“He was in sensible type for us within the Six Nations. He was in an actual sturdy place to play Check rugby for the Lions, so to have that taken away, we all know what occurs in a sporting profession and a rugby profession, that you simply get injured on the incorrect time, however he’ll bounce again, he’ll come again stronger.
“He has with earlier accidents and he is nonetheless younger, younger for a tighthead too, so if it does not occur this time, I am positive he’ll be a fair higher place to be a Check Lion in 4 years’ time.”
Townsend steered that, whereas he was happy with the Scottish illustration within the Lions squad, much more Scots may have been concerned.
The likes of Darcy Graham, Tom Jordan, Ben White, Jamie Ritchie and Rory Darge had been all thought of to be in rivalry and Townsend says these gamers have responded nicely to the frustration of lacking out.
With Scotland based mostly in New Zealand and Fiji for his or her summer time tour matches towards the Maori All Blacks, Fiji and Samoa, the pinnacle coach says they’ve a fantastic alternative to maintain themselves within the minds of the Lions coaches when accidents inevitably take an additional toll on the squad.
“I believe essentially the most pleasing side of the gamers is how nicely they’ve performed and the way they’ve responded to the information they weren’t going to be within the Lions tour,” Townsend mentioned.
“Darcy scored a hat-trick the week after he wasn’t chosen. Rory was man of the match towards Stormers, he is been taking part in excellently. Jamie’s carried on his actually good type, as has Tom Jordan.
“They’re nonetheless taking part in excellent rugby, if not even higher rugby than they performed within the Six Nations, in order that’s going to place them in the perfect place potential if there have been adjustments to that Lions squad, which, in the event you go on historical past, it will occur.
“Already we have had one change to the tour celebration, sadly for Zander, however there’s prone to be extra whenever you play video games and you have got the journey all through Australia, which is harder to recuperate from from sport to sport.”
