Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell are out of Scotland’s final Guinness Six Nations game against Italy on Sunday.
Scotland have been fortunate until now with injuries during the campaign. Sunday’s backline against Ireland was unchanged for the fourth game in a row, the first time that’s ever happened in a Six Nations for Scotland
But head coach Gregor Townsend had already predicted changes in the matchday 23 for Italy after the two talismanic figures in the backline both limped off in the second half in the 22-7 defeat to Ireland.
Yesterday they returned to their clubs. Richie Gray, who popped a rib cartilage and came off after just five minutes, is staying with the squad as his assessment continues.
Bath back rower Josh Bayliss and uncapped Edinburgh 10 Charlie Savala have been called up.
Kinghorn, Healy and Smith candidates for the roles
A fifth member of the exclusive club.
Donna Kennedy 115.
Ross Ford 110.
Chris Paterson 109.
Sean Lamont 105.
Stuart Hogg 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣#AsOne pic.twitter.com/LtNmx6H1IX— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) March 12, 2023
“Stuart’s had a swollen ankle, we hoped it was just twisted,” he said. “Finn has a knee problem that was always going to be harder to turn around.
“The six-day turnaround to Italy doesn’t help things. We have one training day this week on Wednesday – they’d have had to be available for that to be available for the weekend.”
Townsend has an open mind about a replacement at 10 if required. Munster’s Ben Healy is in line for a debut or Blair Kinghorn could return to the role he played in the first two games in the November tests.
“It will be one of them (at 10),” said Townsend. “It could be Blair at full-back, but Ollie Smith’s played really well for us in the last six months.
“We know the squad that’s been training and there are players we’d be keen to see. Ben’s trained really well, Ollie’s trained really well.
“Blair played well off the bench again today, so he’d be someone who’d come into our thoughts, maybe ahead of the other guys.”
Scotland got inventive with selection two years ago and still beat Italy by 50 points, but the improvement in the Italians means experimentation is much less likely, Townsend agreed.
“There were different circumstances then with the France game being called off and then played later,” he said.
“Finn was injured and Hoggy went to 10. There were also players who deserved opportunities like Huw who had been on the bench.
“We’ll have a similar discussion this week, regardless of the result. Players have trained very well, and we maybe wanted to have a look at them, but so far it’s been really the same team every week.
“There are some tired bodies and some injuries, so I would predict the 23 will change.”
‘We sense the expectation and anticipation from the fans’
As always, incredible support.
Thank you Scotland 💙#AsOne pic.twitter.com/8XyeBn24Xr
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) March 12, 2023
There can be no complacency with the way Italy have been playing, the coach added.
“It’s our last game of the campaign and we want a very good performance,” he said. “But we’ll have to play very well, Italy have been very unlucky against some of the top teams.
“They pushed France close and Ireland very close. On Saturday they had 10 linebreaks against Wales.
“They’re a very dangerous team. Last year at this time they went to Cardiff and had a historic win.
“We sense the expectation and anticipation from the fans. I thought the energy from the crowd against Ireland was excellent.
“We owe the supporters more than that next week. Also we owe it to each other to put in an 80 minute performance and put all this good work and elements in our game into a complete performance.
“There’s a mindset as well. Last couple of games we’ve just rushed things when we maybe got into the opposition 22. That calmness and control to take opportunities we showed at Twickenham, we need more of that next week.”