Armstrong: Don’t expect too many Scots in Lions squad
EEKENDS are all about TV shows where people display their skills trying to win their way to a bigger prize. Unfortunately, their talents and ambitions are often side-swiped by an unforgiving judge who has the sole call on whether they go on a journey of a lifetime or get to watch the main event at home in front of the telly.
In some ways, the RBS Six Nations has been just that, the 2017 version of Strictly Rugby or Britain’s (and Ireland’s) Got Rugby Talent, with dozens trying to make it on to a plane trip and a tour to New Zealand.
Right now, British & Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland will have his ideas on who has done enough to take on the All Blacks.
According to Herald Sport rugby columnist Gary Armstrong, Gatland would have sat down yesterday morning with a very long shortlist.
However, the former Scotland scrum-half, who toured Australia with the Lions in 1989, does not expect too many Scots to feature on the trip, almost entirely because of just 80 minutes of rugby.
“I really hope I’m wrong, but I honestly think we will have done well to get four or five on the tour – and that is disappointing because, three games in, we really could have been looking at six or eight.
“But the England game cost Scotland dearly in terms of our overall position on the Six Nations table and, ultimately, will have wrecked the hopes of a couple of players who were on the fringes of Gatland’s thoughts,” says Armstrong.
He continued: “The game at Twickenham was like a boxing title eliminator where you are pitched directly against another contender. It could have been at prop or second-row, scrum-half or back-row.
“But in those one-to-one, head-to-heads, too many of the Scots lads just didn’t win their individual contests – and that, for a coach like Warren Gatland, is the easiest way to draw direct comparisons and turn possibles in to probables.
“It may sound old-school, and bypasses all the technology that can be used to monitor performance levels and the likes, but you would need to have had some unbelievable performances elsewhere to still feature in Gatland’s thoughts after Twickenham.
“There is no room for experimentation on Lions tours … no building or recruitment for ‘the next time’. It’s cut-throat stuff.”
Armstrong believes Stuart Hogg, along with Jonny and Richie Gray, will make the Lions squad on merit. But, having been tipped as a possible starter, never mind one of the places at stand-off, Armstrong says Finn Russell could be disappointed.
“As I said, a few weeks ago there were several names in the frame; Hamish Watson, Huw Jones, Tommy Seymour. Finn [Russell] was the same. But, while he had a good game against Italy, over in Dublin, Jonathan Sexton was outstanding as the Irish wrecked England’s Grand Slam ambitions.
“Sexton was injured when we played Ireland, so there was no direct comparison to be had. But when you see how Russell played England’s George Ford compared to Sexton, then there is only one winner.
“Sexton is a Test match kicker, particularly under real pressure, while his overall game is sound. He is probably the best tackling stand-off I’ve seen since Craig Chalmers or Jonny Wilkinson, two who punched way above their weight on that front.
“So, for me, Finn is probably one of three chasing what might be two other places. And, for me, he could come up just short.”
Ireland’s victory at the Aviva Stadium also showcased another couple of Irishmen who weren’t short of fans or potential, and who stepped up against the English.
“Flanker Peter O’Mahony was only a starter because of the injury to Jamie Heaslip and ended up as man of the match. And, back at the start of February, all of my Irish friends were talking up Garry Ringrose at centre being the next star.
“I didn’t see much of that, I’ll admit – until the weekend, when he was a class act against England, and again, against the players he will be judged against in the home islands.
“I’m not saying O’Mahony or Ringrose are better than Watson or Jones or Alex Dunbar. But their performances in their biggest game, against England, were eye-catching, and may have pushed them in to Warren Gatland’s thoughts.
“Will previous efforts, like Watson’s when he came on against Wales, or Jones scoring two tries at Twickenham be remembered? I don’t know.
“Who knows, none of them might be considered. Hence the reason why there might be so few Scots on the flight.”
However, Armstrong says there is one potential wild card that could bolster the Scots contingent.
“He might be four weeks away from training after being injured against France but, for me, Greig Laidlaw has an outside chance of selection, if he can show some kind of fitness.
“Conor Murray of Ireland didn’t play on Saturday but would still be viewed as favourite to start against the All Blacks. But his replacement, Kieran Marmion outplayed English rivals Ben Youngs and Danny Care. Rhys Webb of Wales has impressed over the five games, but Gatland is likely to load up on scrum-halves just because you can’t afford to be playing your Test guys too often.
“And that might be the stance that gets Greig in the frame; he is a consistent international performer, a captain at test level, and a cracking place kicker. Those credentials could see him the ideal midweek skipper while protecting the guys who you want to be starting with against the All Blacks.
“It might be slightly speculative and contrived thinking, but I want as many Scots out in New Zealand as possible because they will come back better players – and that can only be good for us.” EDDIE JONES insists England will ultimately prosper from seeing a place in history denied by Ireland’s Grand Slam ambush in Dublin.
A 13-9 defeat at the Aviva Stadium brought the RBS 6 Nations to a fittingly captivating climax and left the champions stranded alongside New Zealand as they sought to surpass the 18-Test record run set by the All Blacks last year.
It was the first defeat of Jones’ reign and the head coach views it as an important learning experience as he plots England’s route to World Cup glory in 2019.
“We are 14 months into a four-year project. We have been chuffed with the results we have had, but realism tells us we have still got a lot to do,” Jones said.
“We were caught in certain areas by Ireland and full credit goes to them. We will learn from it.
“We are going to have more setbacks as we go to the World Cup. How many teams have a 90 per cent winning record at Test level?
“There are not too many, the All Blacks are the only ones and we have been doing that since the last World Cup.”
Victory at the Aviva Stadium would have delivered the first back-to-back Grand Slams of the Six Nations era, but rattled England were well beaten by the impassioned hosts. CENTRE Jonathan Davies has claimed “it just didn’t seem right” after Wales’ RBS 6 Nations campaign ended in controversial and crushing fashion against France.
Wales were beaten 20-18, conceding a try and 100th-minute conversion in a game that could now be investigated by Six Nations chiefs after a chaotic finale.
Wales’ interim head coach Rob Howley said the “integrity of the game had been brought into disrepute” after France replacement prop Uini Atonio went off for a head injury assessment, with starting tighthead Rabah Slimani then returning during 20 minutes of second-half stoppage time.
Slimani had earlier been replaced but the France team doctor insisted Atonio needed a head injury assessment, therefore allowing Slimani to go back on as France laid siege to Wales’ line through a series of scrums.
Howley said: “What happened in the last 10 minutes of that game shouldn’t ever happen again on an international rugby field.”
France could face disciplinary action if anything is proven against them. Wales are also waiting to hear if any action will be taken after claiming George North had been bitten during the game.