Gregor Townsend on Scotland team to play Italy

Gregor Townsend looks ahead to Scotland v Italy Six Nations opener

Transcript

00:00They're a confident team in terms of the wins that they've delivered together.

00:06They're a fit team. We know two years ago they were pushing us right to the end,

00:12and then last year they were very good in that second half out in Rome.

00:16They play a brand of rugby which is, you can call it intelligent, you can call it pragmatic,

00:23but it's very structured, but also they have the individual talent and the ambition

00:27to move the ball wide too, and they'll be physical. They'll look to compete hard in the breakdown.

00:32So yeah, we're expecting a top quality opposition like we'll get throughout this championship.

00:38Dave Sherry, snatch at Hooker, what's the thinking there?

00:41Well, he's been playing well for Edinburgh. We feel Dave's strengths will suit what we want to do.

00:50His experience will be his number one strength. His set-piece accuracy and experience in a scrum.

00:58And yeah, we feel that's the right blend for what we want to achieve as a team on Saturday.

01:04Is Stafford all that you're playing in mind to fill that 12 pairs in and see what he picks up in Edinburgh?

01:10Probably, but you look at that selection in real depth, you debate it.

01:17What is the best for the individual replacement, but also what's best for the team,

01:23the combinations that he'll have to build. And he's got cohesion there, having played with Hugh on a number of occasions.

01:32And I feel Stafford has earned it too. He started in our last Six Nations game over in Ireland and played very well.

01:39Whenever he's been given the opportunity, whether on summer tour or November test, he's really stepped up.

01:45He's a very good player, Stafford. He'll bring his own strengths to the game.