RWC 2019 – The Competitors – Scotland

Scotland have been ever-present at RWCs. This is true both in terms of playing in all tournaments in addition to being competitive. The Northern Europeans have a highly reputable record of reaching the knock-out stages in every RWC aside from that of 2011.

The Scots best campaign was in 1991 when they reached the Semi Finals and were on course for victory only for captain Gavin Hastings to miss a straight-forward penalty which saw them fall to England. In 1987, 1995, and 1999 Scotland would be eliminated in the Quarter Finals by New Zealand; in 2007 by Argentina and in 2003 and 2015 by Australia.

The 2015 exit remains controversial. Analysis from experts has confirmed that Referee Craig Joubert penalized Scotland incorrectly in the final minute. This saw Australia kicking a goal to win 35-34 when Scotland ought to have instead have been awarded a scrum.

Yet Scotland will not be dwelling further over what might have been. To the contrary the Gregor Townsend regime has a highly capable roster, one that has the potential to cause genuine damage this year in Japan.

 

WORLD CUP HISTORY

RWC	FINAL PLACING	RESULTS
1987	Quarter Finalist	Won vs Romania, Zimbabwe Draw vs France Lost vs New Zealand
1991	Semi Finalist	Won vs Ireland, Japan, Samoa, Zimbabwe Lost vs England
1995	Quarter Finalist	Won vs Côte d’Ivoire, Tonga Lost vs France, New Zealand
1999	Quarter Finalist	Won vs Samoa, Spain, Uruguay Lost vs New Zealand, South Africa
2003	Quarter Finalist	Won vs Fiji, Japan, USA Lost vs Australia, France
2007	Quarter Finalist	Won vs Italy, Portugal, Romania Lost vs Argentina, New Zealand
2011	Group Stage	Won vs Georgia, Romania Lost vs Argentina, England
2015	Quarter Finalist	Won vs Japan, Samoa, USA Lost vs Australia, South Africa

Overall Record: Played 37, Won 22, Drawn 1, Lost 14

 

RWC 2019 SCHEDULE

For RWC 2019 Scotland will compete against Ireland, Japan, Russia, Samoa, and in Pool A. In being the tournament host the Japanese have a favorable match schedule with Scotland having one less desirable. On the flip side Scotland have a considerable advantage over Tier 1 rivals based on Pool A being the most manageable of the four.

Scotland’s campaign will begin on day 3 of the RWC against Ireland. The positioning of this fixture means Scotland will play their most difficult match first up, not the most ideal of scenarios. It is to be in Yokohama, the same venue in which Scotland will face Japan in their final pool match.

Games two and three will be in Kobe, and Shizuoka respectively. This sees Scotland advantaged by having all four matches on Honshu island. Light travel of 500km from Yokohama to Kobe; 365km from Kobe to Shizuoka; and 170km from Shizuoka to Yokohama await Scotland.

Yet the match dates point to a strategic balance to aid the cause of the hosts. Scotland will have seven rest days between facing Ireland, and Samoa; and nine between their games against Samoa, and Russia. The imbalance in the match schedule then sees three rest days, the tolerated minimum, between game three against Russia, and game four against Japan.

DATE	OPPONENT	VENUE
Sun, Sept 22	Ireland	International Stadium, Yokohama
Mon, Sept 30	Samoa	Misaki Stadium, Kobe
Wed, Oct 09	Russia	ECOPA Stadium, Shizuoka
Sun, Oct 13	Japan	International Stadium, Yokohama

 

PREDICTED TRAVELING 31

Forwards: Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Berghan (Edinburgh), Allan Dell (Edinburgh), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), WP Nel (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh), Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs), Josh Strauss (Sale Sharks), Blade Thomson (Scarlets), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)

Backs: Greig Laidlaw (Clermont, FR), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Henry Pyrgos (Edinburgh), Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russell (Racing 92, FR), Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons), Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh)

PROJECTED MATCH-DAY LINEUP

1 Allan Dell, 2 Stuart McInally (capt.), 3 WP Nel, 4 Ben Toolis, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 Sam Skinner, 7 Hamish Watson, 8 Ryan Wilson, 9 Ali Price, 10 Finn Russell, 11 Sean Maitland, 12 Sam Johnson, 13 Huw Jones, 14 Tommy Seymour, 15 Stuart Hogg

Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Grant Gilchrist, 20 Magnus Bradbury, 21 Greig Laidlaw, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Blair Kinghorn

Key Back: Finn Russell
Key Forward: Jonny Gray
Talisman: Stuart Hogg

 

 

RWC 2019 PREVIEW

RWC 2015 was a near miss for Scotland. A different decision at a critical moment would have seen the Scots into the Semi Finals for the first time since 1991. They went down fighting, doing so at a vastly superior level of play than that seen in all other RWCs in the professional era.

Head Coach Vern Cotter was replaced by Gregor Townsend in 2017. The change came with Scotland on the up as demonstrated by their results following England 2015. Cotter would take Scotland to wins over Argentina, France, Georgia, Italy, Japan (2), as well as narrow losses against Australia, and Wales. In 2017 wins came against Australia (2), Ireland, Italy (2), Samoa, and Wales; while in 2018 more scalps would come with Argentina (2), Canada, England, Fiji, France, and Italy all beaten.

However it is not a case of exclusive progress as issues of depth were raised in June 2018. Scotland’s defeat against the USA in Houston, Texas was a clear warning sign for the players and coaches. With Scotland’s pool matches against Russia, and Japan having just three rest days in between decisive selection will be required.

Scotland enter Pool A as the no 2 seeds behind Ireland. This means they are projected to lose their opening match of the tournament. Wins are then expected against Samoa, and Russia before the probable winner-takes-all against Japan. Scotland are favored to win that match but it is far from a given.

A win over Japan would see Scotland into a Quarter Final against Pool B winners, which would most likely mean New Zealand. The Scots could cause an upset though the most probable scenario in that match-up would see Scotland not getting beyond the final eight.

 

Week 1 – Italy
Week 2 – Fiji
Week 3 – Japan
Week 4 – England
Week 5 – Namibia
Week 6 – Wales
Week 7 – Samoa
Week 8 – France
Week 9 – South Africa
Week 10 – Georgia
Week 11 – Scotland
Week 12 – Tonga