Hadden happy with underdog tag
Scotland coach Frank Hadden claims his improving side will always be regarded as underdogs on their travels until they start threatening higher up the IRB world rankings.
The Scots are 10th in the standings and three places below Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship opponents Ireland.
But that does not affect Hadden’s confidence in his players after last week’s shock win over England at Murrayfield.
“There’s no questions that we are the underdogs going there,” said Hadden.
“We will be the underdogs forever until we can find ourselves way up the rankings but it’s a position we will are familiar with and comfortable with.”
Hadden feels Ireland have underachieved at international level with the players they have at their disposal.
Scotland are level on points with their weekend opponents as well as France and England as they head for Lansdowne Road.
Hadden added: “Ireland will be a very tough test as they have many more thousands playing the game than we do.
“Their junior rugby has an intensity that our game lacks.
“I heard there were 45,000 people at the three cup finals on the same day last year.
“The under-19s have won the World Cup and Scotland have beaten them only once at under-21 level in all the times we have played against them.
“Added to that, they have four extremely well resourced, fully professional sides who have all got a fantastic track record in Europe and so it is pretty clear where Ireland are at the moment.
“But it’s pretty clear they have not fulfilled their potential.
“That’s something they are working on but our familiarity with the Welsh and the Irish is pretty good.
“We are well aware of their players and what they are capable of and we have a very clear picture of what we need to do at the weekend.
“The Irish are a very good side and they have been involved in Grand Slam showdowns recently.
“They have got a lot of potential in their side and you can’t doubt the success of their pro teams. It has been fantastic what they have done.
“In our book that would make success this week all the more special.”
Hadden opted to bring Scott Murray and Nathan Hines in for Scott MacLeod and Alastair Kellock in the second row in the only changes from their Calcutta Cup triumph.
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