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/ Geoffrey Riddle / 01 February 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Ross Ford is unlikely to lift the Six Nations trophy
"Robinson must stop his side leaking crucial tries in the final ten minutes if he is to lift them above the malaise they have been engulfed in since Gavin Hastings hung up his boots."
Can Scotland stop conceding late, crucial scores in time for the 2012 Six Nations? Geoffrey Riddle assesses their chances and wonders if they might be worth backing on the main handicap line...
Scotland suffered at the cruel hand of fate twice in New Zealand where they failed to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
A Chris Ashton try in the 78th minute in Auckland finished off their hopes of qualifying and was preceded by a 73rd minute try from Argentina's Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, which broke Scottish hearts in Wellington. Regular readers of this column will remember I invested heavily in no tryscorer during that game, so sympathised heavily with the Scots.
Andy Robinson must stop his side leaking crucial tries in the final ten minutes if he is to lift them above the malaise they have been engulfed in since Gavin Hastings hung up his boots. The tendency indicates that in their cosy environment north of the border, the two Scottish sides, without fear of relegation, do not have to draw from the well enough and may not be as fit as some of the other sides in the RaboDirect Pro 12 as well as the Premiership and Top 14.
Robinson's record in the Six Nations is poor, and it is questionable whether he has improved the side dramatically since taking the reins. When he took over, Scotland were tenth in the world rankings and inhabit the same spot on the eve of the northern hemisphere extravaganza.
The betting public clearly agree with this synopsis, because the layers barely take a bean on Scotland, which presumably is why they have been profitable to back on the main match handicap over the past few seasons. Of the 24 matches Robinson has presided over, Scotland have been winners on the main handicap line 16 times. If you had backed Scotland all 24 times it would have yielded you a double-figure percentage profit over the past two years. Perhaps it is time to start getting on the bandwagon, if you haven't already, starting this Saturday against England.
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