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Scotland suffer Laidlaw blow for Autumn internationals

By Chris Jones
Scotland scrum half Greig Laidlaw (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Scrum half Greig Laidlaw will not be released by Clermont Auvergne for Scotland’s opening Autumn international against Wales in Cardiff on November 3.

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Laidlaw, who has captained Scotland in 31 of his 63 caps, has informed Gregor Townsend that he will miss the Welsh game, which is outside the international release window, but is available for the remaining November tests with Fiji, South Africa and Argentina. With Finn Russell now playing at Racing 92 in Paris, it means Scotland look certain to face Wales without their first choice half backs who have played 29 tests together.

With Laidlaw absent, Townsend must decide between the Glasgow Warriors pair of George Horne and Ali Price, Edinburgh’ Henry Pyrgos and Scarlets Sam Hidalgo-Cline for the No9 jersey in Cardiff.

Laidlaw, who has scored 623 points for Scotland, has helped Clermont first place in the Top14 in France and guided the team to a thumping 41-20 European Challenge Cup win over Northampton. He said: “I spoke to Gregor and it looks like I will join up with Scotland for the second game. It is part of the contract in France and there are international windows and Clermont have been good to me during my injury last season and it is important I have a good relationship with them as well.

“It is important not to push too hard on one game and I respect their decision and if they want me to play, then first and foremost, I will play for Clermont.”

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Clermont destroyed the Northampton scrum that included England captain Dylan Hartley at hooker and Laidlaw insists the French league leaders will continue to play their big guns in the second string European competition. The 33-year-old British and Irish Lions scrum half explained: “ It is wonderful to play behind our pack and it makes my job so much easier.

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“It was a brilliant team performance against Northampton and puts us in a good position and it’s not the Clermont way to put out a different team. We were very disappointed with last year’s performance in the Champions Cup and now it is about doing extremely well and pushing on in this competition because we have ambitions to win it.

“At Clermont we try and play an attractive brand of rugby and we signed the players to play that type of game in the wide channels with great tempo. “

Clermont have a potent back three featuring Wallaby Peter Betham, who grabbed two tries against Northampton, All Black Isaia Toeava and Samoa’s Tim Nanai-Williams.

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Bull Shark 12 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically. I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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