Hastings can seize chance to make his own name
THE time has come for Adam Hastings. Named on the bench for Scotland’s Test against Canada this weekend, the son of Grand Slam legend Gavin will be given the chance to make a name for himself in the international game.
Impress, and the 21-year-old fly-half could quickly become part of Gregor Townsend’s planning for the 2019 World Cup and beyond.
The Scotland head coach will give Hastings game-time against the Canadians and the week after in Houston against the USA. With Finn Russell absent, Townsend is eager to find a reliable understudy at No 10 — and opportunity certainly knocks for the Glasgow Warriors youngster.
‘Adam is a young player who doesn’t need to prove anything — he just needs to improve,’ said Townsend.
‘There will be opportunities for him on this tour. No doubt there will be opportunities with him next season at Glasgow.
‘Adam is in his first year, really, as a full-time professional. The good thing about what he’s done is he’s got better every time we’ve seen him play.
‘I thought he played really well for Glasgow during the Six Nations period when Finn and Peter Horne were away. I know Dave Rennie and the Glasgow coaches have been very impressed with him on and off the field.
‘When he hasn’t been starting, he’s really helped the training sessions. Since we arrived in Canada, he’s trained very well with us. He will get an opportunity, obviously off the bench this week, and is likely to be involved next week, too.’
Townsend has decided to play it safe by starting veteran Ruaridh Jackson at fly-half against Canada. But, when the time is right, he will unleash Hastings.
‘Finding more contenders for No10 is one of our priorities on this tour but not the only one,’ he continued.
‘Ruaridh has been in good form, mostly at full-back this season, but he has played for Scotland and for his English clubs at No10.
‘Having him there gives us a bit more experience in that position against Canada and we can bring Adam into the game later on.’
Harlequins fly-half James Lang will also make his debut but at inside centre, alongside Chris Harris of Newcastle Falcons.
‘His skills at 12 suit the way we want to play in that position,’ explained Townsend.
‘We have been very impressed with him at training and he has worked really hard.
‘He has been mainly on the bench for the last few weeks at Harlequins but he can cover a lot of positions in the back line. His last game for Harlequins was in the last game of the season and he was a 12. That is what we and his club see as his best position.’
Other debutants in Edmonton include back-row forward Jamie Ritchie and second row Lewis Carmichael, who is on the bench along with Hastings.
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne starts ahead of Ali Price at scrum-half while hooker Fraser Brown replaces the injured Stuart McInally, who was set to skipper the Scots.
That honour will now fall to Grant Gilchrist.
‘Stuart just pulled up a little bit the day before we left the country,’ said Townsend. ‘We brought Grant Stuart into the squad as cover as we knew that the first game might be out of reach for Stuart.
‘We are not going to take any risks with him. Certainly, if there is any question over his fitness he will not be involved in the second game against the USA, although we do not think it will be an injury that will take him out of the tour. We think he will be available for one if not two of the games.
‘We’ve left some Glasgow players out of this Canada game like Stuart Hogg but they are fit and available for selection going forward in the tour. Blair Kinghorn starts at No 15 and is doing well.’
Townsend also said he was ‘gutted’ for his first-choice captain John Barclay, who is now in a race against time to be fit for the Six Nations after rupturing his tendon playing for Scarlets against Glasgow Warriors in the Pro14 semi-final.
He added: ‘We were always going to give him the summer off but it is a blow for him being out for a long time. We just hope the recovery goes well. If he is right for the Six Nations that will be a bonus. Let’s hope that’s the case.’