GREGOR TOWNSEND has named six uncapped players in his 38-man Six Nations squad, with the biggest surprise being the inclusion of Glasgow Warriors winger Ratu Tagive.
The other new faces named are the Glasgow Warriors duo of back row Tom Gordon and centre Kyle Steyn and are joined by Edinburgh back-row pair Luke Crosbie and Nick Haining, with Gloucester’s lock, Alex Craig, completing the group.
Having come off the back of a disappointing World Cup campaign in Japan last summer, Townsend was under pressure to select a squad that will give improved performances in the Six Nations and so despite the inexperience of these incoming players, the head coach is confident they will rise to the challenge next month.
And for Tagive, who Townsend knows well after bringing him to Glasgow in 2016 as head coach of Warriors, selection is a deserved reward for his recent form.
“He had some adversity in his upbringing – a tough life back in Australia, but he was always looking for an opportunity,”he said of the winger.
“He came to Glasgow for that on a partnership contract with Currie, got better and better with every season.
“He didn’t get many games for us and he missed last year with an Achilles injury but came back strong from that. Getting into the Glasgow team was a huge step forward when you think of the wingers they have there. He played well against Cardiff and was outstanding in the Sale game, has shown an aggressive side that we probably didn’t see in training before.
“We’ve been impressed with him. He’s a hard-working player who should thrive in the environment with the players he’ll have around him.”
Stuart Hogg has been named captain by Townsend in what is a huge responsibility for the full-back. The 27-year-old captained his country once before, in a defeat to the USA in 2018. The defeat was, said Townsend, nothing to do with Hogg’s captaincy but his temperament, coupled with him being a 15, has made some doubt in the past that he was captain material.
However, what Townsend has seen of the Exeter man in recent months and years has convinced him that he will be an excellent fit in the role.
“He knows he has to work with others and bring others in, and that could be a new player coming in winning his first cap, making sure he’s anxiety free and ready to play his best. Or it might be other guys like you mention, Jamie (Ritchie), Hamish (Watson), our experienced second rows, or other guys in the backline, letting them have their say,” said the head coach ahead of the squad travelling to Spain ahead of their opening fixture against Ireland on the 1st of February.
“If you’ve been watching any of our sessions, you’ll know that he’s the loudest player on the field. For a full-back, that’s a great thing, telling the front line where they are defensively.
“But you see when we win a penalty, whether it’s a scrum penalty or around the contact area, he’s first in. He’s an energiser. And that’s a real attribute to have as a captain.
“This is the right time for him. He wants to do it. And he has the experience and knowledge about what needs to be said, when to let others talk.”
There are a few notable omission from the squad including Ryan Wilson, Matt Fagerson, Nick Grigg, Mark Bennett, Pete Horne and Richie Gray.
However, there remains plenty of opportunity for players to gain selection in the coming weeks, with Townsend keeping the door wide open as the tournament progresses.
“There will be players around the squad who will hopefully come back from injury like Sam Skinner, Matt Fagerson, if they’re back fully fit then they could easily come into the squad and we may make changes,” he said.
“But it’s up to those 38 players to impress us in training, for the 23 to go to Ireland and play well, and make it difficult for those players to come back into the squad.”
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