Former ballet prodigy earns Scotland call
Australian-born No8 is handed surprise debut Ten changes from team beaten by Irish in Japan
Gregor Townsend has lobbed in his usual selectorial grenade by picking Nick Haining, the Edinburgh No8, to face Ireland in tomorrow’s Six Nations opener.
The 29-year-old addition to a very mobile pack is not the only selection providing a clue to Scotland’s intentions in Dublin. Up front, the inclusion of Zander Fagerson at tighthead instead of WP Nel, whose lack of game time means he does not even make the bench, points to a high-tempo game plan. So, too, does the selection of Scott Cummings alongside Jonny Gray in the second row.
In the backs, Adam Hastings steps up at fly-half in place of the absent Finn Russell, while Northampton centre Rory Hutchinson – whose absence from the World Cup looks more like a mistake every day – provides cover for No 10 and inside centre from the bench.
The selection of the resurgent Huw Jones at outside centre underlines Townsend’s determination to be seen to be picking on form. Darcy Graham’s late injury has given Blair Kinghorn an opportunity on the wing. Injuries to Magnus Bradbury and Matt Fagerson mean that Haining, a surprise choice for the Six Nations squad, makes an even more unlikely appearance for his first cap, when he will face Ireland’s uncapped Caelan Doris of Leinster.
The 6ft 4in Australian-born No8 undoubtedly qualifies as a bolter. A former wing who came on for Western Force against the 2013 British and Irish Lions, his route to his Scotland debut is unique.
A ballet prodigy as a schoolboy (his sister is model and celebrity fitness instructor Tegan Haining, famous for training David Beckham and Natalie Imbruglia), his career as a rugby player seemed to have hit the buffers when Western Force cut him from their academy in 2013.
However, he reinvented himself by joining Jersey, where, as a rangy 18st 4lb player, he excelled as a ballcarrying No 8. He then moved to Bristol, where he spent two seasons under Pat Lam before being released at the end of last season.
With his family tree containing a Dundonian grandmother who left for Fremantle 70 years ago as one of the “Ten Pound Poms”, he was snapped up by Richard Cockerill at Edinburgh, where he has spent all season trying to attract Townsend’s attention. A player who mixes good footwork and nice hands with a hard edge in defence, despite sharing the No8 duties with Bill Mata, he soon achieved that feat.
Townsend, sensitive to accusations that he has failed to pick on form, defended his decision to name Haining in the absence of Matt Fagerson, Bradbury and the discarded Ryan Wilson. “Nick gets his opportunity on the back of his form for Edinburgh,” Townsend said. “Whenever he’s had his opportunity, he’s done well. We are looking forward to seeing him play.”
With openside Hamish Watson a destructive ball-carrier, and Jamie Ritchie bringing a hard edge to the physical confrontations, Haining’s addition to his two club colleagues makes Scotland’s back row look a well-balanced unit. However, they form part of a pack who look mobile but small, so taking on an Irish forward unit who have muscle aplenty will be a major challenge.
Although Townsend says he does not know “if we have a point to prove” against an Ireland side who humiliated Scotland 27-3 at the World Cup, this is a markedly different XV, showing 10 changes from the starting line-up in Yokohama in September.
Ireland have not been beaten at the Aviva Stadium by Scotland since 1998, but Townsend said: “It’s important we are in the game and we stay in the fight for as long as possible. We are looking to impose our game on Ireland but we know that won’t be easy. They have so much quality and they are on their own patch. The first 20-30 minutes will be tough and we need to be up for that.”