GREGOR TOWNSEND believes the “painful experiences” that undermined Scotland’s last tilt at the Six Nations have made them a stronger proposition ahead of this year’s championship.

After winning their opening two matches of 2024 against Wales and England, the Scots ended up finishing fourth after a controversial home defeat at home to France and a shock loss away to Italy before they rounded their campaign with a narrow defeat by champions Ireland in Dublin.

Townsend saw enough in the autumn series to feel that the impact of the near miss against France — when Sam Skinner’s last-gasp try was contentiously not awarded by the officials — and the second-half collapse in Rome has helped move his experienced squad forward with renewed focus.