Jamie Ritchie's Scotland Six Nations absence explained as Rory Darge leads new back-row blend against France

Back-row alterations made as Townsend takes ‘tough’ decision to take Ritchie out of match-day squad

Gregor Townsend has admitted the decision to drop Jamie Ritchie from his match-day squad to face France is “tough” on the former Scotland captain but has urged him to go back to Edinburgh and perform in a way that puts pressure on the players who have taken his place.

The head coach has rejigged his back row and believes the combination of Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey is best suited for the test posed by the French in the round two Six Nations match at Murrayfield, with Andy Christie providing cover on the bench.

Darge comes into the side as openside flanker and co-captain after missing the win over Wales last weekend with a knee injury, and will lead the team jointly with Finn Russell on Saturday. Darge’s inclusion is one of three personnel changes made by Townsend, all in the pack. As expected, Grant Gilchrist replaces the injured Richie Gray in the second row. The other switch sees Dempsey start at No 8 after impressing as a replacement in Cardiff. His inclusion means Fagerson switches from eight to six, taking over from Luke Crosbie who, like Gray, will miss the rest of the tournament through injury.

Scotland's Jamie Ritchie, left, and Rory Darge, right, combine to stop South Africa's wing Cheslin Kolbe during the Rugby World Cup. Darge will replace Ritchie for the Six Nations match against France. (Photo by PASCAL GUYOT/AFP via Getty Images)

It means that Ritchie has gone from Scotland’s World Cup captain in the autumn to vice-captain against Wales last weekend to being dropped from the 23. “It’s tough on Jamie,” said Townsend. “Jamie’s been such a good player for us and a good leader for us but we just feel that the blend of that starting back row, with Andy coming off the bench, is better suited to France this week.”

The coach made it clear that Ritchie remains in his thoughts for the round three meeting with England on February 24 but now expects him to return to Edinburgh and possibly play in their match against Zebre in Parma a week on Friday. “He was vice-captain last week and part of a very good performance in those first 45 minutes,” said Townsend. “He helped Finn with his leadership, really helped the team in the week and then played well.

“I felt he wasn’t able to get his strengths out because of the way the game was being refereed. Wales managed to get a number of penalties in the tackle area, we weren’t getting any. I’m sure Jamie would have had a bigger influence if the game had been refereed differently. It’s really just about the blend this week. Jamie responded outstandingly well as a person and team-mate but also in the way he’s trained and played in the last couple of games. He’ll be in the mix again for the game against England.

“What Jamie can do is train well. He’ll get an opportunity, I’d imagine, for Edinburgh next week to play well. So that’s the pressure he could put back on. I felt he was unlucky in a game that the opposition were getting lots of jackal penalties, that he wasn’t getting the rewards in a couple where he was on ball. But he also contributed in that period to a really efficient and effective defensive performance, and in contact area in attack.”

Ritchie, who played at openside against Wales, loses out to Christie for a place on the bench because of the on-form Saracens player’s ability to cover all three positions in the back row.