The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Four cut as Townsend trims training squad
Grigg, Steyn, Pyrgos and Graham sent back to clubs ahead of warm-up matches
The first cut was the slightest, with just four of Gregor Townsend’s extended training squad for the Rugby World Cup returning to their clubs as 40 go on to the four warm-up matches over the next month.
Townsend trimmed his squad yesterday with three backs and a forward leaving. Nick Grigg, who actually started the last Test Scotland played, against England at Twickenham in March, is perhaps the most surprising to be omitted, at least as early as this.
Kyle Steyn, who was one of the two last call-ups for the squad after impressing for Glasgow in the final few weeks, and Henry Pyrgos, always likely to be fourth out of the four scrum-halves initially selected, are being cut, as is Newcastle Falcons back-rower Gary Graham.
It leaves Townsend with 40 players to examine in live action after nearly two months of on-off training camp.
It’s likely that the teams for those four warm-up games – starting in Nice against France next week – have already been pencilled in, pending injuries, and at the end of that process the four were considered to be better off back at preseason with their clubs.
The considerable potential for injuries means that none of the four should consider themselves entirely out of the picture for Japan, said the head coach.
“I’d like to thank these players for the work-rate and commitment they’ve shown as part of our preparations for the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
“They’ve been a credit to a very strong group of players, and we wish them all the best in the season ahead.”
He added: “Players are often called up from beyond the 31-man group that travels to a world cup, so I’d encourage these players to keep working as hard on their skills and fitness as they have over the summer, as we may need to call on them in the weeks ahead.”
The omissions do give some clues to Townsend’s thinking prior to pruning the squad still further to the final 31 that will travel to Japan, with the uncapped Rory Hutchison clearly having impressed enough to be preferred to both Steyn, also uncapped, and Grigg, who started three games in the Six Nations.
The omissions also show faith in the two players included despite missing much of last season with injury issues, centre Duncan Taylor and the uncapped New Zealand-born back-rower Blade Thomson.
How those players go in the warmups – specifically Taylor, who hasn’t played for nearly 10 months and has a chronic injury history – will be crucial in determining the final cut.
However Taylor’s upside – he can play either centre position, wing, fullback and is a defensive leader – meant Townsend and the coaches were always going to give him every chance to prove himself.