'Nobody is comfortable': Scotland have conveyor belt of top talent pushing through
Forwards coach John Dalziel believes in-form Scotland have a conveyor belt of top-level talent that should stand them in good stead for the 2023 World Cup.
Gregor Townsend’s burgeoning side pulled off another huge win over Australia on Sunday, following up on historic Six Nations victories over England and France earlier this year.
The national team is widely deemed to be in its best shape for decades, with a core of experienced senior players joined by an array of fresh additions to the squad.
Dalziel feels everything is bubbling along nicely with regard to gearing up for the World Cup in France in a little under two years.
He said: “The squad is growing all the time. As coaches, we’re blessed to have the group we’ve got just now. There’s a lot of good work going on in terms of bringing age-grade players through and we’re able to keep building on that.
“Good players are bouncing off each other, seeing that if one player goes to the next level, we’ve got more players trying to push beyond that. Nobody is comfortable in any position. We’ve got real quality players missing out on selection.
“It’s hard for us to pick the right team for the right opposition now and make sure that we keep everybody hungry by bleeding youngsters, like we did at the weekend with Ewan Ashman and Josh Bayliss, to build up the depth over the next 18 months as we go towards the next World Cup.
“Like every team out there, we’re in an important part of the cycle now because we’re under two years to the World Cup which everybody wants to build towards. We’re really blessed that we’ve already started that process so we’re ahead of the game.
“Through this last year we’ve been able to identify a lot of younger players who merit involvement. We had eight new caps against Tonga and another two on Sunday, so there’s 10 new players to add to the mix. We’ve got a couple of other lads around the squad who may well still be capped in this window.
“In any period like the autumn, if we can cap 10-plus players and still have important wins against top-three opposition, that’s excellent and shows we’re on the right path.”
With such a depth of quality available, Scotland are likely to make some tweaks to the team for this Saturday’s Murrayfield showdown with world champions South Africa.
Dalziel said: “We’ve got to pick the right team that will complement the challenges we’ll face against South Africa, which will be very different to Australia.
“Australia, with that attack focus they’ve got, are a team that want to play a lot of rugby and they give you a lot to look at whereas with the South Africans, it’s a physical battle. They’re coming straight through the front door at us.
“Tactically and selection-wise we will look at that. Certainly as we look around the squad, there may well be some guys who weren’t involved at the weekend who may be well-suited to this weekend, so there will probably be a couple of changes.”
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
37 Go to comments