Robinson: No more excuses

Andy Robinson is sick of coming up with excuses.

Much of the time the media feel his wrath, but ahead of this Six Nations the Scotland coach has aimed his invective at his players.

It is easy to understand why. The general consensus is that Scotland have improved in the two-and-a-half years since Robinson took charge, unearthing players such as Richie Gray and Ruariadh Jackson.

Yet they have won just two Six Nations games in two years. Add to that the fact that they were eliminated from the World Cup at the pool stage for the first time in Scotland’s history and Robinson has had enough.

No matter that Scotland outplayed England and were unlucky to lose to them at Eden Park. No matter that his side wasted more than enough chances to put Argentina to the sword before being stung by the Pumas in their final game.

Scotland left the competition before the serious business began, and to Robinson that is simply unacceptable.

Now he has challenged his players to prove to him that his methods are working, starting with today’s Calcutta Cup clash with England at an expectant Murrayfield.

“Look at the last two years of the Six Nations,” explains the former England coach. “People have written Scotland up, we have talked ourselves up, and we have come to the last game having not won a single match and battling to avoid the wooden spoon.

“That is unacceptable. We understand our responsibilities as a group of people representing the Scotland national team; that we are here to win. We understand the pressure that’s there. I’m building the pressure on that because we can’t hide away from it.

“That starts against England and Wales. I thought recent comments made by Sean Lamont were spot-on, when he said it is time for us to deliver a performance and win games. It’s time to stop talking about our potential.”

To reinvent this Scotland team, victory over England is a must. Robinson’s ambitions could not be clearer.

He adds: “I am involved in sport to win, everyone involved with Scotland is there to win. I have seen the fantastic celebrations after victories against Ireland, South Africa and Australia.

“We know what it means to the Scottish public to win. I have also been asked if the expectancy is different because I am coaching Scotland compared to England — no, the expectancy is greater. We have to have that mentality right through the team.

“I have been working with the team for two years and they are up for every game they play. I don’t have to motivate them with Churchillian speeches.

“We start games pretty well but we have to manage that through 80 minutes and not just perform for 75 minutes and be unlucky losers.

“We have to have a tough mindset, that we are here to win. Whoever England pick, whatever side is there, we have to look at ourselves, understand what we have and go about winning.”

And for that reason the game against England is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers Scotland an excellent chance to get their Six Nations campaign off to the perfect start against side with a temporary coach, temporary captain and myriad long-term questions to answer. Yet lose against that same side at Murrayfield for the first time since 2004 and the old questions will not take long to resurface.

“We haven’t won our last two games, we are up against the Six Nations champions and a team that has something to prove,” admitted Robinson.

“England are a dangerous animal, but we will focus on ourselves. I approach every game with Scotland with confidence. I have total belief in the team and the players that we have the ability to win.”

Now Scotland have to transform that ability into results. Robinson is done with making excuses.

SCOTLAND: R Lamont (Glasgow); L Jones (Edinburgh), N De Luca (Edinburgh), S Lamont (Scarlets), M Evans (Castres); D Parks (Cardiff Blues), C Cusiter (Glasgow); A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh, capt), E Murray (Newcastle), R Gray (Glasgow), J Hamilton (Gloucester), A Strokosch (Gloucester), R Rennie (Edinburgh), D Denton (Edinburgh).

Replacements: S Lawson (Gloucester), G Cross (Edinburgh), A Kellock (Glasgow), J Barclay (Glasgow), M Blair (Edinburgh), G Laidlaw (Edinburgh), G Morrison (Glasgow).

ENGLAND: B Foden (Northampton); C Ashton (Northampton), B Barritt (Saracens), O Farrell (Saracens), D Strettle (Saracens); C Hodgson (Saracens), B Youngs (Leicester); A Corbisiero (London Irish), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), M Botha (Saracens), T Palmer (Stade Francais), T Croft (Leicester), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), P Dowson (Northampton).

Replacements: R Webber (Wasps), M Stevens (Saracens), G Parling (Leicester), B Morgan (Scarlets), L Dickson (Northampton), J Turner-Hall (Harlequins), M Brown (Harlequins).