FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Six Nations Championship - Ireland v Scotland - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - March 16, 2024 Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend before the match REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo
EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Scotland were always expected to beat Portugal, even with a second-string side, and their performance in Saturday's 59-21 victory at Murrayfield handed coach Gregor Townsend more selection options.
He made 14 changes from the team beaten by South Africa six days earlier and feels Scotland now have more depth than previously.
“I think it’s definitely the most strength in depth we’ve had across the board. We’ve made 14 changes today, it would have been 15 changes if Harry Paterson had been fit and I’m sure Harry would have gone well today,” he told reporters.
“We were selecting players that hadn’t played for us before, hadn’t played many games and they performed well. So I think our depth is better than I’ve ever seen it.”
There were three debutants on Saturday with flanker Ben Muncaster and lock Alex Samuel in the starting line-up, while 19-year-old Edinburgh back-rower Freddy Douglas came off the bench having never previously played a competitive match at club level.
“Ben managed to get a few carries, that’s a big strength of his. He defended well and brings real speed.
“I thought Alex was very physical. He’s got a real carrying strength too,” Townsend said of the new caps.
On teenager Douglas, the youngest player for Scotland in more than 60 years, the coach added: “I’ve been very impressed with his maturity and professionalism this week.”
The situation presents a pleasant selection headache for Townsend ahead of Scotland’s clash against Australia at Murrayfield next weekend – the last of four tests they are hosting this month.
“We don’t just look at the performance today, we also look at what they’ve been doing in training,” said Townsend,.
“There is a lot of competition in our squad. We do have a settled team too and that team has been performing well. So, the competition is good.
“It might not necessarily transfer to many changes next week but we’ll certainly look at every position, every position on the bench as well, and look at how the players have performed today and this week in training,” he added.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town)
