The clocks are now backwards. The nights are getting darker. Bonfire Night and Black Friday will be here soon. The World Cup is a major consideration when selecting squads. Players develop partnerships. Excitement grows. And yet, for Scotland, it’s not so much a sense of excitement but a sense of frustration and apathy that currently surrounds the national team.There will always be those who turn up at Murrayfield, whether it be in the Six Nations or the autumn, with a happy-clappy mentality. They are only interested in rugby for a short time. They’re there to have a good time and for a fun day out. The result doesn’t matter as long as Scotland gives them a few cheers. Good luck to them. There is nothing wrong with this. It seems that some of these individuals now hold senior positions in Scottish Rugby. Gregor Townsend looks happy ahead of the Autumn Test Series, but will he still be smiling at the end November? Stafford McDowall (centre) will captain the Scots against the USA at the weekend, with some big names missingFor those who are regular observers of the national team and have an emotional investment in results, there was very little appetite for Gregor Townsend’s contract as head coach to be renewed.But at the onset of the summer tour a few months ago, chief executive Alex Williamson – for reasons best known to himself – made it his mission to offer Townsend an extension.Given how poor results have been over each of the past two Six Nations, with Scotland winning only four of 10 matches, that came as quite a shock.What was even more shocking was the news that emerged a few weeks later. Townsend, with the consent of the SRU and full knowledge of the SRU, had agreed to take on a part-time consulting role with Red Bull. Not only is he taking his eye off the ball, he’s clearly eyeing up his next move as and when he finally calls it a day with Scotland.No less a judge than Sir Clive Woodward told Daily Mail Sport this week that Townsend should really ‘focus on the day job’Things have become stale, both on and off-the-field. Townsend seems to have brought this team to the limit, but no one above him is able or willing see it. The Scottish hierarchy is unwilling to act, even if they have the power to do so. They seem to be in the thralls of a man, who has been the head coach for Scotland since 1992, but has failed to win a World Cup and averaged a Six Nations finish below third. Townsend took on a second job over the summer with Red Bull – a move that was criticised by Sir Clive Woodward Under Townsend, Scotland have finished third, fifth, fourth, fourth, fourth, third, fourth and fourth in the Six Nations And Scotland have also endured a pair of hugely disappointing World Cup campaigns during his tenure, bowing out at the group stage in both 2019 and 2023There is a staleness to the whole setup. Even the quotes by players are tiresome, predictable, and often lacking substance.‘We know we can beat anyone on our day.’ You can bet your bottom dollar you’ll hear that one plenty in the build-up to next weekend’s clash with New Zealand.Indeed, Townsend went early when he named his team for the opening match against the USA at Murrayfield. He said on Thursday: ‘We certainly believe the players can get us wins against any team we come up against.’Problem is, it’s just not true. It’s not true.Scotland has played New Zealand 32 games and have never beaten them. They came close in 2017 and 2022 but couldn’t get over the line. In the last 30 years they have only beaten South Africa twice, and never since 2010. They haven’t beaten Ireland in 11 attempts under Townsend.So, they should really spare us this nonsense about ‘we know we can beat anyone on our day’. Next week, go out and show it. That is the most important match. Then there are the games against Argentina and Tonga over the next 4 weeks. New Zealand has lost its former power. Just a few months ago they were beaten 43-10 at home by South Africa. It was a record-breaking defeat. Rory Sutherland is warming up for the USA Test, while the All Blacks take the field next. Scotland have never defeated New Zealand and next week it’s about time they did. It’s yours for the taking! That might be stretching it, but Scotland won’t get a better chance to finally beat them.Argentina are a terrific side on their day, as shown when they shocked the British and Irish Lions in Dublin in the summer, but they can also be flaky.Three wins from the four games should be the very least of Scotland’s ambitions. They should be able to win all four games in a clean sweep. If they do, we may finally see some tangible progress under Townsend. His squad includes 11 British and Irish Lions. Huw Jones is an injury-prone absence. Zander Fagerson, Rory Darge and other first-choice players are also unsure of their availability to play against the All Blacks. Scotland’s health is generally good. Finn Russell won’t play against the US and neither will the likes of Blair Kinghorn, Ben White and all of the other players based outside of Scotland.But it’s still a strong enough team nonetheless, with Duhan van der Merwe winning his 50th cap and Darcy Graham operating on the opposite wing. Adam Hastings, Scott Cummings and Jack Dempsey are three more big names who will start against a US team ranked 15th in the world.With Jonny Gray not in the picture despite playing well in France for Bordeaux, these next few weeks should see the evolution of Scotland’s second row. Grant Gilchrist, a man of great service, is now 35 years old. He’ll be 37 when the next World Cup rolls around. Cummings was the British and Irish Lion last summer. This could be the beginning of a long-term partnership between the second row. Williamson’s physical strength was evident in the mighty performance he made against South Africa one year ago. At 23, and as long as he can stay fit, he’s only going to improve.Townsend still has the makings of a good team. He has a lot of good players to choose from. After starring for the Lions in Australia, Russell hasn’t missed a beat for Bath at the start of the new season. Duhan van der Merwe will win his 50th Scotland cap against the United States on Saturday Scott Cummings (centre) was a British & Irish Lion over the summer and can be the future of Scotland’s second rowThe SRU may not care much for accountability, but the Scottish rugby public are right to expect better than what Townsend has delivered since the previous World Cup.‘What we’ve gone through, good and bad, we’re in the best position that we’ve been in, in the time that I’ve been here,’ he said recently.Again, just simply not true. Scotland have had a difficult couple of years. If that slide continues over the autumn and into next year’s Six Nations, the noise around Townsend’s tie-up with Red Bull will only intensify.It will be impossible to shift the feeling that we are sleepwalking our way towards a World Cup with a failing head coach who views the Scotland job as a part-time gig. Only Townsend has the power to change this narrative.
2025-10-31 17:25:12
There’s only one thing Scotland can do this autumn that will save Gregor ‘Two-jobs’ Townsend after his Red Bull fiasco – and he’ll have to make history, writes CALUM CROWE
