When it was put to him that having to select from three uncapped and relatively untried hookers as deputies to Stuart McInally might be a cause for concern, Gregor Townsend characteristically chose to reject that phraseology, claiming instead it represented “an opportunity.”
Moments later, there was something of a slip from the determination to express positivity at every turn, however, when he admitted to “crossing my fingers under the table,” when contemplating the lengthy overall injury list which includes McInally’s two most obvious understudies – Glasgow pair Fraser Brown and George Turner – and many seasoned performers.
On the face of it, the selections at hooker are bold with 22-year-old Jake Kerr, son of erstwhile Scotland A winger John, arguably the most battle-hardened, in spite of having had less than a year as a regular in the Leicester first team squad; Glasgow Warriors 23-year-old Grant Stewart upping his bid with a man-of-the-match performance against Cardiff on Sunday; and Edinburgh’s 28-year-old Dave Cherry having regularly understudied for McInally at Edinburgh in recent months. That Ross Ford is fit and available offers some security however, so with the management aware of exactly what the 34-year-old can do while, at least as importantly, he knows exactly what is required, they can afford to take the three less experienced men to Oriam next week, pit them against one another and see who responds best.
“We’ll wait and see if they all come on Monday,” said Townsend. “They’re all likely to be playing this weekend. If they’re all fit and available on Monday we do have an idea (who will be on the bench against Italy), but a lot will depend on that first week’s training, if they’re forming good relationships at scrum time with the props and the second rows at lineout time, in open play with what we’re doing and the way we want to play, but obviously one of them if going to be involved against Italy.”
All three are late developers whose opportunities looked to have passed them by at various stages, Kerr suffering a series of shoulder injuries when on Edinburgh’s books as a youngster and only re-emerging after undertaking a degree at Loughborough University; Stewart working his way through the Glasgow club game at GHA and Hawks before being called up by the Warriors and Cherry reaching his late twenties before getting his break in full-time rugby at Edinburgh.
“Playing obviously is the most important aspect,” Townsend said of the way they had earned their chances. “If it’s playing at a club in Scotland that, for me personally is an advantage because as you get closer to internationals you can be managed, there’s cohesion with what you’re doing with the front-row and second-row guys you’re working with, but it’s a real credit to Jake that he’s gone down to a club with a real tradition of quality in the front five and found a way to get into the team and the Leicester coaches have been really impressed withwhat he’s done.
“Danny Wilson (Scotland’s forwards coach) was down at Llanelli last week, watching him first hand and met him after the game. I’d spoken to Jake the week before as well. He’s delighted, surprised that he’s involved, but he’s earned it with how he’s played for Leicester this year.”
He and his rivals have been rewarded for the exemplary way they have worked for this unexpected chance.
“Sometimes when you don’t get the contract you’re looking for there’s a couple of directions,” said Townsend. “One is you decide not to carry on with your career, the other is to work really hard to make it. David Cherry’s another really good example as well, someone who had been playing Championship level, got an opportunity through Scottish Rugby’s relationship with Stade Nicois. That’s a common trait between the three; they don’t seem to be fazed with the opposition they’re playing against and playing professional rugby, whether that’s Grant Stewart, one of his first games last year, going to play Leinster in the Champions Cup and really taking the game to Leinster; whether it’s David Cherry coming off the bench for Edinburgh; or Jake Kerr playing in the Premiership week-in, week-out. So that’s a good sign for us that they’re ready to go to the next level and take their opportunity.”
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