Hamish Watson has spoken about Lions selection hopes following his award-winning Six Nations campaign
Scotland back row Hamish Watson, the Guinness Six Nations player of the tournament, has admitted there can no guarantee that he will tour with the Lions later this year because he might not be their style of player to take on South Africa. The 29-year-old has won 41 caps since his 2015 debut and has been enjoying a rich vein of form in 2021.
However, Watson suggested that momentum isn’t everything when it comes to Lions selection. To illustrate his point, the Scotland favourite claimed that Manu Tuilagi, the England midfielder, was likely to be selected at centre on reputation despite currently being out of the game injured.
Watson has been to the fore in the recent Scotland resurgence, helping his country to away wins in Wales, England and France in the past six months, and those results on the road have enhanced the credentials of numerous Scottish players ahead of the May 6 announcement of the Lions squad by Warren Gatland.
The forward reckoned it would ultimately come down to one man’s opinion – Gatland’s – but he was hopeful that the presence of Scotland boss Gregor Townsend on the Lions coaching ticket would wield more of an influence on the selection of this squad to tour South Africa compared to 2017 in New Zealand when the Scots got just two original picks.
Speaking about his Lions selection chances during an appearance on the latest episode of The Rugby Pod, Watson said: “Scotland had a great Six Nations. We said at the start of the tournament as well that it was always the thing that Scotland couldn’t win away games, they don’t really win much away from home, but we have dealt pretty well with that.
The man, the mullet, the legend!
Great to have the one and only @hamishwatson7 join the lads this week to chat lids, lions and all things Scotland ?
?: https://t.co/RSnCfApGzR pic.twitter.com/KTEy1oKmtl
— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) April 13, 2021
“We beat Wales away in 2020 and then France and England, so that has helped Scotland players out. You’d like to think there would be more than the two players on it in 2017. Quite a few boys put their hand up and a few boys are on form. For me personally, there is a bit of momentum but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter about momentum because I’m a strong believer that someone like Manu will probably go because he is a great player and he has not played since gosh knows when.
“I don’t know the last time he played but I would have him on the tour. Momentum is a big thing and form is a big thing but I don’t know, it’s up to one man I guess and the rest of his coaches. It would be amazing to go on the Lions tour but at the same account I feel like I played quite well in the Six Nations and if it doesn’t happen you are not his style of player. It would be tough to take but that is what it is I suppose.
“I don’t know how much sway Gregor would have. It’s important. In 2017, Gregor may have got asked for a role out there as well but it was his first year in Scotland and just two guys went on tour, so it helps to have a Scotland coach in there who knows all the boys really well. He can try and fight the corner for the Scotland boys that he thinks are good enough.”
Player of the Six Nations, terrifies defences around the world, and fans STILL disrespect him! ???? pic.twitter.com/gW90pC4hBL
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 14, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
No surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to comments