Time for Gregor to use powers of persuasion!
Gregor Townsend is facing one of his toughest jobs ever — convincing British and Irish Lions coach warren gatland to pick a fair representation of scots for the tour of south Africa.
The scotland head coach, who is due to be unveiled by gatland as his Lions attack coach tomorrow, certainly deserves the honour for the work he has done with the national team.
Attack coach is a difficult enough job for Townsend but so will be trying to convince his new boss between now and May 6 — when the squad is announced — that his scotland players did enough during this year’s six nations to be selected.
gatland was well within his rights not to pick many scots for the winning 2013 tour to Australia or the drawn one in 2017 to new Zealand. Times have changed, though, and there can be no excuses for the Kiwi not to have around eight — by my reckoning — of Townsend’s charges in his squad.
At least the scotland head coach should be pushing at an open door for the likes of stuart Hogg, Hamish watson and Finn russell to be included. Indeed, Hogg and watson are good enough to start the Test matches against south Africa, with russell on the bench behind Ireland’s Johnny sexton.
winger duhan van der Merwe, second row Jonny gray, centre Chris Harris, prop rory sutherland and flanker Jamie ritchie are also all deserving of a place.
Van der Merwe has a physical presence out wide but gatland will need to be convinced that his deficiencies in defence — he badly missed a tackle in the build up to the first France try against scotland — can be improved upon in training once he comes into the Lions squad.
Louis rees-Zammit and Josh Adams, both of wales, should start on the wing for the Lions but Van der Merwe would be a powerful option from the bench.
second row gray is one of the unsung heroes of the scotland squad but there is strong competition from the likes of Iain Henderson and James ryan of Ireland, Maro Itoje of england and wales’ Alun wyn Jones. gray goes quietly about his work with his tackle rate always impressive.
Centre Harris is a better defensive option than Jonathan davies of wales and, although not as good an all-round player as Ireland’s robbie Henshaw, is a far better option than owen Farrell and should go as one of the midfield players.
sutherland, meanwhile, has been consistent for scotland and would provide good cover for wyn Jones of wales and england’s Mako Vunipola. Flanker ritchie remains a bit of a long shot but impressed during the Championship and could sneak his way on to the plane.
one can only hope Townsend’s voice holds some sway with gatland, especially given reports suggest that steve Borthwick (forwards coach), Andy Farrell (defence coach) and graham rowntree (scrum coach), all of whom expressed an interest in being involved, have subsequently all turned down the Lions for various reasons.
gatland could do far worse than turn to scotland defence coach steve Tandy and their scrum coach Pieter de Villiers, although he may get a nose bleed if he finds himself having that many of a Tartan persuasion in his party.
Perhaps, then, we shouldn’t push our luck...