'Pressure firmly on Scotland' for visit of Wales, says Barclay
John Barclay is predicting a nervous atmosphere at Murrayfield a week on Saturday when Scotland take on Wales in the Six Nations.After the tightest of losses to England, Scotland's best chance of a second win comes at home to resurgent Wales, as they finish with a trip to Paris to play in-form France."[Scotland v Wales] looks a bit different now, it's going to be tighter than we thought," Barclay told the Rugby Union Daily podcast. "From first two Wales games, there was no sign of anything to be concerned about."You watch the game at the weekend when they go toe to toe, physically and tactically, with one of the best teams in the world [Ireland]. Is it the bounce effect? I don't know, we'll see next weekend."Wales, with interim head coach Matt Sherratt taking charge for the first time, looked far stronger in the defeat to Ireland than in previous losses to France and Italy."If Scotland lose to Wales, you're looking at one from five because they've got to go away to France," Barclay added."They've won over in France, they've shown it can be done, but you don't want to be going into the last round of the Six Nations with one win."The pressure is firmly on Scotland. Everyone says Scotland deserved to win [against England], but they didn't win and they didn't win against Ireland. Quite plainly, they have to win. "It will be a nervous energy around the stadium. Wales are still underdogs, it's going to be fascinating."Gregor Townsend has come under pressure in some quarters, but Barclay defended the Scotland head coach."There is pressure, there's always pressure. Someone said to me the other day 'he's got to go' and I'm like 'well who are you replacing him with?' Franco [Smith] has done great things at Glasgow, what's the guarantee that he gets better?"You look at the game at the weekend, Gregor Townsend has done his job. He's put in place clearly how they were trying to play the game and they did it, except for final passes. I don't think that's a coaching thing."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Single-day 'super' rounds for 2026 Women's Six Nations
Each round of next year's Women's Six Nations will be staged on a single day, with four 'Super Saturdays' leading to Sunday 17 May when holders England travel to nearest rivals France in the final match of the world number ones England have won seven successive titles, but France threatened to ruin their most recent celebrations, coming within a point of the Red Roses in will stage their 11 April opener against Ireland at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium, where, in 2023, they set a world record for the biggest crowd for a women's Test match with 58,498 watching a win over meeting with Ireland will be the Red Roses' first match following their 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup campaign on home turf, where they are favourites to lift the crown for the first time in 11 will host England at Murrayfield the following week in the first standalone women's international at the venue staged in front of current record attendance for a Scotland women's home match - 7,774, set at the 2024 meeting between the two rivals – is expected to be venues for the rest of the matches are yet to be announced, with organisers saying they "will be announced in due course".The 2026 tournament starts three weeks after the end of the men's Six Nations, rather than the previous one-week gap, as part of a new global international is hoped the tournament, coming a little over six months after the finale of the Women's Rugby World Cup in England, will attract unprecedented audiences 2026 Women's Six Nations fixtures All times BSTSaturday 11 AprilFrance v Italy 12:25England v Ireland - Allianz Stadium - 14:25Wales v Scotland 16:40Saturday 18 AprilScotland v England – Murrayfield – 13:30Wales v France – 15:35Ireland v Italy 17:40Saturday 25 AprilEngland v Wales 14:15Italy v Scotland – 16:30France v Ireland – 20:10Saturday 9 MayItaly v England – 14:00Scotland v France – 16:15Ireland v Wales – 18:30Sunday 17 MayWales v Italy – 12:15Ireland v Scotland – 14:30France v England – 16:45
BBC News
33 minutes ago
- BBC News
Midfielder Wildig leaves Newport
Midfielder Aaron Wildig has left Newport County and quit full-time 33-year-old, who captained the League Two side, turned down a new contract at Rodney Parade in order to pursue a part-time football career as well as a "business opportunity" away from the ex-Cardiff City player spent three years at County after joining from Morecambe in 2022 and made 90 appearances for the Exiles.A knee injury ruled him out of the majority of last season."After a lot of thought, I've decided to move into a part-time playing model as I have opportunities away from football," Wildig told the club's official website."After the injury I had, it feels like the right time to shift my focus towards things off the pitch that will also benefit my family."Hereford-born Wildig was a product of Cardiff's youth system but only made around a dozen appearances for the first team. After a loan spell with Hamilton Academicals in Scotland, he left Cardiff in 2012 for a three-year spell at Shrewsbury before moving to Morecambe where he made over 200 appearances.
STV News
39 minutes ago
- STV News
Back-to-back matches to be introduced in revamped Women's Six Nations
A revamped Guinness Women's Six Nations will feature back-to-back matches on a single day in each round during the 2026 tournament. The 'Super Saturday' style format has been introduced to 'deliver the best possible fan experience' and 'optimise the audience of fans tuning in around the world'. Reigning champions England will launch their title defence on Saturday, April 11 against Ireland at Allianz Stadium Twickenham. Perennial runners-up France will host Italy in the opening match earlier that day before Scotland travel to Wales in the third game. Competition will conclude with a 'Super Sunday' on May 17, with England scheduled to visit France for a potential title decider in the final fixture. The Red Roses, who have won seven Six Nations titles in a row and are preparing for this year's home World Cup, will take on Scotland in round two on April 18 at Scottish Gas Murrayfield. John Mitchell's side will then host Wales a week later before travelling to Italy in round four on May 9. The tournament will begin four weeks after the final weekend of the men's championship, having previously started a week later. 'The new approach to the schedule has been built to deliver the best possible fan experience for those attending fixtures, and through collaboration between unions and broadcasters to meet and optimise the audience of fans tuning in around the world,' read a statement from organisers. 'Following Rugby World Cup 2025 in England later this year, and with interest for the women's game anticipated to be at an all-time high, the opportunity in front of women's rugby is huge, and as the biggest annual event in the women's rugby calendar, the Guinness Women's Six Nations is in pole position to drive momentum.' STV News is now on WhatsApp Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
