VERN Cotter, the Scotland coach, has selected a strong but compact squad of 27 for the two-Test tour to Japan next month. The group of 15 forwards and 12 backs contains all but one of the starting line-up from the team’s last international, the Six Nations defeat in Ireland, the exception being Duncan Weir.
Ruaridh Jackson, who can also cover full-back, is preferred to the Glasgow player at stand-off, although there are still ten Warriors in the squad. Another significant omission is that of Glasgow centre Mark Bennett, who hopes to be included in the Great Britain sevens team for the Olympic Games in Rio.
“I have spoken to Mark,” Cotter said yesterday. “It’s an opportunity that has been presented to him and he would like to consider it. We respect that and we’ll wait and see what happens.” Cotter’s inclusion of Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour, both of whom had been linked with a place in the Team GB squad for Brazil, rules them out of Olympic contention.
Greig Laidlaw will again captain the squad, with Henry Pyrgos as back-up scrum-half, meaning no place for Sam Hidalgo-Clyne. Edinburgh winger Damien Hoyland, who won his first and so far only cap against Italy last year, is preferred to the Warriors’ Sean Lamont, who has 104 caps.
On the whole, however, Cotter has opted for experience - although he stressed that he feels the current group of players need more rugby together if they are to continue the improvement they have shown this season. “We wanted continuity, really, from the Six Nations,” he said. “We weren’t happy with the last game we played against Ireland, and we didn’t play particularly well, so this gives us an opportunity to assess that and get over to Japan.
“We know it’s going to be tough. Getting off the plane and only having five days to prepare is a different form of challenge for this group and I think it’s important to help us get better. The more time we spend together, and the more time we focus on getting what we want - which are positive results, scoring more points than the opposition, getting the wins - this is another opportunity to come together and do this.”
While Edinburgh’s season is now over, Glasgow have at least one more match to play, and several England-based players are also still on active service. Between games and training sessions, Cotter knows that injuries may intervene to forced changes to his squad. In addition, he has already made contingency plans in case of injuries in the squad once they are out in Japan, meaning the door may yet open for players such as Lamont.
“I spoke to him last night. He stayed available. Glasgow have a bit of rugby to play so he could be on the plane going there, as could other players. That is the initial 27 and things could change. He is fully professional, so we know we can count on him getting on the plane with us.
“At the moment we are plus two in each, forwards and backs, on game day. We are comfortable, but leaving the possibility of bringing someone else over.
Specialist coach Richie Gray was only contracted for the Six Nations and will not travel to Japan, but Cotter revealed that Scottish Rugby are in talks with him about possible involvement in future. The matches against Japan are on Saturday 18 June at the Toyota Stadium in Toyota City, and then on 25 June at the Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo. Both games kick off at 7.20pm local time and will be shown live on BBC Scotland.
Scotland squad: Props: A Dickinson, W Nel, R Sutherland (all Edinburgh), M Low Exeter. Hookers: R Ford, S McInally (both Edinburgh), F Brown (Glasgow Warriors); Locks: J Gray, T Swinson (both Glasgow), R Gray (Castres). Back row: J Barclay (Scarlets) D Denton (Bath), J Hardie (Edinburgh), R Strauss, R Wilson (both Glasgow). Scrum-halves: G Laidlaw (Gloucester), H Pyrgos (Glasgow). Stand-off: F Russell (Glasgow), R Jackson (Wasps). Centres: A Dunbar, P Horne (both Glasgow), D Taylor (Saracens). Wings: D Hoyland (Edinburgh), S Maitland (London Irish), T Seymour (Glasgow), T Visser (Harlequins). Full-back: S Hogg (Glasgow).
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