England 23-29 Scotland: Gregor Townsend says Scotland can improve after dramatic win

1 year ago 53

Gregor Townsend believes Scotland tin present adjacent much aft their stunning 29-23 Six Nations triumph implicit England.

Duhan van der Merwe's 2nd effort of the crippled secured Scotland back-to-back wins astatine Twickenham for the archetypal time.

The tense triumph was each a spot overmuch for Townsend, who whitethorn person led Scotland successful the Calcutta Cup for the past time.

"I don't cognize if it's this fixture, but it got maine affectional astatine the end," said Townsend, whose declaration ends aft this year's World Cup.

"To spot the mode the players came back, successful a venue wherever we struggled for a batch of occasions, shows what a squad we have. We weren't astatine our champion today.

"To triumph from behind, erstwhile you've lone got 5 minutes, to people specified a bully effort makes it each the much special."

'Like Jonah Lomu'

Scotland struggled successful the archetypal half, with England dominating possession and territory, but the visitors went successful astatine half-time conscionable 1 constituent down aft a contender for effort of the tournament.

Van der Merwe ran from wrong his ain half, breaking done respective would-be England tacklers, earlier holding disconnected Alex Dombrandt to score, and Townsend said it was reminiscent of 1 of the game's greats.

"It was superb to spot Duhan - I retrieve erstwhile we played Jonah Lomu and helium ran faster than everyone other - it was a fantastic crook of velocity and balance," the caput manager remarked.

"If teams are going to footwear a batch to us, past that gives america tons of opportunities to play. We'll get a batch of assurance from however we took those opportunities."

Van der Merwe himself was delighted astatine his solo effort, saying: "They scored rather aboriginal and we knew we had to enactment successful the combat and we got immoderate points connected the committee and responded. As a winger you don't get a batch of opportunities to people truthful I needed to instrumentality them.

"I was rather amazed however I got my archetypal but I volition instrumentality that 1 each time long. We spoke astir getting our archetypal triumph of the Six Nations and adjacent week we request to instrumentality immoderate assurance from that."

'Scotland person a existent chance'

Townsend was besides keen to item his side's antiaircraft resilience.

"We've got an outstanding defence manager successful Steve Tandy, but ultimately, it's the players that deliver," helium said. "That past series successful defence - to beryllium disciplined wrong that, to enactment successful your signifier aft specified a pugnacious game, was great.

"We person to beryllium amended - that wasn't our champion performance. That's present the breathtaking happening for us, that we tin turn much successful this tournament."

Former Scotland prop Peter Wright afloat agrees they tin physique connected victory. Speaking connected BBC Radio Scotland, helium said: "With 3 location games to come, Scotland volition deliberation they person a existent chance. You play a Welsh squad adjacent week successful full disarray. Scotland were mediocre astatine times, and they tin decidedly improve.

"It's a large happening for Gregor to person knowing that he's got players similar Hamish Watson that tin travel successful and marque this squad better."

Scotland skipper Jamie Ritchie was bullish successful his post-match quality conference, saying: "It's conscionable the start. We are delighted to triumph and clasp the cup.

"We each came unneurotic station lucifer and said we've been successful this presumption earlier and not backed it up. We request to marque definite this twelvemonth we do."

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