Townsend expecting a stern test from Chile
GREGOR TOWNSEND is treating tomorrow’s game between Scotland ‘A’ and Chile in Santiago as a full-on Test match to ensure there is no complacency in his squad.
The South American side is made up of part-time and amateur players and, ordinarily, the first meeting between the two countries should result in an easy victory for the tourists.
But Scotland head coach Townsend, who has named Luke Crosbie as skipper for this first match of the summer tour, goes into the fixture without any of his English-based players like Duhan van der Merwe and Jonny Gray as it falls outside the international window.
Townsend, who has given talismen Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell the summer off, has named a second-string starting team that lacks experience. But, if things don’t go to plan, he has a bench that includes Blair Kinghorn, Mark Bennett, Pierre Schoeman, Ali Price and Magnus Bradbury.
The Chile players will fancy their chances of putting up a decent fight at the very least.
They have been together for weeks preparing not just for the Scotland game but their World Cup play-off against the USA next month. The home players will be awarded caps tomorrow but their opponents will not, with the SRU designating it an ‘A’ international. ‘We are viewing it as a Test match and it is only designated an “A” game by us as it falls outside the international window,’ said Townsend, whose team then have three Tests against Argentina. ‘We are not able to pick all our players but it is a game that has been added on to a tour which we feel is beneficial. ‘This is the first time that a team from the Six Nations has played Chile in 60 years, so we know it is going to be a huge chance for them to take on a team from the northern hemisphere and help their preparations for facing the USA. ‘We are expecting a high standard from Chile, a standard that has got them very close to being a World Cup team next year. They have beaten Russia and Canada on their way to the World Cup play-off game in two weeks’ time against the USA.
‘A lot of their players are involved in the South American professional championship and their team which represents Chile beat the Jaguares, the Argentinian professional side, and played some really good rugby.
‘They’ll be strong in the set-piece, strong in the scrum; they’ll be very physical. From what we’ve seen, they seem to be a team that’s really aggressive in defence. They’ll look to jackal and it’s very similar to what we’ll get against Argentina over the next few weeks.’
Townsend has drummed into his players the need for total concentration in a fixture that has captivated Chilean rugby fans, with 20,000 expected inside the Estadio Santa Laura Universidad.
‘We know we are representing Scotland and, for a number of players, it has been a while since they played for their country,’ he added. ‘We have guys like Scott Cummings and Matt Fagerson coming back from injuries or, in other cases, it is the first opportunity for some to be involved outside of age-grade rugby, so they will be pumped up.
‘The players are aware that Chile are a confident team and they are very cohesive.
‘While many people won’t recognise the players’ names, they have been in camp for weeks.
‘A lot of the players play together in the South American championship and they have four players coming from France and Spain. Cohesion can be a huge weapon at international level, so we’ve got to find our game quickly and adapt to what they are doing but also impose the ways we have been working in training.’
Townsend said he had no
hesitation in naming Edinburgh back-row Crosbie as his ‘A’ team captain. The 25-year-old’s only cap came last year against Tonga.
‘Luke is a leader by example, the way he plays, the way he trains,’ he said. ‘He’s proud to represent Scotland, and he’s had captaincy experience at Edinburgh this year.
‘A year ago he was due to be captain in our “A” game against England which unfortunately got cancelled. We thought highly of him then; we think very highly of him now. He missed the Six Nations through injury, but he’s bounced back really well from that and I thought he was one of the form players at the end of the season.’
Crosbie will be on one flank tomorrow, and his Edinburgh team-mate Ben Muncaster on the other, with Fagerson of Glasgow Warriors at No8.
Scott Cummings, who missed the Six Nations through injury, will be joined in the second-row by Jamie Hodgson who played against France and Italy during this year’s Championship.
In the front row, Warriors prop Jamie Bhatti and Javan Sebastian of Scarlets will be either side of Edinburgh hooker David Cherry.
Glasgow duo George Horne and Ross Thompson are the half-backs with their team-mate Sione Tuipulotu, who will be vicecaptain, in the centre alongside Edinburgh’s Matt Currie.
Damian Hoyland will play his first match for Scotland since 2017 on one wing, with Rufus McLean on the other.
Ollie Smith will make his first appearance in a senior Scotland shirt at full-back.