With 67 minutes on the clock and on the cruise of Scotland, it was easy to let the mind wandered what could have been in a parallel universe.
Another victory of a bonus point over Welts apparently assured with little difficulty, the thoughts returned to Twickenham a fortnight before and the deceased lost the Tee of Finn Russell that sent his team sliding to an agonizing defeat.
If that conversion had sailed between the positions, or any of its two previous efforts, then Scotland would now go to Paris next weekend for a shooting of the six winning nations against France. The irony that Russell kicked here in Murrayfield was not lost in many either. In such thin margins you can win or lose championships.
However, all thoughts about the possible moment of sliding doors of Scotland were quickly parked for a last frantic room here when Wales threatened to achieve an impressive return.
Instead of Twickenham two weeks ago, it was Cardiff last year that later came to mind, a game in which Scotland had dominated thoroughly in the first half just to collapse spectacularly after the change.
They were close to losing that and, when Taulupe Faletau seemed to have run in the fourth attempt of Wales here to reduce the deficit seven points with four minutes to play, it seemed that Scotland was in real danger of throwing this.
Kinghorn celebrates after scoring his second attempt, putting Scotland in a dominant advantage
Tom Jordan separates to ensure the bonus point for Scotland in the second half
There was a genuine exhalation of relief around Murrayfield when that attempt was attacked by the TMO for Blair Murray jumping a Tackle before in the movement, giving Scotland an applause. And when Jarod Evans turned Max Llewellyn's late attempt to ensure two bonus points for Wales, it was the final act of a setback contest. Scotland had done enough to win, but he felt flat.
Nor was it a new phenomenon. This is a team that has formed an unfortunate habit of turning off in the middle of the matches, often to detriment. They did the same against Italy in their inaugural match of this year's championship and again in that limited loss, and now expensive, in England.
It is irritating and disconcerting in the same extent. They were streets ahead in the first half here, running in four attempts to the solitary effort of Wales. It seemed that they could cut the Welsh defense with each attack, with Russell, Darcy Graham, Tom Jordan and Blair Kinghorn, in particular, all seem dangerous.
When Kinghorn scored his second attempt after 48 minutes, Scotland led 35-8. Everything was there to continue and win by a record margin. One of Kinghorn or Jordan seemed a certainty to continue and claim a hat-trick.
Instead, Scotland could not add a single point to your account in the 32 minutes that remained. Not one. It was Wales who ended up stronger, his confidence growing, since they felt the opportunity to finish a running streak of 15 games spectacularly.
When Ben Thomas barely worried as he made his way to the line, and then only seven minutes later, Teddy Williams also scored. Scotland was staggering, its dynamism of the first half is now a memory that vanishes. The not allowed scorer of Faletau was another warning that was not treated and Wales continued to press with the clock in the red to score again through Llewellyn. Two loser bonus points were a deserved reward for their perseverance.
It could have been so different, if Faletau had not been discouraged after seeing his discarded attempt
From the perspective of Scotland, this was a way to convert an atmosphere of partying into a wake, the crowd are paid as if they had witnessed a defeat instead of a five -attempt bonus victory.
Why it happened, and continues to happen, it is difficult to understand. Perhaps the complacency crawls when they become such an dominant lead, unable or does not want to maintain that intensity. Perhaps the large amount of replacements that appear from the bank these days can kill the impulse of a team. Or maybe with this side of Scotland, something is missing in his mental makeup, the inability to be implacable and maintain his boot in the opposition throat when they are at his mercy.
“This year we have been good at the beginning of the games and then went out,” Russell admitted later. 'The message we had before the game was to try to have a yield of 80 minutes.
'I think it's probably the mental side. We need to find that ruthless advantage of saving equipment. Four tries one in the first half and then we only write down an attempt in the second half. I'm not sure what it is. It is something similar to England's game too. We have had a bright first half and maybe we were not so good in the second half.
Co-Capitán Russell admits that Scotland needs to find one more 'ruthless' side in the matches
Scotland went out with that looseness of the second half against Italy and again here, but the margin of error will be much smaller next weekend in the Stade of France against a local team that will seek to exploit every weakness and punish them to the fullest.
Towsen's side probably will not have the luxury of considerable leadership to defend themselves, but, if the noses are placed in front, another mid -game switch will probably be fatal to their perspectives.