John Barclay Interview: “Time for Scotland to take the next step”
Barclay says the Autumn Nations Series feels like a bit like 'Groundhog Day' for Scotland
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This Saturday, Scotland get their Autumn Nations Series underway with a cracker of a fixture against Fiji at Murrayfield.
After a dominant summer tour, with four wins on the bounce, Gregor Townsend’s men will be looking to take that momentum into November where they will come up against much sterner tests.
Back in July, unlike the rest of the other home nations, Scotland faced countries outside of the ‘traditional southern hemisphere’ teams including the likes of Canada and the USA.
That series saw an opportunity for Townsend to not only stitch a run of victories together but also blood plenty of young talent with new caps awarded to a variety of players.
However heading into the autumn, TNT Sports pundit John Barclay believes the next month presents an opportunity for Scotland to begin generating some consistency against tier-one nations.
“This is a generation of players where they’ll look back and if they don't take that step, it would be an opportunity missed,” Barclay told TRU.
“They've definitely got the talent, the playing power and the experience. You’ve also got guys playing outside of Scotland, the Ben White’s of the world really establishing themselves, Rory Hutchinson, Blair Kinghorn, Finn Russell, they've got a strong squad.
“It feels like it's a bit like Groundhog Day. The autumn comes around and you're like, there's got to be a push on. It's not even consistency week to week, it's consistency within games. That's a challenge that when they're not quite at their best, how do they find a way back to their best?”
With fixtures against South Africa and Australia to come, either side of a Test with Portugal, Scotland will need to be at their best from the word go but they will be without some of their star names to begin with.
Saturday’s clash with Fiji falls outside of the international window meaning that those players playing for teams in England or France won’t be available for selection.
“It’s rubbish,” Barclay adds. “You want to see the best players. I think from a fan point of view, it's not cheap to go and watch a game of rugby and you want to see the best teams play.
“But it's also a business and that's kind of the nature of the beast. They put these extra games on. It used to always be three games, now it's always four games. We can't have the money coming in from having the fourth game and then moan about the players that aren’t available. So, yeah, it's a bit frustrating.”
Scotland boss Townsend has decided to appoint centre Sione Tuipulotu as his captain for the series, and it’s a decision that Barclay, who himself skippered his country, is in full support of.
“I love the appointment. If I was a player in that squad, the type of player that I was, I would love to have a captain like him. I think as a captain, you talk about that figure you look towards.
“You want him to be involved in everything, and the way Sione plays the game, he is involved in everything good Scotland do. At Glasgow as well, he is at the heartbeat of it.
“So I think his playing prowess speaks for itself, but speaking to players at Glasgow, speaking to him and his coaching staff, it’s his eagerness to always improve and always drive the team whether that's in leadership or developing other parts of his game. He does all those things.
“So I think it's a great move. I would love to see him [Townsend] give him a chance for longer because Gregor does like to chop and change.”
With the Autumn international window now upon us, thoughts will also start to turn towards the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia at the end of the season.
Considering the seemingly solid partnership between Tuipulotu and fly half Russell for Scotland, there’s a very real chance that they could be the combination that Andy Farrell chooses in the summer.
“Put it this way, I wouldn't be disappointed if that was the combination,” Barclay says. “Sione is very similar in the way he plays the game to Bundi Aki. Are they the two frontrunners for 12? Sure, I'd say so.
“The role of 12 in international rugby has evolved, though. You look at the best teams like New Zealand and South Africa who have the likes of Jordie Barrett or Damian de Allende, inside centres are almost as important as your fly halves and and scrum halves now.
“Finn's also got to be in that conversation. He's got to have a good year but we all just love watching him play."
Scotland: Rowe; Graham, Jones, S Tuipulotu (capt), Van der Merwe; Hastings, Price; Schoeman, Ashman, Z Fagerson, Gilchrist, Cummings, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.
Replacements: Richardson, Sutherland, Rae, Williamson, Brown, Dobie, Jordan, McDowall.
Fiji: Ravula; Karawalevu, Vota, Tabuavou, Loganimasi; Muntz, Lomani; Hetet, Ikanivere (capt), Tawake, Nasilasila, Rotuisolia, Derenalagi, Salawa, Canakaivata.
Replacements: Dolokoto, Natave, Koroiduadua, Vocevoce, Miramira, Kuruvoli, Valetini, Nalaga.
Every match of 2024 Autumn Nations Series is exclusively live on TNT Sports and discovery+ Watch The Autumn Nations Rugby Show, free-to-air on Quest every Thursday at 10pm from Oct 31st.
