Scotland v Wales: Staying relaxed and playing our own game is key to winning at Murrayfield, says Mike Phillips
It wasn’t until our training session on Thursday that I finally felt I had got over the disappointment of losing to England.
Our defeat in Cardiff in our opening Six Nations match was a devastating blow. We knew what a massive game it was, not just for the players, but for the whole of Wales.
After the match, I felt as flat as I have done for a long time. We had the post-match function in the stadium but I didn’t feel like a beer. I just went back to the hotel to see my girlfriend.
If you have played your best, then you know there was nothing you could have done but if things haven’t gone your way, all you are left with is agonising over what went wrong.
I was pretty disappointed in my own performance. I worked hard and got stronger as the game went on but I did take a few wrong options, which is something I have to take on board and put right this weekend.
When England took the lead, we were playing catch-up, and they are a good side defensively. We did create chances but we weren’t clinical enough and didn’t take the chances when we got into their 22.
After the match, I felt as flat as I have done for a long time. We had the post-match function in the stadium but I didn’t feel like a beer. I just went back to the hotel to see my girlfriend.
If you have played your best, then you know there was nothing you could have done but if things haven’t gone your way, all you are left with is agonising over what went wrong.
I was pretty disappointed in my own performance. I worked hard and got stronger as the game went on but I did take a few wrong options, which is something I have to take on board and put right this weekend.
When England took the lead, we were playing catch-up, and they are a good side defensively. We did create chances but we weren’t clinical enough and didn’t take the chances when we got into their 22.
I think our main problem is that we were too hyped for the game. We were aware of some critical comments by England full-back Ben Foden before the game but those sort of things don’t bother me. They just go in one ear and out the other.
You can’t hype yourself up too much, but maybe we did that too much on Friday last week.
We need to be more relaxed against Scotland at Murrayfield and just go out and play. There was a lot of expectation on the team against England and maybe we worried about it too much.
Monday was a tough session and it has not been easy to pick ourselves up. Nobody wanted to watch the video of the England game, but it is something we had to do if we are to learn from our mistakes and improve.
There were some tough words from Warren Gatland and the coaching staff. They all had a bit of a go at us and rightly so.
We definitely want to get a result for Warren. The management have worked extremely hard and put a lot of effort in with this squad and everything is laid on for us in terms of facilities.
There are no excuses. We now have to repay him by producing a performance this weekend.
Bradley Davies has been key in lifting our spirits. He was magnificent against England and off the pitch he is a real character, the life and soul of the squad. He is always bouncing about and always has a smile on his face.
James Hook has been smiling too this week. He has always wanted to play 10 for Wales and gets his chance against Scotland on Satuday.
I am good friends with James and have played a lot with him at 10 in big games together. He has won games on his own many times and was man of the match in two victories over England.
He is an entertainer and it is going to be great to play with him and hopefully we can create more opportunities. The key is about balance.
There are times when to run and times when you have to take it on and absorb pressure and reset things, or kick.
It is great to see Lee Byrne back too. He has been one of our best players over the last couple of years.
His running angles are devastating, he is a big strong lad and gets behind defences while his left boot is massive and can take the pressure off. No one works harder on his game than Lee.
Scotland have improved over the last couple of years and had a great win over South Africa in the autumn. But two years ago we played our best game for a long time so we know we can play some good stuff at Murrayfield.
Last year the boys had to dig deep to get us over the finish line against them and we will need that kind of spirit again on Saturday.
You can’t hype yourself up too much, but maybe we did that too much on Friday last week.
We need to be more relaxed against Scotland at Murrayfield and just go out and play. There was a lot of expectation on the team against England and maybe we worried about it too much.
Monday was a tough session and it has not been easy to pick ourselves up. Nobody wanted to watch the video of the England game, but it is something we had to do if we are to learn from our mistakes and improve.
There were some tough words from Warren Gatland and the coaching staff. They all had a bit of a go at us and rightly so.
We definitely want to get a result for Warren. The management have worked extremely hard and put a lot of effort in with this squad and everything is laid on for us in terms of facilities.
There are no excuses. We now have to repay him by producing a performance this weekend.
Bradley Davies has been key in lifting our spirits. He was magnificent against England and off the pitch he is a real character, the life and soul of the squad. He is always bouncing about and always has a smile on his face.
James Hook has been smiling too this week. He has always wanted to play 10 for Wales and gets his chance against Scotland on Satuday.
I am good friends with James and have played a lot with him at 10 in big games together. He has won games on his own many times and was man of the match in two victories over England.
He is an entertainer and it is going to be great to play with him and hopefully we can create more opportunities. The key is about balance.
There are times when to run and times when you have to take it on and absorb pressure and reset things, or kick.
It is great to see Lee Byrne back too. He has been one of our best players over the last couple of years.
His running angles are devastating, he is a big strong lad and gets behind defences while his left boot is massive and can take the pressure off. No one works harder on his game than Lee.
Scotland have improved over the last couple of years and had a great win over South Africa in the autumn. But two years ago we played our best game for a long time so we know we can play some good stuff at Murrayfield.
Last year the boys had to dig deep to get us over the finish line against them and we will need that kind of spirit again on Saturday.
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