All Blacks: Radical thinking paying off for Scots

Andy Robinson. Photo / Getty Images

Scotland has a new weapon.

It is a radio-controlled helicopter called Cyberhawk that is usually used to assess damage on electricity pylons, but which Scotland's video analyst is instead using to get a new perspective on the game. When it hovers next to players during training, the coaches get to witness the game almost through their eyes.

It is a radical new training tool from a team that throughout history has relied on old-fashioned methods to try to beat the All Blacks: fire in the belly, a furiously energetic start, followed by kicking, chasing and harrying.

Guess what? In 27 tests over 105 years, those old-fashioned methods have never worked. Time to reinvent that particular wheel.

Under a Sassenach, Andy Robinson, Scotland are enjoying a renaissance. A year ago Robbie Deans' Wallabies were defeated 9-8 at Murrayfield. Ireland were beaten at Croke Park. England were held to a draw and Argentina, notoriously difficult to beat at home, were peeled back at Tucuman and Mar del Plata.

Of all the Northern Hemisphere teams, the talk is that Scotland have embraced the concept of the new law interpretations and keeping the ball in hand.

During the Six Nations they surprised many with their willingness to keep the ball in play, but doing it against a team that can destroy you on the counter-attack the way the All Blacks can is a different matter.

Two years ago, as the All Blacks kick-started another unbeaten tour through Europe, the Scots launched helter-skelter attack after attack, yet still lost 32-6 while conceding four tries to nil. It was Scotland the brave, but not especially smart.

Expect a more measured approach this time from Robinson's troops, particularly with Dan Parks running the show at first five-eighths.

The 32-year-old was maligned for being one-dimensional early in his career and although he has been encouraged to vary his options a little more, he is a kicking five-eighths who is at his most comfortable in the pocket behind his big forwards.

The back-row shapes as one of the more intriguing battlegrounds. While Kieran Read and Richie McCaw have been in formidable form, the inexperienced Liam Messam will go up against the highly regarded Kelly Brown on the blindside.

Brown makes up a third of Scotland's vaunted Killer B loose trio. John Barclay will wear the No 7 shirt but Johnnie Beattie, the son of former Scotland No 8 John Beattie, is injured. His place has been taken by his former flatmate, Richie Vernon.

Not surprisingly, All Black coach Graham Henry is talking up the opposition.

"We respect what Scotland are doing in the game and we respect them as a team," said Henry.

"Andy's doing a great job there. They're a pretty good all-round side, seem to have a lot of self-belief, they're playing a good style of footy."

For all of Scotland's new-found sense of adventure and the confidence that comes from taking some decent scalps in the past year, history will remain a large stumbling block.

"The past is the past," said captain Mike Blair. "We've seen Scotland-New Zealand games, but this is a unique team on a unique day. Obviously if we were to win, we'd be doing something many a legend has not."

Many brilliant players - Andy Irvine, John Jeffrey, Finlay Calder and Gavin Hastings spring to mind - have failed to beat the All Blacks while wearing the thistle on their chest.

"There is that history," said Blair, "but I don't think it is a motivating factor. There are enough motivating factors before we look at that."