Glasgow Warriors head coach Sean Lineen believes Scotland can mount a serious challenge in this year's Six Nations.

"Frank Hadden is putting together a very strong team, there is a good coaching set-up and they've got a great chance," Lineen told BBC Sport.

"It all hinges on the first game with Wales. It's going to be some match, since the Welsh are a potent force.

"But I really like the look of the Scotland forwards and individually the backs at the moment are fantastic."

New Zealand-born Lineen, who played at centre 29 times for Scotland, looked after the international backs for last summer's matches in Argentina and the autumn Tests.

Gregor Townsend has taken over the role for the Six Nations campaign and Lineen reckons the Scots are "a match for anyone" in that department.

"There's a fantastic team spirit and there's a real opportunity for Scotland," he added.

Lineen masterminded a sensational Heineken Cup victory over Toulouse last weekend and he believes his Scotland squad players can take great heart from the surprise 33-26 win on French soil.

"It's the equivalent of Motherwell beating Real Madrid in the Champions League," he enthused.

"We're sixth in our domestic league and we were playing the best team in Europe. It was fantastic to see and hopefully it will give the players some belief."

Scotland head coach Hadden has included Glasgow fly-half Ruaridh Jackson in his 33-man squad for the Murrayfield opener against Wales on 8 February.

The 20-year-old has made just one start for Lineen's side, having turned professional in the summer.

"We don't have many choices at stand-off in this country," explained Lineen.

"Is it merited? He hasn't done much yet, he's had one good game against Bath.

"But I'm a big fan of his, as I am a big fan of Dan Parks, so to have two stand-offs like that in my squad is fantastic.

"He'll be in the squad to learn. He's a player I'm really excited by with ball in hand, although he has a long way to go in terms of controlling a game but he has a fantastic temperament and he'll learn a lot from Dan Parks."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version