Scotland playing for World Cup future against Russia
US smell blood of ailing Argentina
HAMAMATSU, Japan, Oct 7, (RTRS): Scotland are playing for their World Cup future over the next six days and coach Gregor Townsend has been at pains to remind his players they need to ensure they do not take their eyes off their match against Russia on Wednesday.
Townsend’s side sit third in Pool A on five points, behind Japan (14) and Ireland (11) and need bonus point victories against both Russia and the tournament hosts on Sunday in Yokohama to advance to the knockout stages.
The clash with the Bears kicks off at Shizuoka Stadium at 4:15 pm (0715 GMT) on Wednesday and the short turnaround to the clash with Japan necessitated Townsend making 14 changes from the side that beat Samoa 34-0 on Sept 30.
The former Scotland flyhalf said that he expected the side to concentrate on winning the Russia match, then the entire squad would focus on Japan.
“It’s all about Russia and we need to get a bonus point,” Townsend told reporters in Hamamatsu on Monday. “If we don’t get a bonus point then our challenge against Japan becomes even more difficult.
“If we don’t win against Russia we are out of the tournament. It’s important we build on the momentum we built against Samoa.” Loose forward John Barclay will captain the team against Russia, with Darcy Graham the only survivor from the starting side that beat Samoa.
As if to reinforce his point about ensuring they beat Russia on Wednesday, Townsend said he had been impressed with the eastern Europeans as they grew into the tournament. “Russia have got better,” he said. “Their defence is good. They have a very good scrum, great kicking game. They have some very physical players who are good rugby players.
“And it’s their last game. They will be throwing everything into this.” It will not only be Russia’s last game at the current tournament but possibly the last World Cup match for their inspirational captain Vasily Artemyev.
“I need to be realistic. This year, our journey at the World Cup is coming to an end on Wednesday,” the 32-year-old fullback said. “It’s very probable that the next World Cup will be held without me as a player.” Artemyev echoed what Townsend thought and that the team had been improving each game and he was keen for them to try and upset Scotland’s hopes for the quarter-finals.
“We will try to do better as we improve with every game at this tournament,” he said.
“We’ll try to improve more and to create problems for Scotland’s defence and put their attack under pressure.” Playing a dead rubber is unfamiliar territory for Argentina, who reached the semi-finals of two of the last three World Cups, and having to drag themselves off the floor to face a fired-up United States team on Wednesday will be a test of resilience.
The last time they failed to get out of the pool stage was in 2003, when they lost by a point to Ireland in their decisive final game, and they have to go back to 1995 to find a similarly flat ending – when they lost to England, Samoa and then, with nothing on the line, Italy.
Now, after defeats by England and France, the dream is over – and early. The Pumas’ form hardly suggests it is a surprise, either, having now lost 29 of their last 34 games.
Frustrated coach Mario Ledesma is using his last Pool C fixture to give more of his squad the opportunity for a taste of the World Cup action, making nine changes to the team that started against England.
Only Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Santiago Carreras, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Guido Petti, Pablo Matera and Julian Montoya remain. Nicolas Sanchez, controversially left out of the 23 against England, is back to start at flyhalf, partnering scrumhalf Felipe Ezcurra, who will be making his second start in his seventh appearance.
Lock Tomas Lavanini, who was sent off after 17 minutes against England, is unavailable as he serves the first of a four-match ban for his high hit on Owen Farrell.
The Pumas will have to try to rouse themselves to avoid what would be a humiliating finale to a desperately disappointing campaign. They have beaten the United States in all five previous fixtures, though the last of them was 18 years ago.
The Americans showed areas of improvement against England and France and will see this as a great opportunity to secure what would be only their fourth win in 26 World Cup games – with the chance of a famous second in their final game to come against Tonga.
“With Argentina’s short turnaround, then losing to England and not qualifying and the disappointment they’re facing, they might not show up as well as they would have if they were qualifying,” said flyhalf AJ MacGinty.
“Any time we play competitive games against the tierone nations, I feel like we get better week to week. Having the games against England and France, the pressure is on us to deliver another performance that’s even better than the France game. Our focus is on that. If we can do that as a squad and as individuals, then that puts us in a good place for beating Argentina.”