Scotland preparing playing with 14 men after World Rugby crackdown

Scotland defence coach Matt Taylor insisted that his side is preparing to play one player short ahead of the Six Nations competition following World Rugby's crackdown on dangerous tackles.

World Rugby has introduced much stricter punishments for tackles involving head and upper body which may lead to a minimum sanction of yellow card and a maximum sanction of red card with an intention to avoid serious injuries.

Taylor, stated that the new rules might not affect the Dark Blues team much because of their style of play but wants his side to prepare for the worst.

He said: "We had a referee come in and make a presentation today on the new law, on what is acceptable.

"We are generally a low-tackling team so that should help us. But we've got to be really accurate with our tackling, because sometimes the way the game is, people are falling, you come in at the wrong angle, you hit them and you could be in trouble.

"We have prepared for playing with 14 men. We have a plan in place for how we'll defend when we're a man down. We are prepared for it and will put it on the training park."

Scotland will kick-off their Six Nations campaign against Ireland on 4th February and fullback Stuart Hogg believes there will be enough spice in the game considering the recent exchange of words between Munster and Glasgow Warriors.

Following the European Champions Cup clash between the two teams, Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray slammed Hogg and his Glasgow team-mates for foul play while Fraser Brown and Keith Earls had heated arguments earlier as well.

Hogg said: "We do nothing different to Conor Murray than we do to any other nine. We're just looking to apply as much pressure as we can.

"The (spats between Glasgow and Munster) might be in the back of some folk's minds but for myself and the rest of the boys, we'll just be getting on with the job in hand.

"It's not us against Conor Murray, it's us against Ireland."