Among some 67,000 souls gathered in a noisy Murrayfield, Granny Jaqueline was the star of the show. The matriarch of the Tuipulotu clan, and skipper Sione’s link to Scotland, had never seen her boy play in the National Cathedral, had not seen her grandson at all for several years before a partnership with the Skyscanner sponsor does facilitate surprise travel around the world.

Jaqueline Anne Thompson beamed in the stands as Tuipulotu blasted the Wallabies for the opening score, then handed her the silverware once the battle was won. The scenes were pure; moments that a family will cherish forever. The ‘Greenock Gran’ even explored social media to the point of vehemently posting about Sione and Mosese, who has joined his older brother in Scotland, and responding to messages from increasingly appreciative Scottish fans.

A perfect moment! Sione Tuipulotu marks with his grandmother watching in the stands!

Live @rugbyontnt NOW!#NationsFallSeries | #SCOvAUS pic.twitter.com/8SdO1lnFCX

– Autumn Nations Series (@autumnations) November 24, 2024

Granny Jaqueline’s pilgrimage and the convincing manner in which the Scots dispatched a dangerous Australian team gave much gloss to the November series. It was a window that delivered what was asked. Three victories out of four were the benchmark for success, even heroism. Scotland felt it was within their capabilities.

There was little to be gained from playing against a clearly understrength and lightly prepared Fijian team, or against a lively but limited Portuguese team. The respective visitors will have learned more about themselves than Scotland during their trip to Edinburgh. Even more so after a summer trip that crossed Canada, the United States, Chile and Uruguay while their Six Nations the rivals went through much more difficult terrain. Scotland recorded their highest number of points and tries in a calendar year, but against this level of opposition it would have been more surprising if they had failed to do so.

What will Townsend have learned from the month’s efforts? There are still thorny issues to resolve. Scotland’s execution against top teams takes work. They made nine visits to the Springbok 22 and took just six points. What appeared to be a close contest ended in a 17-point loss with zero tries scored and four conceded. They attacked much better than in last year’s World Cup group match – and South Africa were much sloppier – but lost by two more points. Perversely, given the final score, it felt like a wasted opportunity. Scotland’s heartbreaking line breaks stressed the South Africans, but never resulted in the seven-point pressure or scoreboard needed to truly annoy the two-time world champions.

The alignment remains fragile; yesterday’s darts went wrong and, alarmingly, the drills were botched Ewan Ashman and Dylan Richardson’s watch. Ladle throws, dropped balls, poorly choreographed gear changes.

The scrum was expected to whistle under the power of the Bomb Squad, but the Wallabies and Portuguese also each got their pleasure from the Scottish set-piece. This must be a matter of concern. It will be the same for the Scottish discipline, still in tatters. Fourteen penalties awarded against Fiji, 11 against South Africa, 10 conceded against the Portuguese and a dozen against Australia, further increasing the highest number of offenses in this year’s Six Nations. Scotland transgress too often, granting cheap access to their own half that more accomplished teams do not waste. The only numerical glimmer here is that during the Six Nations Scotland’s average penalty record was 11 against and five for, their overall score in the autumn was plus three. This will be a major area of ​​focus in the coming months.

On the positive side of the ledger, we know all about Scotland’s all-field attack and Townsend’s innovation and he should be commended again for his problem-solving in the two biggest games. Where Russell and Scotland were ground into dust by the Boks at Marseille, they broke through between the green and gold berserkers at Murrayfield without delivering a killing blow. When Joe Schmidt Australia were attentive to the fact that Russell was playing at full-back behind Tuipulotu, Scotland chose direct options on the front door before looking for depth and then space on the edges. The scythe maneuvers for Josh Bayliss and Russell’s scores were exquisite in their construction.

With this try from Duhan Van Der Merwe, he wins the title of top try scorer for the Scottish men’s team! What a landmark, what a player! #breitling @Breitling #definingmoment pic.twitter.com/vHBBY4YdYa

– Autumn Nations Series (@autumnations) November 24, 2024

Steve Tandy’s defense also deserves applause. Not for Scotland the teeming rush of South Africans, French and English. Tandy favors the “slow poison” approach; less aggressive line speed but more time in the tackle, absorbing pressure and draining momentum from the opposition. They kept Schmidt’s quicksilver attack without a try until the 74^th minute and their ferocious scrambling of the red zone thwarted Australia’s most promising incursions.

