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Gregor Townsend has wiped Scotland’s World Cup slate clean – but warned his team they have to put up a better fight against Ireland than they did four months ago.
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The Dark Blues got off to a terrible start in Japan as they slumped to a 27-3 loss in their pool opener.
They recovered to beat Samoa and Russia but suffered a humiliating early exit as they crashed again to the tournament hosts.
The Scots will have the chance to avenge their defeat to the Irish on Saturday as they kick off their Guinness Six Nations campaign at the Aviva Stadium.
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WATCH: We gather up a host of familiar faces to discuss the home nations’ chances in the upcoming Six Nations plus some huge rumours, more Saracens fallout, refereeing controversies and much more…
But Townsend does not believe his team need to use their failure in the Far East as motivation for facing up to Andy Farrell’s men in Dublin.
He said: “I don’t know if we have a point to prove. What I can say is that the team have prepared really well, the intensity levels and communication in training have been excellent.
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“Things have gone well, but we know mindset has a big part to play in high-level sport.
“We have to be focused, confident and prepared to do the tough stuff at the weekend.
“It’s a new team. We know the performance in Yokohama wasn’t anywhere near good enough but this is a new team. The players are looking forward rather than back.”
Ireland and Scotland name two fresh teams for the first round of the Six Nations 👏 pic.twitter.com/2HSut8VL3z
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 30, 2020
Scotland were caught cold by Ireland inside the opening 12 minutes in Yokohama as James Ryan and Rory Best both ploughed over to score.
And Townsend admits his side cannot be so slow out of the blocks this time.
“It’s important we are in the game and we stay in the fight for as long as possible,” he said. “We are looking to impose our game on Ireland but we know that won’t be easy.
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“When you play a team like Ireland, who have so much quality and they are on their own patch, it’s pretty clear they will bring their own energy and their own game.
Scotland's Six Nations' preparations have been dominated by off fields dramas and it sounds like the players are a mite p***ed off.
– @JLyall93 previews Scotland Ireland and the mountain they face in Dublin this weekend #SixNationshttps://t.co/DssK7v0avM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 30, 2020
“The first 20-30 minutes will be tough and we need to be up for that, we need to enjoy the defensive side of the game.
“Ireland, out of all the teams in world rugby, make you tackle the most. There will be high tackle numbers.
“It may change with a new coach, but we don’t think so, we think the formula will be the along similar lines. They have selected an experienced squad.”
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT 🏴
Scotland team named to face Ireland in the opening round of the 2020 #GuinnessSixNations in Dublin.
Watch live on ITV / STV, kick-off 4.45pm. #IREvSCO #AsOne
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) January 30, 2020
Townsend has trusted stand-off Adam Hastings to replace the suspended Finn Russell in Dublin.
Russell was told he would not be involved in the championship opener after being disciplined for breaching team rules last week amid allegations the Racing 92 star was involved in a late-night drinking session at the Dark Blues’ team hotel.
It remains to be seen if Russell will feature during this year’s Six Nations but Hastings will get his chance to prove he can guide the team to victory against one of the sternest defences in world rugby.
Edinburgh’s number eight Nick Haining will win his first cap, while club-mate Rory Sutherland will make his first international appearance at prop in three-and-a-half years.
Townsend added: “Nick gets his opportunity on the back of his form for Edinburgh. Whenever he’s had his opportunity for Edinburgh he’s done well, we are looking forward to seeing him play.”
– PA
Comments on RugbyPass
Can’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
11 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
11 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
2 Go to commentsjesus - that front 5!
1 Go to commentsShould be an absolute cracker of a game! Will be great to see DuPont & Ntamack in tandem once again🔥
1 Go to commentsBest team ever…. To have played? These guys are still pressure chokers. Came nowhere when it counted. What a joke
81 Go to commentsMusk defends anonymous terrorism, fascism, threats against individuals and children etc etc But a Rugby club account….lock ‘em up!!!
1 Go to commentsActually the era defining moment came a few years earlier. February 2002 to be precise, when Michael D Higgins as finance minister at the time introduced his sports persons tax relief bill to the dial. As the politicians of the day stated “It seems to be another daft K Club frolic born in Kildare amongst the well-paid professional jockeys with whom the Minister plays golf” and that the scheme represented “a savage uncaring vision of Ireland and one that should be condemned”. The irfu and Leinster would be nowhere near the position they are in today without this key component of the finances.
5 Go to commentsIt is crystal clear that people who make such threats on line should be tried and imprisoned. Those with responsibility in social media companies who don’t facilitate this should be convicted. In real life, I have free speech to approach someone like Reinach and verbally threaten him. I am risking a conviction or a slap but I could do it. In the old days, If someone anonymously threatened someone by letter the police would ask and use evidence from the postal system. Unlike the Post, social media companies have complete instant and legal access to the content in social media. They make money from the data, billions. Yet, they turn a blind eye to terrorism, Nazi-ism and industrial levels of threats against individuals including their address and childrens schools being published online all from ananoymous accounts not real people. They claim free speech. Free speech for anonymous trolls/voilent thugs threatening people under false names? The fault is with the perps but also social media companies who think anonymous personas posting death threats constitutes free speech.
2 Go to commentsSo if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
81 Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
5 Go to commentsOur very own monster teddy bear Ox😍💪
17 Go to comments