Sir Ian McGeechan makes his Six Nations 2024 predictions for Scotland ahead of the big tournament.
Sir Ian McGeechan hopes Scotland can make the most of their opening Six Nations 2024 match-up away in Wales.
The former player and coach hopes to turn the tide on the Welsh following 22 years without a Scottish victory in Cardiff.
Scottish legend McGeechan spoke to Radio Times magazine in the build-up to the tournament with his predictions, hopes and concerns.
RadioTimes.com has rounded up Sir Ian McGeechan’s Six Nations 2024 predictions for Scotland ahead of the tournament.
Six Nations 2024 predictions
Interview by James Mannion. First featured in Radio Times magazine.
Sir Ian McGeechan
Scotland (32 caps, 1972-1979 / coach, 1988-1993)
Scotland are one of the best set-piece attacking teams. If they get that firing, they have speed and variety, and their opponents will want to slow them down.
Coach Gregor Townsend has gone for co-captains in fly half Finn Russell and flanker Rory Darge. I like to see captains in the forwards, especially the front five at the heart of where most things are going on.
Those are the key players for Scotland, with lineout and scrum very important to them. Grant Gilchrist, Richie Gray and Scott Cummings are so experienced, while Sam Skinner has a lot to offer and Cameron Redpath is potentially outstanding.
Scotland need to put Wales under pressure in the opener if they are to break the sequence of no wins in Cardiff for 22 years. You can’t underestimate the impact of a win in the first match.
They need momentum for their home games against France and England. Ultimately, Scotland would be happy with three wins, delighted with four.
RadioTimes.com says…
Scotland enter the Six Nations flying low under the radar, not saddled with explosive controversy or delusions of grandeur.
The Scots accept they are not playing in the same ballpark as France and Ireland right now, but there are no red alert warning signs of an implosion to come.
If Townsend’s men get off to an expected winning start against Wales, their tournament is likely to boil down to that big home game against England, with the bordering nations tipped to sit side-by-side in third and fourth by March.
Prediction: 4th
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