Elton John famously sang ‘Sorry seems to be the hardest word’ and, as Scotland crank up preparations for the WXV 2 event, it is a word that is banned from the dressing room.
There was an air of confidence and focus coming from those who are in the Scotland camp in Cape Town getting ready for the opener versus Italy on Saturday in the DHL Stadium (2pm UK time, shown on BBC iPlayer and RugbyPass TV) that spoke to the media on Zoom on Tuesday.
And it is easy to understand why given that the Scots are looking to try and defend the title they won in South Africa last year while last week, having been outside the top 10 not so long ago, they reached an all-time high of fifth in the world rankings.
They are still in that spot and the squad arrived in Cape Town a few days ago with a spring in their step given that new ranking and 10 wins in the last 13 Tests.
Asked about the best piece of advice he feels he has given the playing group since he joined this journey which is always gaining momentum around a year ago, assistant coach Matt Banahan said: “The first piece of advice I said when I came in was ‘don’t say sorry’ and we have stuck to that.
“I don’t want to hear players saying sorry, I back them with everything I have and if they believe something is on I want them to go for it. We will learn from what happens next and we learn through positive or negative outcomes and then we aren’t playing the game within ourselves. If we see something then we play and we look after the ball.
“So, the word sorry was banned and I remind them that it still is because no one goes out on the pitch to make mistakes on purpose.
“We just look after the ball and if it is the wrong decision then we regroup and go again. We live to fight another day always and we move on quickly and the group has bought into that.”
Meanwhile, Banahan is aiming high and believes “there is no reason” why the national team cannot push up to three or even two in the world rankings in the next few years.
“There’s no reason that in three, four, five years’ time, we can’t be third or second in the world and pushing the top teams, but we have to start now,” the attack coach added.
“In sport when you get momentum you’ve got to keep going with it. In my opinion, if we’re happy with fifth place, everyone behind us will catch up and we’ll concertina into a squash pile.
“If we can keep trying to propel ourselves forward and get closer to fourth, we could create a gap behind us and, if we play games that don’t go our way, you have a buffer zone in there that you will maintain your world ranking.
“If we look back at the last 12 months, where we started [when he joined the coaching set up] and where we are now, we’re good.
“If I’m going to be pernickety, we still left stuff out there [in wins over Wales and Fiji recently in Edinburgh] and that’s where, if we want to achieve our aim of being here and winning this tournament again and then pushing closer to fourth in the world, we have to keep to striving to be better.
“But you can’t complain about scoring 99 points in two games [a 40-14 win and a 59-15 win], it doesn’t matter who the opposition are.
“We’re at a tournament now and it’s about sticking to our guns and going out to express ourselves.”
Banahan says that all 30 squad members are fit and available for selection ahead of the Italy clash which, as mentioned, takes place in the iconic DHL Stadium.
“Rugby is one of those amazing things that takes you around the world and takes you to places you might not normally see and to get the chance to play and coach in the DHL Stadium will be exciting for us all,” he stated.
“It’ll be fantastic, just a few weeks ago South Africa men played against New Zealand there and to be following in those footsteps is great and we want to put in a performance on Saturday and put down a marker for the rest of the tournament.”
The matchday 23 to play Italy will be named on Thursday.
Scotland women’s squad at WXV 2 (uncapped in bold)
Forwards
Leah Bartlett (Leicester Tigers)
Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning)
Sarah Bonar (Harlequins)
Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears)
Lisa Cockburn (Gloucester Hartpury)
Eva Donaldson (Leicester Tigers)
Evie Gallagher (Bristol Bears)
Jade Konkel (Harlequins)
Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning)
Elis Martin (Loughborough Lightning)
Fiona McIntosh (Saracens)
Rachel McLachlan (Montpellier)
Louise McMillan (Saracens)
Lana Skeldon (Bristol Bears)
Aila Ronald (University of Edinburgh)
Alex Stewart (Corstorphine Cougars)
Anne Young (Loughborough Lightning)
Backs
Leia Brebner-Holden (Gloucester-Hartpury/Cheltenham Tigers)
Coreen Grant (Saracens)
Caity Mattinson (Ealing Trailfinders)
Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs)
Francesca McGhie (Leicester Tigers)
Rhona Lloyd (GB 7s/ Stade Bordelais)
Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning)
Emma Orr (Bristol Bears)
Rachel Philipps (Sale Sharks)
Lisa Thomson (GB 7s/Ealing Trailfinders)
Chloe Rollie (Ealing Trailfinders)
Lucia Scott (Hartpury University/Gloucester Hartpury)
Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears)
Matt Banahan is pictured by Scottish Rugby/SNS
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