A spike for Tonga? If that’s true, it’s a curious response to a soul-destroying defeat by Argentina. Scottish rugby fans really must be gluttons for punishment.
“It’s great to know that the atmosphere that was created in the New Zealand game and the atmosphere when Argentina scored and Flower of Scotland was ringing out – the supporters are behind the team,” Townsend explained. “They’re very disappointed that we didn’t win, like we are.
“We have no right to beat every team in the world – but we believe we can. Our supporters and our players can expect, with what we have here, that we can take on the best teams in the world.”
Scotland can take on the best in the world for passages of games for sure, but their win record against teams sitting above them in the rankings has been dismal for an age. They are currently ninth in the world having been fifth just before the start of the last World Cup. They are falling away in terms of winning games (as opposed to Townsend’s mantra of being competitive).
How does he explain the drop-offs, the moments in time that saw New Zealand and Argentina win, the passages in recent seasons that saw Italy roaring back from a big deficit and beating Scotland and that saw Wales, in 2024 and 2025, scare the life out of Townsend’s team despite being miles behind on the scoreboard?
“That’s rugby, that’s sport,” is his response. “Look at New Zealand. During 20-30 minutes against us they didn’t hardly touch the ball. Argentina were 21-0 down.
“So that happens to the best teams. What we need to do is when that momentum does start to go in the favour of the opposition, we have to find ways to get it back.”
How long can he keep banging that drum, though? Yes, New Zealand were outplayed by Scotland for a stretch and, yes again, Argentina were routed early on. Both of them still won, which is really all that matters. That winning mentality still eludes Scotland despite all the years Townsend has had to instil it. There’s still a softness that’s ruinous.
Is he expecting a review of his own performance at the end of the autumn? “I don’t know,” he said. “We review every campaign, but you’d have to ask someone else on that.”
Questions have been asked, but there’s been no answers from Murrayfield as yet, just as there is little sign that Scotland are anywhere closer to becoming the kind of ruthless team they need to be. Townsend thinks otherwise. It’s a grim impasse.