The Scotland update on the fitness of co-captain Rory Darge
Rory Darge has “progressed brilliantly” as he bids to shake off a knee injury ahead of the Guinness Six Nations opening weekend, according to Scotland assistant coach John Dalziel.
The Glasgow flanker is hoping to be fit for Scotland’s game against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday after suffering a knee strain against Edinburgh at the end of December.
Dalziel said on Tuesday: “It was great to have Rory back in last week, with the support of his club and national team medical team, to get him assessed. He is completely on track.
“We have put no time scales on it, we just want to try and make sure he is available for either game one or game two. He has progressed brilliantly and run well as well, so there will be a decision on that, whether it’s this week or next weekend.”
The 23-year-old forward was named co-captain along with Finn Russell ahead of the tournament after Jamie Ritchie was taken out of the position, but Dalziel stressed there was a collective responsibility in the squad.
“There has always been a shared leadership no matter who our captain is,” the forwards coach said from Scotland’s training camp in Spain. “We rely heavily on the leadership group.
“Somebody with Rory Darge’s talent, being a young man doesn’t go against him, he has always been part of that leadership group. We feel the next stage for him is to take a bit more on his shoulders.
“With Finn, we have the key strengths of what Finn brings as a rugby player but also his knowledge of the game, he leads in a different way. We look at that contrast. And it also frees Finn up to lead in meetings and chat more about the bigger picture.
“The blend is excellent but these two guys are supported as well by guys like Jamie Ritchie, past captains, Grant Gilchrist.
“Our leadership group is strong and we have to grow that base so we can have leaders come together in key moments in Test matches or training to make sure we get back on track, not just one voice.
“It’s really tough now in the modern game to have all that weighing on one person.”
Scotland lost WP Nel for the Cardiff trip earlier in the week because of a neck injury, with Javan Sebastian fit enough to come into the pool after a knee problem. Nel could feature soon though as he is close to fitness.
Dalziel added: “Disappointed obviously, we know WP very well and we know what he is capable of. But he is touch and go with the neck not settling down in enough time so we don’t want to rush him.
“We have a good opportunity with Javan returning to fitness to have a settled selection around that as well.
“Like all props, it’s a constant battle, your neck, you don’t take any risks with that. It’s not like any other injury where you might go ‘I’ll batter on with that, we can find a way around it’. With necks, we never take any risks now.”
Dalziel, meanwhile, said Scotland had “absolutely no concerns” over Ben White’s fitness after he recovered from a knock picked up while playing for Toulon.
Comments on RugbyPass
I’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
37 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
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