Scotland training gets ‘feisty’ in front of watching A-lister as Zander Fagerson attends 'tackle school'

Hollywood A-lister Gerard Butler was an interested spectator as things became overheated during Scotland training this week.

With just over a fortnight to go until the Rugby World Cup in France, Gregor Townsend reported that a live session had turned “feisty”, which met with the coach’s approval. Scotland face Georgia at Murrayfield on Saturday, their final warm-up ahead of their World Cup opener against South Africa in Marseille on September 10, and Townsend believes his squad are coming to the boil nicely. “One of the sessions last week wasn’t that great, and that happens, but the Friday session was one of the best we’ve had and Tuesday this week it got feisty - maybe because Gerard was watching!” said the Scotland coach. “It became more like a game, there were live elements and the players came through it really well. We’ve been delighted by how they’ve applied themselves, the quality they’re producing at training.

“We started a session live. We don’t do that every week, but we did it this week. It then finished live as well, which we didn’t ask them to do. A few players on the defensive side were maybe pushing the edge – and that maybe flicked a switch with the attack guys. I’m glad it happened. I loved the response from the guys, but it wasn’t something we had asked to happen.”

Butler, a long-time supporter of the national side, is well used to action thrillers and got a bit more than he bargained for when he attended Oriam.

Gerard Butler was an interested spectator at Scotland training this week as the national side prepared for the match with Georgia. He spoke with head coach Gregor Townsend after the session.

“He loved watching us train, and we loved having him there,” added Townsend. “He came about 20 minutes after the session had started so I’m not sure if the players clocked him, but it was one of our most intense sessions so whether they were showing off, I don’t know. He was there for about two hours afterwards chatting to Finn and I at the end, so it is just great that he’s given up his time in genuine support of the team, and it gives us a nice boost.”

There is a further boost for Scotland with the return of first-choice scrum-half Ben White to face Georgia. White injured his ankle in the win over France at Murrayfield on August 5, causing him to miss the return match in Saint-Etienne. He has recovered well and will take over from Ali Price in one of six changes to the side that lost narrowly at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium a fortnight ago. Darcy Graham is back on the right wing in place of Kyle Steyn and Ollie Smith is selected at full-back instead of Blair Kinghorn Kinghorn who missed training last week with a thigh niggle but returned to the fold this week.

There are also three changes in the pack, two of them in front row where Jamie Bhatti replaces Pierre Schoeman at loosehead prop and Dave Cherry comes in for George Turner at hooker. In the second row, Sam Skinner partners Grant Gilchrist at lock, with Richie Gray dropping out.

Zander Fagerson is still suspended but has now taken part in the ‘coaching intervention programme’ which, if successful, will allow him to substitute the final match of the three-match ban he was given for his red card against France at Murrayfield. This would free him up to face South Africa.

“He’s had the most detailed tackle school I think I’ve ever seen,” said Townsend. “He did it over in Saint-Etienne just after he had done a really tough fitness session. [Scotland forwards coach] John Dalziel took him through a variety of drills and then did some work in the gym. He’s already connected with one of the guys who were on the hearing panel who asked for a bit more detail and another exercise for him to do. I don’t know the outcome of that, but he’s done everything we believe has been asked of him.”

Scotland team (v Georgia, Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Saturday, 5.30pm. TV: live on Prime Video)

15. Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors) 5 caps

14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) 35 caps

13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 38 caps

12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 18 caps

11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh) 30 caps

10. Finn Russell (Bath) – vice-captain – 71 caps

9. Ben White (Toulon) 15 caps

1. Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) 31 caps

2. Dave Cherry (Edinburgh) 9 caps

3. WP Nel (Edinburgh) 55 caps

4. Sam Skinner (Edinburgh) 27 caps

5. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) - vice-captain - 64 caps

6. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) - captain - 42 caps

7. Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) 10 caps

8. Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 11 caps

Replacements

16. Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh) 8 caps

17. Rory Sutherland (unattached) 25 caps

18. Javan Sebastian (Edinburgh) 5 caps

19. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 28 caps

20. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 35 caps

21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 22 caps

22. Ben Healy (Edinburgh) 2 caps

23. Chris Harris (Gloucester) 43 caps