Scotland should be Six Nations champions – but they’ve shot themselves in the foot | Rugby | Sport

When the Six Nations schedule came out, eyes were drawn towards a match-up between England and France in Paris on the final weekend. After a recent resurgence of the England team, there were some suggesting this could evolve into a winner-takes-all clash for the title.

As it goes, next week’s meeting in the French capital will have plenty riding on it, but not for the reason many envisaged. Instead, rather remarkably, there could be a situation where France need to win to secure their eighth Six Nations title … at the expense of Scotland.

Of course, Scottish rugby has been making strides forward in recent years, and they do occupy a spot in the top eight of the world rankings. But a championship win? Very few would have seen that coming.

It’s a testament to the strength and determination of Gregor Townsend’s work as head honcho. In a sporting world where coaches are dropped at the drop of a hat, Townsend has been given the trust, patience and confidence to build something special at Murrayfield.

He’s already written himself into the folklore of Scottish rugby, but the Galashiels-born star would’ve made himself one of the sport’s immortals had his side not shot themselves in the foot.

Scotland haven’t won the title during the Six Nations era, but had they not slipped – quite literally – to defeat against Italy on the opening weekend, they’d have one hand on the trophy already.

The Italian side are no longer the same pushovers they once were, but the result in the lashing Roman rain still sent shockwaves across the world of rugby.

So much so, there were even suggestions that Townsend could lose his job in the wake of the result. Fast-forward a little over a month, and following a thumping 50-40 win over favourites France, Scotland will enter week five dreaming of a Six Nations victory.

But there’s a painful irony that Scotland have recorded wins against England, Wales, and now France, but failed to beat the traditional, albeit no longer, whipping boys of the tournament.

A win in Italy would’ve stuck an extra three on the board for Scotland, and had the results thereafter been the same, it would’ve meant a tally of 19 points after five matches, three ahead of second-placed France.

Perhaps just as gutting was the late and potentially pivotal bonus point that Scotland gave up against France in Edinburgh, as combining the points from the hypothetical win against Italy, Townsend and co would’ve had the chance to secure the title on their own accord against Ireland next week. A good opportunity should have been a golden one.

It’s on to Dublin, though, where Scotland need to win in the Irish capital for the first time since 2010 to keep alive hopes of the title. Should they manage just that, it will be all eyes on Paris, where Scotland will find themselves in the unusual position of supporting England, at least for one night only.