FRESH IMPETUS
Emergence of new blood gives Gregor faith to implement his national vision
SCOTLAND head coach Gregor Townsend has hinted he would like to stay on until the 2023 World Cup but admits the decision is not his to make. Townsend, who is out of contract next summer, faced mounting pressure earlier in the year after losing the opening two Six Nations fixtures on the back of a public falling-out with star fly-half Finn Russell.
That followed on from a disappointing World Cup last year where defeats to Ireland and Japan had many questioning the progress of the side under his stewardship.
However, back-to-back wins over Italy and France and the hint of a return for Russell in the near future helped to change the mood music around Murrayfield before the coronavirus crisis brought a premature end to the Six Nations campaign.
Asked about the possibility of extending his reign, Townsend said: ‘We will see but it will depend on what the bosses think. I have enjoyed this season. I have enjoyed working with the coaches and management and players.
‘I have seen real positive signs that this group can have success. I feel very privileged to be in this job so I want to give it my best shot and see where it takes me.’
What encourages Townsend is the quality of young talent available to him, like flanker Jamie Ritchie who he believes will be a candidate for the British and Irish Lions squad that tours South Africa next year.
There is also new blood coming through such as the South African born trio of winger Duhan van der Merwe, fly-half Jaco van der Walt and prop Oli Kebble — all of whom become available through residency at various times this year.
‘We don’t have many, if any, players we believe will retire over the next three years of this World Cup cycle,’ said Townsend. ‘It is now more about how the team can progress. Consistency has to be a big driver of that.
‘The difference between our best game and our worst game has to be closer. If we can learn from each game then this group can continue to improve and I believe we will see a lot of progress from this squad.’
Ritchie was one of Scotland’s stand-out players in the World Cup and also in the four Six Nations games that Scotland played in this year’s tournament. Although Stuart Hogg is likely to remain as Scotland captain until the World Cup in France, it is the Edinburgh flanker who is shaping up to have lots of influence over the next few years.
‘The encouraging thing is Jamie’s been on that upward curve for more than just these past six months,’ said the Scotland head coach. ‘In last year’s Six Nations he was outstanding. He came into the World Cup having broken his cheekbone in our final warm-up game and in the two games he played in that World Cup, Samoa and Japan, he was one of our best players.
‘He’s a player who can play equally well at six and seven and he’s played both in the previous couple of seasons. He’s been very consistent and has an all-round game, so we see his ability to defend and chase kicks, and win ball on the ground and above the ground in defence.
‘But also we see his linking ability in the games he plays. For instance he put in two good try-scoring passes for Sean Maitland in the game against France during this year’s Six Nations. He’s young, too, so we’d expect to see what he can do for us for the next few years and he certainly should be in the mix for the Lions next summer.’
Vital to Townsend’s future success is ensuring that Russell returns to the fold after fall-out ahead of the Six Nations. The pair have been in contact during lockdown, with the Scotland head coach confident they have made their peace.
‘Given that we are still talking about Finn now, it is obviously something which is still of huge interest,’ he said. ‘These things can continue longer than you want them from both parties. I think the important thing is that we can learn from how we could have done things better. Another important thing is also moving on from it too. The process of bringing someone back into the fold after what has gone before is something we drive towards doing.
‘Also fundamental to that is the players’ feedback, so there were things we learned at the World Cup we put into place for the Six Nations. Our environment and culture has been a positive one but there are ways to keep improving it.’
Ritchie, Russell and Hogg are three players who will be in the mix for the next Lions squad but there will be others Warren Gatland will consider. Flanker Hamish Watson, prop Zander Fagerson and secondrow Jonny Gray are others who will already be on his list of possibles.
Townsend is frustrated his players won’t get the chance to improve their Lions chances after the two matches against world champions South Africa and one against New
Zealand due in July were postponed due to the coronavirus.
‘A lot of our players put their hands up this year in how they played against some very tough opposition, and it’s disappointing for them as individuals and us as a team that we don’t get to play South Africa and New Zealand on our summer tour,’ he said.
‘That was going to be the toughest, most challenging tour I’ve ever seen for a Scotland team but it would have been a good marker for where we were as a team, where individuals were.
‘Until then our players will have to play the games in front of them and impress a Lions coaching group that will want to see them in the most difficult situations, such as away games in the Six Nations, play-off games and Pro14 knockout games.
‘If our players can excel in those games, they’ll have more chance of getting on that Lions tour.’