Do Scotland dare to dream of Six Nations success?
2025-01-16
Category: sports

The alarm that forced the evacuation of the building where Gregor Townsend was about to talk about his squad for the Six Nations - a portent of doom for the Scots or a siren signalling their intent?For the eighth time in his coaching life, Townsend named a Six Nations squad. A band of 37 players with newcomers in the exciting Saracens fly-half Fergus Burke (the Kiwi has a Glasgow grandad) and Glasgow Warriors number eight Jack Mann.There's the return of the prodigal lock, Jonny Gray, close to two years since he won the last of his 77 caps. Seven of the forwards have six caps or fewer. Seven of the backs have 10 or fewer.If that gives the impression of callowness, it's a false one. This is one of the most experienced groups that Townsend has ever put together since he became Scotland coach in the summer of 2017.What's different between this season and last is that many of his players have won titles in the meantime. He has the core of the Glasgow side that won the URC and he has Blair Kinghorn, who won the double with Toulouse.Time was when less than a handful of his squad had actually won anything. Now a bunch have - and recently. And there's also Gray, who won a Premiership and Champions Cup double with Exeter before moving to France where his team, Bordeaux, sits atop the French league.Whither Scotland? Is it now or never for the team with the Hollywood backline? Is this the season when they finally deliver after all the false dawns? Two home games to start. A relatively clean bill of health compared to other years. A team with class and nous and more physicality than last time. Do you dare to dream, Scotland? Is this it?
Fly-halves Jordan & Burke add depth
Townsend has added two fly-halves to his mix since the last Six Nations, a much-needed influx of new blood at 10. Glasgow's Tom Jordan is a 10, 12 and 15 who was brilliant when the Warriors roared away to win the URC. His performances in the autumn were rich in attacking wit and defensive power. Jordan is Finn Russell's understudy and a damn fine one.Burke is the new boy. At 25, the Saracen is seven years younger than Russell, three years younger than the injured Adam Hastings, and a year younger than Jordan.Mark McCall, his boss at Saracens, says he is measured and calm and not one to get hurried or rattled in the heat of a game. Scott Robertson, his former coach at the Crusaders, says Burke is the type of player who can command a room and a team.Previously, Scotland would have had kittens when Russell so much as blew his nose. They'd never want to lose the great man, but excellent back-up exists. One problem solved.
No white knight at tight-head
Townsend used to pluck players from obscure places and put them in his squad. There was a hope he might have unearthed a new and quality tight-head to support the remarkable Zander Fagerson, but no such luck.Will Hurd of Leicester and D'Arcy Rae of Edinburgh are serviceable options, but there's a big burden on big Zander again in this championship. Of all the players that Townsend cannot afford to lose, Fagerson the elder is number one. And two. And possibly three.
Here's Jonny...
The forgotten man is now back in the fold. Gray has missed nearly two years of Test rugby, has seen a World Cup and a Six Nations pass him by, has endured an horrific time with injury but, at 30, he's ready for the next stage of his Test life.One of Scotland's issues in the past has been physicality - or not quite enough of it at critical moments. The loss through injury of the young beast Max Williamson - so powerful against the Boks in the autumn - is now offset by Gray's reappearance.He has been exceptional for Bordeaux, his engine and his defensive game helping them to rocket to the top of the table. The fact it's a Lions year will only drive him on. Unlike his big brother, he's never toured with them. Jonny doesn't say much, but everybody knows what going to Australia in the summer would mean to him. He's back in the hunt now.
Cult hero Matthews misses out again
There are four hookers in the squad and Glasgow's URC-winning, top try-scoring hooker isn't one of them. Again. Johnny Matthews has a legion of followers and they'll be pitchfork-angry right now.Dave Cherry has come in out of the blue. The last time he was spotted in a Scotland camp was when he fell down the stairs of the team hotel during the World Cup.Cherry has been fine for Edinburgh in recent weeks, but his inclusion is still a bit of a surprise. Scotland look callow at hooker. Ewan Ashman is unchallenged as starter, then there's Dylan Richardson (six caps), Patrick Harrison (three caps) and Cherry (11 caps and unmapped in a Test sense since autumn 2023)Matthews is deemed not to have the requisite power for international rugby. That's a debatable claim. Gregor Hiddleston, also of Glasgow, can consider himself a touch unlucky as well. That hooking position is a source of angst. If Ashman goes down...
The key selection issues
The backline more or less picks itself, especially with the injury to Kyle Steyn. The wing is such an intelligent all-round player, and such a clever leader, that he might have broken up the Duhan van der Merwe-Darcy Graham partnership, but the Glasgow man will miss the first two games.The pack is almost locked in as well. The only debate being in the second row. It was going to be Grant Gilchrist and Scott Cummings, but Gray's availability is going to shake that up.If he's fit and firing - he's missed a few weeks but is expected back maybe as soon as this weekend - Gray probably starts with Gilchrist. Cummings' power off the bench late on could be critical.Back-row, assuming fitness, will be the usual combination of Matt Fagerson (outside of Scotland, relatively unsung, but a colossus part of this team's belligerence), Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey.Scotland's bench will have some game-breakers in George Horne, Jordan and one from Rory Hutchinson, Burke, Kyle Rowe, Jamie Dobie and Stafford McDowall. Some proven players will miss out.Townsend said on Wednesday this squad has more depth than any he has picked before. It has more winners and more quality, too. Led by the world-class Sione Tuipulotu, and inspired by Russell the leviathan, they will be talked about a lot in the coming weeks.