Rugby World Cup 2023 - It's Getting Serious Now

WELL – WE KEN NOO. On Tuesday Gregor Townsend announced the 41 players from whom, barring injuries, our 33-man World Cup squad will be selected. Those whose clubs still have something to play for will hope to get through these last games, then have a wee break before the hard work starts over the summer. Those who are already finished for the season, now know, they cannot exactly throw off the traces and make whoopee!

Toony has always seemed – selection-wise (other than when he falls-out with The Gallus One) a conservative coach. So, no left-field “bolters” have been named; the two uncapped players: Warriors' Stafford McDowall and Leicester's Cameron Henderson have both, from their club form, been mentioned in despatches for much of the build-up to the selection announcement, so, their inclusion was not a great surprise.

Maybe the fact Stuart McInally is in, while Fraser Brown isn't, is something of a surprise, but, these two have been jostling for position seemingly for ever.

In case you've missed the many announcements, the full squad is:

Forwards (23): Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors), Dave Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby), Andy Christie (Saracens), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby), Scott Cummings , Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Cameron Henderson (Leicester Tigers), Stuart McInally, WP Nel, Jamie Ritchie [Captain], Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), Javan Sebastian (Scarlets), Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Sutherland (Ulster Rugby), George Turner, Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby).

Backs (18): Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Harris, Adam Hastings (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Healy (Munster Rugby), Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs), George Horne, Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby), Stafford McDowall, Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby), Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby), Ben White (London Irish).

Experience-wise the squad goes from 100-caps Stuart Hogg, WP Nel, Grant Gilchrist and Finn Russell – all aiming for their third World Cup Final tournament to the uncapped Cameron Henderson and Stafford McDowall, who have both earned their place through sterling club campaigns.

Between them, the squad boast a total of 1147 caps, an average of 28 per player, so nerves ought not to be a problem, regardless of the final 33.

Glasgow Warriors provide 17 of the squad - 9 forwards and 8 backs; Edinburgh has 12 representatives – 9 forwards and 3 backs, while there are 12 Exiles – 5 forwards and 7 backs.

The squad will convene for their pre-tournament training camp, on 29 May. Their preparations will include some time at what will be their tournament base in Nice, and warm-up games against France (home and away, 5-12 August), Italy, 29 July and Georgia, 26 August, all leading into the World Cup opener, against reigning World Champions South Africa, in Marseilles, on 10 September.

We then face Tonga, in Nice on 24 September, Romania, in Lille, on 30 September before facing Ireland, in The Stade de France, in Paris, on 7 October. Hopefully, that will not be our last outing in Rugby World Cup 2023.

WHEN, I wonder, will the SRU send a warrior into battle for us, in the world of international horse-trading which surrounds multi-national competition?

I ask, because it seems to me, there is, in the world of international disciplinary hearings – a particularly harsh tariff, held back for Scottish players who are found guilty of foul play, and what I might call a mild slap on the wrist and don't do it again tariff, reserved for players from elsewhere.

I cannot for the life of me see how Tom Jordan gets five weeks for his red card against Munster while serial no-arms tackler Owen Farrell got off with a reduced ban and a spell at tackle school for his last offence, and Chris Ashton, who to me was as guilty as Jordan, got off without a ban for his weekend red card.

It's time our rugby diplomats were less-diplomatic and started standing up for Scottish players.

FINALLY – just who was the All Blacks legend, seen running, naked, through the grounds of an upmarket Ayr hotel last week? No names, no pack drill, but, he now knows it is unwise to spend the evening in the company of exiles from the backwoods of Taranaki, particularly when in the further company of a former Scotland winger who enjoys a wee swally.