Eddie’s prop rookies will give Scots hope
Nick Cain runs the rule over England’s opening match against Scotland
THERE are two things we can be sure of about Duhan van der Merwe, as Scotland’s latest strike weapon limbers-up for his Calcutta Cup initiation at Twickenham on Saturday.
The first is that he is about the Scottish as biltong, and the second is that if the English defensive line gives him a sniff of an opening the big ‘Springjock’ winger will be off the mark faster than a leopard that has not had a full belly for a couple of weeks.
Two months ago, when Scotland were last in action in the Autumn Nations Cup, Van der Merwe’s spectacular 40 metre solo try was the highlight of an otherwise forgettable 31-16 Scottish defeat by Ireland in Dublin.
The way that the 6ft 4ins Van der Merwe left Jacob Stockdale rooted to the spot with an outside break will have made Scotland coach Gregor Townsend’s three-year wait for him to qualify under the residency rule worthwhile.
The other bonus for Townsend is the peace-pact between the coach and quixotic fly-half Finn Russell, which appears to have been brokered by Scotland captain Stuart Hogg.
Russell’s reinstatement means that the Scots will travel south with the belief that this time they can finish the job of shredding England’s defence, which their play-maker started two years ago, rather than letting them claw back a draw.
Hogg has indicated already that Russell has taken a command role, ‘coaching the boys’ and even putting players into the positions on the pitch where he wants them.
This obviously has Townsend’s buy-in, and the coach has been enthusing about a backline energised further by the recent decision of Cameron Redpath, the 21-year-old Bath centre – whose father is the former Scotland captain, Bryan Redpath – to choose Scotland over England. Townsend has talked about the extra depth his squad now possesses across the board, as well as the boost that eager youngsters like Redpath and livewire wing Darcy Graham, left, bring to the squad. Nobody would argue that the Scottish backline can now boast multiple threats in Russell, Van der Merwe, Hogg, and Graham, as well as presence and experience in the shape of Duncan Taylor (Saracens) and Chris Harris (Gloucester) in midfield, and Sean Maitland (Saracens) out wide.
However, it is not as if England are unaware of what is coming. Eddie Jones’ side know that the match is likely to hinge on whether Russell has a platform on which to spin and weave – because if the Scots are under pressure in the forward battle, then they risk the English being able to smash the fly-half ’s loom.
Based on recent encounters the power gap between the English and Scottish packs has closed significantly, and the loss of tighthead Kyle Sinckler through a disciplinary suspension, as well as the withdrawal of seasoned loosehead Joe Marler for family reasons, could narrow it even further.
This could have ramifications not just at the scrum, but also in the loose, because Sinckler is a valuable carrier, and Marler a handy defensive presence. The loss of both starting props going into the first round of the tournament – compounded by the injury to Mako Vunipola – will see the likely promotion of Will Stuart at tighthead and Ellis Genge at loose-head.
Both have made good progress over the last year, but a potential pressure point for the Scots is that neither Stuart, 24, nor Genge, almost 26, have been regular starters at international level.
Genge has started only eight of his 23 Tests, and his main impact for England so far has been off the bench – including muscling over for the match-clinching try at Murrayfield in last season’s storm-wracked encounter.
Stuart is in a more exposed place, having started in only one of his eight Tests, and it is notable that even though Harry Williams is more experienced, with 18 caps, the Exeter tighthead has started in just three.
Jones has had experience of bench props who are short of the conditioning to go the full 80 backfiring on him, with Dan Cole’s first minute call-up for Sinckler in the 2019 World Cup final the most painful.
It is why, despite forwards coach Matt Proudfoot having to undertake Covid self-isolation in the build-up, it is very unlikely the South African scrum specialist will have forgotten the lessons he dished out in Yokohama, and not made necessary adjustments. However, the improvements in the Scottish front five over the last two years, both at the scrum and in terms of carrying ability, with props Rory Sutherland and Zander Fagerson, and lock Jonny Gray, raising their game, means that the two packs will meet with the clash and roar of medieval battlelines colliding.
The back row marauders will be no less influential in the outcome, which is why it is so important to get the balance right. Now that Sam Underhill has been ruled out by injury, it would be no surprise if Courtney Lawes was picked at blindside, with Tom Curry moving across to openside to compete with Hamish Watson.
Lawes would offset the height factor of Scotland’s Jamie Ritchie at the tail of the lineout, leaving the dynamic Gary Graham to try and trump Billy Vunipola’s powerhouse credentials at No.8.
It is all about getting traction up front, and it is traditionally where England prevail – but if the Scottish pack can turn the tables, we have plenty of prior evidence that Russell is capable of finding space for the likes of Van der Merwe, and inspiring a rare victory on Red Rose soil.