Gregor Townsend selects Lions-bound duo for Scotland clash with Samoa
Townsend has selected the pair in his front row for Scotland's final summer tour encounter in Auckland on Friday.
Advertisement
Darcy Graham has already linked up with the Lions and Glasgow prop Sutherland and Edinburgh hooker Ashman will join him with a view to playing in next Tuesday's match against a First Nations & Pasifika XV.
Townsend said: 'The fact we're playing Friday night and they can get to Melbourne on Sunday, the same time as the Lions are arriving, as long as they are available to train on Monday and be available for the game on Tuesday, there won't be any real consideration on game time.
'We hope every one of our players come through fit but Ewan and Rory were very keen to play.'
Darcy Graham has joined up with the Lions (Jane Barlow/PA)
Townsend was delighted with the additional Lions recognition, which took the number of Scots selected to 12, including the injured Zander Fagerson.
Advertisement
'Especially for Darcy to go there now and be part of the Lions squad, building up to the first Test and then getting a really good run at potentially being involved in that midweek game,' he added.
'And the other two guys, they were buzzing when I passed on the news to them that they were going to be getting a phone call from the Lions and the players were really pleased for them as well.
'Maybe it's not in the front of their minds because they've been preparing for a Test match this week but I'm sure their focus will turn to the Lions as soon as Friday night is over.'
Townsend has made five personnel changes following the 29-14 defeat by Fiji.
Gregor Brown returns from injury to start in the second row while Andy Onyeama-Christie is drafted into the back row after Jamie Ritchie dropped out with a foot injury.
Advertisement
Rory Hutchinson and Stafford McDowall form a new centre partnership in place of Cameron Redpath and Tom Jordan, who suffered a fractured hand against Fiji. Arron Reed replaces Graham with Kyle Steyn swapping wings.
Ben Muncaster is back from injury but has to settle for a place on the bench alongside uncapped Glasgow prop Fin Richardson.
'While there's a lot of changes, some of them were outwith our control,' Townsend said.
'But we've looked to put our strongest team out. We were disappointed with the result at the weekend and we want to finish this tour with a real strong performance and finish on a high from a playing point of view because off the field it's been excellent.
Eden Park will host Scotland's Test against Samoa (David Davies/PA)
'We feel very privileged to be playing in such an iconic and historic stadium, Eden Park. It will be a great atmosphere, a noisy crowd, you'd mainly imagine supporting Samoa. It's one of the most iconic stadiums in world rugby.
Advertisement
'A great opportunity for us to play a proper Test match in that stadium and finish the tour on a real high.'
Townsend earmarked two main areas of improvement.
'The contact area,' he said. 'Just being more ruthless in that area, quicker in support, ball-carrying, working harder on the floor, just not allowing the opposition any opportunities to get the ball back.
'And our discipline. Discipline can be a number of things that the referee can call you up on, but not being offside, just giving them a bit of space, that would be the first one that we can fix.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Collingwood coach's worrying confession as skipper faces possible sanction from AFL
Collingwood coach Craig McRae has admitted he's worried his side has lost their "spark" in close games after suffering a second-straight defeat by a goal or less. And Sunday's loss to Fremantle could be compounded by a possible sanction looking over captain Darcy Moore. Moore slid into the back of Josh Treacy after the Dockers player secured the match-sealing mark. Lachie Schultz heaved the ball forward in the dying stages, but it landed in Treacy's arms for a 12.7 (79) to 11.12 (78) victory. Moore came in very late and slid into the back of Treacy on the ground, with his knees collecting the Fremantle player. Treacy cried out in pain as Dockers players remonstrated with Moore, with the umpire paying a 50m penalty to Freo. Moore is likely to attract some attention from the match review officer - even if it's just a fine. Social media was rife with angry reactions to the incident, with many demanding the AFL issues some sort of sanction to the Collingwood skipper. One person wrote: "Darcy Moore should be cited for rough conduct for two knees in the back of Treacy there. Treacy had the mark on the ground and was in a vulnerable position." Craig McRae's concerning admission after Collingwood loss Meanwhile, McRae has expressed concerns over his side's form in close games. Collingwood have been the masters of tight finishes since McRae took over in 2022, but their one-point loss to Freo came nine days after the ladder leaders fell six points short against Gold Coast. The Magpies led by 22 points early in the final quarter on Sunday, but conceded the final four goals to go down by a point. "This is not something you've ever got handled because every game is opportunity," McRae said in his post-game press conference. "Managing those moments will forever be something we need to do. If the scoreboard is an indication, we haven't managed it well enough (in the last two weeks). We've lost three close games this year. Have we lost our spark? You'd hope not. But reality is, we'll keep getting better at it. I'd rather learn these lessons now." The Pies were dominant in inside-50s, winning the count 63-40. But McRae lamented his side's lack of connection up forward. "I had this real inner trust and belief that we were doing enough right in the game ... the pressure was there," McRae said. "It shows how we thought Fremantle were really, really good. When they needed to get the job done, they really came hard. They play a good brand of footy when they're up and going fast. Maybe they should play a bit more of that at times. It's a good version of them." RELATED: Coach rejects Harley Reid claim as Hinkley wows with Ginnivan response Jake Stringer cops sanction from AFL after GWS victory over Essendon Fremantle daring to dream of AFL finals footy The upset victory sends Fremantle into seventh spot - two games clear of the ninth-placed Western Bulldogs - as they aim to play finals footy for the first time since 2022. The Dockers have now beaten five of the other seven top-eight teams, and they are yet to face second-placed Brisbane. "What we've been doing for 10 to 12 weeks now is just live in the moment," coach Justin Longmuir said. "Understand we've got processes to be able to enjoy wins, move on from wins, and then prepare for the (next) opposition. Our fans can get excited. Absolutely. People within our footy club will get excited. But as far as the coaching group and players are concerned, we've just got to enjoy this and then move on." with AAP
