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Scotland add two frontrowers to squad
By Online Editors
Head Coach Gregor Townsend today (Monday) added front-row pair Fraser Brown and Murray McCallum to Scotland's 2019 Guinness Six Nations squad.
Glasgow Warriors hooker Brown joined the group in non-contact training last last week and is expected to take full part from today, with fellow Warrior and hooker Grant Stewart returning to the club.
Prop McCallum (22) last featured for Scotland on the 2018 summer tour and joins as fellow Edinburgh tightead Willem Nel continues his recovery from a calf strain sustained in the national team’s opening victory over Italy at BT Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday.
Exeter Chiefs forward Sam Skinner injured his ankle early in the first-half of the same game and has returned to his club for further assessment.
Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw knows his side must produce an 80-minute performance against Ireland next week after they rounded off a routine victory over Italy in somewhat alarming fashion.
Blair Kinghorn claimed a hat-trick as Scotland dominated at Murrayfield, but the final score was 33-20 courtesy of Italy crossing three times in the final 10 minutes with Simon Berghan in the sin bin for the hosts.
While the visitors’ late flurry of points came with the match well beyond them, Laidlaw acknowledged Scotland cannot afford to be so sloppy when they face the reigning champions.
The scrum-half told BBC Sport: “Against a quality opposition like Ireland, you can’t release a Test match like that. We were well in control and we just gave Italy momentum by being less aggressive at the end and slipping off tackles.
“That will heighten our awareness for next weekend, against a quality team that’s coming here.”
Scotland have now won seven home Six Nations matches in a row since losing to England in February 2016.
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Latest Comments
Very naughty boy!
Go to comments"Interestingly its you who now seem to be renouncing the UEFA style points system, because you don't like the outcome of reducing URC representation."
No, as I have clearly written and no need to be a "mind reader" this time, I don't like the outcome that half of the teams will be from Top14...
"What about 4 each + 4 to the best performing teams in last years competition not to have otherwise qualified?"
Because I don't think that having the possibility of a team finishing outside the quarter finals to qualify automatically will be a good idea. I'd rather have a team finishing 5th in their domestic league.
"Or what about a UEFA style system where places are allocated to leagues on the basis of their performance in previous years' competitions?"
You mean like the option I suggested like 3 times now? 😜 That will lead to have half of team from top14 and the end of the tournament.
"There's no point including Black Lion if they're just going to get whitewashed every year"
I genuinely disagree with that. I do think it's a decent team and are not doing too badly in the challenge cup.
"Maybe the best placed non-Israeli team and the Russian winners could play off every year for the spot?"
Based on the current geopolitics I won't bet on this happening anytime soon 😉
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