Saturday 25 February 2017 17:49, UK
Tim Visser believes he is Scotland's eternal optimist - but fears their Six Nations campaign will be headed for failure if they slip up against Wales.
Vern Cotter's side return to Murrayfield on Saturday looking to bounce back from their narrow defeat to France in Paris on February 12. Scotland beat Ireland in their opening match in Edinburgh.
Harlequins wing Visser admits their hopes for a positive end to the tournament could rest of the outcome of this weekend's clash with Rob Howley's Wales.
"Statistically the third game is always key," said Visser, who is preparing for first appearance of this season's competition.
"I've learned that our Six Nations campaigns make or break with just one game and this is the one where it's important we get a result.
"If we get a win here tomorrow we're in a good position going forward."
The history books do not offer much hope for the Dark Blues with it being 10 years since Saturday's hosts last triumphed over their Celtic cousins.
"The stats don't lie - Wales are a good team. We've had some narrow defeats against them in recent years, I remember losing here by three points couple of years back," Visser added.
"Going to the Millennium Stadium is hard but it's always a different game at Murrayfield. I'm the eternal optimist but it's going to be tough game.
"We've always been confident, certainly since Vern joined up, and we try and take that into any game. It's a universal mindset that has been changed by Vern."
The former Edinburgh wideman rejected any notion that the defeat to Les Bleus in the Stade de France had dampened the mood in the Scottish camp.
"No I'm bringing it," he said. "It's always tough to take a defeat in a game you went into feeling confident, and we went over to Paris to try and win there, no secret in that.
"To not get that result was tough but it's a long campaign and especially nowadays with the new rules concerning losing bonus points it's very important you see out every game.
"Going forward we're still confident but we have to learn from these games that we haven't won and take it forward into the rest of the campaign. We're by no means the finished article but we have to stay confident going forward."
