That World Cup Draw Is A Real Challenge To The SRU

I WOULD like, if I may, to carry-on where I left off in yesterday's blog. There, I finished by asserting: our priority is to get the ongoing Governance Review out of the way, so we know where we are going; then, we need to look at our coaching and player development programme, which needs urgent sorting-out, then, we can, slowly, begin to move forward.

 

 

Gregor Townsend - the hard work to 2023 starts today

I posted yesterday before the 2023 World Cup draw was made. As you should all know by now, in France in 2023, Scotland will face: South Africa, Ireland, Asia/Pacific 1 and Europe 2. We don't yet know which nations will fill the two minor slots, but, on current form it will be either Samoa or Tonga from Asia/Pacific and one from Spain, Romania or Russia from Europe.

If it's Samoa, they could trouble us and Ireland, but, right now, we are looking at two from the top three qualifying – and we are the lowest-ranked of that trio.

Another cause for concern around 2023 is the age profile of the national squad. Scotland, at least in the professional era, has never been guilty of giving youth its chance. Wales has a proud record of throwing-in teenagers, not so Scotland.

Of our present national squad of 46 players:

• 14 (11 forwards and 3 backs) are already 30 or older

• 16 more will be 30 or older come 2023

• only 16 players (7 forwards and 9 backs will be under 30 in 2023.

I am not writing-off those players who will be in their thirties by the next World Cup, but, given the attritional nature of modern rugby, we have perhaps just 24 internationals in which to find and integrate at least half a squad, before France 2023. OK, with summer tours in 2021 and 2022, we could maybe add another six internationals to that, but, we dohn't have many games in which to blood new players.

BUT – I would suggest, given the conservative nature of Scottish selection protocols, we are looking for a handful of “bolters” to come out of left field before we kick-off in 2023. Given too the reluctance of the Edinburgh and Glasgow management to trust their younger players, this is asking a lot.

I am going to be controversial here, since there are a number of fierce critics of the FOSROC Super6 who simply refuse to hear anything good of this competition. However, I still believe, given time, this is the future. We have to get it running properly, as a means of getting our younger players, the former Under-20 caps and the Academy “students” playing regularly and testing themselves. This has yet to happen, but, when it does, I can see it being a major influence in player development.

I still feel, we have to be brave and go quickly to a Super 8 and even a Super 10. We need a Super franchise in Glasgow, one further north than Stirling, a second Borders franchise (and this time SRU, listen to the Borders clubs and go with a 21^st century South team – moving round the Borders grounds) and, as I have heard from at least a couple of guys already inside the Super system – why not London Scottish?

The RFU is cutting funding to the Championship, the tier of rugby where Scottish currently play. This is now a largely semi-professional league. So, if Scottish is now a semi-pro outfit, why shouldn't they play in Scotland's Super competition?

And, with Scottish on-board, perhaps more cross-border games against other English Championship sides, or even their Premiership sides' Academy teams could be arranged – giving our younger players more experience?

We have to do something to get our kids through faster – the current system is not working.

SO – Adam Hastings is off to Gloucester and Duhan van der Merwe to Worcester. A career in professional sport is a short one, so I really cannot condemn a young man for cashing-in as best he can. However, to me these moves are a rugby version of Scott McKenna leaving Aberdeen for Nottingham Forest and John McGinn ditching Hibernian for Aston Villa.

If top-flight sport really was about glory rather than money, I feel they would have stayed where they are. To my mind, Gloucester – for all their great traditions – and Worcester, are lesser sides than Glasgow and Edinburgh.

 

 

Duhan van der Merwe - maybe owes the SRU a bit more loyalty

With particular regard to VDM – if I was the SRU apparatchik in charge of writing contracts for imported project players, I would think of inserting a clause which demanded, once they were capped by Scotland, they had to remain with their Scottish club for two full seasons before they could move on.

Edinburgh made VDM an internationalist, he has, if he does move, not repaid them.

FINALLY – can I point followers of this blog (again) to the excellent The Offside Line, and in particular a column by Gavin Blackburn on youth development, particularly around younger, teenaged players.

 

 

 

Gavin Blackburn - has penned a thought-provoking piece for TOL

 

This is a particular interest of Gavin's and he has penned some very-good sense on this issue. Funnily enough, he's not the only one saying what he is. At least a couple of guys within the Super6 community have said exactly the same to me as Gavin extols in his article.

Please, get across to TOL and read Gavin's piece – then maybe we should start shouting at BTM to implement it.