SRU should be 'exploring their options'

[ASFN Admin]

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[BBC]

BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English has been answering some of your Scottish rugby questions.

Following the end of another disheartening Six Nations, many of your questions surrounded the same issue...

Martin asked: Given the feeling of familiarity surrounding this year's disappointing tournament, and after stagnating in 2024, did Gregor Townsend's Scotland tenure peak after the 2023 Six Nations? If so, with this group of players ageing, how much longer can Scottish Rugby afford to stick with him?

Tom answered: We've had an awful lot of questions on a very similar theme. Understandably so. My take is that Townsend has been coach for a long time and for the last couple of years, the team has definitely been bobbing up and down without going anywhere.

It's complicated, though. This team is not good enough to finish first. France and Ireland have been better in recent times. Scotland are good enough to have finished third - the best of the rest. That hasn't happened for too long.

There are nuances to this season - the awful run of injuries. But then that brings us back to eight years - it's a hell of an innings and sometimes it just makes sense to bring in a new voice to see if they can get Scotland to a higher level.

The question is - who? Franco Smith? Possibly, if he wants it or if Wales don't get there first. Anybody else? I'm struggling to come up with high-class people who might take it.

If a Shaun Edwards or a Jacques Nienaber was available then I'd be minded to make a change. I think the SRU should be exploring their options now, at the very least.

Andy asked: Is it time we adopt the Irish/Leinster model and put most of the SRU funding behind a single pro club?

Tom answered: In a word, no. Scotland only have two professional clubs and that idea would run a serious danger of reducing it to one. It's absolutely critical that Glasgow and Edinburgh prosper.

Mark asked: Finn Russell is without a doubt the standout 10 for the Lions Tour and would be the perfect mentor for the future development of Fin Smith and Sam Prendergast. That said, if Jonny Sexton is chosen as backs coach, do you think this could affect backline approach, mood and mentality?

Tom answered: I might be wrong but I cannot see how Johnny Sexton can be the Lions attack coach given he's never been an attack coach before. That would be madness. A kicking coach, yes. But not an attack coach.

Reports from Ireland are saying that he's going on Ireland's summer tour, so him going with the Lions might be a non-story. If he's chosen, then I'll say a bit more about Finn Russell and so on.

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