Gregor Townsend admits Darcy Graham injury blow ‘was tough to see’

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend is striving to view the forthcoming Six Nations Championship as a fresh start. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty

Speaking from the national team’s training camp in Spain, Townsend said: “We had a disappointing start to the week with Darcy. That was a real blow, to see a young lad who will do anything to play for his country visibly upset with  the news that he’d miss the first game, that was tough for players to see, and for a coach to see.

“We wish Darcy all the best in the next few weeks with  his rehab because he was in outstanding form.”

Call it transition, call it flux, there are many ways you could describe the last week but looking ahead it is a new era for Scotland. Townsend has new assistant coaches in the shape of Welshman Steve Tandy, as defence coach, and South Africa-born former France internationalist Pieter de Villiers as scrum specialist.

“Apart from that injury [to Graham] the players have welcomed the new coaches, we got through a lot last week.

“On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and then we were back in on Thursday and Friday. Now we’re in Spain just building on what we learned and what we have to do to play at our best on Saturday.”

Even without the Russell situation, the pressure would have been on following a fifth-place finish in last year’s Six Nations and pool-stage World Cup exit, but Townsend is  striving to view this as a fresh start ahead of Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin.

“We’ve not been here for three-and-a-half months with the World Cup and there’s been coaching meetings, there’s been players who weren’t at the World Cup or just on the fringes at the World Cup that are now paying really well and training really well and putting their hands up for selection.

“So it does feel very different. We’ve obviously had three experienced players [Greig Laidlaw, John Barclay and Tommy Seymour] retire [from international rugby], so it’s good to freshen things up. Players have come in with energy, players who are young and confident and desperate to play for Scotland.

“And they also have the quality and the edge around their game that you know they’ll do well at test level.”

A perhaps unexpected return, too, for Duncan Weir, a player Townsend knows well from his time at Glasgow and is given an opportunity in the wake of the Russell debacle.

“He trained well today,” said Townsend. “Both him and [Worcester Warriors clubmate] Cornell [du Preez, who also returns to the Scotland set-up] played at the weekend.

“Duncan’s been at this facility [near Valencia] twice in the last year so he knows it better than anyone.

“He’s having a brilliant time, he got a round of applause from everyone today and he’s loving being back. Duncan is a passionate Scot who loves playing for Scotland, is well-liked by all the group and well-liked by the coaches so we’ve been watching him closely the last couple of years with Worcester and he’s been a really consistent performer. So he’s ready to join the group.”

The main focus regarding that suddenly vacant stand-off slot is Adam Hastings, of course, and Townsend has confidence the 23-year-old can step up to the plate in the  cauldron of Dublin,

“Adam’s been outstanding over the last few weeks,” said Townsend. “I thought his game [for Glasgow in the Heineken Champions Cup earlier this month] against Exeter was one of the best performances I’ve seen from a stand-off in the last year or two.

“Looking at the quality of opposition he was up against, but also his execution. He’s a much improved player from this time a year ago and any player goes through tough times when you have to learn and adapt.

“As a 10 you’ve so many decisions to make during a game and it’s great to see how well he’s played this year, playing with confidence and making the right decisions means Adam will be more than ready to start for Scotland in a Six Nations.”