Injury adds to captain's woe

BBC Sport Online columnist Colin Charvis says his first match as captain ended in disapppointment.

It was an awesome experience to captain Wales for the first time.

I tried to play it down all week and say I was concentrating on my own game because Scott Quinnell's shoes are big ones to fill.

Leading the Welsh team out at the Millennium Stadium was something I had never envisaged. I think it is going to stick with me.

It was a big honour when you consider there were three other ex-Wales captains out on the pitch.

Colin Charvis tests the Scotland defence

It was a proud moment, for myself and my family. But unfortunately we didn't get the victory to round it off.

That was really disappointing.

Scotland did not let up or give us any chance to get ahead. Every time we nosed ahead they came back.

You have to give them credit for that. I think their tenacity won the game for them.

They also did well in the lines-out and you have to give credit to Scott Murray, who has shown over the years that he is an excellent defensive jumper. That how he came up with so many of our own throws.

We just have to keep practising and practising and come up with some new ideas.

If something fresh starts to work, then we can build some confidence from that. The lack of confidence, under Scottish pressure, was a big problem for us in the game.

Wales will miss Robert Howley at scrum-half

I was disappointed not to finish the match. My knee is a bit sore, but I plan to rest it up. Swansea don't have a game this weekend and the doctors seem confident rest will do it good.

It has been a season of change for us all, but we have to look forward now to our tour of South Africa.

I am hoping for selection for the trip in the first place, and if I am asked to be captain I would be more than happy to take it on.

It's a massive challenge for us, particularly if some of the senior players are rested.

We know Robert Howley - who has had an amazing international career - has retired, and he will be a big loss to us.

Scott Quinnell's knee needs resting and, if players need to take time out, it's a good chance for us to blood some of the younger players.

After South Africa we have autumn internationals and then another Six Nations. Plus it's only 18 months until the World Cup.

We're going to need a squad of 30 ready for that.