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'For 60 minutes we went toe-to-toe with the Springboks' - Ewan Ashman
By PA
Ewan Ashman believes Scotland can draw plenty of encouragement from their valiant effort against South Africa on Sunday as they build towards next year’s Six Nations.
The Scots went down 32-15 to the double world champions at Murrayfield after dominating long periods of the second half and threatening to get their noses in front.
Gregor Townsend’s side – who played 20 minutes of the first half with 14 men following Scott Cummings’ red card – got within four points of the Springboks just after the hour and were within a converted score until the 74th minute, when the visitors started to close the game out.
Despite the frustration at missing out on a first victory over South Africa since 2010, hooker Ashman feels the Scots can be buoyed by the way they played as they prepare for two more Autumn Tests against Portugal and Australia before kicking off their Six Nations campaign at home to Italy at the start of February.
“Everybody’s disappointed because that was an opportunity for us and we let it slip,” he said.
“We probably won’t have another crack at them for two or three years. But there’s still a massive pride amongst the lads, and I think it’s just like a fire of confidence for us.
“You look at the positives of the game, like the defensive performance, the effort, that’s something that we can take forward into the next couple of games, into the Six Nations.
“We were playing 14 men against the best-stats Springboks team, world champions. Obviously we need to learn and we need to be more clinical, but we can also take the positives and build on that.”
All of Scotland’s 15 points came from the boot of Finn Russell and Ashman rued their inability to get over the whitewash while on top.
“I think for 60 minutes we went toe-to-toe with the Springboks, but we just didn’t convert in those key moments and that’s the difference in these big games against a top, top team,” he said.
“It’s fine margins. We just weren’t clinical enough in that 22. If we want to take the scalps of world champions or top teams like that, you can’t miss one or two chances. You have to take every one.
“But I’m really proud of the effort, the boys were banging. Even with the red card for 20 minutes, the boys fronted up. I think it was one of the best defensive performances we’ve put in.”
Ashman, who made his debut three years ago, is relishing the opportunity to make the number two jersey his own following George Turner’s transfer to Japan in the summer, which effectively removed him from Scotland contention.
“Yeah, obviously, that’s everybody’s dream,” said the 24-year-old Edinburgh player.
“You want to play for your country and that’s exactly what I want to do. But all I can do is control my performances and that’s just what I try and do.
“I’m on 21 caps now and I feel like I’m one of the less-new players in the squad, so I’m just trying to step forward for the lads and put my hand up.”
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Latest Comments
Yes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.
They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).
That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).
Go to commentsThe only benefit of the draft idea is league competitiveness. There would be absolutely no commercial value in a draft with rugby’s current interest levels.
I wonder what came first in america? I’m assuming it’s commercial aspect just built overtime and was a side effect essentially.
But the idea is not without merit as a goal. The first step towards being able to implement a draft being be creating it’s source of draftees. Where would you have the players come from? NFL uses college, and players of an age around 22 are generally able to step straight into the NFL. Baseball uses School and kids (obviously nowhere near pro level being 3/4 years younger) are sent to minor league clubs for a few years, the equivalent of the Super Rugby academies. I don’t think the latter is possible legally, and probably the most unethical and pointless, so do we create a University scene that builds on and up from the School scene? There is a lot of merit in that and it would tie in much better with our future partners in Japan and America.
Can we used the club scene and dispose of the Super Rugby academies? The benefit of this is that players have no association to their Super side, ie theyre not being drafted elshwere after spending time as a Blues or Chiefs player etc, it removes the negative of investing in a player just to benefit another club. The disadvantage of course is that now the players have nowhere near the quality of coaching and each countries U20s results will suffer (supposedly).
Or are we just doing something really dirty and making a rule that the only players under the age of 22 (that can sign a pro contract..) that a Super side can contract are those that come from the draft? Any player wanting to upgrade from an academy to full contract has to opt into the draft?
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