Settled Scotland look to end an underwhelming year on a high with victory over Argentina

Gregor Townsend felt Scotland played some of their best rugby of the past two years against New Zealand which made the defeat all the more galling and the head coach knows his team need to find a way to win matches their dominance deserves, as was the case for long periods last Sunday.

Jack Dempsey will make his first start for Scotland against Argentina. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

The Scots held a nine-point lead going into the final quarter but Townsend knows it should have been more and was left to rue three or four missed opportunities as the All Blacks came back to win 31-23.

Argentina visit Murrayfield on Saturday, the final visitors in what has been a mostly underwhelming year for Scotland. It began so promisingly with the win over England in the Six Nations opener, the first time Scotland had beaten the Auld Enemy in consecutive matches for 38 years. But defeat in Cardiff a week later quickly doused the feel-good spirit and talk of a title challenge quickly cooled.

Indeed, Italy were the only other side Scotland beat in the Six Nations and the record of two wins and three defeats was their worst return in the championship since 2019. A lost Test series in Argentina followed in the summer and autumn has brought a narrow reverse against Australia, a laboured win over Fiji and the defeat by New Zealand. As things stand, the record for 2022 reads, played 11, won four, lost seven.

A home win over Argentina would add a bit of gloss but the overall picture is not what we’ve come to expect under Townsend who, along with his predecessor Vern Cotter, is one of only two coaches in the professional era to boast a win rate of over 50 per cent while in charge of Scotland.

Townsend looked devastated in the immediate aftermath of the New Zealand game but, four days later, he was at least able to appreciate the positive parts of a performance in which Scotland outplayed their illustrious opponents for large parts and genuinely looked on course for a historic first victory over the All Blacks.

“There was a period of the game where we put together some of the best rugby we’ve played over the last two years,” said the coach. “That was against very high class opposition. The sense of occasion and the atmosphere was special so there were a lot of positives to take. But, at the end of the day, it was a missed opportunity and there’s no getting away from that. The missed opportunity didn’t just result from how we played in that closing ten minutes, but from the period when we did have that domination.

“We were close to the try-line, if not over the try-line on four occasions. The goal this week is to score more points when we have those opportunities.”

Jonny Gray replaces his suspended brother Richie against Argentina. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

There is a settled look about the Scotland team selected to face the Pumas, with an unchanged backline and two enforced changes in the pack. The suspended Richie Gray is replaced by his younger brother Jonny in the second row and Jack Dempsey comes in for his first start for Scotland to cover the absence of Hamish Watson who suffered a head injury against New Zealand. Dempsey, who has appeared as a replacement in the last three matches, starts at No 8 in a rejigged back row, with Matt Fagerson switching to blindside flanker and Jamie Ritchie going over to openside.

Dempsey, a former Australia international, became eligible for Scotland last month after taking advantage of new eligibility rules and Townsend believes the time is now right for him to start. “He is getting more minutes,” said the coach. “He came on earlier last weekend and is getting used to international rugby again and the way we want to play and his team-mates. He’s applied himself in training and knowing that he’ll start in the position in which he plays regularly at club level will mean things will happen a bit quicker for him this weekend.”

It is also a big chance for Jonny Gray, his first start of an autumn series in which he has found himself behind big brother Richie in the pecking order. His suspension notwithstanding, the Richie Gray revival has been one of the success stories of this campaign, five years after he last started a match for Scotland. But his ban after being cited for foul play against New Zealand gives his sibling the chance to reestablish his partnership with Grant Gilchrist in the second row.

“Jonny is fired up and feels he should be starting, like lots of guys when not selected,” said Townsend. “There was a real bit about his game when he came on last week.”

Stuart Hogg, Cameron Redpath and Finn Russell during a Scotland training session. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

While the coach has more or less stood by the side that played so impressively for long spells against New Zealand, he has taken the opportunity to freshen up his bench.

George Turner has recovered from a shoulder injury and takes the place of Ewan Ashman as substitute hooker, with the latter now suffering from a shoulder issue. Jamie Bhatti and Murphy Walker replace Rory Sutherland and WP Nel as the substitute props and Glen Young comes in as second row cover, while Andy Christie does the same for the back row. There is also a return for Cameron Redpath, the Bath centre, who takes Mark Bennett’s place on the bench.

It will be the fourth time Scotland have played the Pumas this year and painful memories of the final Test defeat linger. The Scots saw their 15-point lead overturned in the second half in Santiago del Estero and after also blowing leads against Australia and New Zealand, Townsend knows his side need to be more durable.

Scotland team (v Argentina, Autumn Nations Series, Saturday, BT Murrayfield, kick-off 3.15pm. TV: live on Amazon Prime)

15. Stuart Hogg; 14. Darcy Graham, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 11. Duhan van der Merwe; 10. Finn Russell, 9. Ali Price; 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. Fraser Brown, 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Jonny Gray, 5. Grant Gilchrist, 6. Matt Fagerson, 7. Jamie Ritchie (c), 8. Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: 16. George Turner, 17. Jamie Bhatti, 18. Murphy Walker, 19. Glen Young, 20. Andy Christie, 21. Ben White, 22. Blair Kinghorn, 23. Cameron Redpath.