SCOTLAND V WALES (Big match preview)

WALES should have nothing to fear about taking on Scotland at Murrayfield today as they attempt to get their Six Nations campaign back on course.

There is a load of hype about the ground being a graveyard for Welsh hopes, and there have been a few shocks north of the border in the past, but the facts don’t support that theory.

For though Wales lost on their last visit to Murrayfield, when they went down 21-9 two years ago, they have won seven of the last eight times the Celtic rivals have met.

Nothing was more spectacular than the game there in 2005 when Wales romped to a record 46-22 victory after storming into a 38-3 interval lead, which they stretched to 43-3 before being pegged back late on.

Both teams are on the back of an opening weekend defeat. Wales’ was arguably the worst, going down 26-19 at home against England whereas the Scots performed pretty well to score three tries at the Stade de France, though losing 34-21 against a French team who often reached the heights.

The pre-match rhetoric shows no sign of abating, though most of it comes from the Scottish camp this time, former coach and distinguished British Lion Jim Telfer claiming Mike Phillips is Wales’ weakest link while former scrum half Andy Niochol says James Hook can be exposed.

The switch of Hook to outside half is where the biggest debate lies from a Welsh point of view and whether he can step up to the plate and provide greater attacking options when he hasn’t occupied the position for two years.

The last time he started there for Wales was against Italy in 2009 and the figures show just how much he has been moved from one position to another in his international career.

He wins his 49th cap today and 17 of them have been at centre, 13 at outside half and seven as a full back, with 11 as a replacement. Little wonder if he is bewildered by it all, and it’s asking a lot to expect him to suddenly solve all of Wales’ problems, gel straight away and create the gaps for Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies and Shane Williams to exploit.

But it can be done because the Welsh backs clearly possess real possibilities compared with a more static looking Scottish line-up, Dan Parks at outside half little more than a kicker even if a highly capable one. He wins his 58th cap today and he has scored 211 points, but he can be flaky in defence and can often be erratic with the boot as well.

So Wales’ clear aim has got to be to target Parks and cut off the supply to the threequarters, Welsh openside Sam Warbur-ton admitting as much this week.

Wales must first obtain parity at least up front, of course, and they will find it tough against a Scottish eight while not particularly renowned as a major force will come out like men possessed, as ever, at Murrayfield and seek to engulf the Welsh team.

So cool heads will be needed in the heat of the battle and though first choice props Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones are still missing there is enough experience to cope, skipper Matthew Rees, Alun Wyn Jones and Ryan Jones a pride of Lions and Bradley Davies, Dan Lydiate and Warburton providing the youthful exuberance.

Phillips is taking a lot of flak at scrum half right now for the slowness of his service and a perceived indifference, but that very criticism could just galvanise him to prove a point and give Hook a bit of space to set things up and release the talented runners Wales have at their disposal.

So much for the glass half full, the other side of the coin is that the Scots will rush the Welsh team off their feet, never allow them to settle, Parks picking up the points from more mistakes before they run in a try or two as well.

Joe Ansbro, who wins only his fourth cap, looked an elusive centre against France while Max Evans on the wing is one of the best runners in the championship.

And the Scottish pack, though struggling in the scrums against France, is pretty underrated with the back row and Kelly Brown in particular a real threat.

Few will forget how they were ‘robbed’ in Cardiff last year, leading 24-14 before Scott Lawson was sin-binned in the 73rd minute followed by Phil Godman in the 79th, and in that time Wales scored 17 points, snatching victory with the final move of the game.

If it’s half as exciting as that today, the fans will be richly entertained. It could well be another high scoring, free flowing type of match and despite the optimistic note struck at the outset of this preview, I fancy Scotland will take the spoils to heap even more pressure on Wales and coach Warren Gatland.