Scotland must wean itself off imported talent
A home game to end the Six Nations against the bottom-ranked team. Win that and they’ll end third on the league table, their first top half finish since 2018 and only their third in 10 years. Ireland and France might be the pace setters in European rugby, but Scotland have unquestionably been the most improved outfit.
They’re up to fifth on World Rugby’s rankings, their joint-highest ever standing on the governing body’s metrics. They’re littered with star players who wouldn’t be out of place in the four teams ranked above them. And though they’ve been grouped in the pool of death at the World Cup later this year alongside grand slam chasing Ireland and the world champions South Africa, it wouldn’t be a seismic shock if they managed to sneak into the quarterfinals.
This is an astonishing turnaround. But a glance beneath the glossy varnish of the elite level suggests that not all is as well as it seems.
The night before Scotland’s seniors gave a good account of themselves against Ireland, eventually succumbing to sustained pressure to lose 22-7, the under-20 side was being taught a harsh lesson, going down 82-7 to Ireland’s youngsters. Two weeks before, Scotland’s under-20s lost 54-12 to France in Agen and they started the tournament with another defeat, this time to England, going down 41-36 on the same weekend that Duhan van der Merwe starred in a historic triumph in Twickenham. Were it not for a single point win over Wales’ under-20s, Scotland would be staring at a possible wooden spoon.
Of course, they’re well acquainted with the timbered utensil. Scotland’s juniors have finished dead last in each of the previous two campaigns. They propped up the table again in 2019 and 2018 meaning they’ve ended bottom in four of the last five seasons.
As is always the case, there isn’t one clear answer that could explain this disparity but an explanation lies in Scotland’s reliance on foreign imports. In all Gregor Townsend can call on 22 players who were born and trained elsewhere. As many as 14 of them had previously represented a foreign country in some capacity at either school or junior levels. Three South Africans – Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman and WP Nel – qualified through residency laws.
None of this is new. According to some neat stats work from Americas Rugby News, Scotland have for some time been fielding players who learned their trade elsewhere. Last year that number was a staggering 27. It was 23 in 2021 and 2018, 19 in 2019, 18 in 2017 and a comparatively low 14 in 2016.
It should be noted that they’re not alone. Ireland have 10 foreign born players in their squad, while Wales and Italy each have seven. England and France, who have more robust domestic leagues, still partly rely on foreign talents with five and four recruits respectively, but players like Marcus Smith, who was born in the Philippines but is very much English, are included on this list.
What does this mean for Scottish rugby? Clearly there is a problem with the pipeline and a change in the residency rules in 2022 which increased the required time to qualify for a country’s Test team from 36 to 60 consecutive months would further delay the incorporation of any foreign talent. Which means South Africans like Boan Venter at Edinburgh or Nathan McBeth at Glasgow can’t be fast tracked to the national team like some of their predecessors.
The Scottish Rugby Union have identified the need for reform and so launched an initiative to help develop locally produced props and hookers. Dubbed the Scrum School, this nationwide programme will seek to upskill young players with the necessary attributes required for this unique position. Coaches at all levels have been asked to join. But this is simply one area of concern.
Every position in the Scotland first team is either supplemented or entirely filled by foreign imports. More than half of the match day 23 named to play Italy on Saturday were born abroad as 13 players, including eight of the starting XV will stand shoulder to shoulder and sing their adopted nation’s anthem. They include both starting wingers, both match day scrum halves, two members of the starting back row, all three reserve backs, a lock, two props and a centre.
The FOSROC Super Series, officially launched in 2019, will hopefully address some of these issues. Its founding mandate was to close the gulf between the elite club teams in Edinburgh and Glasgow and the teams that feed them. The first season was curtailed due to the covid pandemic and did not run at all in 2020-21 which has delayed the intended development of players not yet ready to make the step up to the United Rugby Championship.
There have been some criticisms levelled at the competition, most notably the concentration of half the teams in Edinburgh without a single team in Glasgow, but the idea behind the concept is commendable. Other tier one nations, such as South Africa with the Currie Currie Cup and New Zealand with the rebranded Bunnings NPC, have a structured pyramid ensuring the continued cultivation of youth players. Scotland’s hope is that they will wean themselves off from players who cut their teeth in these leagues.
Wondering out loud if an over reliance on foreign talent might hurt Scotland in the near future is not to veer into xenophobia or jingoism. And if anyone needed a case in point as to the benefits of building a more robust youth programme, they only need to look at Scotland’s opponents this weekend.
This is the most homegrown Italian side in seven years. Last year as many as 22 foreign-born players, up from 10 the year before, were included in the Six Nations squad. That number has dropped by 15 for this season as a well-oiled and recently refurbished national academy is now bearing fruit.
A win over Scotland would likely see Italy finish fourth on the under-20 table, replicating their position last season. They lost by just a single point to France in week one of the tournament, ran England close in week two, secured a bonus point against Ireland and then beat Wales. That pipeline is now connected to the senior team that might end up winless but is undoubtedly a squad on the rise.
Scotland will want to bridge a widening gap or run the risk of falling through it.
Comments on RugbyPass
The 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….
76 Go to commentsNo 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 comments