Quiet leader Nel has the passion to ensure Scots stand up to Samoa
IT’S the weak link. Or, at least, it’s the area the Samoans believe is Scotland’s Achilles’ heel. The front row. Where the battle must be won before that potent back division, those thrilling players the 67,000 or so fans have really paid their money to see, can be unleashed today.
When Ryan Wilson talks about a ‘brutal and aggressive’ edge, he knows why it is necessary. And why Scotland can not afford to be found wanting when the packs square off at Murrayfield.
The Samoans are renowned for their physical forward play. That noquarter-given approach. Experience will be essential to combat it.
And thus, all eyes turn to Willem Nel, the South African-born, Afrikaans-speaking prop, who only qualifies for Scotland through residency.
But be in no doubt. When the 31-year-old pulls on that dark blue jersey, he is giving everything for his adopted country.
And, according to Scotland forwards coach Dan McFarland, the Edinburgh prop’s ‘passion and leadership’ will lay the foundations for victory today.
Alongside Nel in an injury-hit front row will be Darryl Marfo and Stuart McInally. The former is uncapped and, in all fairness, probably Gregor Townsend’s fourth choice at loose-head.
McInally, meanwhile, has made nine appearances for his country but only starts at hooker because Ross Ford and Fraser Brown are both missing.
It is therefore understandable why the South Sea Islanders fancy their chances.
However, before they can bank on supremacy at the scrum they must first break Nel — no easy task given he was considered a world-class operator before a lengthy injury absence.
Now back to full fitness, he is the man who can put the Samoans on the back foot.
‘WP has been brilliant,’ said McFarland. ‘I will give you two things about him straight away from the last couple of weeks working with him.
‘One is his passion about playing for the Scotland jersey. That really strikes you in team meetings.
‘Second thing is his leadership for the young fellas. He is quite an understated man but he always gives great advice to the young players, which is very important ahead of big games like this one.
‘Those two things stand out straight away about him for me. He has also been giving out specific advice to others in the front row this week, which is important.
‘WP is really smart. He is a very clever, passionate man about Scotland and wants to win for the country. He is a top-class experienced player and is someone who can make a difference for us at the scrum.’
McFarland is confident Marfo and McInally will also rise to the occasion — with playing together for Edinburgh this season helping their front-row understanding.
‘Darryl is first-choice loose-head against Samoa and well deserved, too,’ he said.
‘Darryl and Stuart played in a great game for Edinburgh against Leinster earlier in the season, which I watched eagerly because I was fully aware of what Leinster have in terms of quality in the scrum.
‘They had British and Irish Lions playing that day but they both did a really good job.’
McFarland has been working hard on the training field with the forward pack and admits the front row, in particular, has been a case of getting everything to fit together into a unit that is fit for purpose.
The late withdrawals of first-choice loosehead prop Allan Dell, with a groin strain, and hooker Ford, with a shoulder injury, did not help matters, of course.
‘The art and the skill at international level is to get a system that you can fit different pieces of the jigsaw in without disrupting the key techniques of the players,’ continued McFarland.
‘One of the skills of being a
professional rugby player now is to be adaptable.
‘To think if I’m playing with him I have to do this but with someone else it might be different.
‘We are sure we will get things right against Samoa.’
Having Jonny Gray, in particular, behind the front row along with Ben Toolis is another reason to believe the best laid plans of the Samoans to dominate the scrum will come unstuck.
‘We have a strong pack for the Samoa game,’ insisted McFarland.
‘Jonny has been out a while injured, which gave him an opportunity to go away and have a think about his game.
‘We have seen the benefits of that in training as he has come back stronger.
‘As a tight five forward, he is relatively young at just 23 and he is already being compared to British and Irish Lion Alun Wyn Jones, who is 32.
‘Jonny is a world-class player and I don’t mind saying that. It is not just about what he puts out on the pitch. It is the way he approaches his game.
‘He will step up year on year, getting better and better no doubt, and is very good at the set-piece and in open play.’