Scott Johnson today announced his Scotland training squad ahead of the Six Nations and there was the usual mix of “meh”, “yup no surprises” and “wtf?”!
In form opensides Roddy Grant and John Barclay have been neglected in favour of the as yet uncapped Chris Fusaro – who is at least getting game time, but seemingly unbeloved of Scott Johnson – and the currently-playing-for-Accies Ross Rennie who has little in the way or form or fitness but arrives based on a solid pedigree and a dollop of faith. Which suggests that Fusaro is there to provide a training tool should Scotland face a team who actually bother to play a tenacious fetcher at 7, and the most likely openside will be Kelly Brown, who isn’t really one.
Greig Tonks makes the squad with a hint that he could be considered in the 10 shirt he has held for Edinburgh these last few weeks and the question asked is this: did Laidlaw begin his run at 10 for Scotland with any more in the way of experience? More likely is that it will revert to a duel between Weir and Jackson, with neither making a persuasive case to hold down the Glasgow 10 shirt recently, let alone the Scotland one.
It looks like a squad designed to appear risky and forward thinking with a few wildcards and young players, but actually when the fringe players are filtered out it will result in the sort of Scotland team most fans could pick in their sleep.
Luckily there is at least one new face in the form of Dougie Fife, who has been rewarded for his recent spate of tries with spot on the squad. Whether he can do enough to impress Scott Johnson and unseat old stagers Sean Lamont or Max Evans for a bench or even starting spot remains to be seen.
Johnson made clear the squad announced today is for next week’s training which will take place primarily at the Heriot Watt University campus on the western outskirts of Edinburgh.
“We will announce an A squad next week for the match against England Saxons at Scotstoun at the end of the month and, as I see it, a number of players could yet force their way into the senior squad during the Six Nations,” he explained.
Such players could include Jack Cuthbert, Henry Pyrgos, Barclay – who has featured heavily for Scarlets since his move there – Grant – who has kept the returning Ross Rennie out of the Edinburgh team – and Glasgow prop Jon Welsh. At least a couple of them are in good enough form to merit a place in the senior squad at this point, and if that continues during the A game and sporadic Rabo fixtures afterwards, they should at least be given the opportunity to challenge for test places.
Scotland squad for training camp 19-22 January ahead of RBS 6 Nations Championship:
Forwards: John Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (all Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant, Jonny Gray (both Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Kieran Low (London Irish), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur (both Glasgow Warriors), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors).
Backs: Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont (all Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors).
Not considered due to injury: Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Worcester Warriors), Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) and Tim Visser (Edinburgh Rugby).
Notable names left out: John Barclay (Scarlets), Jack Cuthbert, Roddy Grant (Edinburgh), Dougie Hall, Henry Pyrgos, Jon Welsh (Glasgow)