Scottish Rugby World Cup: Winners and losers from Scotland’s 41-man training squad
After Gregor Townsend unveiled his
41-man training squad for the upcoming Scottish Rugby World Cup, Planet Rugby
took a closer look at the players who emerged as winners and those who may have
lost out on the opportunity. Rugby World Cup 2023 fans can buy Scotland Rugby World Cup Tickets from our
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Scottish Rugby World Cup Winners and losers from Scotland’s 41-man training squad
Winners
Post-Rugby World Cup retirees
Although it was expected that RWC
2023 player Stuart Hogg would be cut, Gregor Townsend may have been worried
about the recent comments that Hogg hasn't been enjoying his RWC. Hogg's recent
form for both club and country has been lackluster, but with this being his
last Scottish Rugby World Cup, there
is an added incentive for him to perform well.
Stuart McInally is in a similar
position as he joins Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry, and George Turner as one the
hookers in the extended squad. McInally has been a top-class performer at his
best, but he has struggled with fitness and form over the past year. However,
as he plans to retire after the Rugby World Cup 2023 to pursue a career as a
pilot, he has one final opportunity to showcase his talent at the highest
level.
Stafford McDowall
Despite being one of only two
uncapped players in the squad, Glasgow Warriors' talented center has been
knocking on the door for some time now. At 6ft 4in tall and weighing over 16th,
McDowall certainly possesses the physical attributes to compete at the
international level. However, his skill set is just as impressive.
Although it will be difficult for
McDowall to secure a spot in the starting XV, given the success of the
"Huwipulotu" partnership during the Six Nations, he will have the
chance to make his case during the warm-up matches. It's an exciting
opportunity to see how he performs and if he can cement his place in the team.
Cameron Henderson
Another uncapped player who has
earned his place in the squad is Henderson, who has had a great season with
Leicester Tigers. The 23-year-old previously played for Glasgow before joining
Tigers in 2020, and he has steadily improved over the past two years,
culminating in a regular spot in the team during the 2022/23 season.
Henderson is a versatile player,
bringing both intelligence and physicality to the pitch. He's an excellent
lineout option and has shown that he's not afraid to put himself about in a
tough pack. With Jonny Gray's participation in the global tournament uncertain,
this youngster has a real opportunity to prove himself and potentially secure a
place in Scotland's final 23.
Murphy Walker
Despite missing out on the Six
Nations due to a neck injury and not playing since December 2022, Walker has
been highly regarded by Townsend and has earned a place in the RWC 2023 squad upon his return. Although he
currently plays second fiddle to Zander Fagerson for both his club and country.
The experienced tighthead is an
excellent player to learn from, and the coaching staff values his set-piece
abilities, which they rate higher than those of Simon Berghan, another Warriors
tighthead.
Berghan made appearances in two
matches during the Six Nations against England and Ireland but has been left
out of the extended training squad for the upcoming tournament in France.
This opens up a significant opportunity for Walker to compete against Fagerson and reserve prop WP Nel from Edinburgh for a spot in the final 23. Although Javan Sebastian from Scarlets is also in the mix, the Glasgow youngster is currently higher up in the pecking order. Rugby World Cup 2023 fans can buy Scotland Vs Tonga Tickets from our website.
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| Adam Hastings placed front and center to follow in Father Gavin's footsteps |
Adam Hastings
This selection of Hastings seems to
be based largely on his reputation, as the Gloucester player has been
struggling with injuries throughout this season. He made an appearance in the
Autumn Nations Series against Fiji but had to take a break of over a month
after a hard tackle during the match.
When he returned in December, he
sustained a shoulder injury, requiring surgery and sidelining him again for his
first game back. Hastings made his comeback in April and has since played two
matches.
Against Sale Sharks and Bristol
Bears in the Premiership, although he has looked understandably rusty. When he
is at his top, the 27-year-old is Scotland's second-choice fly-half after Finn
Russell, but he will have to show himself over in the following few months.
Losers
Magnus Bradbury
Since joining the Bristol Bears,
Bradbury's international aspirations have suffered, as he has not been able to
make the squad yet. His last appearance for the Scottish Rugby World Cup squad
was in the first Test against Argentina in July of last year, and it seems that
he has slipped further down the pecking order since then.
Although Bristol had a forgettable
season, Bradbury was a standout player and featured in 18 out of 21 Premiership
matches. He was even awarded the club's Players' Player of the Season award,
indicating his excellent performance throughout the year.
Jonny Gray
Despite being an experienced
second-rower, Gray has been ruled out of the third RWC due to injury. Gray's
kneecap was dislocated during Exeter Chiefs' 47-28 Champions Cup semi-final
defeat to La Rochelle, which has dashed his hopes of participating in the
tournament in France. This news is a huge disappointment for Gray, as well as
for Scotland, as he has consistently proven his quality at the highest level.
Centers miss out
Despite their undeniable talent,
Mark Bennett, Sam Johnson, and Rory Hutchinson were not selected for the Scottish
Rugby World Cup team. The midfield options for Scotland are so strong that even
with a larger squad, some talented players had to miss out. McDowall's
impressive form for Glasgow this season earned him a place in the squad.
Townsend and his coaching staff have opted for the players
He has surpassed Johnson in the
pecking order as a backup to the in-form pairing of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw
Jones. It's tough for the trio to miss out, but the chosen players have
certainly earned their places.
Yes, that's right. Hutchinson has
struggled to make an impact for Scotland despite his impressive form for
Northampton, while Harris and Redpath have proven to be more reliable options
in midfield for the national team.
Hooker duo
It is indeed surprising to see both
Brown and Matthews omitted from the Scottish Rugby World Cup players. Brown has
been a consistent performer for Scotland in recent years and was a key figure
in the Six Nations earlier this year. Matthews, on the other hand, has been in
sensational try-scoring form for Glasgow and has been touted as a potential
dark horse for the World Cup squad. It is unclear why they have been left out,
but the coaching staff must have their reasons.
Yes,
the omission of Fraser Brown and Johnny Matthews is certainly surprising,
especially given their recent form and experience at the international level.
However, the Scottish Rugby World Cup 2023 has a lot of depth at the hooker
position, with Stuart McInally, George Turner, and David Cherry all making the
squad.
John Cooney considering switching to Scotland
John Cooney
It's certainly an interesting
situation with Cooney and his eligibility for Scotland. While he has openly
discussed the possibility of switching Test allegiance, it seems he has decided
to commit to Ireland and Ulster for the time being by signing a new deal with
them.
However, his form this season has
been excellent and he was linked with a call-up during the Six Nations. With
the likes of Price, White, Horne, and Dobie already in the Scottish Rugby World
Cup 2023 squad, it would have been interesting to see how Cooney could have
impacted the team if he had decided to switch to the Scottish Rugby World Cup
2023 team.
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