Rugby: Townsend brings Russell back into the fold for Georgia tie
GREGOR TOWNSEND looks ahead to Scotland v Georgia as Fraser Brown is named captain and Finn Russell returns to the fold.
A new skipper, a first cap for the latest South African import and the return of an old favourite on the bench were the headlines as Gregor Townsend named his side to face Georgia at BT Murrayfield on Friday in the first installment of Scotland’s six-match autumn series.
Hook er Fraser Brown has been entrusted with the captaincy on the occasion of his 51st appearance for the national side and it is a fitting reward for a player who has had to battle back from career-threatening injuries and work through bouts of depression.
The one new face in the starting XV is Du hanv and er Merwe, Edinburgh’ s explosive winger, who qualified to play for Scotland during the long lay-off after fulfilling the threeyear residency requirement. The Guinness Pro14 player of the season will offer a muscular threat against the equally powerful Georgians. Another South African, Oli Kebble, is also in line to win his first cap after the Glasgow prop was named on the bench. He too qualifies on residency grounds.
Townsend has resisted the temptation to throw Finn Russell straight back into his side. The Scotland coach is sticking with Adam Hastings as his starting stand-off, with Russell among the replacements.
The Racing 92 play maker has not played for his country in over a year but has been reintegrated into the set-up this week following his welldocumented banishment on the eve of the Six Nations for a “breach of team protocol”.
There is also a return for Darcy Graham who will start against Georgia after missing the four Six Nations games with damaged knee li gaments. The winger will line up in an all-edinburgh back three alongside van der Merwe and full-back Blair Kinghorn.
There is nothing experimental about the team selection as Townsend looks to kickstart the autumn programme before next weekend’s trip to Llanelli to finish off last season’ s Six Nations C ham pi
on ship .“We wanted to put out our strongest team available and build that cohesion straight away,” said the Scotland coach. “We’ve had a week and a half of training but nothing beats a game to see where you are.”
With regular skip per Stuart Hogg absent as he prepares with Exeter Chiefs for Saturday’ s English Premiership final against Wasps, Townsend said he and his fellow coaches had no hesitation in turning to Brown.
“We were just thinking about what a great captain he’s been for Glasgow and he’s in the form of his life ,” reasoned the coach.“we’re just looking for him to continue that. He’s thriving in the role. He’s come out of that lockdown period in fantastic physical shape and he’s a top-quality, experienced player.”
Brown has had to overcome setbacks on and off the rugby pitch and his fortitude has not been lost on Townsend
“When you put it in the perspective of where he was six, seven years ago and before when it didn’t look like he’d play again, it’s a great turnaround ,” said the Scotland boss .“it’ s a testament to his character and his determination to get back and make the most of his rugby career.”
Brown will be assisted i n that area by two new vice-captains, scrum-half Ali Price and flanker Jamie Ritchie. Ritchie is just 24 but has matured into one of Scotland’ s most important players and one Townsend sees as a potential captain of the future .“He’s still a young man, he’s developing as a leader. Obviously, he developed really fast as a player over the last couple of years, and it’s been interesting and encouraging to see players that are given more leadership responsibility - that it doesn’t affect their game and they actually thrive on it, like Fraser has done at Glasgow this year, like Jamie did during the Six Nations.”
Townsend spoke last week about his own development and how lockdown had given him time to reflect on his fractured relationship with Russell and think about things he might have done differently during the whole sorry saga.
The player re joined the squad on Sunday, the day after playing in Racing’s Heineken Champions Cup final defeat by Exeter. He produced some wonderfully creative flourishes in the match but was also guilty of gifting the Chiefs a try.
Townsend, no stranger to such up-and-down moments in his own glittering career as a high-class stand-off, stressed there would be no attempt to curb Russell’s risk-taking.“any game you play there is going to be errors, and especially when you’re a 10 – and I should know that,” said the coach. There is a suspicion that Russell is being held in reserve for the Wales game which would be tough on Hastings who impressed in Scotland’s last two matches before lockdown, the wins over Italy and France.
Townsend reported that Hastings was “in great spirits”. “We’re enjoying seeing him in that No 10 jersey but there’s a lot of competition there - he knows that. We’re looking for competition with F inn and Duncy Weir to bring out the best in him, and bring out the best in the three of them.”
Grant Gilchrist and Damien Hoyland have been ruled out of the autumn matches. Neither player has experienced much luck with injuries in recent years and this time a groin problem has laid Gil - christ low while Hoyland hurt his ankle in training.