The approaching males: Tom Jordan’s greatest positions are 10 and 12 however in opposition to the Boks he began at 15 and was extremely harmful. He is not going to displace Kinghorn come the Six Nations however Scotland’s bench might be a complete lot stronger with him on it. His versatility opens up all types of potentialities for Townsend.
Add Max Williamson to that listing. The lock gained a turnover off Siya Kolisi and gained quite a few collisions in opposition to the Boks in a terrific efficiency. The truth that he was in poor health through the week of that sport made his show all of the extra spectacular. Harm minimize his autumn brief, sadly. Aged 22 and an enormous, the approaching yr might be an enormous one for Mad Max.
The returning man: Within the wake of a Scottish breakdown turnover on Sunday, Jamie Ritchie bought within the face of a Wallaby. Uncalled for, in all probability, however it was a reminder of the arduous edge that shot Ritchie to prominence within the first place.
Having misplaced the captaincy, Ritchie’s been out and in of the staff and the squad this yr, however he delivered on Sunday. Robust and unrelenting and loud.
The battle in Scotland’s again row has hardly ever been as fierce. Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey. Andy Onyeama Christie (when match once more), Ritchie and Josh Bayliss. Gregor Brown, Luke Crosbie and Ben Muncaster. Euan Ferrie is one to observe. Magnus Bradbury is the forgotten man.
Lineout must change into ruthless: The uncooked numbers of Scotland’s lineout return present that they coughed up 11 of their 4 matches however triggered the opposition to lose 10. Towards the Boks they misplaced two to South Africa’s three. That was good, given the Bok lineout is imperious.
It is not a lot the variety of lineouts that Scotland lose however the place they lose them. They should change into extra medical. Throughout that mad second half spell in opposition to the Boks, when the guests had been pinned to the ropes, Scotland had a five-metre lineout and an opportunity to execute. They misplaced it. An important alternative blown.
The intelligent appreciation of Australia’s vulnerability introduced them a lineout rating on Sunday. A step in the correct route.
Causes to be cheerful: Lack of consistency has been Scotland’s downside for 1 / 4 of a century. Solely the terminally gullible would declare them contenders in 2025, however you can not write them off both. Not with the expertise they’ve.
They’ve deepened their participant pool in 2024 and improved their bench and back-up to the bench. It is encouraging however it’s been seen earlier than. We’re caught once more within the no man’s land between fatalism and optimism. Which approach to run?
Zander Fagerson has massive claims to be participant of the yr. Definitely, he carried the largest burden given the shortage of back-up. There may be some encouragement there, although. Will Hurd now seems to be an honest prospect and Elliot Millar-Mills, for all his journeyman standing, has at all times carried out admirably.
In declaring the efficiency in opposition to the Wallabies as respectable however not way more than that, Tuipulotu struck the correct tone. In each sense, he is the chief that Scotland want proper now.
