ALL you can really ask of any national side is that they keep getting better. There is no real doubt that under Vern Cotter, that is exactly what Scotland have done. It is not just results, though those are the key, but the type of rugby they are playing is hugely enjoyable and the players are thrilled by it.
So when Eddie Jones, the England coach, tried to suggest that the Scots would he feeling the pressure and the weight of national expectations when they head for Twickenham at the end of next week, there was nobody in the Scotland camp taking it too seriously.
"I would not want to dampen the excitement that both the supporters and us as a group feel by calling it a burden," said Tommy Seymour, the wing who crossed for his 15th Test try last weekend against Wales. "It is is obviously a lot of enjoyment that we are currently getting.
"I am not going to get into lyrical words with Eddie Jones because I will come out losing. He is the coach of England and I take my direction from my coaches. They can speak to each other but it has zero to do with me. I am focussed on what I can do as part of this squad and will take my direction from my coaches. Everything else, for me, is noise."
What he does see are steady signs of progress in the Scotland side. Two years ago, in Cotter's first season, they were whitewashed; last year they won twice; this year they have already matched that with two games to go. Definite signs of progress.
What the players and fans will find out next week is exactly how far they have come and how much further they need to go to if they are to become contenders for international titles.
"Last time we were at Twickenham I think we were leading at half time for the first time in how many years?" Seymour pointed out [it was actually the first time since 1989 when they went on to draw]. "We know we are capable of going places and playing but you have got to shift away from thinking 'we are home; we are away', more about what we do on the paddock as as team.
"We are constantly looking to improve; I don't think there is any team that is not looking to improve. Everyone talks about the All Blacks as being number one but the reason they are number one is that they don't see that as the end goal, drop off, sit back and say 'remember that time we got to number one, it was great'.
"Every bit of encouragement from everything that has gone right for us in this competition is fantastic but we are by no means going to go 'great we have ticked a couple of boxes so we can rest again'.
"We have had a natural progression for a number of years that has led to a more free-flowing brand of rugby, an exciting brand which was always the aim of where we wanted to get to.
"As an outside back, a winger, you are very reliant on that style of rugby in order to get more involved in a game. We have a lot of very talented players not, particularly in the back line who can put guys in space."
So forget about the pressure of expectations or the hope that this can be the team that breaks the 34-year Twickenham duck – which has now overtaken the gap between 1938 and 1971 as Scotland's longest losing run in England – what matters to this side is that they are getting better and having fun doing it.
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