Scotland is one of the teams hoping to do better in the Rugby World Cup in 2023. We expect them to look for ways to improve their play and get better tactics. Undoubtedly, it would be an epic even if Scotland can make it past the group phases. However, Gregor Townsend must find the right players for that to happen.
In the last tournament, Scotland was in Pool A with Russia, Samoa, Ireland, and Japan. The team’s first game of the competition was against Ireland, a familiar foe they’ve faced many times. It was the first time both teams would play each other in the world cup, and as with Vegas NFL odds or Rugby odds, the better team was the favorite.
The odds for the game were far apart for both teams. Ireland was the better team, and they showed it when the time came around. In the entire game, Scotland scored only a penalty goal, and they were punched in the match as it ended 27-3, marking a poor start to the world cup competition.
However, they found a way to turn things around after beating Russia and Samoa emphatically. They beat both teams with scorelines of 35-0 and 34-0, respectively. We saw a team that wanted to make it to the knockout round. To close out Pool A games, Scotland was in a must-win match against Japan.
Japan was one of the best teams in the competition, and they were yet to lose a game. Therefore, Scotland had to do the unthinkable, and after going up early in the game, it felt like the lines were shifting, just like when an underdog is doing well on NFL odds.
But, the lead was short-lived as Japan came back to end the half with a 21-7 scoreline. Even though Scotland was the better team in the second period, it wasn’t enough for them to turn things around. As a result, they crashed out of the competition.
So, to not repeat the woes of 2019, Scotland needs a solid team; in that case, we want to look at the team and what we should expect.
About the Team
The Scottish National Rugby team is a growing team that hasn’t done much on the international stage. Their first appearance in the competition was in 1987, and they are yet to win the trophy. The highest they’ve gotten to since they’ve been playing in the competition is fourth place, and since 1987, they’ve only appeared in the world cup nine times.
The team’s best performance came in 1991 when they reached the final four. Although they didn’t win any of the games they play then, finishing fourth on the log was a good feat. The team might not have been able to recreate that impressive run, but the plan is to do so when the games in France begin.
Popular Players
Although Scotland is not as star-studded as most top teams in the world today, they have a few exciting players that you can always give a try. The team has some interesting prospects and veterans of the game. These players have proven themselves at the highest level, especially in the Premiership and other top leagues.
We don’t have the full squad list yet, but we expect some of the top players that represented the country in 2019 to return for the world cup in France. It won’t be an easy feat for Townsend to choose the best players. Therefore, we might not see all the popular players that we find on top rugby lines, just like when we want to check out player props on NFL lines, sometimes you do not see all names that you want.
Tactics and Plays
The only way Scotland can compete in the world cup is if they have an improved tactic and play before the competition starts. Fortunately, the team can still schedule friendlies and enter competitive matches to spot weaknesses and work on them. If they do not find a way to do that, it would be hard for the team to get the right tactics.
Bringing players from different clubs and getting them to function as a unit is difficult. Therefore, they would need to find a way to get a better playing style. As a result, we expect the coach to take the training seriously. In that case, we look forward to how the team would set up for the Rugby World Cup in 2023.
Our Thoughts
Scotland has what it takes to compete against the best teams. But they would need to find a way to improve their playing style, and the bulk of the work is on Gregory Townsend to find the perfect squad that can face every challenge. Once the team can overcome South Africa and Ireland, they can possibly go far in the competition.
