KEY POINTS:
LONDON - Warren Gatland has focused his Wales team on the basics of set-piece and discipline against Scotland on Sunday (NZT) when they seek to secure a second win in the Six Nations for the first time since their 2005 grand slam.
Rather than getting carried away by
the stirring comeback that secured a 26-19 win at Twickenham last week, coach Gatland is concerned about the sloppy defending and ill-discipline that should have allowed England to be out of sight by halftime.
With goalkicker supreme Chris Paterson restored to the Scotland team, Wales will need no reminding of their painful trip to Murrayfield last year when he kicked seven out of seven penalties to give the hosts a 21-9 victory.
The Welsh scrum and lineout were shredded in that match and, mindful of Paterson's threat, Gatland has dropped Alix Popham from his squad partly due to his tendency to give away too many penalties.
Wing Mark Jones and centre Sonny Parker were omitted from the team as Gatland warned he would not be blinded by his side's Twickenham revival.
Forwards coach Robin McBryde echoed the coach's thoughts this week when he said: "It's going to be a huge challenge, remember what happened in our last Six Nations match against them.
"We are only too aware of how good they can be. They will have taken heart from the first 40-50 minutes of their performance against France."
Wales have their own goalkicking threat in James Hook, who landed three penalties and two tough conversions in a faultless display against England. He was also positive with the ball in hand and with Gavin Henson finally rediscovering his eye for a gap, Wales are beginning to again look a dangerous side when they get the ball.
Scotland have lost on their last three visits to Cardiff and their generally awful Six Nations away record tilts the odds further away from them on Sunday.
The Scots performed well for 40 minutes against France last week but their second-half display was as bad as anything seen in dark days at Murrayfield as the home team went down 27-6.
"Obviously we've had a dent to our confidence but the squad are now doubly determined to travel to Wales and battle for everything we can get," said coach Frank Hadden.
Paterson starts at fullback but seems likely to fill in for Dan Parks at first five-eighths at some stage, the position most Scotland fans want to see him in permanently.
Parks can kick Scotland into strong field positions but the key is what the visitors do thereafter.
Hadden can only hope his pack are more dynamic this week and that Scotland can show midfield flair otherwise it will be yet another depressing journey home.
Wales
Lee Byrne, Jamie Roberts, Tom Shanklin, Gavin Henson, Shane Williams, James Hook, Mike Phillips; Ryan Jones (captain), Martyn Williams, Jonathan Thomas, Ian Evans, Ian Gough, Adam Jones, Huw Bennett, Duncan Jones.
Replacements: Matthew Rees, Gethin Jenkins, Deiniol Jones, Gareth Delve, Dwayne Peel, Stephen Jones, Sonny Parker.
Scotland
Chris Paterson, Nikki Walker, Nick De Luca, Andrew Henderson, Simon Webster, Dan Parks, Mike Blair; Kelly Brown, John Barclay, Jason White (captain), Jim Hamilton, Nathan Hines, Euan Murray, Ross Ford, Allan Jacobsen.
Replacements: Fergus Thomson, Gavin Kerr, Scott MacLeod, Allister Hogg, Chris Cusiter, Graeme Morrison, Hugo Southwell
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
- REUTERS
