Andy Robinson seizes chance to freshen his pool

Robinson has rarely named the same side for two Test matches in a row since he took over from Frank Hadden in 2009. He has been hampered, like any coach, by injuries and again his plans for the forthcoming Tests with Australia, Fiji and Samoa have been hit by the withdrawal of David Denton, Kelly Brown and Lee Jones through injury, as well as lock Jim Hamilton, who received a seven-week ban for fighting in his last league match with Gloucester.

Others like Glasgow flanker Chris Fusaro and Grant Gilchrist, the Edinburgh lock, are youngsters firmly in Robinson’s sights for a step-up to the Test arena sooner rather than later after their excellent form this season.

But explaining why he opted for the 28 he has, Robinson revealed he felt in some cases players would be better off resting at home in May and then attacking pre-season with their full might.

“It was going to be a squad of 32,” he said, “but unfortunately we lost the Waratahs game and in discussions with the ARU they weren’t able to give us another game worthy of the standard we wanted, so we went with a 28-man squad. So, we were then looking at players who would be in the Test matches and be given the opportunity to play. So, take someone like Chris Fusaro. He has done really well, but I didn’t envisage him playing in the same side as Ross Rennie. Ross is the starting seven [openside flanker] because he did well in the Six Nations, and that’s an example of the kind of balance I had to look at.

“The other part for Chris, and guys like Grant Gilchrist, is that they’ve had a long season. They have played very well. Grant also went to New Zealand last summer [Macphail Scholarship], and their strength and conditioning is huge this summer, so if we took them away there would be a knock-on effect for next year. It’s their second season next year and you know the effects sometimes of a second season. But they will be challenging in the autumn for spots.”

Ruaridh Jackson was in the initial squad, he added, but when the cut was made to 28 the Glasgow stand-off was another to be dropped, largely because Greig Laidlaw and Duncan Weir, who were both left out of the World Cup squad, have usurped him as the form No 10s this season.

“Ruaridh was my No 1 after the World Cup,” Robinson said, “but Greig Laidlaw has really developed into a ten and played well for Scotland. Greig is going to start and then it was looking at who would back him up. This is giving Duncan an opportunity. He has something different, so this gives us the opportunity to change our game out there.”

Seeking to continue with a captain who is guaranteed his place, he has stuck with Ross Ford despite the hooker receiving flak for Scotland’s wooden spoon display in the recent RBS Six Nations Championship. But Robinson spoke of him being part of a leadership group that also included Al Kellock, Laidlaw, Chris Cusiter and Mike Blair.

Glasgow centre Graeme Morrison is an experienced figure left out as Robinson looks to reshape his attack and particularly the midfield area. There are recalls to the international arena for Alex Grove and Joe Ansbro. Ansbro has been out of the picture this year due to injury but Grove has not featured, ironically, since moving to Edinburgh on loan two years ago in an attempt to cement his place in the Scotland set-up.

He failed to impress Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat and struggled for game-time, before being handed back to Worcester at the end of a brief loan spell. Robinson has been impressed by his improvement since then and after a good performance in the Scotland A team’s 35-0 win over England Saxons in Galashiels in February, he is back in the running for a new midfield with Edinburgh youngster Matt Scott starting the tour as the first choice at inside centre.

“Alex [Grove] has perhaps been a bit under the radar but he’s performed consistently well for Worcester this year,” said Robinson. “When he played in the three Test matches he played he did well for us, so this is showing to him that the work he has put in to make the improvements he’s made has been recognised. As for Matt, I’m looking for him to start in that [inside centre] position.”

He added: “You have 12 players in there that either made their first starts in the Six Nations or are uncapped, which shows you how the squad is evolving. We have also lost Danielli, Simon Webster and Thom Evans in the last three years in terms of wingers and have Lee Jones injured, so suddenly there’s a dearth of wingers there and so we’re using the experience we have.”

Robinson said that the regulations had been checked and that Tim Visser was eligible to train with the squad before qualifying for Scotland on 12 June and that, while Max Evans will play for Castres this week in the Top 14 “Barrage”, as they seek a place in the semi-finals, if Castres win the French club will release him this weekend under the IRB regulation nine ruling. One other new addition to the squad will be Australian coach Scott Johnson, and Robinson hopes he will help arrest a seven-game losing run.

“He [Johnson] is a great person to talk to; his knowledge of the game is superb and I’m looking forward to him bringing his approach to the players. I think they will thrive on his vision of the game and the way he coaches. It’s a good opportunity for us all to generate confidence, and that real team spirit, which touring can do for you, to really lead us on to the autumn.”