This is Richard Shaw Wright looking ahead to the final one of the first round fixtures in the Six Nations and we end in Cardiff with Scotland the visitors, they come here having not won in their last eleven games in the city. The last one of those coming back in 2002. But they did win in Wales during the COVID affected 2020 tournament with the match played in Llanelli.
Wales coach Warren Gatland seems to have insinuated that Scotland want the roof open on Saturday to help reduce the atmosphere in the stadium, but surely these games are won on the pitch and none in the stand.
It's the old mind games, isn't it? Neither had World Cups to write home about Scotland were knocked out in the groups, although they were up against Ireland and eventual champion South Africa as well.
Wales topped their group before losing to Argentina in the quarterfinals after their impressive 35-7 win at Murrayfield in last year's tournament, I’m with Scotland here outright and on the handicap, they won three or five matches last year to finish third, while Wales only beat Italy and everyone beats Italy.
Hugh Jones, despite the Welsh sounding name, was joint top try scorer in that run to 3rd for Scotland and I'm going to take him to score a try, especially as a man who scored four alongside him, teammate Blair Kinghorn misses the match through injury.
The long run of defeats in Cardiff ends here for Scotland.