{"id":289879,"date":"2023-09-05T18:36:03","date_gmt":"2023-09-05T18:36:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/?p=289879"},"modified":"2023-09-05T18:36:03","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T18:36:03","slug":"former-scotland-captains-discuss-major-issues-ahead-of-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/rugby-union\/former-scotland-captains-discuss-major-issues-ahead-of-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Scotland captains discuss major issues ahead of World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>How to beat the Boks, slow starts and England can make semis.. former Scotland captains Ryan Wilson, Andy Nicol and Jason White discuss major talking points ahead of the World Cup<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Scotland showed plenty of character in games against France and Georgia<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>South Africa fired a warning by demolishing Wales and New Zealand<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>England backed to make semi-finals despite shambolic build-up\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With just days to go until Scotland\u2019s opening World Cup fixture against the mighty South Africa, we gathered together former Scotland captains Ryan Wilson, Andy Nicol and Jason White to discuss the major talking points heading into the tournament.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Which players have impressed them in the build-up, what chance Scotland have against the Springboks, concerns over slow starts \u2014 and what England can achieve after a nightmare summer all get an airing&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><span>What do you feel will be the biggest thing Gregor Townsend will have taken away from the four World Cup warm-up games?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Ryan Wilson:<\/span> I reckon he\u2019ll have realised that his team is a lot more resilient now than it used to be. There were times when it wasn\u2019t going well in the home games against France and Georgia, but the team dug it out. In the away game against France, okay Scotland didn\u2019t win, but we stuck in and pushed the French all the way. That takes character and resilience. The team is also far more settled now than it was in 2019.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/05\/18\/75087643-0-image-a-4_1693935030944.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Scotland showed plenty of character in the warm-up games against\u00a0France and Georgia<\/p>\n<p><span>Andy Nicol:<\/span> No injuries to key players. I think we were all worried when Finn Russell was selected for the Georgia game, but he got through it, and we look relatively injury-free. I was pleased with how the attacking shape of the team improved and the understanding of the role that each player has within the attacking game. The defence was largely very strong, quite disciplined and delivered with real intensity.<\/p>\n<p><span>Jason White:<\/span> That the whole squad of players have an understanding of each other and how he wants them to play. We look fit and powerful, which is key to how Gregor wants us to play. The players who were rotated in and the players with the impression of being first choice know that they will need to be on top of their game to be selected or their place in the team will be at risk.<\/p>\n<p><span>Which players stood out and impressed you the most?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>RW:<\/span> Kyle Steyn. I think he\u2019s been absolutely outstanding, not only in these past few games, but going back to the Six Nations this year as well. He\u2019s captain at Glasgow now and has really matured into a top-class player.<\/p>\n<p>I know Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe have the jerseys nailed down as Scotland\u2019s wingers, but Steyn is breathing down their neck. Rory Darge has been brilliant as well and George Horne has added good pace to the attack when he\u2019s come off the bench.<\/p>\n<p><span>AN:<\/span> The usual suspects really. Finn Russell was class and showed his passing and kicking skills. Our back three of Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham and Blair Kinghorn were very good, with Kyle Steyn not far behind.<\/p>\n<p>Richie Gray seems to get better with age and Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey have got their noses in front of Hamish Watson and Matt Fagerson in the back row.<\/p>\n<p><span>JW:<\/span> Finn Russell has been the standout for me and probably the form stand-off in all of the warm-up games. His variety of pass, his kicking and his rugby intelligence is at another level.<\/p>\n<p>In the forwards, Jack Dempsey has been excellent and really come on to a game. His ability to keep going forward and make the vital yards in attack is going to be critical against both South Africa and Ireland.<\/p>\n<p><span>Scotland started slowly in the home game against France and against Georgia last weekend. Will that be a concern for Gregor Townsend and what needs to change to ensure it doesn\u2019t happen against South Africa?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>RW:<\/span> We didn\u2019t start those games well and you\u2019re not going to get away with that against South Africa. But we showed resilience and an ability to turn games around. It\u2019s not always easy to solve problems on the field. It shows a team who are maturing nicely and have good leaders.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/05\/18\/75087511-0-image-a-2_1693934760114.jpg\" height=\"402\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Winger Kyle Steyn is pushing\u00a0Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe for World Cup spot<\/p>\n<p><span>AN:<\/span> It certainly could be, but Gregor Townsend will highlight that they started the game very well against France in Saint-Etienne. There is no doubt that Scotland cannot afford a poor start to the games against South Africa or Ireland because those two teams are so good and so experienced, they could take the game away from Scotland quite easily.<\/p>\n<p><span>JW:<\/span> It will be a big concern if we let South Africa build up a lead on the scoreboard. Trying to claw back anything over seven points against the Boks will be incredibly hard. Their composure, work rate in defence and physicality are their X-factor. They know how to win big games and World Cups, with defence being the foundations of their game.<\/p>\n<p>For me, nailing the basics in the first 20 minutes are key, find a way to build pressure through territory and possession and we should see our attackers get opportunities.<\/p>\n<p><span>The Springboks look like they have hit top form after destroying Wales and the All Blacks over the past couple of weeks. What are your thoughts on them and how can Scotland hurt them?