The bookies say Scotland are underdogs rather than “red-hot favourites” but Gregor Townsend and his team don’t care about the pre-match tags heading into the Calcutta Cup.
The head coach laughed off English counterpart Eddie Jones’ description of the Scots as he named a tried and tested looking team for the Guinness Six Nations opener.
No big surprises
Your Scotland team for Saturday’s @SixNationsRugby opener against @EnglandRugby has been confirmed.
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/QI9hVUKjJK#AsOne pic.twitter.com/4mlG3vfR9q
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 3, 2022
There are no outright surprises but a few raised eyebrows. British Lions Rory Sutherland, who missed all of November and has played only a handful of games this season, starts at loose head ahead of Pierre Schoeman.
Jonny Gray is recalled to the second row as expected, but his partner is veteran lineout caller Grant Gilchrist rather than Scott Cummings or Sam Skinner.
In the backs, Townsend and his coaching team opted not to recall Cameron Redpath and it’s the unit that played for much of 2021. There are places on the bench for Skinner, Magnus Bradbury, Sione Tuipulotu and the uncapped London Irish scrum-half, Ben White.
Jones showed his usual fondness for an headline in naming and England team captained by Tom Curry and featuring seven players with less than double figures in caps.
But Townsend wasn’t biting.
‘Every coach does this song and dance’
He’s not right. But I applaud his attempt at mind games. pic.twitter.com/La5YCY8zym
— Jamie Weir (@jamiecweir) February 3, 2022
“Every coach does this little song and dance going into a game trying to convince the media they’re underdogs,” he said. “They say to their players, ‘we’re backs against the wall, going to this hostile place and we’re underdogs’.
“I don’t know who picks the favourites – the bookies obviously do, and I know we’re not the favourites with the bookies.
“It’s not really something we talk or worry about.”
He conceded that Scotland could reasonably take a favourite tag these days, and the reason was the players.
“Our players have driven these standards at training, gone through experiences that have made them better,” he said.
“These were not always pleasant experiences. Sometimes that’s been failure, sometimes that’s been finding wins in the last minutes of games. But it’s got them closer together as a group and a better team for those experiences.”
‘We would be one of those teams’
Eddie Jones has named his matchday squad for #SCOvENG 🌹@O2sports | #WearTheRose
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 3, 2022
The coach feels this is potentially the most balanced Six Nations ever.
“I remember when I played and spectated maybe two teams were in the running for the Six Nations,” he said.
“That’s changed. Most teams on their day can beat any other team, that’s been proven in the last couple of seasons.
“We would be one of those teams. We had three wins and two close defeats last year so we’ve been very competitive. Similar story a year before.
“We’ve just to make sure we’re improving, making progress, continuing to win those games we get in position to win, and finding ways to win when we aren’t playing as well.”
Teams
Scotland team: Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, capt); Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), Chris Harris (Gloucester), Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester); Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors); Rory Sutherland (Worcester), George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors); Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs); Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), WP Nel (Edinburgh), Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh), Ben White (London Irish), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors).
England: Freddie Steward (Leicester); Max Malins (Saracens), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Joe Marchant (Harlequins); Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester); Ellis Genge (Leicester), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol); Maro Itoje (Saracens), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens); Lewis Ludlam (Northampton), Tom Curry (Sale, capt), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs).
Replacements: Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Will Stuart (Bath), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Harry Randall (Bristol), George Ford (Leicester), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs).