Calm Hadden stays focused on England

FRANK HADDEN insists the dissection of Scotland’s RBS 6 Nations campaign must wait until after Saturday’s final game against England. Head coach Hadden takes his side to Twickenham knowing defeat will mean he has failed to fulfil the Scottish Rugby Union’s (SRU) minimum target of two championship wins for the second successive year.

With Scotland having won just four of their last 15 Tests, the knives have been out for Hadden for some time. Asked if enough progress has been made since last season’s Six Nations, he said: “I have every confidence that this side is moving forward.

“It’s hugely frustrating that we didn’t win the two matches against France and against Ireland that we felt we could have done. You’re playing against top-quality opposition and we lost out on the day by making a number of elementary errors.

“But the time for review is in two weeks’ time and not just now.”

SRU chief executive Gordon McKie claimed Scotland’s win ratio would not be the sole factor in the decision to retain or sack Hadden when the organisation’s board meets at the end of April. A victory this weekend would almost certainly swing a decision in his favour, though the odds are heavily stacked against such a result.

Scotland have not won at Twickenham for 26 years, with their last win only their fourth at the stadium in almost a century of rugby there. On top of that, England appear to be hitting form, having run in five tries against France on Sunday.

But Hadden insisted his side, who have scored only four tries all championship, would travel without fear.

He said: “It was inevitable with the quality of players that England have got, and the fact that they’ve been together constantly for eight weeks, that they would get better during this competition. So it wasn’t a surprise that they managed to put together a quality 40 minutes like they did in the first half.

“But we believe that this week’s all about our performance and we certainly didn’t see anything to make us frightened of the prospect of going down there this weekend.”

Hadden has made just one change to the side who lost 22-15 to Ireland on Saturday. Northampton flanker Scott Gray makes his first Test start since his debut four and a half years ago.

The 31-year-old replaces John Barclay, who has been dropped from the 22 altogether, while Barclay’s Glasgow team-mate Kelly Brown comes in for Gray on the bench. Barclay had been blamed in some quarters for the defensive lapse which led to Ireland’s decisive try last weekend.

“Scott Gray has been champing at the bit,” said Hadden. “He’s done extremely well every time he’s come off the bench since the autumn Tests.”

Mike Blair has shaken off a back injury to captain the side, and Hadden paid tribute to Scotland’s medical staff for getting him ready on time.