42 Friday Sports Friday, January 31, 2020 Hastings steps in for Russell for Scotland Six Nations opener EDINBURGH: Fly-half Adam Hastings has been Townsend, who has spent the week in Spain given the task of replacing Finn Russell while preparing his team, said: “We have managed to Edinburgh number eight Nick Haining will make cover a lot of work in the two weeks we’ve been his debut as Scotland kick-off their Six Nations together and we’ve been impressed with how campaign against Ireland tomorrow. our players have taken on information and Russell was told he would not be involved at bonded as a team. the Aviva Stadium after being disciplined follow- “Our goal is always to play to our potential. ing a drinking session. It is unclear whether the The challenge to do this starts tomorrow Racing 92 star will feature at all during this against Ireland. “Playing to our potential starts year’s championship but Hastings will get his with our collective mindset. That means being chance to impress after being handed the num- alert, focused and resilient right from the begin- ber 10 jersey for the Dublin opener. ning, to be ready for the physical battle that lies Australian-born Haining will win his first cap ahead and able to stay in the fight throughout against Andy Farrell’s team while Edinburgh the 80 minutes.” Townsend added: “We must be prop Rory Sutherland will make his first inter- a relentless collective on the pitch and a night- national appearance in three-and-a-half years. mare for the Irish to deal with, while having the Back-rower Hamish Watson and scrum-half Ali ability and awareness to impose our game at Price — both injured in the Scots’ opening that intensity.” World Cup clash with Ireland in September — make their return to Gregor Townsend’s team Scotland team (15-1) while there is also a comeback for Huw Jones at Stuart Hogg (capt); Sean Maitland, Huw centre after he missed the cut for the tournament Jones, Sam Johnson, Blair Kinghorn; Adam Hast- in Japan. The match will also see Stuart Hogg ings, Ali Price; Nick Haining, Hamish Watson, lead out the team for the first time since being Jamie Ritchie; Jonny Gray, Scott Cummings; handed the Scotland captaincy on a permanent Zander Fagerson, Fraser Brown, Rory Sutherland LONDON: File photo shows Six nations international rugby captains (L-R) France’s captain Charles Ollivon, basis. Ireland swept Townsend’s team aside 27- Replacments: Stuart McInally, Allan Dell, Simon Scotland’s captain Stuart Hogg, England’s captain Owen Farrell, Wales’ captain Alun Wyn Jones, Italy’s 3 in Yokohama and the coach is looking for a Berghan, Ben Toolis, Cornell du Preez, George captain Luca Bigi and Ireland’s captain Jonathan Sexton pose with the trophy during the 6 Nations major improvement this weekend. Horne, Rory Hutchinson, Chris Harris. — AFP Rugby Union launch event in east London on January 22, 2020. — AFP New era adds to Six Nations intrigue Gatland return, Puma priority WELLINGTON: Super Rugby launches its 25th this year and he has wasted no time making his LONDON: The first Six Nations following a that saw Sebastien Vahaamahina sent off season this weekend, just three months after mark at Waikato Chiefs. He baffled the pundits World Cup is often a time of renewal but the against Wales, might well have reached a South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in stun- when naming his line-up for Friday’s season 2020 Championship has a particularly fresh World Cup semi-final. ‘Les Bleus’ have won ning fashion and Japan reached the last eight for opener against the Auckland Blues at Eden Park feel ahead of this weekend’s opening round. the last two Under-20 world titles and former the first time in their history. by naming All Blacks openside flanker Sam Cane Only England coach Eddie Jones and Scotland France scrum-half Fabien Galthie is now in But many of the victorious Springbok squad at number eight. Toiroa Tahuriorangi gets the counterpart Gregor Townsend remain from charge of a youthful squad featuring Alexan- are playing in Europe while the Japan’s only nod at scrum-half over Brad Weber and debu- last season’s edition, with Grand Slam cham- dre Roumat, Damian Penaud and Romain Nta- franchise the Sunwolves will say goodbye at the tant 21-year-old Kaleb Trask starts at fly-half pions Wales, Ireland, France and Italy all under mack, all of whose fathers played Test rugby. end of the campaign. Here are five talking points ahead of Aaron Cruden. new management. It is 10 years since France were last ahead of Friday’s big kick-off: He’s also dumped the fashionable