SCOTLAND forward John Barclay is still stung by the memory of the last time he played for the national side in Wales. It is a game he has never been able to bring himself to watch again - and he has no intention of experiencing an action replay out on the pitch this afternoon.

That was back in 2010, when, with just minutes to go, Scotland led by ten points. Somehow, though, they ended up losing 31-24.

Of all the matches the team has lost in recent years, that one stands out as one of the sorest. And Barclay, who opened the scoring with a try that afternoon, still cannot explain how they managed to be beaten from such a strong position.

“We lost that game and I still don’t know how,” the ex-Glasgow flanker said. “That’s the most disappointing game of rugby I’ve ever been involved in.

“There are not many games that affect me - usually after a few days I’ve bounced back and moved on. But that was a disaster for us. We threw that away in the last play of the game.

“We drew with England and beat Ireland and it was a good championship to be involved in, but that match does stand out for all the wrong reasons. I haven’t even watched it. Someone put it on Twitter the other day but I couldn’t watch it.”

Scotland had two men in the sinbin during those crazy closing moments, which hardly helped. But they could have got a 24-24 draw if Mike Blair had sent the restart out of play after Wales had equalised with a penalty, but the message that time was up did not get on to the field.

That would have been Scotland’s first win in Cardiff in just three attempts. Instead, they are still waiting for a first victory since 2004, and they are being given little chance of ending that barren run in today’s Six Nations Championship match.

Barclay, who now plays for the Scarlets in Wales, knows that the home team expect to win, and win well, this afternoon. He has no problem with that, and accepts that Scotland have to give the Welsh a reason to doubt themselves.

“We haven’t beaten them for a number of years, so you can probably guess what they think about us. We have to give them a reason to respect us.

“We finished bottom of the pile last year so we have to show them. Listen, they know we have good players - but they know we haven’t put it together just yet.”

Now 29, Barclay is happy living and working in Wales. “My family are really settled down there and I just like the culture and lifestyle,” he added.

“I get on well with the players and the coaches, and I’m lucky I’ve gone to a club where that’s happened. I wouldn’t have extended my contract there if I wasn’t happy.

“We love it there. It’s a great place to live.

“I have a family now and I understand I’m not in the early stages of my career so maybe I’m more philosophical about things now. I just enjoy playing rugby down there.”

He certainly hopes he enjoys it more today than he did six years ago.