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Rugby Union

Scots must be clever to beat "cheating" Welsh

09/02/2007

Scottish captain Chris Paterson has raised a few eyebrows, along with the temperature under Welsh collars, by branding Wales "cheats" in comments made at a pre-match press conference.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's Six Nations showdown against Wales at Murrayfield, the Scotland wing claimed that veteran lock Scott Murray had been brought into the side specifically to match Wales' rule-breaking at the edges of the breakdown.

Paterson, statistically the best kicker in the world at present, said Murray's experience and tactical nouse would pay dividends against the Welsh, who he says frequently push the game's rules to the limits.

"When you play Welsh teams you need that [experience] because there is a lot of cheating that goes on around the breakdown," he said.

"They'll hold you back and knock you out of the way and the experience of a man like Scotty will help us there."

While Paterson later tempered his comments, admitting that all teams break the rules at certain points in the game to gain a critical advantage out of sight of the officials, Scottish supporters will point to comments made by Wales lock Brent Cockbain earlier this week.

"You cheat and cheat until you get caught out and then you cheat some more," the second-row forward explained. "You've really got to play on that edge."

Paterson's comments will raise the stakes for what he said would be an "exciting and open affair" at Murrayfield between two sides that know each other well from Magners League competition, adding that a team ethic was crucial.

"What will win the game is getting the correct balance between your wide game, your offensive game, your kicking game and your tight driving game," he said.

"It will be open and it will be fast, but whoever has the best balance will come out on top."

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