"They've Got Their Facts Wrong" – Townsend Plays Down 'complaint to World Rugby'

Today at 06:17 AM

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has rubbished rumours concerning an official complaint to the governing body over 7-1 bench splits.

Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!

Reports in the Telegraph last week told of the 51-year-old seeking to open dialogue about banning the practice of naming just one back among the replacements. Speaking at Murrayfield after his side's 36-29 victory over Wales, Townsend shot down suggestions that any formal grievance had been filed with World Rugby.

"They've got their facts wrong", said Townsend. "There was a private discussion where I was the spokesman for my table and [7-1] was one of the things that was brought up. To get headlines, I'm the one that's bringing it up.

"It was a World Rugby 'Shape of the Game' discussion, and I was the spokesman for the feedback from my table. So it seems to have been translated into something different.”

Both sides named a 5-3 split in the Wales match on Saturday. Townsend called upon George Horne, Stafford McDowall and Kyle Rowe in the backs as he rested key players, including co-captain Finn Russell and try scorer Darcy Graham, for the final quarter. Scotland's opponents next Saturday, current Six Nations leaders France, named a 7-1 bench in their win over Ireland in Round 4, sending on Bordeaux-Begles' versatile back Maxime Lucu in the first half for injured Toulouse superstar Anthoine Dupont.

"If you want my view, I don't think the bench was set up to suddenly have a new forward pack coming on", said the former Glasgow Warriors coach, now coaching his eighth Six Nations. "But that's for World Rugby to decide what you do with the bench, and to make any changes.

"For now, you can put eight forwards on the bench if you want. We've faced [7-1] already with South Africa [in the autumn]. We thought we rose to that challenge really well when they brought their seven forwards on.

"If it happens again this week, we've got to do even better."

Townsend did, however, suggest that Scotland will consider using the controversial setup while it remains within the rules set by the governing body. The head coach emphasised that Scotland's versatile backs mean the option remains there for his side.

"We do have players that play in different positions", Townsend said. "France have that, but so do we.

"Guys like Blair Kinghorn and Tom Jordan have played 10 at international level and obviously Tom's played 15 and 12. So who knows? We'll see."

DITORS PICKS:

• Win a trip to the 2025 Lions tour
• Pat Lam linked with surprise international coaching job
• Join Greene King for the Six Nations
• 2025 Six Nations Title permutations: How England can still win
• Will Greenwood picks uncapped England star as his Lions bolter

"Brainless Moments" – Five Lions Hopefuls Who Completely Flopped in the Six Nations Yesterday

The Lions squad is taking shape, and every performance is critical in the race for a place.

Unfortunately, for these five players, their chances of being selected for the prestigious tour took a hit thanks to some costly mistakes in the Six Nations today.

Read on to find out which players missed the mark and why others, like Finn Russell, may be leapfrogging them in the race to the Lions.

1. Joe McCarthy: A Card Too Far

McCarthy’s ill-timed yellow card for yanking Thomas Ramos off the ball was a complete brainfart, turning the game in France's favor.

What followed was a disjointed performance from the lock, and though he tried to make up for it, the damage was already done. For a Lions spot, moments like this are tough to overcome.

2. WillGriff John: A ‘Binned’ Opportunity

John's yellow card was as unnecessary as it was costly, leaving Wales on the back foot.

He couldn't redeem himself after returning to the field and even added to his frustrations with a knock-on. If he was hoping to catch the eye of Lions selectors, this was a missed opportunity he won't soon forget.

3. Bundee Aki: Not Quite the Aki We Know

Aki battled through some early discomfort with a boot to the face, but his performance fizzled out as the game progressed.

Though he was in the thick of the action, his usual dominance didn't materialize when Ireland needed it most. With other centres rising to the occasion, Aki's Lions chances look less promising.

CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO

The post "They've Got Their Facts Wrong" – Townsend Plays Down ‘complaint to World Rugby’ appeared first on Ruck.