«TOWNSEND MUST BE BACKED: ROB ROBERTSON
GREGoR Townsend has 13 games to get things right for the World Cup, so let’s not judge him too harshly on the first four. If ever there was a moment for experimentation in terms of tactics and players then the matches against Wales, Fiji, South Africa and Argentina next month is it.
Townsend certainly can’t afford to die wondering, between now and the tournament in Japan, and should be backed over his selection decisions, especially the brave ones.
The Wales game falls outwith the international window, so he can only pick players from Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors.
That is far from ideal but Townsend should make the most of a bad situation by giving the uncapped Glasgow centre Sam Johnson his debut alongside Matt Scott, who was superb in Edinburgh’s win over Toulon.
Go with a back row of young guns Jamie Ritchie and Magnus Bradbury, if he recovers from a shoulder injury, on the flanks and Matt Fagerson at eight.
We all know what Jonny Gray and Grant Gilchrist can do in the second row, so why not give the uncapped Sam Skinner and Ben Toolis a start against Fiji? Experiment with the back three against South Africa with Byron McGuigan at full-back, where he has been playing for Sale Sharks, and Dougie Fife and Lee Jones on the wings.
Argentina are the fourth and final November opponents. George Turner at hooker with Alex Allan and Murray McCallum as the starting props is worth a try. out wide be brave and bring young Darcy Graham into the squad to see how a 5ft 9in tall winger can cope with international rugby.
Scrum-half wise Greig Laidlaw, George Horne, Ali Price and Henry Pyrgos are all included in the Scotland squad. Laidlaw has nothing to prove, so use him sparingly. Make sure Horne, Price and Pyrgos all get a start in November.
It would be great if Finn Russell could be wrapped in cotton wool between now and the World Cup. Unfortunately, we all know that is not going to happen but like Laidlaw he has nothing to prove.
So start Adam Hastings as often as possible at ten and give Peter Horne a chance to start at fly-half too as possible cover.
The uncapped back-row forward Blade Thomson of Scarlets can expect to feature in the three matches against Fiji, South Africa and Argentina.
out of all the three new boys he is the one that excites the most. Come that first World Cup Pool A game against Ireland in Japan, Thomson has the potential to make the starting team.
Townsend and his squad are meeting up in St Andrews for a training camp this week when the hard work will begin.
After the November tests there is the Six Nations by which time, hopefully, players such as Stuart Hogg will be back fit.
Then there are four World Cup warm-up matches in August and early September — home and away against France and Georgia — which will be the final run-outs.
By then Townsend will know his squad and will just be fine-tuning tactics before flying to Japan.
As they say, it is not how you start but how you finish that matters.
That is why going into the November Tests winning, for once, isn’t everything.