Welcome back Duncan Taylor, a creature so rare that fans must be wondering if he exists at all
Most welcome and most appetising in Scotland’s line-up for their first of four World Cup warm-up Tests is the start at No12 for Duncan Taylor, a creature so rare that fans must be wondering if he still exists at all.
Taylor has endured a torturous spate of injuries these past few seasons – the nuanced and maddening menace of concussion, a back problem and two damaged knee ligaments – such that he has taken on an almost mythical status.
He hasn’t been seen on a rugby pitch in almost a year, and last played a Test match in June 2017. Watching Taylor walk out in France next Saturday night wearing a Scotland jersey will be like seeing a dodo strut down Princes Street.
A glorious sight it will be nonetheless, for Taylor is a supreme operator. Why else would Gregor Townsend select a player who last took the field in September 2018, while dropping two of Glasgow’s form men over the past two seasons in Nick Grigg and Kyle Steyn?
Why else would all-conquering Saracens have given Taylor a contract through to 2021 in spite of that heinous injury record?
BREAKING | Scotland team named to face France in this Saturday's opening Summer Test in Nice (kick-off 8pm BST) – live on Premier Sports #AsOne ????????? pic.twitter.com/HOKOzaA2Do
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) August 14, 2019
Taylor is a potentially massive asset to Scotland, a formidable specimen who can attack, defend and lead, and who possesses the precious quality of versatility. He will feature primarily as a centre, but can very comfortably step in at wing or full-back.
On that 2017 summer tour where he won his most recent caps, he played in all three positions. If he stays healthy – and given all that has befallen him, it is a big if – he might be asked to do the same in Japan.
The Saracens man came through a bounce match against Edinburgh last week, but how his body and mind will cope with the rigours of the Test game is another matter.
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There will be intrigue too around Rory Hutchinson, the Northampton Saints centre who took the Premiership by storm last season and will make his debut from the bench. As recently as December, Hutchinson was by his own admission “fighting for a job”, recovering from injury with a frugal haul of first-team appearances to his name.
He delivered a sensational response. From February to end of Saints’ Premiership campaign, Hutchinson scored four tries, contributed five assists, made 17 clean breaks and beat 36 defenders in 11 starts. Like Taylor, the 23-year-old has versatility on his side – he can play anywhere across the midfield axis – and a fine defensive game, a quality Townsend is understandably keen to see in his centres.
We might well see him introduced at 10 for Adam Hastings where he has served with distinction in the national age-grade sides and where he might put pressure on Pete Horne, Townsend’s preferred option as a second distributor who can plug several holes.
In among all of the anticipation at Taylor’s great comeback and Hutchinson’s emergence, you have to feel for Grigg, an effervescent little buzz-bomb of a centre who started Scotland’s last three Tests, only to be jettisoned from the squad without a single crack at a warm-up match.
Granted, Grigg was fielded in the Six Nations in part because of injuries to Taylor and Huw Jones, but even as the tournament went on, he made noticeable strides in his tackling and defensive positioning. Steyn, too, blasted from nowhere to become one of Glasgow’s go-to men in their run to the PRO14 final – he, too, can cover the back-three.
Having Grigg and Steyn available for the early throes of the season will be a welcome boost for Glasgow at a time when they will be shorn of so much talent, but already the cold reality of elite rugby is being keenly felt. This is the first real opportunity for so many in the most fiercely contested areas of the squad to raise their hands.
The starting loosehead, Jamie Bhatti, is likely vying with Gordon Reid, the replacement, for a berth alongside first-choice Allan Dell. Bhatti has the stronger presence around the field; Reid is superior at the set-piece.
Ben Toolis, Jamie Ritchie and Josh Strauss face a monumental audition, for the back-five of the scrum is where Townsend can call upon a bountiful well of riches.
Can Strauss produce his best stuff over the course of 80 minutes, rather than rousing but fleeting bursts of carries? Toolis and Ritchie were two of Scotland’s top performers in the Six Nations, but with Sam Skinner, John Barclay and Hamish Watson fit again, and Jonny Gray hitting wonderful form at the end of the season, can they pick up where they left off?
