Just a few weeks ago, when it was announced that Jamie Ritchie had lost the Scotland captaincy, it was widely expected that the decision to demote him would be reflected in the team selection for this Six Nations opener in Cardiff.
Gregor Townsend openly admitted that Ritchie’s dip in form over the past year meant he was no longer guaranteed to be in Scotland’s first-choice XV.
The head coach challenged the back rower to get down on his knees and get back to playing his best rugby after putting him back in the starting lineup.
Just a few days later, a second-half cameo from the bench for Edinburgh in their Challenge Cup win over Scarlets at Llanelli didn’t necessarily feel like vintage Ritchie. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old will now return to Wales this weekend after being given a surprise lifeline by Townsend. It represents quite a turnaround from the head coach, especially considering the makeup of the various pieces in Scotland’s back row.
Normally a six through exchange, Ritchie is shifted to openside. Luke Crosbie will move into Ritchie’s normal position on the blindside, with Matt Fagerson at number 8.
Jamie Ritchie has made a surprise inclusion in Gregor Townsend’s Six Nations XV for Wales
The head coach has put together an unpredictable back row for Scotland’s first test after last year’s World Cup
Both Andy Christie (left) and Joshu Bayliss (right) have been left out of the squad entirely
Meanwhile, Andy Christie and Josh Bayliss, two of the best back rowers in Europe over the past month and two players Townsend has spoken about in glowing terms, are not in the squad at all.
Honestly, if you asked a hundred people what Scotland’s back row would look like against Wales this weekend, no one would have chosen this combination.
But as his side look for a first win in Cardiff since 2002, Townsend has challenged former captain Ritchie to recapture his best form and inspire the Scots to victory on the opening day.
“Jamie has trained extremely well,” Townsend said. ‘That is because of the skill he has shown, the commitment. We see it from our coaching point of view, but also through GPS and things like that.
“He has worked very hard and his performance against Scarlets from the bench only showed the hunger and desire he has to get back to his best rugby.
“Part of the reason he is no longer captain is not so much his performance, but the performance of others.
‘We have so much competition in the back row and it was not guaranteed that he would be in the starting XI. But we know how well he has played for Scotland in the past and we think he will get back into that form now.
‘He has responded very positively to the challenge and the news that someone else, or two people, would take over the captaincy.’
With Ritchie’s relegation, it will be Finn Russell who will be given the Scotland captaincy at the Principality Stadium.
Townsend confirmed yesterday that co-vice-captain Rory Darge should return against France next weekend.
But there was bad news elsewhere in the squad after it was announced that Blair Kinghorn will miss the first two games due to a knee injury.
Finn Russell will take the captain’s armrest before Scotland’s kick-off in Cardiff
Blair Kinghorn – who will miss the first two games due to injury – is an asset Townsend will be reluctant to lose
The back three are already missing a key player, as Darcy Graham will also miss the first two rounds due to a thigh injury.
Glasgow Warriors flyer Kyle Rowe starts at wing-back, but with Ollie Smith out and Stuart Hogg retired, Kinghorn’s injury exposes the lack of options when it comes to a specialist 15.
“With Blair we think it is a three to four week injury so if he progresses well with his rehabilitation and recovery he should be available for England,” Townsend said.
‘Rory is doing well now. He checked everything off. This match came a few days early for him, but he will train next week.’
Ben White has recovered from a shoulder injury suffered last weekend for Toulon and partner captain Russell in the halfbacks.
Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones have been selected together in midfield and will look to recapture the electric form that saw them shine in the Championship last year.
Cameron Redpath has been in excellent form for Bath, playing alongside Russell, but will have to settle for a place on the bench.
But Townsend backed the ‘Huwipulotu’ partnership to shine again, saying: ‘Huw has been excellent for us for a number of games now. He played very well when playing on the wing for Glasgow recently.
‘He is now one of our best defenders. He has grown enormously in that position and his bond with Sione is so important.
“They have both done so much for us over the last year and together they are in good shape going into the Championship.
“Cam knocks on the door. He has had a very good season, but those are the guys who currently own the jersey.
Several members of the team, including Elliot Millar-Mills (right), have limited or no testing experience
Wales head coach Warren Gatland (left) is frustrated by Scotland’s decision to keep the roof off
‘We believe that cohesion and continuity are important in a championship.’
Elsewhere, Exeter Chiefs’ Alec Hepburn (30) and Northampton’s Elliot Millar-Mills (31) will both make their debuts from the bench.
However, Townsend refuted any suggestions that having a lack of testing experience among the replacement front rowers could pose a risk.
He said: “We have experience with Elliot and Alec in terms of their ages and how many rugby games they have played.
“Alec has obviously played international rugby before (for England). Elliot has also been in excellent form for Northampton this year.
“Alec brings real energy with his speed and his attitude. We know he will add something off the bench in that last quarter of the game.”
Opting to keep the roof open, much to the ire of Wales head coach Warren Gatland, the Scots will be keen to start with a win despite their poor record in Cardiff.
Against a Wales team in transition and without many of their star names of old, Townsend insists his team will be ready to cope with the expectation.
“I think that’s the expectation in the group, but we also expect a very tough match and we expect to be challenged physically and mentally,” he said.
“We expect the game not to be perfect – the first game of the championship – so all these things are there and it’s about how we deal with them. How we bounce back to get into the way we play on offense and defense, how we are together during those difficult moments.
“That’s the challenge, and it’s a challenge we’ve been working on for a while.
“It was a big lesson from the World Cup, so we get a perfect opportunity to deliver on what we’ve been working on this weekend.
‘Wales had a good World Cup with a great result against Australia and they were building towards that.
Townsend emphasized that his focus with his players was on the team itself rather than their Welsh opponents
‘They will be disappointed to have lost the quarter-final but with a home game first and a fresh team they will be going all out.
“I don’t think we’re talking about why we’ve struggled here in the past, but we’ve talked about the record and the fact that we need to do something about that.
‘We must also embrace the challenge of playing in this stadium against a very passionate team.
“But most of this week has been about ourselves.”