Scotland director of rugby and interim head coach Scott Johnson has challenged his side to improve their skills ahead of the autumn internationals, claiming showing passion alone is not enough.
Johnson has overseen a marked improvement for Scotland, guiding them to a third-place finish in this year’s RBS 6 Nations with players such as full-back Stuart Hogg and winger Sean Maitland catching the eye.
Over the summer, Scotland finished third in the Quadrangular tournament in South Africa but ahead of their autumn internationals against Japan, South Africa and Australia, Johnson wants to see further progress.
“You look at great Scottish rugby and football teams, and individuals, from the past: sure, there were some great skills but the toughness and work ethic were clear,” he said.
“We could probably talk about a desire not to be beaten in historic battles this country fought, but I’m not a Scottish historian. I’m just a coach who wants to see Scotland recognising what it’s got, making the most of it and not being fooled.
“To say that our greatest strength is our passion is actually almost arrogant because it suggests that other nations are not as passionate.
“We must have that passion every time we play – I hope I’m never in the position of questioning a lad’s desire to play for his country – but we need other qualities, including core skills, ahead of that in the list if we’re to compete consistently on the world stage.”