????????? Voici votre équipe pour ce premier match de préparation à la Coupe du Monde samedi soir à Nice contre l’Écosse ! Allez les Bleus ! #NeFaisonsXV ! #FRAECO #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/VQ5vdeKpJT
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) August 15, 2019
Jones, too, must rediscover the sort of scintillating rugby he showed in his first two seasons, the blistering attack that earned him 10 tries in his first 16 Tests. He got injured two games into the Six Nations and in two years at Glasgow, has barely fired a shot.
He is a phenomenal weapon to wield on his game, but with the immense competition across midfield from Taylor, Horne, Hutchinson, Chris Harris and the outstanding Sam Johnson, his spot is far from secure.
The man with least to lose is Byron McGuigan, whose chances of ousting one of the star names from a probable back-three allocation of five looks slim. Stuart Hogg, Sean Maitland, Darcy Graham, Tommy Seymour and Blair Kinghorn are the strongest candidates, but Taylor’s versatility, fitness and form permitting, might allow Townsend to take one fewer.
‘You get to a ceiling and until you can break through it, it’s hard to keep improving… I need to get my players into better competitions’
– @GeorgianRugby boss @MiltonHaig tells @JLyall93 what is needed to lift them to the next level ?https://t.co/aNLvUp8X1M— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 14, 2019
McGuigan was excellent in the bedlam of Scotland’s roaring second-half comeback at Twickenham and will be next in line for the final cut if one of the top five goes down.
Scott Cummings, a late addition to the squad after a fantastic few months with Glasgow, will get his debut off the bench, and although he is the outsider among the locks, he has time to shake up the pecking order.
Cummings is a player in the Townsend mould – athletic, nimble, a clever footballer and a relentlessly hard worker. In Glasgow’s last four games of the season, and their run to the PRO14 final, he made 72 tackles and carried 79 metres with the ball in hand. At 22, Cummings is callow, but he has bucket-loads to offer.
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The outcome at the weekend doesn’t carry the seismic importance of a Six Nations Test or tournament rugby, but it is significant nonetheless. Scotland last won in France 20 years ago.
Since the last World Cup, they have played 13 away Tests against tier one opposition and won four. Two of those victories came in the Six Nations, both against Italy. Another was a rout of a truly hapless Argentina in the death throes of Daniel Hourcade’s coaching reign and the most notable a fantastic win over Australia two years ago.
Scotland last won in Cardiff in 2002, in Dublin in 2010 and at Twickenham over 30 years ago, albeit they came mighty close in the mayhem of the final day of the Six Nations.
For all that Vern Cotter and then Townsend have made Scotland better – a team to be taken seriously – their away record is an abomination. For all that Saturday is about combinations and cohesion and men pressing their cases for a seat on the plane, it is also about a Scotland team showing they can go to France and win.
The selection quarrels in the bars and clubhouses can begin, the fantasy XVs meticulously constructed and so too the second-guessing of Townsend from Shetland to Selkirk. Suddenly, the road to Japan has a tangible feel.
WATCH: Part one of Operation Jaypan, the two-part RugbyPass documentary on what the travelling fans can expect to experience in Japan
Comments on RugbyPass
Rodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
1 Go to commentsThe pink cabous might be eligible this year and the Boks don’t need him
7 Go to commentsNasser and kaitu are options for hooker. Especially Nasser. You forgot Rodda who touch wood will be fit at test time and if fit he’s number one. Great partner for the great Skelton and Oz best lineout caller. Third best lock is LSL whom I’d be inclined to sub on for Skelton around 60 minutes. Probably start valetini at 8 because I like a big body back there. Cale should play 6 at the brumbies. For Wallabies definitely cale in the squad but as an apprentice. Dunno who starts at 6 seru wright Swinton hanigan with Will Harris and Harry Wilson not far away. Seru and Swinton my front runners but Swinton is going. Still if we don’t cap seru then Fiji must coz they need his lineout skills and easily compensate for his lack of weight
7 Go to commentsYeah but who was it?
8 Go to commentsThink you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
7 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
7 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
8 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
8 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
7 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
8 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
7 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
7 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
46 Go to comments