Any Scottish rugby fans contemplating complacency about facing Wales at Murrayfield this weekend have 11 good reasons to think again.

For that is the number of times Warren Gatland has coached Wales to victory over Scotland, without losing a single match home or away, a record started in 2008 on the back of a brace of tries for wing Shane Williams.

In fact the Ospreys talisman scored more tries against Scotland than any other player has managed, his nine out of 60 international tries also level with Japan and Italy for the most he scored against any nation.

“I enjoyed playing against Scotland, those games seemed to suit me. They were open games, their back line was trying to move the ball around and there were plenty of mistakes to feed off,” remembered Williams.

Gatland’s supreme reign began in Cardiff in 2008, with the only defeat during his tenure coming in 2017 when the New Zealander was coaching the British and Irish Lions and Rob Howley was in charge of Wales.

But there is a lesson from 2008 for the Scotland side of today, as that Wales team were trying to follow up a victory at Twickenham and went on to win the Grand Slam that season.

“It came off the back of a shocking 2007, going out the World Cup to Fiji, losing our coach and we didn’t really know much about Warren when he came in,” said Williams.

“He gave us confidence and after we beat England, who were many people’s favourites for the Championship, he told us we could beat anyone – he was already talking about a possible Grand Slam.

“After coming away from Twickenham with a victory the lads were looking at each other and thinking this guy is some sort of genius, he saw something in us we did not even see in ourselves.

“We never felt nerves, the next game was at home and we were excited. We had faith in the system, our defence felt comfortable, and we had the strike power behind we could use.

“I had a lot of work to do for my second try in that game, thank God there was not a TMO as that could have been quite a long decision but I am confident I got the score.

“I was under pressure, up against my Ospreys team-mate Nikki Walker, so there had been quite a lot of banter flying around.”

That score sealed a 30-15 victory for Wales before they went on to win the Grand Slam against France in the final game. The following season Gatland’s Wales won 26-13 in Murrayfield, with Williams again on the scoresheet.

“Every away game in the Six Nations is difficult, but I loved going to Murrayfield, it is a great stadium. We would always see the Welsh fans up there telling us not to spoil their weekend,” Williams added.

“Scotland were not as strong as they are now, so it was not arrogance to say we felt comfortable, we felt we were the better team.

“Looking at the form book, this Saturday there is a chance it could be Warren’s first defeat. This Scotland team could be quite special.

“But if you look at past results then Wales tend to do well in the second game, the last two seasons they have beaten Scotland after Scotland had beaten England, Wales are good at spoiling the party.

“I still think this Wales squad are capable, Gats has had more time to work with them and although they had a really poor start against Ireland they were getting back into the game until that James Lowe interception.”

History is not encouraging for Scotland. Wales have won 18 of the last 21 meetings, Scotland have never won the first two games of a Six Nations campaign – you have to go back to 1996 to find the last time they did that in the Five Nations.

And then there is the Gatland factor and that record as Wales coach against Scotland.

“It is a tough ask, but Gats will put as much confidence into those boys as he can,” said Williams.

“We saw straight away Gats was pretty special when he became

Wales coach. We had trust in him and his staff. To have coached

Wales for so long, taken us to the semi-final of the World Cup, coached the Lions, he has to be doing something right.

“It was a pleasure to work with him, those were my best years and I played my best rugby when I was coached by him.

“You also look at what he did for Sam Warburton, Alun Wyn Jones, Lee Byrne, and Mike Phillips, to name but a few. It all makes for a good game this weekend, two teams with stardust in there.”

Williams knows first hand the impact Warren Gatland can have in a short space of time. Will another week after the Ireland defeat be long enough – and are Scotland ready to re-write history?