The psychological aspect of international rugby is the area Scotland have shown the most growth over the past year, according to head coach Gregor Townsend.

Sunday’s win over Australia saw Townsend’s team sign off the year with a ninth victory – though five have come against emerging rugby nations, while another was against a Fiji side missing its European-based stars.

But after a fourth-place finish in the Six Nations that included a dismal surrender to Italy in Rome – the Scotland head coach believes he has seen growth in his side in dealing with difficult situations.

He said: "In the Six Nations a couple of times we were ahead and didn't carry on that momentum.

“Now have we had that opportunity? Yes, against Fiji, probably, and on Sunday. Although we didn't get ahead until the last 20 minutes. So I believe that they would be better prepared for that if that was the case in the Six Nations.”

And asked to sum up the year as a whole, Townsend said: “The Six Nations at the beginning of the year started so positively down in Cardiff and remember, that was on the back of a disappointment in the World Cup.

“We had a lot of reviews as coaches and then we had an away day with the players and they were excellent about what we needed to change and what did we learn from that Ireland [World Cup] game? I felt we put that into practice in the Wales game.

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“The summer was a real positive for growing our depth. We saw that last week against Portugal. There's a lot of competition now for places, players are coming through.

“But the two big games, South Africa and Australia, are the ones that we measure ourselves with the best in the world, and performance wise, I still believe South Africa was better than Sunday. But Sunday was a good win home for our supporters.”

And 2025 is a big year, with a British and Irish Lions tour looming and Townsend knows a successful SIx Nations could propel several of his star names into Andy Farrell’s touring squad.

“To be playing well consistently for your clubs and also during November is important but the Lions selectors and coaches will meet post Six Nations.

“They'll be looking at those big games that the players have gone into, and obviously Six Nations are huge games.

“It'll be in the back of the players' minds but what's most important is how they can help Scotland win.

Townsend, who was part of Warren Gatland’s coaching staff for the tour to South Africa three years ago, has previously dismissed the idea of reprising the same role.

And he again refused to be drawn on the prospect of working alongside the Ireland boss when asked if he had heard from Farrell.

Townsend stated: “He's still the Ireland coach. There's not been any contact. The focus is on Six Nations and Scotland.”

Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu and Zander Fagerson are among the Scottish front-runners for the Lions tour, while several more are likely to be in contention for places.

Eight Scotland players toured in 2021 and Townsend was coy on the prospect of increasing that number next summer.

He added: “That'll be the decision of Andy Farrell. But it's important that our players play well to help Scotland win. That's going to give them the best chance of being on that tour.”