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'I think they're the world's form team' - Scotland coach Townsend eager to test his side against full-strength France
By PA
Gregor Townsend insists he could not be happier to be facing France’s A-listers next week after Fabien Galthie decided against sending his second string to Murrayfield.
Les Bleus had planned to field a reserve line-up in Edinburgh in next Sunday’s Autumn Nations Cup showdown.
However, they have had a rethink in the wake of their cancelled clash with Fiji and will instead travel across the Channel with all of their big-hitters in tow.
Townsend could be forgiven for wincing at that news, especially after admitting Galthie’s team currently look in better shape than the All Blacks.
But the Scotland head coach feels his side are ready to rise to the challenge just as they did when they derailed France’s Six Nations Grand Slam dreams before lockdown.
Asked if he was pleased to be facing a first-choice French line-up, Townsend replied emphatically: “Yes.
“They came with their strongest team in March and brought the best out in us. We’ll have to rise up to that challenge next week.
“They’ve moved on since then. I think they’re playing excellent rugby. They know what their game is just now and they’ve got some players in top form, so it will be a big challenge for us.
“If they had come with a different team it would have presented a really different challenge. They would have brought a tough game when the expectation, the pressure to win, was off, and players we don’t know that much about.
“There was certainly no (Romain) Ntamack, (Virimi) Vakatawa or Teddy Thomas – all their top players. So it will be a game that we’ll have to be at our best to win.
“I think they’re the world’s form team. New Zealand have lost a couple of games, South Africa haven’t played, so those were the top teams in the world, whereas France have gone out and scored lots of tries against Wales and Ireland. So they and England look to be the form teams just now in the world.”
Scotland are in not too bad shape themselves these days. It may not have been the prettiest performance but Saturday’s 28-17 win over Italy in Florence means Townsend’s team are now five games unbeaten for only the second time in the professional era.
They can make it six in a row for the first time since 1990 when the French visit but Townsend’s does not think the chance to rewrite the record books will heap extra pressure on his team next weekend.
He said: “That would be the case if we had five defeats in a row to five wins in a row. You go out to win for Scotland.
“The belief that gets created from winning certainly helps and knowing that one of the top teams in the world is coming to town next week will get our focus.
“It’s always nice to be in the changing room with the team after a win.
“So they can prepare for that game knowing there are some things to improve, but the feeling that they found a way to win on the field will just give them an extra bit of confidence if we have to do the same next week.”
- Andy Newport
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Latest Comments
Agreed. And I don't have much more to say on it, but I had been having one thought that sprang to mind at the tail of this discussion, and that is that it's not all about Razor.
It's not about any coach being "right". I think a lot of selections can become defense and while it doesn't really apply here I really enjoyed that Andy Farrell just gave into the public demands and changed out his team for the change that had been asked for. Like why not? This is the countries team, keep them engaged. The whole reason i've only just finished watching the game was because I wasn't interested in watching any of the selected players against a team like Italy (still actually enjoyed the first half with the contest Italy made of it).
Faz leap frogs a younger half back into start. He hands the golden child the game over July's golden child. He gives an old winger a go, a new flanker and hooker. None of them really did any good, certainly not enough to suggest they should have been promoted above others, but who cares? You won, and you gave the country what they wanted, that's all that matters after all. It's for the country, not the one in charge who thinks they have to have their own pied piper tune playing.
Go to commentsAs Naas would say... A win is a win.
It was not perfect and at times frustrating. All 3 tests were not the best by the Boks and they still found ways to win.
Rassie would have noted the sloppyness at times and silly mistakes. The 9's made amateur handling mistakes when clearing the rucks in all 3 tests.
Once the "stupid" mistakes are eliminated, this Bok team will be very very hard to beat.
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