When Gregor Townsend’s time as Scotland coach is up – probably at the end of the World Cup – there will be an inevitable reflection on his six years in charge.
He’s had the best record of any Scotland head coach in the pro era. The long waits for wins at Twickenham and in Paris were finally ended. Scotland have generally been much more competitive against the top team under his direction.
An era of missed opportunities
A huge effort, but not quite enough. #AsOne | #ScovNZ pic.twitter.com/AEn3RyUNDP
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) November 13, 2022
But ultimately, I think we’re going to look at it as an era of missed opportunities, and this loss to New Zealand was another.
It’s unquestionable that Townsend has had the best quality group of players Scotland have had since the game went professional. Probably since the 1990 Grand Slam team, although comparisons between that era and this are essentially meaningless.
It wasn’t as if the best win-loss record was a particularly high bar either. Scotland have severely under-achieved for 20 years.
But rather than be grateful for not being awful, we’ve had every right to expect something more.
Scotland would have beaten New Zealand in 2017 with just a little more belief. The 2019 World Cup exit at the group stage was definitely avoidable.
The 2021 Six Nations brought the wins in London and Paris, but it also brought avoidable home defeats. Townsend doesn’t have a win over Ireland, probably the most accurate benchmark for the Scots in this era, during his tenure.
This loss was really another missed chance, a real one to create history, as the coach himself conceded on Sunday night.
There’s been many highlights and fine wins. But the missed chances are the ones we’ll probably remember most.
Let’s try to pick our best players
The roar when Finn Russell's name was read out…. pic.twitter.com/Qlb8wyRd5g
— Jamie Borthwick (@jamiekborthwick) November 13, 2022
Scotland need their banner players to perform if they’re to have a chance against the world’s top teams. Of course, we have to actually play them first.
Any debate about whether Finn Russell should be in the team should surely now end.
His kicking was clever, his distribution, as usual, peerless. There’s just no comparison in quality from any of the alternatives.
It was also noticeable late in the first half he convened a meeting at a break in play and was barking orders animatedly at his forwards. Perhaps the stereotype of “Lazy Finn” is a lot more lazy than the player ever is.
Stuart Hogg, after a couple of errors in the first minute, was brilliant. The full-back has been in a sour mood for much of 2022 as his qualities – and his appearance – have been questioned.
But he’s still probably the most talented player we’ve ever produced. Scotland would not have got close to the All Blacks – either in 2017 or this year – without him.
We produce far too few world-class players to be marginalising or even jettisoning the ones we have. Let’s stop doing that.
New Zealand’s mettle was on their bench
What a Test! One more to go!
Thanks @Scotlandteam. Good luck against Argentina next week. pic.twitter.com/oLjFkvnm86
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) November 13, 2022
I’m not one for calling replacements “impact players” or “finishers”, but that’s what New Zealand’s bench were for them.
The introduction of TJ Perenara at scrum-half, Reiko Ioane in the backs and all their forward replacements – especially Codie Taylor – were the necessary cavalry for the All Blacks.
The difference in direction, purpose and simple decision-making after Perenara in particular came on was startling.
Even before Jack Dempsey’s yellow card the Scots – tiring by this stage – were in full retreat. The Scots had started to wilt at contact, and the blizzard of penalties against the All Blacks from Frank Murphy suddenly were all going the other way.
New Zealand have often picked a second-string XV at Murrayfield in the past. This wasn’t quite that, but they needed every bit of their big men on the bench for the comeback this time.
Scotland didn’t get quite the lift from their bench. Depth is something Gregor Townsend has been working hard on, but they still seem some way short.