Wales can make it ten wins in-a-row against the Scots if they follow the 34-7 triumph with another victory in the 2018 Under Armour Series curtain raiser on Saturday.
Gregor Townsend’s men came to Cardiff confident they could end a winless run that stretches all the way back to 2002, but a brace from Leigh Halfpenny and scores from Gareth Davies and Steff Evans provided the perfect start to the campaign.
But Scotland skills coach Mike Blair says they have used the disappointment as fuel for their return to the Principality Stadium.
“I still have the final score, 34-7, flashing in my mind and that scoreboard on the final whistle,” he said. “That is something that really hurt us because we thought we were in a good place to get the championship started with real momentum.
“It was disappointing but it fuels it a little more as well. You don’t need anything extra to play for your country but that was a really disappointing result for us and something we definitely want to put right.”
Scotland have been hit by a trio of back-row injuries ahead of the Doddie Weir Cup clash with Wales this weekend. David Denton, Magnus Bradbury and Luke Crosbie have all been ruled out, while Townsend has called up Harlequins back James Lang as a replacement for injured Glasgow Warriors centre Sam Johnson.
The Scotland squad were given inspiration by former British and Irish Lion Weir when he addressed them as a group last year. And Blair believes the emotional connection he made with the players that day will show in their performance this weekend as the rugby family unites in support the My Names’5 Doddie foundation.
“He is a larger-than-life character and a real Scottish rugby great,” Blair added. “I am flabbergasted with the amount of stuff he has been able to do since his illness came out and it was a really emotional moment when he spoke to the boys, even the guys who don’t know him that well.
“There is a real emotional connection there and having his name tied to the cup maybe gives them a bit of something extra.”
