Different Kinds of Average

Against England in Cardiff, Wales were decidedly average. Against slightly-better-than-average opponents, it seemed they just weren't quite average enough. What such a downtrodden and self-doubting bunch most needed next, was to come up against a side for whom the rarefied uplands of "Average" are but a giddy dream. Step forward, then, "much-improved" pre-match favourites, Scotland.

Australia and South Africa have recently failed at Murrayfield. Argentina coughed up only their second-ever series defeat to northern opposition when faced with this rejuvenated, resurgent Scottish team. Popular wisdom said that Wales - floundering, spluttering, punch-drunk Wales - were just so much haggis meat.

Well, the pundits weren't completely wrong. Wales were still average, although they did seem this time to have at least crested the foothills and begun an assault on Average Peak. Scotland? Well, frankly, no-one has any idea. This was a no-show that even Donald Rumsfeld might have seemed embarrassed to explain. Scottish fans are no strangers to disappointment, of course, but it's hard to remember seeing any Scotland team play quite so spectacularly badly as they did on Saturday.

All of which - rather annoyingly - dulls the joy of a long-awaited Welsh win. 24-6 is a hearteningly comprehensive scoreline. In fact, it's Wales' second-best winning margin in Edinburgh. It was achieved with the best 20 minutes of attacking rugby this team have produced in two years, followed by an hour of calmness and control that had previously seemed far beyond their capabilities. It was, in all honesty, nothing special for all that. It didn't need to be. Wales took their chances, made their tackles, used their strengths and avoided their weaknesses. It was an impressive professional performance, in a game that will be swiftly, and justly, forgotten. An "ugly" win, but a big one.

Rome awaits for a Wales team who will now have half a spring in their step. It would be as well for them to expect to meet the Italian team that made Ireland look so ordinary, rather than the sickly shadow that helped make England look so fine. This remains an eminently losable match. But a least the sense of doom has now been replaced by a more healthy apprehension.

Meanwhile, Scotland's drawing board needs to be returned to the drawing board factory for replacement, before they can even think of going back to the drawing board. And long before the Irish arrive in town.