OF THE many black days in Scottish rugby history, one that stands out from the recent past was a desperate 21-15 defeat by Tonga back in 2012. It was a bleak November afternoon at Pittodrie, it was a match that cost the then head coach Andy Robinson his job, and it is a result that remains a salutary reminder to Gregor Townsend and his squad of how dangerous Saturday’s opponents can be.
Townsend had been Robinson’s attack coach until earlier that year, when he left to take over at Glasgow, but he remains painfully aware of what a demoralising afternoon that was nine years ago. The Tongans returned to Scotland two years later and lost convincingly, going down 37-12 at Rugby Park, yet even so, the current head coach expects a tough introduction to this year’s Autumn Nations Series at BT Murrayfield.
“Tonga will probably view that game as a massive high in the history of them as a rugby team,” Townsend said last week after announcing a squad of 42 for his team’s block of four games. “And we’ll be working so it doesn’t happen again.
“They’re very dangerous. They can score a try out of nothing and they’re a hugely motivated team - they’re going to be tough opponents. I don’t think there’s a team in world rugby or a group of people who tackle harder than the Tongans.
“There’s the unknown factor as well. They will be putting a team together that probably hasn’t played much, so we’re not going to be able to look at footage of how this team plays.”
Tonga’s head coach, the former Wallabies international Toutai Kefu, has not travelled to Europe with his squad as he is still recovering from an attack by intruders at his home in Brisbane in August. And, as Townsend suggested, this group of touring players has not had much of an opportunity to get to know each other, with the usual geographical difficulties in assembling a squad having been exacerbated by Covid concerns.
Such factors will enhance Scotland’s status as strong favourites, but the playing field could be leveled somewhat by the unavailability to Townsend of those Scots based in England and France. Unlike the three games next month against Australia, South Africa and Japan, Saturday’s match is being held outside World Rugby’s recognised international window, which means that the likes of British & Irish Lions Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell, Chris Harris, Rory Sutherland and Duhan van der Merwe need not be released by their clubs.
Another Lion, Edinburgh’s Hamish Watson, has yet to play this season, having been nursing a groin injury since returning from South Africa. Glasgow’s Ali Price and Zander Fagerson, meanwhile, only returned to action from a long post-tour break in the Warriors’ home defeat by Leinster on Friday night, so they will be a bit short of full match fitness.
A Scotland team shorn of the majority of its eight-strong Lions contingent is clearly below full strength. However, Townsend is convinced there is a value to having a full squad that is gleaned from only a small number of clubs - in this case, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and possibly South Africa’s Sharks as well, presuming uncapped back-row forward Dylan Richardson is chosen.
“In international rugby, success is based on cohesion,” the coach continued. “It’s tougher for us now to build that cohesion, because we’ve got so many players playing outside of Scotland - but not for this game.
“It will be a factor in selection: club combinations can help with defensive systems, with what you’re looking to do in attack. It also is an opportunity to see players who may not normally get the opportunity - we didn’t get the chance in the summer to see those players play together at Test level against higher-quality opposition (because all three planned matches had to be cancelled because of Covid).
“It’s a good thing that the game is first up - sometimes you play the game outside the window after the three Test matches. This gives us a chance to work with a different group to put our game in place, and then go on with our full squad for the three toughest games - Australia, South Africa and Japan.”
The absence of Racing 92 stand-off Russell and Gloucester playmaker Adam Hastings will mean that either Edinburgh’s Blair Kinghorn or Glasgow’s uncapped Ross Thompson starts in the No 10 jersey. There are another ten uncapped players in the 42 besides Thompson and Richardson, with several others in the running for a debut against the Tongans.
If Watson is ruled out, Glasgow openside Rory Darge could get the chance to bring his outstanding club form into the international arena. Warriors winger Rufus McLean is also firmly in the running after some impressive appearances, and Edinburgh prop Pierre Schoeman is set to make a long-awaited debut after qualifying on the residence rule.
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