Six Nations 2026: Pierre Schuman knows what Scotland must improve on

Now we get to the heart of this matter – Scotland’s inability to compete in the Six Nations and the factors holding it back. Everyone can see them. Every year, it’s a traumatic episode, whether it’s spring, fall, or both.

In November, Scotland were poor enough to fall behind 17-0 to New Zealand, yet good enough to lead 17-17 after that, before eventually falling behind.

A week later, they took control of the match and led 21-0 against Argentina, then they were unlucky to concede 33 points in the second half and lose. They were booed that day at Murrayfield.

It’s a recurring theme. There is no doubt about the quality of the Scottish squad but the weaknesses are impossible to miss.

In last season’s Six Nations Championship, they trailed 17-0 to Ireland and couldn’t find a way back. In the loss to England they did not score for an hour.

Against Wales they had 35 points and won in the bag after 49 minutes but sent 21 unanswered points from there. They almost held on to win.

These moments torment Scotland.

There is brilliance but there is also a painful weakness – soft starts to Tests, panic when on top, overplaying, the number of fouls, poor discipline that increases the pressure, players going off script, missed chances, a lack of mental resilience.

Schumann doesn’t shy away from any of that. Anger over losing those games in the fall “turns into fuel,” he says.

For example?

“When the momentum shift goes away, you have to limit those errors,” he says. “Our 22-metre conversion rate has to be better. Our mental resilience and momentum in the last 20 minutes has to be better as well.

“We have to be better at finishing games. That’s something we’re working on. Different scenarios. Yellow cards, momentum changes, outside decisions that go against it. What’s the process we follow? Let’s get to that basic mentality.”