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
British Open: Chris Gotterup's career-altering run in the UK has forced himself into the Ryder Cup conversation
When Chris Gotterup landed in Scotland two weeks ago, he was a largely unknown member of the PGA Tour. That's not a bad thing, it was just reality. The 26-year-old only turned pro a few years ago, and he had won a single time on Tour. But now, after a dominant and stunning two weeks in the United Kingdom, Gotterup will return home playing just about as well as anyone in the sport. It's been so good, in fact, that he's even now in the conversation to represent the United States at Bethpage Black this fall. 'I expected to play well, but I don't think I expected quite this well,' Gotterup said after his third-place finish at the British Open on Sunday. 'I don't know what's going on over here, but maybe my European blood in me has come to life.' Gotterup posted a 4-under 67 on Sunday at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland to record what was by far his best finish in a major championship. He was in the mix for most of the week with everyone except for Scottie Scheffler, who rolled to a blowout four-shot win. Gotterup, however, wasn't even supposed to be in the field at Portrush. He had to earn it with his victory last week at The Renaissance Club, which left him an emotional wreck in the immediate aftermath on the green in Scotland. The win was the second of his career, following his inaugural PGA Tour victory in Myrtle Beach last year, and earned him admittance to just his fourth ever major start. After shooting a 1-over 72 on Thursday at the British Open, Gotterup rebounded to back up his win perfectly. He made two eagles on Friday to get right back under par, and then he kept himself in it with a third-round 68. While it wasn't enough to catch Scheffler — nobody could — Gotterup never wavered. This two-week stretch has completely changed Gotterup's career trajectory. He entered the Scottish Open at No. 158 in the Official World Golf Rankings. His win there jumped him up more than 100 spots, and Sunday's outing will move him to a new career-high. He's at No. 23 in the FedExCup standings, too, which now has him solidly in the FedExCup Playoffs and the Tour's signature events next season. Gotterup is also bringing home a $1.128 million check, which brings his two-week total to just more than $2.7 million. That came about $65,000 shy of matching his previous career earnings. He's undoubtedly set up for success on the Tour for years to come, and in a much more stable position than he was earlier this month. But perhaps most notably, Gotterup has thrust himself into the Ryder Cup conversation. Gotterup moved up 30 spots in the Ryder Cup standings after his Scottish Open win, and his third-place finish should move him inside the top 20. While that's likely too far out of it to earn an automatic bid — the top six American golfers in the standings after the BMW Championship will earn guaranteed spots on the team — it's not unreasonable to think that Keegan Bradley could use one of his captain's picks on Gotterup to round out his 12-man team. That is something that had never crossed Gotterup's mind. 'I haven't thought about it at all. I mean, it really wasn't ever on my radar,' Gotterup said. 'I obviously helped to play well, and it would be a miracle. Now I mean, I have no idea. 'Northeast is my home, and we'll see what happens.' Regardless of what happens with his U.S. Team future, Gotterup absolutely erupted over the last two weeks. His golf future is trending up faster than anyone could've guessed. And if he keeps it up, that may just make Bradley's decision even easier.
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Fox News
Scottie Scheffler wins 2025 Open Championship with dominant final round
There's only one word to describe Scottie Scheffler's performance at the Open Championship over the weekend – dominant. Scheffler wrapped the fourth round with a 68 and added another impressive victory onto his resume. Scheffler won the Open Championship for the first time in his career. The best finish he had previously was tied for seventh last year when the major event was played at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. This year, Scheffler walked the fairways of Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland and made it seem like another day at the office. He started off behind the pack with a first-round 68 but got into the zone in the second round with a 64. He eight birdies in the second round and it propelled him up the leaderboard. A third-round 67 put him in good contention to win the title. Then, on Sunday, it was more consistent and solid play all around. He finished with five birdies and only one double bogey in the round. He never wavered in the final round and no one really ever came close to catching him. Scheffler has four wins in 2025. He won the Byron Nelson in May and followed that up with a PGA Championship. In June, he held off Ben Griffin at the Memorial. Harris English finished in second place with a 13-under par. He shot a 66 in the final round of the tournament. It was the best finish in the major of his career. Before Sunday, the best finish came in 2013 when he was tied for 15th. Chris Gottrup had an incredible tournament as well, finishing 12-under par. He carded a final-round 66 and finished in third place. LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau may have had a tough time at Royal Portrush but he made a mountainous climb back into the top 10 when his round was finished. He shot a 78 in the first round and was near the bottom of the leaderboard when he entered the second round. However, a 65 in the second round helped him make the cut. He shot a 68 in the third and a 64 in the final round. He gained 24 spots to break into a tie for 10th. The Open Championship is the last major of the season. PGA Tour and LIV Golf stars will now finish up their seasons on their respective tours and look toward the Ryder Cup at the end of September. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
