It is confirmed that Scotland will be at the Rugby World Cup in 2023, and the team will play in Pool B against South Africa and Ireland. Therefore, they need to improve their game and ensure they have a top-notch squad before the competition starts. If the team gets a shot at winning, the players on the team will be major contributors.
In that case, the bulk of the work is on Gregory Townsend to find the right players to fit into his tactical plans. This is just like when a player wants to find the best online casino with a top-notch lineup to join.
The decision made would be major to what would happen afterward. Therefore, Townsend has a lot of work to do.
Fortunately, there are a few interesting stars that the coach can count on to make things happen on the pitch. These players have experience playing against top teams and would relish the chance to help their country do well at the Rugby World Cup. Scotland hasn’t won the competition yet.
Therefore, the goal will be to do better than the last and maybe go further than 1991. So, we expect some players to make it into the team.
These players have shown they can do the job and deliver for the team. In that case, we’ve put together five players we expect to see in the squad list for Scotland and why we think that.
Jonny Gray
Jonny Gray is one of the first names we would like to see on the team sheet. One of the top Scottish-born players that play in the Premiership. Jonathan Douglas Gray is 28 and plays Lock for the team. He was born in Rutherglen and has spent his entire senior career playing for Glasgow Warriors before moving to Exeter Chiefs in 2020.
He started his international career playing for Scotland’s U18s before getting called to play for the U20s. Finally, in 2013, the player was added to the senior national team.
Gray was one of the youngest players in the 2015 and 2019 world cup squads to represent Scotland. In that case, he would be an experienced addition to the team.
Mark Bennett
Another name we’re looking forward to seeing on the team is Mark Bennett, an impressive 29-year-old who plays for Edinburgh Rugby in the URC. Bennett is an amazing player that continued to shine since his burst onto the professional scene in 2010. He has played for Glasgow Warriors, Clermont Auvergne, and Edinburgh Rugby.
In 2011, Bennett joined the Scotland U20, and after that, he was added to the senior squad. Since 2014, Bennett has continued to impress the national team, and we expect him to keep his form. Also, he is one of the first names we think should be part of the team to ensure they do better in the competition.
Stuart Hogg
Stuart Hogg is a 30-year-old Scottish Rugby Union player who is part of the team’s members in the English Premiership. He plays fullback but can also slot in to play fly-half. He has also won player of the tournament in the Six Nations following his brilliant performances in the 2016 and 2017 competitions.
His senior career started in 2010 with Glasgow Warriors, where he made 121 appearances and scored 228 points. However, after nine years, the player moved to Exeter Chiefs, where he has played 52 games and scored 75 points. Additionally, he is the current captain of the squad. Therefore, he should make the squad list.
Nick Haining
Nichols Haining is a 32-year-old back row and number eight playing in the United Rugby Championship for Edinburgh Rugby. Haining started his career with Western Force before he went to play for the Jersey Reds and Bristol Bears. Finally, in 2019, he made a move to Edinburgh Rugby.
Even though he has been trying in his senior career for a while, Haining only got called up to the team in 2020 after his first year with Edinburgh Rugby. Undoubtedly, we would like to see Haining be part of the team in 2023, where he would play in his first world cup competition.
Pierre Schoeman
Finally, on our list is Pierre Schoeman, one of the top Scottish players in the United Rugby Championship. The player currently plays for Edinburgh Rugby and has spent most of his years playing as a Prop. He started his playing career with Blue Bulls before ending up in Edinburgh in 2018.
For his international playing career, he started with the South African youth team and played with them until 2014. In 2021, he switched his allegiance and started playing for Scotland. So, 2023 would be his first appearance in the world cup, and we expect him to be part of the team.