Russia are a clear and present danger to our ambitions, says Taylor
SCOTLAND centre Duncan Taylor says Gregor Townsend has hammered home the message to his players that there is no room for complacency against Russia. Wednesday’s opponents have earned plaudits for their performances, despite losing 30-10 to hosts Japan, 34-9 to Samoa and 35-0 to Ireland. And Taylor says there is no way the Scots will treat them lightly as they seek a bonus-point win before a potentially-decisive final pool game with the Cherry Blossoms. ‘That’s what we have spoken about already at a team meeting today,’ said Saracens star Taylor. ‘We have to make sure we are not, in any way, complacent against these guys because they do offer threats across the park. ‘They are a massively physical team, so we have to prepare as well as we have for any team in this match. ‘The Russians have shown everyone they can play, and defend as well. Watching their previous games, I think teams have found them more challenging than they initially thought. ‘They deserve respect and we can’t afford to be complacent in any way, shape or form.’ Meanwhile, Scotland assistant head coach Danny Wilson admits Townsend faces ‘a balancing act’ over who to rest against Russia while keeping star men fit for the Japan game just four days later. ‘Japan are a unique challenge and we need to be prepared for that,’ said Wilson. ‘It’s a balancing act for us as there is a pretty quick turnaround. ‘From a coaching point of view, that means a fair amount of work to find the right solutions and produce game plans that are easy for us to take on board quickly. ‘For the players, it’s a recovery process that needs to be to the detail so that we can
turn round two games in a short period.’