Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend stopped short of denying that he will take over at Newcastle Red Bulls, calling the link “speculation”.
Townsend did not take the opportunity to call Telegraph Sport’s report that he will head to Newcastle at the conclusion of his Scottish Rugby Union contract false, instead emphasising that he had not signed a contract with the Prem Rugby team.
The 52-year-old already has a part-time consultancy role with Red Bulls, advising the club on strategy and philosophy. Several close Townsend allies have joined the club, notably his right-hand man Gavin Vaughan who will head up recruitment following the Six Nations.
Telegraph Sport also revealed that popular head coach Alan Dickens will not have his contract renewed at the end of the season and is likely to be replaced by Dan McFarland, the former Ulster head coach, who previously worked with Townsend at Glasgow. Before announcing his team to face Italy in the opening round of the Six Nations, Townsend attempted to downplay discussion of his future.
“It’s pure speculation, I’ve not signed a contract beyond the World Cup with anybody,” Townsend said. “It’s a story that is being put out there to try to disrupt before the Italy game or next week’s game against England. It’s just something that comes out, things like these, before the England game in particular. There’s no truth I’ve signed the contract beyond the World Cup and my focus is on the Scotland team right now and hopefully up to the World Cup.
“If you want to talk about the future, who knows? I know that I’m contracted to the World Cup. I have not signed a contract anywhere beyond that, and the focus is primarily on, and I know how busy things are out here, and I’m really excited.
“I’ve loved the last two weeks, I really have, and I’m really excited about whatever’s going to happen in the next few weeks. And regarding the article, the timing, don’t take the bait from an English newspaper that are trying to do something the week ahead of the Calcutta Cup.”
Townsend enters his ninth Six Nations campaign under more pressure than he has ever faced as Scotland head coach, in part because of his role with Red Bull but also because of a poor autumn campaign. Scotland were booed off at Murrayfield after blowing a 21-0 advantage against Argentina while they also let slip a golden opportunity to defeat New Zealand for the first time.
With his back against the wall, Townsend has made a bold selection call for the trip to Rome, dropping wings Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham as well as full back Blair Kinghorn. All three were Lions tourists last summer with Van der Merwe and Graham ranking No 1 and 2 on the list of Scotland’s all-time leading try scorers and Kinghorn a virtual ever-present.
However, they have been displaced by the in-form Glasgow Warriors wing pairing of Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie while Bristol Bears fly-half Tom Jordan starts at full-back.
“Like all these decisions in particular with players that have played the last few years, Blair, Duhan and Darcy, they’ve had some terrific games for us and they’re very proud of playing for Scotland,” Townsend said. “But there’s competition in that back-three area like there is in other positions and we feel Jamie, Kyle and Tom deserve their starts given how well they’ve been playing.
“I’d say it’s more the players that are in form. You guys obviously saw how well Kyle and Jamie played through that stretch of games for Glasgow. Tom’s played really well this season, started at full-back for Bristol, then has moved into 10, but he’s played a lot like a full-back in those games for Bristol.
“Blair’s had a lot of rugby this year. He had I think one week of training going straight into the season with Toulouse. He’s played 10 three or four times, played 15 at the weekend, played on the wing and he’s showed his quality. But right now we feel that Tom is playing the better rugby and he deserves a chance to start.”
Scotland team to face Italy
Jordan (Bristol); Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu (c), Dobie (all Glasgow); Russell (Bath), White (Toulon); Schoeman (Edinburgh), Ashman (Edinburgh), Z Fagerson (Glasgow), Cummings (Glasgow), Gilchrist (Edinburgh); M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey (all Glasgow).
Replacements: Turner (Harlequins), McBeth (Glasgow), Millar-Mills (Northampton), Williamson, Brown, Horne, Hastings (all Glasgow), Graham (Edinburgh).