The Missing Scotland RWC XV
Scotland squad selections were never a major drama for a long time, such was the lack of depth available to them, but their 2019 World Cup squad had been described as their most fiercely contested selection of the professional era.
Here, RugbyPass chooses an XV of players who didn’t make the final cut on Tuesday when Gregor Townsend named his 31 for Japan.
1. JAMIE BHATTI
The 25-year-old loosehead might have been on the plane were it not for the confidence of Scotland’s management in Simon Berghan’s ability to play on both sides of the scrum. He has only started in two of his 15 Test appearances and one of those was last month’s hammering by an impressive France in Nice.
2. GRANT STEWART
He is one for the future. His only two caps have come off the bench in recent weeks and although he did not look out of place, the greater experience of the other hookers in the squad was understandably the preference.
(Continue reading below…)
3. D’ARCY RAE
Another front row whose inexperience counted against him. His only cap came last February when he appeared off the Six Nations bench against Ireland, but he has been in and around the Townsend set-up for a while and is a player to keep an eye on.
4. RICHIE GRAY
The Toulouse lock’s absence from the training squad caused a number of raised eyebrows, especially once Sam Skinner had to withdraw with an injury. Gray has made it clear that he removed himself from contention to focus on his family after an extended period of injuries.
5. SAM SKINNER
He was very unfortunate to pick up a hamstring injury in the second warm-up match last month against France as his performances and versatility suggested he would be given a ticket to Japan. Named man of the match on his Test debut last November versus Fiji, the Exeter lock’s combination of mobility and physicality had made him an excellent addition to the squad.
'You get the sense Gregor Townsend delights in slinging curveballs and catching onlookers and adversaries alike on the hop’
– @JLyall93 on the difficult task of choosing the @Scotlandteam squad for @rugbyworldcup https://t.co/VkTQJnqjq0— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 4, 2019
6. MAGNUS BRADBURY
He was one of the more surprising omissions from Townsend’s RWC squad even though he hasn’t been capped since the Six Nations draw with England last March. His problem was the emergence of the positionally versatile Blade Thomson, who impressed in training and in his debut last month versus the French in Edinburgh.
7. JOSH STRAUSS
The South African-born back row was selected for Scotland as soon as he became eligible, making his debut from the bench during the 2015 World Cup. Since then, a number of challengers have emerged for his position and he is no longer considered essential.
8. MATT FAGERSON
Fagerson’s performance as a starter against Georgia last Saturday was impressive, adding some physicality to the pack, but he is a victim of Scotland’s increased back row depth and the potential of hookers Stuart McInally and Fraser Brown filling in if an emergency arises in Japan.
BREAKING | Scotland team named to play Georgia at BT Murrayfield this Friday night!
© Wilson to captain for the first time
? Gray, Seymour & Thomson return
? Johnson & Taylor combine
1?? First home Friday night home Test outside of RWCTICKETS – https://t.co/qhvaUkDXfk pic.twitter.com/HInLzTPxVN
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) September 4, 2019
9. HENRY PYRGOS
A vice-captain at the 2015 World Cup, he has since slipped down the pecking order as Glasgow’s George Horne and Ali Price are more popular with Townsend and Greig Laidlaw is still hugely important to the team.
10. RORY HUTCHINSON
The Northampton Saints midfielder slots in here. He enjoyed a stellar season in the Premiership, earning him the attention of Townsend who handed him his Test debut in Nice last month. That didn’t go well but he bounced back on subsequent Saturdays and was the scorer of two tries in Georgia last weekend. He is another player for the future.
11. BYRON McGUIGAN
A winger coached by Townsend for a season at Glasgow, his Test career began in 2017 while at Sale and his sevens background helped him fit into Scotland’s attacking style of play. However, a run of three consecutive appearances this year – against Wales, England and France – wasn’t enough to when it came to RWC selection.
'Your hotel team room had two fridges absolutely jam-packed with Steinlager… lads piled into it.’@VictorTait of @Scotlandteam takes @JLyall93 on an amusing trek back to the amateur era of 1987 when the @AllBlacks frightened @rugbyworldcup opposition https://t.co/wEuj8WH18y
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 31, 2019
12. NICK GRIGG
This hard-running, physical centre impressed during the 2019 Six Nations but, as with so many areas of the Scottish squad, there is great depth at centre and he is one of many to miss out.
13. HUW JONES
He seemed like a certainty for RWC when he broke through two years ago, scoring tries for fun and terrifying defences. He picked up 10 tries in his first 14 games and his performance against England in 2018 as Scotland finally regained the Calcutta Cup will live long in the memory. However, defensive weaknesses have since been exposed and his club and country form has nose-dived.
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Scotland expected to make a big call with leaving out boom centre Huw Jones from their Rugby World Cup. #scotlandteam #scotlandrugby #scottishrugby #rwc #rugbyworldcup #rugby #rugbygram
14. KYLE STEYN
Yet another sevens player who has impressed for Scotland in XVs. However, he was dropped early on from the training squad, another victim of Scotland’s growing depth.
15. RUARIDH JACKSON
He has a wealth of experience but Stuart Hogg and Blair Kinghorn have moved too far ahead of a player last capped against Canada in June 2018.
WATCH: The RugbyPass stadium guide to Yokohama where Scotland will open their World Cup versus Ireland
Comments on RugbyPass
Exciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
11 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
3 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
3 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
3 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
11 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to comments