The China Mail - Scotland boss Townsend ready to play key men in final World Cup warm-up

The Murrayfield match on August 26 takes place just a fortnight before Scotland's opening fixture of the World Cup proper, against defending champions South Africa in Marseille on September 10.

Scotland coach Townsend has already had to deal with fitness issues concerning Jamie Ritchie, Ben White and Duhan van der Merwe in the build-up to the showpiece event, while Zander Fagerson was banned for two games following his recent red card at home to tournament hosts France.

The downside of warm-up matches was made evident last weekend when France fly-half Romain Ntamack was ruled out of the World Cup with a knee injury following a hard-fought 30-27 win over Scotland in Saint-Etienne.

Nevertheless, former Scotland playmaker Townsend, speaking after announcing his 33-man World Cup squad on Wednesday, said the benefits of playing warm-up matches outweighed any potential negatives.

"We'll be going strong against Georgia," he insisted. "The more our strongest group of players get to play together, the better we'll be for that South Africa game. The players want that too.

"Everybody wants to play that Georgia game. We understand there will be a group of players who haven't played much rugby going into the World Cup but our goal will be to get that group that is most likely to be involved against South Africa to get those connections in a Test match environment."

The 50-year-old added: "The players have been magnificent in training but training doesn't replicate what you're going to get in a game.

"The Georgia game will be very important for us in how we continue to improve and progress before we play South Africa."

Scotland, thanks to a draw made several years ago, are in an extremely tough World Cup group, which as well as the Springboks also includes world number one side Ireland, Tonga and Romania.

But their performances in two warm-up games against France, including a win at Murrayfield that came the week before their narrow loss in Saint-Etienne, have given Scotland fans renewed hope their side can be one of the two Pool B teams that qualify for the quarter-finals.

Townsend, asked if this was Scotland's strongest World Cup squad, replied: "It's hard to say. Some of those World Cup squads have been pretty impressive, especially the one in 1991 (when Scotland reached the semi-finals).

"All I can say is it's the best group I've ever worked with (as a coach) in terms of what they're producing on the training field and that includes time I spent with Glasgow, Scotland over the past six years and also in my short time with the (British and Irish) Lions.

"They are delivering every day a game that stresses them in terms of the skills and fitness involved," he added.

"We're starting to see that transfer into the games."

S.Wilson--ThChM