In terms of ‘trajectory analysis’ claims from Scotland players who were whitewashed this year that they can win the Six Nations Championship do not quite fit with their repeated descriptions of themselves as ‘humble’.
The evidence of this tournament is that they can win more matches than they lose for the first time since 2006 and only the second time in 17 years.
The age profile of the squad is such that a Championship win between now and the 2019 World Cup in Japan looks potentially achievable, too, but as the eradication of European interest ahead of the semi-finals shows, dreaming of anything beyond that should remain a private matter for those paid to give clear-headed direction to the sport rather than merely being cheer-leaders.
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