Gregor’s happy with five released for the big finale
GREGOR Townsend has insisted Scotland secured a “satisfactory” deal to have five English-based players released for their Six Nations finale against France.
Scotland must do without Saracens wing Sean Maitland and a string of squad players for tonight’s Paris clash, that had been delayed due to an earlier coronavirus outbreak in Les Bleus’ squad.
The Scottish Rugby Union finally brokered a deal with English club bosses on Saturday night, to allow the release of five players for a match that now sits outside the regular Test window.
Scotland will feel Maitland’s absence most keenly, but Townsend was quick to insist the SRU had managed to claw the best result from a tricky situation.
“Look, it’s much more satisfactory than I thought it was going to be on Saturday, when none of our players were going to be available, and we were putting together a team of home-based players and Finn Russell,” said Townsend.
“I’m glad we did get a resolution that some of the players would be available - not all of them, but most of them.
“It’s a complex situation that the game was called off and put into a schedule where there are league games going on.
“In the past when Six Nations games were postponed they were played months and months later, or even in the following season.
“That’s what happened last year and in 2001 with foot and mouth.
“So to get a situation where we’re playing the week after the end of the Six Nations, that’s something the public would want.
“While we’ve not got all our players, everyone in our squad and our public are very keen that this game goes ahead this weekend.
“Sean Maitland was really disappointed, as was Jamie Bhatti, and the players who maybe would have come into contention.
“But the focus is now fully on the 15 and the 23 that are playing this week and are ready for this massive challenge.”
Racing 92 fly-half Finn Russell returns after concussion to take on a host of his Paris club-mates, with captain Stuart Hogg stepping back to his regular full-back role.
Ali Price will start at nine, with Chris Harris into the centres and George Turner starting at hooker.
France are gunning for the Six Nations title having foiled Wales’ Grand Slam bid in Paris last weekend.
But Scotland could still seal their highest-ever Six Nations finish of second, should they win by more than eight points.
“We feel we’re capable of going there and getting a result,” Townsend said.
“If we do deliver an 80-minute performance we’d be more than just competitive.”
Meanwhile France fly-half Romain Ntamack will make his first start of the 2021 Guinness Six Nations in Friday’s title-deciding clash with Scotland.
Ntamack, the leading points scorer in last year’s Championship, will replace the injured Matthieu Jalibert as part of five personnel changes.
Second-row pair Bernard Le Roux and Swan Rebbadj, flanker Anthony Jelonch and centre Arthur Vincent have also been brought in by head coach Fabien Galthie.
Les Bleus require a bonus-point victory and a winning margin of at least 21 points in Paris to become champions for the first time since 2010, otherwise glory will belong to Wales.
Jalibert was ruled out after suffering a head knock during last weekend’s dramatic last-gasp 32-30 win over the Welsh, which ensured the title race would go to the final match.
Ntamack came on for Jalibert in the first half on Saturday evening and will make his first Test start since the final round of last year’s Championship having overcome a jaw injury.
Paul Willemse begins a twomatch ban after being sent off for making contact with the eye of Wales prop Wyn Jones, while fellow lock Romain Taofifenua drops to the bench, along with flanker Dylan Cretin and wing Teddy Thomas. TEAMS
France: B Dulin (La Rochelle); D Penaud (Clermont Auvergne), V Vakatawa (Racing 92), A Vincent (Montpellier), G Fickou (Stade Francais); R Ntamack (Toulouse), A Dupont (Toulouse); C Baille (Toulouse), J Marchand (Toulouse), M Haouas (Montpellier), Bernard Le Roux (Racing 92), S Rebbadj (Toulon), A Jelonch (Castres), C Ollivon (Toulon, capt), G Alldritt (La Rochelle). Reps: C Chat (Racing 92), J-B Gros (Toulon), U Atonio (La Rochelle), R Taofifenua (Toulon), D Cretin (Lyon), B Serin (Toulon), Anthony Bouthier (Montpellier), T Thomas (Racing 92).
Scotland: S Hogg (Exeter, capt), D Graham (Edinburgh), C Harris (Gloucester), S Johnson (Glasgow), D Van Der Merwe (Edinburgh), F Russell (Racing 92), A Price (Glasgow), R Sutherland (Edinburgh), G Turner, Z Fagerson (both Glasgow), S Skinner (Exeter), G Gilchrist (Edinburgh), J Ritchie, H Watson (both Edinburgh), M Fagerson (Glasgow). Reps: D Cherry (Edinburgh), O Kebble (Glasgow), S Berghan (Edinburgh), A Craig (Gloucester), N Haining (Edinburgh), S Steele (Harlequins), A Hastings, H Jones (both Glasgow).
Referee:
Wayne Barnes (RFU)