THE former Scotland captain Jason White believes Vern Cotter will be thinking long and hard to make sure that he gets the correct blend in his back-row ahead of the World Cup which begins in September.

 

Since head coach Cotter named his extended squad of 46 there has been much said about the omission of experienced back-rows Kelly Brown and Johnnie Beattie.

However, as those who have been picked continue their preparations with training in the French Pyrenees over the next few days there are still 10 back-rows in the party.

Of that number, only Al Strokosch and John Barclay have played at a World Cup before while two - Josh Strauss and Hugh Blake - are uncapped and Hamish Watson just has one appearance off the bench.

The group is completed by Rob Harley, Adam Ashe, Blair Cowan, David Denton and Ryan Wilson.

With a couple of months training and then four warm-up matches to come before the pool B opener against Japan on September 23 the starting six, seven and eight are far from nailed on.

"I think it is a really interesting group of back-rows that Vern has gone for," said White, who played in the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.

"He obviously rates Harley and he is real workhorse at No.6, but for me if he is going to play then the other two who are picked need to be real ball players who can make yards and are comfortable with the ball in hand.

"Whatever trio is picked they need to start making more holes in the opposition defences in an attacking sense. We need players who give their team go forward.

"I have seen Denton do that often for Edinburgh, but I know he is struggling slightly with injury, while Strauss has been that ball carrier for Glasgow, but it is a big step up from club to international rugby.

"Strauss is likely to go to the World Cup because he is also a leader and will quickly build up a presence in the group, but what may count against him is that he will not be able to play in any of the warm-up matches because he is not eligible until just before the Japan match.

"As a result the warm-up games will give the other back-rows a chance to say to Cotter 'look what I can offer you'- so it will be interesting."

One 'project signing' who will earn his first caps - barring injury - in the warm-up matches in August and early September is prop WP Nel. The South African-born tighthead has been a model of consistency for Edinburgh in 2014/15 and Euan Murray and Geoff Cross no longer in the Scotland squad, White believes he can earn that starting No.3 jersey against Japan.

"Nel is a very good scrummager by all accounts and we are a bit thin on the ground when it comes to tightheads really. Cotter seems to be a fan of his so he really can lay a marker down during those warm-ups."

One man who will be bounding on to the pitch if selected for the warm-up Tests is second-row Grant Gilchrist.

He has been out since October through injury and having missed around eight months of action himself before the 2007 event White knows how frustrated Gilchrist must be.

"From when I got injured late in 2006 my main goal was to make the World Cup the following year. Grant will be the same now and, touch wood, after a couple of setbacks he can get back to his best in time," White concluded.