Six Nations 2015: Scotland sick of 'valiant losers' tag

Tommy Seymour will line up for Scotland against Italy on Saturday

Winger Tommy Seymour admits Scotland are fed-up of being written off as the Six Nations' "valiant losers".

After narrow defeats away to France and then at home to Wales, Vern Cotter's side host Italy on Saturday.

"It's no good being valiant losers. We're not interested in that, we're not interested in coming up close," said 26-year-old Seymour.

"We want wins. It's as simple as that. This is professional sport and it's about going out to win fixtures."

Seymour is back in Cotter's line-up after an early hip injury forced him out of the Stade de France defeat.

"Since we have started this new reign with Vern, we have drawn a line in the sand," he said.

"We have to leave everything that has happened before behind and create a sense of responsibility among the players to be harder on ourselves.

"We have to go out and perform the way people expect of us.

"We're putting a lot of effort into being a group of players that doesn't need management to give us a kick after a bad performance. We have to do that ourselves.

Scotland came up short in their last Six Nations match against Wales at Murrayfield

"Although there has been a lot of positives from the last two weeks, the guys have been hard on themselves and making sure we don't fall back into habits where we accept being valiant losers."

In the 15 years since they were introduced to the Six Nations, Italy have managed only 11 wins - six of them against the Scots.

While Jacques Brunel's side have already shown this year that they are a team on the rise after running in three scores against England at Twickenham, their club sides have struggled in the Pro12.

However, Seymour said: "When you unite anyone under a country's flag, it gives them a real drive and a focus.

"You are playing for your country, your family and your land if you want to be romantic about it.

"It is incredibly special and drives emotion, so it's no surprise when the likes of the Italians - who are so proud - come out and show that national passion.

"Okay, you can look at the Italian teams in the Pro12 and see they haven't done that well. But they are big guys and will be hard to break down. They don't fold quickly. It will take a good 60 to 65 minutes of solid, aggressive rugby for cracks to show.

"And they scored three tries against England at Twickenham recently. Any team that can do that has a threat.

"So I certainly won't be looking at club level for an example of how they are going to come out against us."