Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend absolved lock Glen Young of blame for “world class play” that eventually helped Australia overturn Saturday’s opening Autumn Test at Murrayfield.
The 27-year-old from Jedburgh was winning only his second cap and in his first home international. He saw yellow after he was adjudged to have gone high on a clearout of Wallaby scrum-half Tate McDermott.
Scotland led 15-6 at the time and were attacking in search of the try that would probably have sealed the game.
In Young’s absence – he was an early replacement for Sam Skinner – Australia rallied for a try by skipper James Slipper and a later Bernard Foley penalty gave them the lead.
A pivotal moment
Blair Kinghorn missed a late penalty to win it for Scotland. While Townsend agreed the yellow was a pivotal moment, he described Young’s play as “world class”.
“That’s the game (nowadays),” he said. “In the coaching box (defence coach) Steve Tandy said ‘We could be in trouble here’ and I said ‘no, it’s a world class clear-out’.
How’s Glen Young suppose to clear the defender without hitting that fella in the head? Feel like these new rules are great and trying to protect players but that’s not foul play just a fair clear at the breakdown? #ScoAus
— Nick Campbell (@nickacampbell1) October 29, 2022
“It was a brilliant bit of rugby. Someone sprinting to get to the ball carrier, a big athletic second-row in his second game for Scotland.
“It was a millimetre away from being the best clear-out you’ll ever see, to hitting the smallest guy on the field in the head area and a yellow card.”
Townsend stressed that the TMO and referee Luke Pearce had made the right call. But he joined the growing chorus in rugby calling for the “jackal” – defending players stealing the ball at the tackle situation – to be made illegal.
“I personally believe the jackal should be taken out of the game,” he continued. “There are too many injuries to the jackalling player and there is too much risk when you take someone out.
“We have to win races to win contact. We’re encouraging our players to sprint to win that race. If you don’t then you are not going to be able to move that jackaller.
‘He’s not going to slow down in enough time’
“Someone sprinting to win that race, he’s not going to slow down a yard from the ruck in enough time.
“We said that to Glen. That it is a world class piece of play or a yellow card. There is nothing you can change about it unless you decide to go to the ruck and let the other team win the ball.
📺 Check out the highlights from today's #ANS opener 📲#AutumnNationsSeries | #SCOvAUS
— Autumn Nations Series (@autumnnations) October 29, 2022
“I’m not saying (the decision) is wrong, but personally I believe we need to take the jackaller out.”
Townsend said that Kinghorn was down on himself after his late miss, but he believed the stand-off had performed well.
“He did a lot of good things out there, outstanding things all over the park and missed one kick unfortunately,” added the coach.
“Everybody makes mistakes. We had opportunities to win the game before that so it should not have come down to that.
“I told him to keep his head up and be proud of how he performed.’