co-captain England appear the team to beat after crowned champions of Europe but there are idea, which the Chiefs had run with for several reaching last year’s World Cup final in Japan. signs the 2023 World Cup hosts may be on the ARGENTINA COME BEFORE JAGUARES years, and put Cane in sole charge. But the already tough task of reviving morale verge of coming good. “We’re trying to put Jaguares coach Gonzalo Quesada is down- Yet to be unveiled is whether the Chiefs will following a crushing 32-12 defeat by South together a team for the long-term,” said playing suggestions the South Americans can go adopt the confrontational “Warrenball” style of Africa has been compounded by the salary- Galthie. To see this Six Nations as England one step further than last year’s breakthrough play or continue with their traditional attacking cap scandal engulfing English and European and France’s to lose ignores Wales, now effort and win the championship in only their flair. Loose forward Luke Jacobson, who enjoys champions Saracens. coached by Wayne Pivac after his fellow New fifth year. Their post-World Cup losses are rel- Gatland’s short, sharp training sessions over There are seven Saracens in Jones’s squad, Zealander Warren Gatland called time on a 12- atively light, although significant, with only Pablo lengthy, exhaustive affairs, hinted the 2012 and including captain and playmaker Owen Farrell. year reign that included three Grand Slams Matera, Tomas Lavanini, Juan Manuel Leguiza- 2013 champions would be “playing an exciting Jones, doing his best to deflect attention from and two World Cup semi-finals. Pivac has mon, Ramiro Moyano and Enrique Pieretto tak- brand of footy, it’s in our DNA”. the situation at Saracens, recently proclaimed spent the past five years coaching the Scarlets ing flight. But Quesada is looking at the big in typically bullish fashion that “my aim is to and Wales lock Jake Ball, who played under picture for Argentina rugby, filling the gaps with LION ROBERTS, GIANT STORMERS make England the greatest rugby team the him for the Llanelli-based club, said: “I think young talent and with plans not to risk player Western Stormers will beef up their midfield world has ever seen,” even though his current Wayne is very clear on the way he wants to burnout before the international season as the for their opener against Welington Hurricanes deal ends next year. play...We want to play an exciting brand of 10th-ranked Los Pumas target the top eight be- when they throw former Wales and British and Since the inaugural 1987 edition, the World rugby.” Ireland travelled to Japan with high fore the draw is made in November for the 2023 Irish Lions centre Jamie Roberts into an imme- Cup has become the yardstick by which Test hopes only to suffer fresh World Cup woe as World Cup. “I think the message is clear that the diate starting debut at Newlands on Saturday. teams are judged no matter how much success a shock pool defeat by the hosts preceded a priority, and most important, are Los Pumas,” he The 33-year-old 6ft 4in (1.93 metre), 110 kilo- they enjoy in the intervening four years. - quarter-final thrashing by New Zealand. By said. “The national team is the largest to which gramme (243lb) new recruit Roberts will line up ‘Rugby to remember’. But Jones has loftier then Andy Farrell, assistant to former boss Joe one can aspire. That is clear in all heads and at 12 alongside Ruhan Nel (1.91m, 101kg) in a ambitions: “I think you can win Grand Slams Schmidt, had already been installed as the (what we are) working on.” massive central combination. “We are going to without playing great rugby, as you can win a New Zealander’s successor. play our strongest team,” Stormers coach John World Cup without playing great rugby,” he But can someone so closely associated WARRENBALL OR CHIEFLY Dobson said. said. “I am talking about playing sustainable with the old regime preside over a new era es- FLAMBOYANCE? “All the Springboks are available and we have rugby that people remember.” pecially as this is the first time Farrell, the fa- After 12 years in charge of Wales and two a British and Irish Lion in Jamie Roberts. We England open their Six Nations away to ther of the England captain, has been in a head tours as head coach of the British and Irish Lions have to start well. There is no holding back this France, who but for the reckless loss of control coach role?—AFP with one to come, Warren Gatland is undoubt- side. Maximum effort and maximum team, the edly the most experienced Super Rugby coach best team that we can put out.—AFP.