Scotland is a must-win after Welsh mediocrity

I didn’t expect Wayne Pivac to go as strong as he did in his selection for last night’s game in Paris, but looking at the strength of the French side it was just as well he did.

- SHANE WILLIAMS

Stade de France is no place to pussy-foot around and he was obviously looking to get some momentum at the start of what is going to be a hectic eight weeks of international rugby.

Win your first game in a series and you set the right tone. I’m sure that came into his thinking. He also needed to get some game time into some of his senior players ahead of the clash against Scotland this weekend. That is the biggest game of the Autumn Test window given it rounds off the Six Nations.

There will be points and pounds at stake at Parc Y Scarlets, so the idea of trying to create both momentum and continuity was sound. The one slight deviation was the selection of Louis Rees-Zammit on the replacements bench. I think there would have been a public outcry if the player recently voted Young Player of the Year in the Gallagher Premiership hadn’t been given his chance to shine on the international stage.

I can’t wait to see him unleashed from the start at that level. It could be the beginning of something very special, but let’s not put too much pressure on the young man just yet.

When you think about the impact made by one of the last teenage wings Wales brought through, George North, if he can reach similar heights wouldn’t that be something. It’s great to see George available for these games following his recent red card and he still has so much to offer.