The approaching males: Tom Jordan’s finest 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 will probably be an entire lot stronger with him on it. His versatility opens up all kinds of potentialities for Townsend.
Add Max Williamson to that record. The lock received a turnover off Siya Kolisi and received quite a few collisions in opposition to the Boks in a terrific efficiency. The truth that he was ailing in the course of the week of that recreation made his show all of the extra spectacular. Damage lower his autumn quick, sadly. Aged 22 and a large, the approaching yr will probably be an enormous one for Mad Max.
The returning man: Within the wake of a Scottish breakdown turnover on Sunday, Jamie Ritchie received within the face of a Wallaby. Uncalled for, in all probability, however it was a reminder of the laborious edge that shot Ritchie to prominence within the first place.
Having misplaced the captaincy, Ritchie’s been out and in of the workforce and the squad this yr, however he delivered on Sunday. Powerful 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 grow to be ruthless: The uncooked numbers of Scotland’s lineout return present that they coughed up 11 of their 4 matches however brought about 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 grow to be extra scientific. 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 amazing alternative blown.
The intelligent appreciation of Australia’s vulnerability introduced them a lineout rating on Sunday. A step in the appropriate path.
Causes to be cheerful: Lack of consistency has been Scotland’s drawback 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 solution to run?
Zander Fagerson has large claims to be participant of the yr. Actually, he carried the largest burden given the dearth of back-up. There may be some encouragement there, although. Will Hurd now appears a good prospect and Elliot Millar-Mills, for all his journeyman standing, has all the time carried out admirably.
In declaring the efficiency in opposition to the Wallabies as respectable however not far more than that, Tuipulotu struck the appropriate tone. In each sense, he is the chief that Scotland want proper now.