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>RW:<\/span> If you\u2019d asked me a few weeks ago, I genuinely felt we had a chance of beating South Africa. Then they go and absolutely smash the All Blacks and Wales. They\u2019re probably the form team heading into the World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>Some people criticised them for the 7-1 split on the bench against the All Blacks, but I actually admired the innovation. They\u2019re pushing the boundaries and trying new things. I don\u2019t mind that, but clearly Scotland need their A-game to beat them.<\/p>\n<p><span>AN:<\/span> Power, power and even more power! South Africa are so strong, so physical in the way they play with or without the ball. They want a set-piece driven game, lots of scrums and lineouts so they can exert even more power and physicality into the game to win penalties. This either results in three points or field position and another line-out to exert their power.<\/p>\n<p>Scotland will need to attack very accurately and find the space that South Africa leave with their rush defence. There is no one better in world rugby in scanning what is happening in front of them than Finn Russell, but he is going to need to have a blinder.<\/p>\n<p><span>JW:<\/span> At the moment, they look like the form team in the warm-up matches. It takes a special team to put 30 points past New Zealand.<\/p>\n<p>Scotland\u2019s forward pack have to at least match them in the scrum, maul and line-out. If we let them get dominance they become incredibly hard to stop scoring. Scotland can hurt them with our variety in attack and the quality of our players. We have shown that we can score against the best teams in the world through both our backs and forwards.<span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/05\/18\/75088023-0-image-a-16_1693935819419.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Defending champions South Africa fired a warning by demolishing Wales and New Zealand<\/p>\n<p><span>On the Lions tour a couple of years ago, it was obvious how much the team improved when Finn Russell came off the bench early in the third Test against the Boks. How can he inspire Scotland to victory?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>RW:<\/span> I spoke to Finn recently about this. I think Scotland\u2019s gameplan has to be to play as quickly as possible, move South Africa around, and keep the ball away from their big forwards as much as possible. If we can do that for 80 minutes, we might just have a chance.<\/p>\n<p><span>AN:<\/span> The way he varies the attack sets him apart. He can be first receiver and then next play he becomes second receiver and gets the ball that little bit further out which can disrupt even the best defence. He needs to have his best game and the other 14 players have to be right on his wavelength.<\/p>\n<p><span>JW:<\/span> Finn holds the key to unlocking the Boks\u2019 defence. His pass from hand and his kicking mark him as one of \u2014 if not the best \u2014 attacking stand-off in world rugby at the moment. He is also an intelligent defender who hits harder than he looks like he should. My money is on him finding the gaps for our strike runners to exploit.<\/p>\n<p><span>How important is this first game to set the tone? We had a horrible start in 2019 against Ireland. That simply can\u2019t be allowed to happen again, can it?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>RW:<\/span> It\u2019s so important. It was a horrible start for us in 2019 and we always felt like we were playing catch up from that point. You want to start the tournament with a proper performance which gives you something to build on.<\/p>\n<p><span>AN:<\/span> Absolutely not. Gregor Townsend has admitted that they got a number of things wrong in Japan ahead of that first game and they have learned that very tough lesson. Scotland will be very happy with their warm-up games. They couldn\u2019t have gone much better. What we didn\u2019t see is a complete 80-minute performance and that is required in the first game of the World Cup.<\/p>\n<p><span>JW:<\/span> First games in any World Cup are key. The manner of the defeat in 2019 was the real issue. As long as the quality of performance is there against the Boks we will go into game two in a good place.<\/p>\n<p>Our pool is so incredibly hard that we know we have to beat one of the best two teams in the world. Obviously we will have the ambition and I believe the ability to win, but we must perform as a squad to around 95-per-cent-plus of our capability to have a chance of beating either of them.<\/p>\n<p><span>What about England? Their preparations have been pretty shambolic with the disciplinary issues with Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola, and defeats to Ireland and Fiji. What can we expect from them?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/09\/05\/18\/75087521-0-image-a-3_1693934791607.jpg\" height=\"463\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>England have been backed to make World Cup semi-finals despite their shambolic build-up<\/p>\n<p><span>RW:<\/span> Everyone was slaughtering England last weekend, but I think you have to applaud Fiji as well. They were outstanding. But yeah, it\u2019s been a horrible build-up for England. I expect them to lose against Argentina in their opening game, before then doing just about enough to get out of their pool. But I don\u2019t really see them going much further than that.<\/p>\n<p><span>AN:<\/span> Even with such a poor build-up, losing players to ill-discipline and having no attacking game outside their driving maul, due to the draw that they have, I still expect England to make the semi-finals which is remarkable. They have got too many good players for it not to get better very quickly but they will need a complete mindset shift and maybe the players taking more responsibility on how they play the game.<\/p>\n<p><span>JW:<\/span> England look in absolute disarray. They look so far off the pace on understanding the game they want to play in both attack and defence.<\/p>\n<p>It is easy to say from the outside but the players have to take control and drive it forwards, at the moment they could have the worst World Cup ever from an England team. They may surprise us and improve but the first fixture versus Argentina looks beyond them.<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/sport\/rugbyunion\/article-12483791\/How-beat-Boks-slow-starts-England-make-semis-former-Scotland-captains-Ryan-Wilson-Andy-Nicol-Jason-White-discuss-major-talking-points-ahead-World-Cup.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to beat the Boks, slow starts and England can make semis.. former Scotland captains Ryan Wilson, Andy Nicol and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":289878,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Former Scotland captains discuss major issues ahead of World Cup - All My Sports News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/rugby-union\/former-scotland-captains-discuss-major-issues-ahead-of-world-cup\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Former Scotland captains discuss major issues ahead of World Cup - 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