GREGOR CUTS TO THE CHASE

No messing about from Townsend as he makes six changes Laidlaw returns at the expense of Price to add some stability

NO MORE messing about. The Six Nations is too serious a business, as Wales reminded us all, for flights of fancy. Gregor Townsend may have learned that lesson the hard way in Cardiff last weekend. But at least he learned. And one of the most affable men in rugby has been ruthless enough, as his friends and confidantes always said he would be, to do something about it.

The team picked to play France sees Greig Laidlaw back both as scrum-half and, significantly, a very active vice-captain.

Ryan Wilson, another with the VC honour next to his name, goes straight into the back row. Grant Gilchrist edges out Ben Toolis at lock.

Peter Horne returns to midfield for a 30th cap, while Championship rookie Chris Harris, who may still be dizzy after the runaround he received in the Principality Stadium, is gently escorted to the bench.

With those few simple strokes of the pen, Townsend has restored a great deal of experience — and some much-needed leadership — to Scotland’s starting XV ahead of Sunday’s visit of France.

The battlefield promotion of former captain Laidlaw, in particular, was a major no-brainer from the moment Ali Price began his mental collapse in Wales.

The natural leader will control the pace of play, while picking his passes with measured intent in a 60th appearance for Scotland.

And, just as importantly, he will be expected to keep mercurial standoff Finn Russell within the same general orbit as his team-mates.

‘Greig is an important player for Scotland given that he was captain for two or three seasons,’ explained Townsend, who knows there is no room for error following a disastrous start to this Six Nations campaign.

‘He’s there to help John Barclay in the leadership, with Ryan our other vice-captain. Already you can tell at training, the talking and getting points across.

‘Greig drives a lot of the standards off and on the field. We should get his experience on the field, which will help others around him.

‘Look, I think it can help Finn. It can help the team. It’s important that whoever is playing inside and outside Finn are helping him through attack or defence.

‘It always helps in decision making that he can speak to someone with that amount of experience, advising whether he should be putting the ball in behind or asking: “What are you seeing in terms of their defence?”

‘Greig, having had that more experience, should have the right answers.’

Gilchrist brings a defensive solidity that Toolis certainly did not show against the Welsh. Wilson has a jagged edge to his game, a complete contrast to the lack of presence brought to the No 8 jersey by Cornell du Preez in Cardiff.

Horne, who slots in at No 12 and allows Huw Jones to switch back to outside centre, makes up for a lack of size with a very good rugby brain, among other attributes.

Sean Maitland replaces the injured Byron McGuigan.

With the exception of Simon Berghan, returning from suspension in place of Jon Welsh, all of the players called into the starting XV have more experience than the men they are replacing.

‘We hope it will be a really important factor,’ said Townsend.

‘In Greig and Ryan, specifically, these are guys who have been captain or vice-captain of the team in the past.

‘We’re all aware that last week we didn’t perform anywhere like what we are capable of. And whether it was the same team that was going back out, I’m sure we would have seen a better performance.

‘But these changes, we believe, will make us stronger.

‘I really believe in the group of players. We under-performed (in Wales). It happens every now and again. You think hard about why it happened — and you go to a lot of measures to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

‘It was a painful learning game for a lot of people. And there were times in that game where we could have done better to come together as a group and focused on the next job, to maybe make sure that if someone made a mistake they’re back in the group and being positive.’

Outlining his own process post-trauma on Saturday night, the head coach revealed: ‘The first thing is to get more info on the game. I had my initial thoughts and I wanted to see if what I was feeling was right. That gave me and the coaches a better picture as to what was working and things that didn’t work.

‘Then we look back and say: “Why? Why did that happen? Was it our coaching emphasis? Was it selection? Was it the occasion? Why didn’t we perform at the level we’re capable of?”

‘You then break that down and discuss it with the players. How would we cope with situations if they presented themselves again?

‘The underlying theme and message is how we have to be more accurate. It was the inaccuracies that cost us opportunities we created — but also gave the ball to Wales, gave them good positions to attack against us and put us under more pressure.

‘The players have responded very well. There are some disappointed that they won’t be involved this week or are not starting.

‘But I’ve been really pleased with the attitude and energy at training this week.’

France remain the great conundrum, almost stereotypically so, with their unpredictability both an asset and weakness.

Townsend remains wary of their threat, pointing out: ‘What we’re certainly aware of is, if France get any momentum and confidence, they’re very, very dangerous.

‘That’s when they execute their back-line plays, their three-ontwos, better than any team in the world.

‘How they get that is through set-piece, going forward. Suddenly a play working for them, an early score, their chests are out, their shoulders are back — and they can play outstanding rugby.

‘If we can make sure that the confidence doesn’t come for them early in the game, if we keep defending very well and knocking their big men down, that helps.’

Defensive strength will be key on Sunday. If it is obvious that Scotland will improve on their opening Six Nations outing, will that be enough? There remains an air of trepidation among rugby folk. A genuine concern that the promise of last autumn, when the Aussies were ripped apart and the mighty All Blacks run right to the wire, has been blown away.

Townsend, invited to offer up reassurance to the home contingent in another 67,000 sellout, said simply: ‘All I could say to supporters is that this playing group is working very hard.

‘They’re showing us in training that they’re very focused. They are training with energy.

‘We are determined to recapture how we played in 2017 — and not what we’ve shown so far in 2018.’