Townsend: We must raise our game again

GREGOR Townsend has challenged his players to raise their performance levels still further when they bring the curtain down on Scotland’s autumn international campaign against Argentina at BT Murrayfield on Saturday.

A 26-20 defeat to South Africa was scant return for a display which the Scotland head coach felt was generally ‘outstanding’ but Townsend feels there is more to come.

Despite hinting that he may rotate his squad to rest weary legs, he is determined to go out on a high just a year out from the Rugby World Cup in Japan and a third defeat of the autumn – and a second at home – really doesn’t bear thinking about.

“We have to play to our strengths,” said Townsend.

“And our strengths against South Africa were players like Huw Jones, Tommy Seymour, Sean Maitland, Stuart Hogg. If we play conservatively, they’re not going to get on the ball. So we have to create ways to get them on the ball.

“But that isn’t just passing the ball, it’s creating the counterattack through kicking,” he added. “And we have to play where the defence isn’t as strong. Against South Africa, that was out wide. On another day, we might pick and go through the middle. It might be doing something different. But that’s the way we’re playing. Because we know it will bring us success if we’re accurate. The challenge next week is to be better than we were against South Africa.”