Scotland will have their fourth different midfield partnership in as many games, another switch of scrum-halves and a further rejig of the back row as head coach Andy Robinson battles to come up with a combination to get his side back to winning ways in Sunday’s Calcutta Cup match against England at Twickenham.
Robinson has recalled Joe Ansbro, Simon Danielli, Rory Lawson and Nathan Hines for the penultimate leg of a disappointing RBS Six Nations campaign.
He might stress his belief that progress has been made from the successful run of last year, but the final two games of this championship will require a tangible reflection of that on the scoreboard.
Despite Ruaridh Jackson’s uncertain display against Ireland, the 23-year-old fly-half is given a vote of confidence, and it seems he might well hold the 10 jersey through to the final match against Italy as well.
Johnnie Beattie’s inclusion against Ireland before he was really ready to return to international rugby after major shoulder surgery has been acknowledged as an error, and the back row returns to the trio outboxed by Wales, with Hines at blindside.
Nick De Luca and Nikki Walker are sacrificed in the backs to make room for Ansbro and Danielli, and Scotland’s entire back line apart from Jackson will consist of players who have played much of their rugby as wings, as the ploy to use Sean Lamont as a battering ram at inside centre is continued.
In his first full year as head coach Robinson made only one fundamental, non-injury change in his team, that of preferring Dan Parks to Phil Godman after one game of last year’s Six Nations.
Injuries have forced his hand this year again, but it does seem what undermined him in many eyes when he coached England from 2004 to 2007 a certain over-adventurous approach to selection seems to be recurring.
On the other hand, Scotland have not won at Twickenham for 30 years, so anything is worth a try and it is not as if many outside of the camp give them a ghost of a chance this weekend.’Ambition’ at fly-half”You understand why that perception’s there,” said Robinson. “We’ve lost three games, England have won three, and that’s why.
“But if you actually analyse our performances and see what we’re trying to do there have been a lot of positives.”
He added, “In terms of the way we’re trying to play I think we’ve moved our game forward since the autumn. However, in the autumn we were ruthless in the way we defended, and we’ve conceded very soft scores in this championship and that’s the frustration.
“In terms of our attack and the way we’re trying to play I think we’ve gone forward a couple of steps, but our defence when we’ve turned the ball over, and our accuracy at the set-piece, has really cost us in this championship.”
Beattie has been sent away to work on his game and effectively ruled out of the Italy match next week.
Lawson is picked ahead of Mike Blair for his superior pass to give Jackson more time and allow him to play his natural game, rather than sitting deep like he did against Ireland.
“As a young player getting his first start I thought Ruaridh did well,” he said.
“There will be mistakes, all fly-halves will make mistakes.
“But I wanted this week to give him the confidence to have a second start, have that consistency for him to go out there and make the improvements that we saw he needs to make, but also to go and play with the ambition that he usually plays with, and that’s also a key for us.
“Playing flatter is a challenge for all 10s, but for us to challenge the English defence we have to be able to play right up in their faces.”Lamont to get stuck inAnsbro returns after a concussion cost him selection against the Irish, while Lamont will be asked to do just as he did in the last game.
“I thought that Sean did well as a 12, but we have to be realistic about the way we want him to play,” said Robinson.
“The key for us is for him to go out and get stuck into the opposition in the way he carries the ball. We’re not looking for creativity there from Sean, but for him to give us go-forward and provide us with a platform to play off.”
There are no changes in the front row, where Scotland were better against Ireland but which has been a significant and unexpected problem in this championship. Robinson admitted he had considered dropping hooker Ross Ford.
“That’s been the closest call we’ve had there in a few years,” he added. “I thought that that was an improved scrum performance and we didn’t get the benefit of that so I have given Ross Ford the opportunity to take on (England hooker) Dylan Hartley.
“But I think that Scott Lawson is right up there at the moment with his performances off the bench for us.”
Robinson has brought back Alasdair Strokosch, who has been getting regular games off the bench for Gloucester since recovering from the injury that put him out of the autumn tests, for a bit of extra steel and, with Hines on the pitch from the start, as cover for lock has kept faith with Richie Vernon, who he believes to be better suited to the role of impact sub than starter.
“Richie has had his best games off the bench for us and that was certainly true against Ireland, so that’s where his international career is at present,” said the head coach.