Jim Telfer: Warren Gatland has let down Scottish rugby

John Barclay, Hamish Watson and Finn Russell should all feel hard done by following their exclusion from the British and Irish Lions squad, accoring to Jim Telfer.
Hamish Watson missed out on Lions selection.

Picture: Neil HannaHamish Watson missed out on Lions selection.

Picture: Neil Hanna
Hamish Watson missed out on Lions selection. Picture: Neil Hanna

Telfer, who has vast experience of coaching the Lions, believes Scotland have been treated shabbily by Warren Gatland, who will lead the tourists in New Zealand in the summer.

“I’m very, very disappointed considering there’s 41 players there and we haven’t got one forward,” said the Scot. “It’s not good for Scottish rugby at all.”

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Backs Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour were the only Scots named in Gatland’s squad. By contrast, he selected 16 players from England, 12 from Wales and 11 from Ireland.

“There’s nine back-row forwards and not one Scot? There must be something wrong there,” Telfer said in a BBC Scotland interview. “Scottish rugby should really feel as if they’ve been badly let down.

“Watson, Barclay are obviously candidates who should’ve been given consideration, so I am a wee bit angry because it doesn’t represent British rugby.

“If he wanted to have some exciting new players, Finn Russell would’ve been right up there, but he’s gone for the tried and tested. I think there’s more 
creative players that could’ve been there.”