CENTRE SPARKS
Cairns tips double act of Duncan and Sam for big Cup roles
FORMER Scotland star Ben Cairns has tipped Sam Johnson and Duncan Taylor to take centre stage against Ireland in their Rugby World Cup opener.
When head coach Gregor Townsend picked his 31-man squad to travel to Japan, there was shock in some quarters that he was leaving behind in-form Rory Hutchinson and Huw Jones.
The four centres who have travelled to Asia – the Scots are now in their training camp in Nagasaki – are Johnson, Taylor, Pete Horne and Chris Harris.
And Cairns, 33, believes Johnson and Taylor are likely to be picked to start the big match with Ireland as the Scots look to get their Pool A campaign off to a flyer in Yokohama City on September 22.
Of the Glasgow Warriors Saracens combo, the man who earned eight caps said: “Johnson and Taylor have both come on to a game at the right time and will be feeling confident heading into the tournament.
“They showed glimpses of what they could do as a pairing against Georgia last Friday night and there appears to be plenty more to come from them.
“Johnson seems very calm on the ball and can spot a gap while Taylor runs hard, runs great angles and is defensively very sound.
“They both seem to be good communicators too and that is key to helping stand-off Finn Russell control things.
“A year ago if you’d been asked to predict who would have been starting for Scotland in this big game the answer would probably have been different.
“However, Townsend likes these two players and I believe their partnership can grow even further when they are out in Japan.
“Obviously Rory Hutchinson and Huw Jones were unlucky to miss out but in Pete Horne and Chris Harris we have great cover at centre.
“Like Taylor, Horne works so hard and is an intelligent rugby player while Harris has really impressed me over the last year or so.”
And Stirling County Super6 head coach Cairns believes having Ireland first up can help Scotland in their bid to reach the knock-out stages.
After that clash Scotland meet Russia, Samoa and then Japan.
And Cairns said: “I feel that having Ireland up first is good for us.
“Obviously it will be a tough match but if Scotland can win that one then it will give us brilliant momentum going forward in the pool.
“The last game against Japan on their own turf is going to be a tough one too.
“So the more confidence that the team can have by the time they get to that one, the better as far as I’m concerned.
“In general I’m excited to see how this Scotland squad get on and Gregor will get them to peak at the right time.”
● Cairns was speaking as he helped Wooden Spoon Scotland officially hand over two hoists to help people with physical and learning disabilities and autism enjoy horse riding via the Riding for the Disabled Association.