Why Scottish rugby is in a very different place a year on from arguably the nation's most humiliating defeat in Yokohama
Scottish rugby has long done a fine line in false dawns and shootings stars, had its quest for sustained glory dashed more often than Robert the Bruce’s cave-dwelling spider, and yet, autumnal hope is blossoming afresh.
From the wreckage of 2019, a bleak Six Nations and an awful World Cup, a new Scotland emerged in 2020. A Scotland that has won four on the spin for the first time in nine years. A Scotland that doesn’t leak tries like a rusty colander. A Scotland with a lust for defending and the gusto to bludgeon the giants of Europe. The Scotland of Jamie Ritchie and Rory Sutherland and Chris Harris, uncompromising beasts of men who play like the whole world is against them and run as though the grass on which they tread has committed some mortal affront to their character.
Scotland conceded five tries and 59 points in the Six Nations, by far their greatest defensive record in 21 campaigns since the tournament’s expansion. Last year, they shipped 17 tries and 125 points; in 2018 those figures were 14 and 128; falling to 14 and 118 in 2017; 13 and 115 in 2016; 12 and 128 in 2015; 15 and 138 in 2014. Not since Eddie Jones’ all-conquering brutes of 2016 has a Six Nations champion conceded fewer tries than Scotland.
As always, the numbers need caveats. We were never going to see another 38-38 Calcutta Cup whopper when Murrayfield resembled a washing machine in this year’s biblical deluge. The brainless red card of French prop Mohamed Haouas springs to mind too, as does the disparate and stupefied nature of Wales in the crowd-less Parc y Scarlets.
Still, the stats are hugely compelling. They point towards a serious shift in style from Gregor Townsend and Scotland, the arrival of new coaches and the recognition that the deep-rooted goal to play “the fastest rugby in the world” was ultimately doomed.
Steve Tandy, the defence specialist who replaced long-serving Matt Taylor, has had praise showered upon him, and quite rightly so. The Welshman’s influence has been undeniably profound, his new system working to fill the pitch and let the jackalers jackal without each player scrapping at every breakdown.
But the evolving game plan and heightened focus on defence has given Tandy the space and the time to do what he needed. Scotland’s defence suffered last year in part because of the way that they played. The numbers were so grim because Scotland, in their hunt to tear teams apart with such ferocious speed, tied themselves in knots and turned over ball. Taylor’s job – and that of forwards coach Danny Wilson – was made harder.
Clearly, Townsend has absorbed the ruthless teachings of 2019 and adapted quickly. Frankly, he had to. Scotland fans, chastened by the mortification of Japan, would not have tolerated a similarly meek 2020.
Townsend has the chance now to build on that success. The Autumn Nations Cup is a prime opportunity to preserve momentum and continue getting messages across.
What Scotland must do now is tilt the balance a back little – not a regression to the bonkerdom of old, but lace their snarling brutality with some of that flair.
Seven tries in five championship games is a modest return for a team with so much attacking weaponry. Sam Johnson, fit again and starting against Italy on Saturday, can help. Huw Jones deserves a crack this autumn for his brilliant club form, even if he has been deployed at full-back. Duhan van der Merwe, who plays ahead of Blair Kinghorn in Florence, is a devilishly unique weapon on the wing. His haul of 11 carries in his international debut against Georgia suggests Townsend is eager for him to seek out work and get hands on ball as often as possible. No sense in having a 6’4 wrecking ball in your arsenal if he is isolated on the touchline.
Attacking incision will be harder, of course, without Finn Russell and Adam Hastings, Townsend’s two front-line pivots. Scotland, by now, are used to missing Russell after the unnecessarily messy three-beer incident left him out of the squad for four of the five Six Nations fixtures. Hastings stepped up and made himself a credible rival, his development as an international fly-half capable of bossing his pack of giants around the park compelling.
Russell is an even more grievous loss now than he was then. His sizzling brilliance at Racing 92, the array of stunts, chips and swagger that he has delivered almost without missing a beat puts him right up there with the best fly-halves in the game.
Losing Russell and Hastings for a significant period of time is the last thing Townsend needs, just as his team are gaining impetus. The burden falls, then, on the squat shoulders of Duncan Weir. The stocky little pivot has craved this opportunity for so long, worked incredibly hard on his game and is playing some of his best stuff at Worcester Warriors. His yearning to play for his country has never dimmed, despite not starting a Test in four years and winning his first cap since 2017 in the 79th minute against France.
We know Weir can put Scotland in the right areas with his boot, and nail his kicks at goal. His running game has never been as average as prevailing opinion would have you believe, but nor is it a strength that comes to him so naturally as it does Russell and Hastings. At Sixways, he is delivering a blend of effervescence and streetsmarts, and his return to the international fold is richly deserved.
Elsewhere, nobody has really nailed down the number eight jersey, so it would be heartening to see Blade Thomson hit the form of which he is undoubtedly capable, or the dynamic Matt Fagerson claim a run of Tests when recovered from injury.
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The back-row tussle on Saturday will be titanic. In Sebastian Negri, Braam Steyn and Jake Polledri, Italy have three of Europe’s most rugged carriers of ball. Polledri, in particular, can lance through teams and scuttle defenders with frightening aplomb, beating more players than anybody else in the Six Nations. Ritchie and Hamish Watson should have the edge at the breakdown, but if the Italian trident get on the loose in open prairie, they will test Tandy’s defence to its very limit.
It is, though, a young Italian team. There are two 20-year-old rookies in the backline. Four of Franco Smith’s tight-five have fewer than 10 caps. The South African is blooding and nurturing a new crop with Polledri its totem. Italy, it seems, are in a state of constant transition, even if the burgeoning brood do at last look cautiously capable of affecting serious change.
Italy have not beaten a Six Nations opponent in five years. Scotland nilled them as recently as February and this is a game they should win. It may be attritional and ugly at times, but it is a fine chance to maintain the feelgood.
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments