Scots must avoid banana skin of Italy to claim first win

There was enough controversy to last a season at Murrayfield last Sunday and the ramifications rumbled on during the week.

Whether it was the referee, Glen Jackson’s ‘interesting’ decisions or the yellow-carding and subsequent citing of Finn Russell for his ‘challenge’ on Dan Biggar in the air, opinions have been split and heated debates still go on.

In the cold light of day, Scotland and Vern Cotter will be ruing the one that got away.

The team had enough opportunities to win the match comfortably, irrespective of Jackson’s interpretations of the laws and Russell’s enforced absence for 10 minutes.

Scotland should have scored more than one try in the first half, particularly when pressing hard in the moments just before half-time.

Had they done so, the momentum of the game would have shifted in their favour and the second half could have been a very different affair.

Scotland also suffered from inexperience. Russell missed a couple of kicks to touch from penalties at times when the team really needed a breather from relentless defending and Laidlaw opted to kick for touch when taking three points would have been a better option.

Yes it was definitely a game that slipped through the fingers of Vern Cotter’s men, and they only have themselves to blame.

Having said that there was again much more to be pleased with than not, which are tangible signs of progress yet the wins remain elusive and that’s what counts.

The pressure is now on for next weekend when Italy are the visitors to Murrayfield. Only a victory will do for Cotter and his side yet Italy could be a horrible banana skin.

The Italians will be pugnacious and aggressive in the forwards and while they may not have the incisiveness of other sides in the backs, they cannot be underestimated.

Scotland are also going to be without Finn Russell who has to sit this game out because of the ridiculous citing in the aftermath of last weekend’s match.

Replacing him will be a challenge, not least because of injuries to Weir and Jackson so we could be fielding our fourth-choice fly-half.

Given the issues in that position for the last few years, that doesn’t sound like a particularly appealing situation, yet if there is one thing that this group of players has in abundance nowadays, it is character and fight.

They will know and understand the pressure that they are under and I fully expect them to want to set the record straight after two disappointing results.

Italy should not be taken lightly, but they should be put to the sword it is time for Scotland to register their first win of this campaign.