Gregor Townsend explains how Scotland co-captaincy will work and who’ll talk to the referee

Gregor Townsend believes Scotland’s newly appointed co-captains will complement each other during the forthcoming Guinness Six Nations.

Finn Russell and Rory Darge are taking the reins for the championship after the head coach decided on a change of leadership. Jamie Ritchie, the previous captain, returned from an injury for Edinburgh last Friday and is not guaranteed to start for Scotland. It has opened the door for Russell and Darge.

“First of all, Rory and Finn are key players in our squad,” said Townsend, speaking at the Guinness Six Nations media launch in Dublin. “They’re leaders, leaders in different ways, who we think very highly of. We also feel it’s a good way to develop our leadership. Players that perhaps haven’t captained teams regularly over the last few years have an opportunity to share the captaincy load. They complement each other. Finn is in charge of our attack on the field and having played lots of Test matches will be able to lean on that. Rory is a big leader of our defence with his physicality. And he leads by example, and others can follow.”

The decision to have two skippers is not unprecedented. Scotland appointed co-captains for the autumn Test against Tonga in 2021, when Ritchie and Ali Price shared the honour. Townsend said one of his two captains is likely to be charged with communicating with the referee but he wouldn't reveal yet who it would be. “You’ll have to wait and see,” said Townsend. “We’ve had co-captains in the past, we had a game a couple of years ago. We have to say to the referee before the game, ‘Who do you want to chat to? Is it OK if two people chat to you?’ It might be something different and the referee wants to talk to Rory or Finn. There will be someone to do the coin toss and give the last message to the referee and we’ll just see how that develops over the championship.”

Scotland co-captain Rory Darge during the 2024 Guinness Men's Six Nations Launch at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. (Photo: Damien Eagers/PA Wire)

The Scotland coach still envisages a big role for Ritchie in the Six Nations but the flanker clearly faces a fight for one of the starting back-row berths, with Darge, Luke Crosbie, Andy Christie, Matt Fagerson and Josh Bayliss all vying for the wing forward roles. “It’s really down to the competition we have in the back row,” added Townsend. “Players that played in the World Cup and post World Cup have really put their hands up for selection. And that’s the focus for Jamie right now, to be the best player he can be and get into the team on his merits as a player.

“He can be one of our best players, we know that, but he’s competing with some guys who are in really good form now, either at openside or blindside. Jamie will be key leader for us if he’s in the 23 or the starting XV and the way he led he brought leadership out of others in the team. That helped him lead and that’s how we see Rory and Finn leading as well. I’m sure Rory and Finn will use Jamie throughout the week.”