Same again for Wales next week? Start with Gareth Anscombe and then bring on Dan Biggar to guide the team home? No, says Robin Davey. Biggar should be there from the outset on the fast-flowing open spaces of Murrayfield.
Dan’s the man! Warren Gatland gets most things right and if he is to continue in that vein he ought to hand Dan Biggar the keys to No.10 at Murrayfield next week.
The former Ospreys player, now plying his trade for Northampton, has been a key figure for Wales as they have stormed to a record breaking 12 wins in a row, none more so than in the thriller against England last Saturday.
It’s already the stuff of legend – and will be for years – how he came off the bench and took the game by the scruff of the neck to turn a losing situation into one of Wales’ most glorious victories.
He had a hand in the opening try scored by lock Cory Hill – now, sadly, out of the rest of the Six Nations with an ankle injury – and he converted that effort from the touchline to virtually see Wales home.
But that wasn’t the end of his influence – far from it. For with time running out he launched a diagonal kick to the corner, expertly directed for Josh Adams to pluck the ball out of the air and crash over the England line, causing pandemonium to break out in the iconic stadium.
Now, there will be those who will argue that Gareth Anscombe did little wrong in the hour or so he was on the pitch, and they wouldn’t be wrong in that assessment.
After a somewhat shaky performance against France in the Six Nations opener and being left out in favour of Biggar against Italy, he recovered his composure and landed three penalties in the England clash.
But Wales still needed something a bit extra to break England down, and that’s where Biggar came in, apart from other astute replacements by Gatland.
That actually leads to another argument in favour of retaining the status quo – which is start with Anscombe and bring Biggar on to exert his influence and control, keep the system which appears to be working in other words.
But I would still give Biggar the starting role against Scotland in particular.
For the Scots, more than most others, play the game fast and loose. They have no great presence in the set pieces so they utilise their assets which lie in an open game.
They are particularly effective at their home base of Murrayfield in front of their own fans and Wales came a right cropper there two years ago when they were well beaten 29-13.
Wales need to rein the Scots in and keep the game tight, at least in the opening stages, attempt to wear them down and rely to an extent on Biggar to keep them moving forward.
The more open approach of Anscombe isn’t what’s wanted at Murrayfield where a running, adventurous type of game would probably play into Scottish hands. So, start with Biggar and take it from there.
Gatland’s stock, meanwhile, continues to rise. He did get it spot on last Saturday as he has for most of his coaching career.
He now boasts a record of a Lions Test series triumph, a series draw for the Lions in the stronghold of New Zealand, a World Cup semi-final, two Grand Slams and a Six Nations title to follow on from three Premiership titles (with Wasps) and a Heineken Cup triumph.
In addition, Gatland is now on the back of that record-breaking sequence of 12 victories in a row.
He has guided Wales to their first 100% autumn series and now three wins on the bounce in the Six Nations, making them the only team capable of winning the Grand Slam and Triple Crown.
That is some record, and there is no doubt in my mind that Gatland, as well as his defence sidekick Shaun Edwards, will be badly missed when they leave for pastures new after the World Cup.
Where Gatland goes from there remains to be seen. Back to New Zealand? Take up the England job? Move to France or Japan or even return to an English Premiership club?
All are possibilities, but until then Wales need the guiding hand of Gatland – and the boot of Biggar.
