have to get on with it.”
Press Association
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments