'Okay, fine': Townsend throws light on his axing of Finn Russell
Gregor Townsend has cagily defended his decision to start Blair Kinghorn as the Scotland out-half for only the second time in his career and bench the established Finn Russell for this Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations game away to Ireland.
The Scottish coach named a starting XV containing two changes from last weekend’s win away to Italy and while the inclusion of the fit-again Jonny Gray for the benched Sam Skinner was no surprise, leaving out 2021 Lions tourist Russell was an earthquake of a call.
Kinghorn has only worn the No10 once before in a Test match, starting the October win over Tonga in that position, but his other 19 starts have come either on the wing or at full-back – stretching back to 2018 when he first debuted at international level.
Having publicly fallen out with Townsend at the start of the 2020 Six Nations, Russell mended that relationship with the Scotland coach and had re-established himself as the first-choice out-half, starting the last seven matches this season and wearing the No10 shirt in four of last season’s five Six Nations games.
However, Townsend has now gambled in including Kinghorn as the starting out-half – rather than last weekend’s sub Adam Hastings – in place of the axed Russell as Scotland seek to salvage their disappointing Six Nations campaign by getting a result against the trophy-chasing Ireland.
The alteration, though, was a touchy subject at the coach’s Thursday lunchtime live media session, Townsend trying to put the emphasis on how well Kinghorn has played at club level rather than dwell on the indifferent Test form of Russell. Initially asked to explain the change, the Scotland boss said: “We see it as a good opportunity for Blair. He has been in really good form. He wasn’t available for our match last week.
“The week before that he played his best game of the season against Connacht (for Edinburgh) and he has come on twice off the (Scotland) bench and shown what he can do in that jersey. He started for us before this season against Tonga and did really well. He has built on that performance so we believe this is the right time, the right game for him to play in.”
How did Russell react to the news, how did that conversation go? “Okay, fine. Like any conversation you have with someone who is not starting they are initially disappointed but they support the team. Finn will support Blair and he will support the rest and he has done this week.”
What has Russell not done this year that has seen him drop out of the starting team? “I’d prefer to focus on what Blair has done and how well he has played and deserves this opportunity which he certainly has on his performances throughout the season.”
Would you accept there is a risk in taking someone of Russell’s calibre out of the starting XV and going to a place like Dublin? “Every selection is an opportunity and there is no exact science selection. It’s about giving players an opportunity and what you feel is right.
“That is based on what you have seen from players in training and games, the opposition that is coming up and we know Blair has done really well and has earned his opportunity. And also with how we are looking to play the game with Blair’s strengths.”
What are Kinghorn’s strengths, then? “He is a very good passer of the ball, he is an excellent runner, he has a long kicking game and he moves well between phases, so I’ll leave it just like that. I suppose that is how I would best describe it, that he senses where the space might appear in the defence very well.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments