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Rugby World Cup Depth Chart - Scotland
Scotland have Ireland on high alert as the kick-off in Japan approaches. They may be infuriatingly inconsistent but when their game clicks, as it did when coming from 31 points down to draw with England in their last outing, they are a joy to watch.
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What has Ireland on edge is their fixture against the Scots is first up in the September finals. Last time this scheduling happened in a tournament, Scotland needed only around 30 minutes to rip the Irish defence apart at the start of the 2017 Six Nations and they are well capable of doing so again, especially given the long lead-in to that match.
The joy of a World Cup pre-seasons is players are in national camp for an extended period. Look at how it resulted in the class of 2015 going from Six Nations wooden spoonists to being robbed of a World Cup semi-final place due to a refereeing decision six months later.
Gregor Townsend knows the transformation that can occur and he sounds delighted at being able to enjoy the rarity of a club-length preparation with his Test squad. It’s important after their recent injury-hit Six Nations.
“It’s a big positive that we have more players available to us than we’ve had during the season,” he said at the start of a pre-season where Scotland haven’t hung about in keeping its squad on its toes.
Their activity has already including a week in the Inverness highlands that was then contrasted by their follow-up warm-weather camp in Portugal. It’s been all go for Townsend and his large squad of 44.
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Two years into his reign, you’d like to think he is sure of his best options at this stage. But in choosing a squad containing five uncapped players and acknowledging how Scotland have had five captains in the last 18 months and he will wait before appointing one for RWC, he has signalled he is prepared to still to great lengths to ensure his best 31 eventually make it on the plane to Japan.
WATCH | Scotland are warming up for #RWC2019!
Take a look behind the scenes as Scotland's training squad completed the first block of pre-season preparations 👇https://t.co/zel0ouaDyT
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) July 9, 2019
Blade Thomson’s arrival should immensely add to the back row puzzle. Concussion denied him a November debut but he is now back in a mix that contains nine players across the three positions.
Given the ability of so many of these players to play in the different roles, this will be one of the hardest fought selections, particularly as a second row such as Sam Skinner can also pack down on the blindside if required.
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There will also be plenty of pecking order jockeying behind the front row of Allan Dell, Stuart McInally and WP Nel.
Switching to the backs, Townsend, whose record in charge reads 12 wins, 10 losses, and one draw, has given himself the luxury of having four scrum-halves prepare.
It should be a case of Ali Price, Greig Laidlaw and one other, Laidlaw’s inclusion secure due to his ability to file the 10 roll if required as only Finn Russell and Adam Hastings are lined up there.
Beyond there, the coach is managing a hand full of riches as he has 14 options between wing, centre and full-back – including forgotten man Duncan Taylor – and only nine are likely to travel.
Scotland’s Summer Test against France at @BTMurrayfield is now the biggest-selling Summer Test ever, with the crowd already over 50,000! 🙌 #AsOne
The game is expected to sell-out well in advance so don’t leave it too late ⏰
Find tickets 🎟️ https://t.co/TVNmxGRafX pic.twitter.com/15UWlre6ku
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) July 12, 2019
The additions of uncapped duo Kyle Steyn and Rory Hutchinson have muddied the waters heading towards a programme of four warm-up fixtures featuring two meetings each with France and Georgia.
These are the sort of games that can ensure the Scots forwards are battle-hardened and ready to fight Ireland to the finish in that all-important World Cup pool opener in Yokohama.
WATCH: Part one of the two-part RugbyPass documentary on the many adventures that fans experience in Japan at this year’s World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
NZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
22 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
22 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
22 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
22 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
22 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
22 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to comments