Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend said on Thursday his team need to "deliver winning performances", starting against Fiji on Saturday.

Last weekend's defeat by Australia - with the caveat the unavailability of players based outside Scotland - did little to restore confidence in the national side's direction of travel in 2022.

They have played nine Test matches and lost six of them, with the All Blacks and their summer conquerors Argentina to follow Fiji this month.

Townsend spoke this week of "positives" from the one-point loss to the Wallabies, just as he had about the summer series defeat at the hands of Michael Cheika's Pumas.

It is not a view shared by everyone outside the camp. Those at Murrayfield last week spoke of a strangely subdued atmosphere, while Saturday's contest against Fiji is not yet sold out.

For several years, the Scottish Rugby Union could count on the old ground being packed for more or less every match. A train strike, the expense in the current cost of living climate, and an earlier 13:00 GMT kick-off have no doubt have played their part in seats being unsold, but there has certainly been a drop in enthusiasm.

That is the awkward context even before you touch on the controversial omission of fan favourite and playmaker Finn Russell, whose magic has been key to many of Scotland's most exhilarating moments in recent times.

His shadow will loom large over the Autumn campaign if things do not improve.

Adam Hastings has been given the number 10 jersey this week, bringing to an end Blair Kinghorn's five-match run at fly-half and while most people would say the Edinburgh man has done a decent job, it still feels like something is missing.

Townsend was at pains to point out when his Autumn squad was announced that Hastings' form for Gloucester has been fantastic. The Scotland coach added this week that he brings more in terms of game-management than Kinghorn, who as a full-back by trade is naturally more of a runner.

It's control that Scotland are crying out for.

They have plenty of attacking talent to hurt teams, and still do at times, but too often crucial chances are missed. Sione Tuipulotu was the latest player guilty of butchering a gilt-edged try-scoring opportunity against the Wallabies, but there have been many others. More composure is needed.

At the other end, Scotland's defence is being breached too often - they are conceding an average of nearly 21 points per game this year - and discipline has become a serious issue.

Scotland gave away 14 penalties against Australia last week, to add to an average of 12 per game in the Six Nations. That is clearly not a recipe for success.

The Scotland XV selected for the visit of Fiji is about as strong as Townsend has been able to field since the spring, and that needs to be reflected in the performance and result.

Hastings is in form and has a strong-looking centre pairing of Cameron Redpath and Chris Harris outside him. They play in midfield together for the first time since that famous win at Twickenham in 2021.

Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham and Stuart Hogg are a potent back three, and there is enough abrasiveness in the pack - in Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson and others - to make an impact.

It's a strong team going up against an incredibly talented Fiji side, but one Scotland have beaten on six of the eight times they have played them in a Test match.

Scotland should win, but they need more than just a victory. They need a sense of identity and on the pitch to restore some faith - especially if the intention is to move forward without Russell.

Under Townsend, Scotland's best triumphs have come either through the Racing 92 fly-half helping to orchestrate a swashbuckling attacking game - witness the 2018 win against England at Murrayfield - or through a miserly defence.

The 2020 and 2021 Six Nations were the peak of the latter approach. But right now the team feels far away from either. Against Fiji they have a chance to assert themselves and show what kind of team they want to be moving forward.

If they don't, the "mounting pressure" former captain John Barclay talked of this week, will only grow.