A few individuals grew up under the jersey. Tom Jordan has long exposed test-match credentials for Glasgow and, now eligible for Scottish honors, has taken to the international stage with as much fanfare as Donald Trump will return to the Oval Office. He hadn’t started at fullback since his Waikato days Chefs academy, and faced the best team in the world, produced a performance brimming with class and determination. Jordan’s no-nonsense attitude, love of contact, and deft skills are a tempting enough mix to Bristol He should be signed for a mega deal.

Darcy Graham, finally free of his injury, was back to his old, giant-killing, ankle-breaking self. The Hawick sprite has more tenacity than a honey badger. His duel for testing supremacy with a colossal teammate Duhan van der Merwe will last for many more years. All the golden backs in the Scottish front row boasted and thrived throughout November.

Adam Hastings has had some nice touches after a series of truly stunning injuries. Jamie Ritchie bristling with aggression and belligerence on Sunday afternoon. His return to the Test arena underlined Scotland’s depth in the back row. Freddy Douglas became the country’s youngest debutant in more than six decades.

In almost every position, Townsend has options that no Scottish manager in the professional era has ever had at his disposal. His array of background talents is obscene. How do you stand Blair KinghornGraham, Van der Merwe, Kyle Steyn (before his desperately unfortunate injury, the country’s in-form winger), Kyle Rowe, Arron Reed and, depending on where he plays, Jordan, on a match team? Every man can play a decisive role and everyone will have a role to play on the road to 2027.

Rory Hutchinson is a beautifully polished operator but can’t get anywhere near the first-choice midfielder. His departure against Portugal was the Northampton It’s Saint’s first in two and a half years. He won a Premiership title during this period, but he will not disrupt the ‘Huwipulotu’ axis. He is below Stafford McDowall in the hierarchy as well. Hastings looks like the third fly-half behind Russell and Jordan. Ben Healy didn’t have a visit after an awkward start to the URC season. Johnny Matthewthe absurdly prolific hooker from Glasgow, was not part of the initial squad. Jamie Bhatti was the Warriors’ first free head on their path to glory, but he’s late Pierre Schoeman and Rory Sutherland. Trial Lion Ali Price is at the bottom of the list, with the return of Ben White and the increasingly eye-catching rise of Jamie Dobie. And George Turner’s days in a Scotland jersey may not be over despite his time in Japan’s top flight.

The elevator suddenly bottoms out at the tight head propeller and into the second row. Behind Zander Fagersonthere remains a shortage of high-level MPs. Fagerson is now Scotland’s most important player – his excellence in tight, thunderous work on the pitch is more valuable even than the brilliance of Russell or the power of Van der Merwe. Will hurt looks like Townsend’s next pick, but he’s the third pick to Leicester With the Tigers and even the Australians finished, the coach only took Fagerson off with eight minutes remaining. Neither Elliot Millar-MillsD’arcy Rae ni Javan Sébastien are starters for their clubs, and none are of the caliber of the great warrior. Since the venerable WP Nel As the sun set, Scotland worked hard to find or develop an alternative.

Richie Gray took off for Japan but even if he had stayed there, his association with Grant Gilchrist would have a total age of 69 years. His brother Jonny will surely declare himself available for the Six Nations having chosen to stay at Bordeaux-Bègles, where he uproots trees after two injury-ravaged seasons. There’s a lot to love Alex Craig And Max Williamson is the next taxi out of line, no matter how insensitive it may be. It’s still not as robust a stable as Townsend would like.

Scotland is in a good place. Italy, at home, are a dangerous Six Nations curtain-raiser, but they will be the big favourites. But we’ve been here before with Scotland. On this maddening road of promises which, too often, seems to lead to failure. Can this generation, a large part of which is in the prime of life, finally take up a challenge? Can they show the consistency that has undermined the quest for a title that everyone in their camp believes they can win? Can they transform into ruthless contenders and crush those who view them as easy-on-the-eyes racers?

Tuipulotu is at the heart of it all. What more can I say about the new captain? A special person, tender and humble off the field, and almost irrepressible on the field. He seems like a fabulous choice of leader and speaker. THE Lions The tailor might as well take his measuring tape to Glasgow now and have Tuipulotu fitted for his number ones. Barring injury or a disastrous loss of form, he will wear the number 12 jersey in his homeland next summer. And Mamie Jaqueline will be able to see him being cut up again.