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Finn Russell dropped as Scotland make two changes for Ireland game
Gregor Townsend has announced a Scotland team to face Ireland this Saturday in Dublin that shows two changes – including the benching of Finn Russell – from the side that defeated Italy 33-22 last weekend in round four of the Guinness Six Nations.
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The Scotland coach made five changes for that game in Rome 14 days after their home loss to France in Six Nations round three, and he has now opted to shake it up again by including Blair Kinghorn and the fit-again Jonny Gray in his starting team.
An SRU statement said: “Edinburgh stand-off Kinghorn is rewarded for some impressive performances, including his starring role in the recent United Rugby Championship victory against Connacht two weeks ago, and will partner Ali Price, who won a 50th cap in the win over Italy last weekend.
“Exeter Chiefs second row Gray has also returned to the starting XV having been ruled out of Scotland’s last two matches through injury.” Gray takes over at lock from clubmate Sam Skinner, who drops to a much-changed bench.
Fraser Brown, Josh Bayliss, Ben White and Mark Bennett have all been added to the replacements in place of Stuart McInally, Magnus Bradbury, Ben Vellacott and Sam Tuipulotu. Russell’s demotion, meanwhile, sees Adam Hastings excluded from the matchday 23.
“It’s an opportunity for Blair based on how well he has played this season and also how well he has trained in our environment. He played ten for us against Tonga and has built on that performance with his club side and off the bench in the France and Wales games we thought that he performed well,” explained Townsend on his demotion of Russell for Kinghorn for the final game of this Six Nations for Scotland.
“His last game for Edinburgh was probably his best game of the season so we feel the time is right for Blair to start at ten. And it is great to have the experience and ability of Finn off the bench as well.
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“Jonny has recovered very well,” added the coach about his selection of Gray. “Last week he trained with us. Not full contact but did do a lot of the session on Thursday. He showed in that session and he showed this week that he is hungry to get back in the squad and hungry to play and take the game to Ireland.”
SCOTLAND (vs Ireland, Saturday)
15. Stuart Hogg – Exeter Chiefs – (Captain) – 92 caps
14. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby – 26 caps
13. Chris Harris – Gloucester Rugby (Vice-Captain) – 35 caps
12. Sam Johnson – Glasgow Warriors – 23 caps
11. Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors – 4 caps
10. Blair Kinghorn – Edinburgh Rugby – 30 caps
9. Ali Price – Glasgow Warriors – 50 caps
1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby – 8 caps
2. George Turner – Glasgow Warriors – 24 caps
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 46 caps
4. Jonny Gray – Exeter Chiefs – 66 caps
5. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby – (Vice-Captain) – 52 caps
6. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors – 3 caps
7. Hamish Watson – Edinburgh Rugby – 48 caps
8. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 20 caps
Replacements
16. Fraser Brown – Glasgow Warriors – 54 caps
17. Allan Dell – London Irish – 33 caps
18. WP Nel – Edinburgh Rugby – 47 caps
19. Sam Skinner – Exeter Chiefs – 19 caps
20. Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby – 2 caps
21. Ben White – London Irish – 3 caps
22. Finn Russell – Racing 92 – 62 caps
23. Mark Bennett – Edinburgh Rugby – 23 caps
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
1 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to commentsHi NIck, I have been very impressed with him and he seems a smart player who can see opportunities which Bobby V _(who must be an international 6_) doesn’t see or have the speed to take advantage of. If he continues to improve and puts on 5kgs then he could be a great 8. He is a bit taller than Keiran Reid at 1.93m and 111 kgs, so his skill set fits his body size and who knows where it will lead. I hope the spate of Achilles tendon issues have been dealt with by the S&C people. It’s been a very long time since Mark Loane and Kefu stood out at 8. The question is will we be able to hold onto him, if he does make it he will be pretty hot property. I disagree with the idea of letting them go to the Northern Hemisphere and then bring them back.
28 Go to commentsBilly Fulton 🤣🤣🤣🤣 garrrmon not even close
14 Go to commentsDoes the AI take into account refs? hahaha Seriously why not have two on field refs to avoid bias?
24 Go to comments