Townsend: 'It would be a surprise if the game was called off this late'
Gregor Townsend says he would be surprised to see Scotland’s final match of this year’s Guinness Six Nations against Wales in Cardiff called off as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
England’s trip to Italy and the clash between France and Ireland in Paris have been postponed this weekend but Scotland are continuing to prepare to face Wayne Pivac’s team at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
However, there have been calls for the game to be shelved or played behind closed doors as the UK government prepares to escalate measures designed to combat the virus spreading.
Townsend insists Scotland will follow whatever orders they are given but still expects to see his team bring the curtain down on their championship this weekend. He said: “We are at the behest of the policy-makers and so far things have been put in place that the game will go ahead.
“We’ve followed all procedures and protocols regarding contact and washing hands. We hope that we get to play this weekend. We understand if that’s not the case it’s for serious reasons.
“We’re two days away from the game. We played last weekend. I do understand that things move fast, but we’re two days away so it would be a surprise if the game was called off this late.
“Yes [sport should be secondary to people’s health] and it will be when those decisions are made. I think everyone involved in sport will know if it’s time to either not play the game or play the games behind closed doors, and that’s what we’ll follow.
“Up until then, as a coach and as players, you’ve got to prepare to play a massive game at the weekend. We’re very close to that happening. My opinion is irrelevant (on whether we played behind closed doors). It’s whether the organisers, Welsh Rugby Union, decide that’s the way they want to go.
“We’ll just prepare as if we’re playing it in front of a full house in a very difficult venue, iconic venue to play a game of rugby, and if anything changes we’ll have to adapt.”
With Scotland’s preparations for the game now going full steam ahead, Townsend admits his men will have to top the displays they put in during their back-to-back wins over Italy and France if they are to celebrate victory in Cardiff for the first time since 2002.
Last year’s Grand Slam champions have struggled since Pivac replaced Warren Gatland, losing three on the bounce to Ireland, France and England. But Townsend – who has recalled hooker Stuart McInally, lock Sam Skinner and number eight Magnus Bradbury – said: “Wales are the Six Nations champions and came very close to making a World Cup final.
“The Scottish pack were at the heart of a rousing afternoon… Jamie Ritchie and Hamish Watson hunted and scavenged like wild dogs, Nick Haining thundered around with and without the ball,” enthuses @JLyall93 #SixNations #SCOvFRA ???????
https://t.co/egfiMQoKRj— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 10, 2020
“They are a very experienced team, a very proud nation with an excellent record against us, so this is a huge challenge for us – our biggest challenge that we face this year against a team that will be desperate to do well.
“Are we underdogs? I would have thought so. We’re ranked below them in the world rankings. We’ve not won there for a long time but that’s for (the media) and the bookies to decide.
“The players want to carry on the good work we’ve been doing and also go to a place where they have never won before and play our best game of the season. That’s what we’ll need to beat Wales on Saturday.”
– Press Association
WATCH: Gregor Townsend insists at a press conference that a Scotland player has not contracted coronavirus
Comments on RugbyPass
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to comments