Six Nations ChampionshipViewed at first glance, the reinstatement of Dan Parks at outhalf in place of Phil Godman would appear to signal a back-to-basics approach by Scotland for their RBS Six Nations rendezvous with Ireland in Murrayfield on Saturday after a more expansive gameplan backfired spectacularly against Italy last time out, Gerry Thornleyreports
Parks was the pivotal figure when Scotland revived their flagging fortunes in Frank Hadden's first campaign last season with home wins over France and England and a victory in Rome on the last day which ensured a surprise, third-place finish.
Essentially, those performances, like their tryless 15-9 defeat in Dublin, were founded primarily on a forward-orientated, territorial game with an ultra-strong defence. Only Italy scored as few tries, five, in last season's championship, and only France conceded as few (seven), while, thanks to Chris Paterson, Scotland enjoyed the highest kicking success rate.
After the opening 42-20 defeat in Twickenham to a Jonny Wilkinson-inspired England, Parks was dropped to make way for Godman, but after a 21-9 victory over Wales (Paterson kicked seven penalties), Godman has been dropped and Parks restored in the only change to the starting line-up.
Hadden denied Godman was being made a scapegoat for that 37-17 defeat, when Scotland coughed up three tries in the first six minutes through a blocked chip ahead inside his 22 by Godman and two intercepted passes by Chris Cusiter.
"That would be unfair," said Hadden. "It was vital for us to bring Phil in and give him gametime at this level. We don't look at just one incident when we're selecting a team. I would say he (Godman) is a year to 18 months from peaking, because he's got so much potential in him.
"Phil hasn't got anything like the experience Dan has, or Gordon Ross for that matter," said Hadden, comparing the 28-year-old, 28-time capped Parks with Godman (24-years-old and eight caps). "We think the experience he's had over the last couple of games has been absolutely invaluable, but we think at this stage that Dan has the qualities we want for playing against a team like Ireland."
Asked to elaborate, Hadden said merely: "Parks' qualities are well known." That is interpreted as implying that Parks is more of a kicking outhalf, as Hadden has observed in the past, seemingly even to Parks' annoyance.
Despite his recall, Parks clearly is not happy over his treatment in this campaign. "I'm happy to be back, but it was very frustrating after the England match not to be picked for the next game. I couldn't understand why, but I just had to take it, which was very difficult, to be honest."
Parks bridled over labelling him as a kicking outhalf.
"It is very frustrating. I play to a gameplan which is basically set out by whatever team I play for at the time, and there is sometimes kicking involved. But then if you kick well you're cast as a kicking 10. I might throw three scoring passes but people just mention the kicking part."
He added: "I suppose you guys have to do what you have to do."
When it was suggested to him that part of his frustration was due to the labelling coming more from his management, Parks retorted: "Obviously it is. You get told to play a certain way, then if you carry those instructions out there are times when you have to kick the ball. And if you kick it very well you get cast as a kicking 10."
As Chris Paterson, the Scottish captain, covers outhalf, Godman misses out on the 22 altogether. There had been a feeling that Hadden might play Paterson at outhalf, a regular debate in Scottish rugby dating back to before the last World Cup (when Ian McGeechan only bit the bullet and played him there in their last pool game against Fiji and the ensuing quarter-final defeat to Australia). That Edinburgh don't play Paterson there doesn't help, but Hadden is not best positioned to complain about that given he resisted similar overtures from McGeechan and Matt Williams when he was Edinburgh coach.
The only other change sees Rory Lamont included on the bench instead of Nikki Walker, while Scott Murray will eclipse Gregor Townsend's record as Scotland's most capped player in his 83rd test. The Scottish starting XV boasts 461 caps, at an average of just over 30 caps per player, in contrast to Ireland's collective haul of 736, at an average of 49 per man.
"We are delighted with the opportunity to make amends against a side as good as Ireland; undoubtedly the best prepared side in the Northern Hemisphere," said Hadden. "Everyone would agree that this is the best Irish side that anyone can remember, but we know that if we produce our best game that it will be very difficult for them to beat us."
Paterson commented: "Everyone is still aware that Ireland are the tournament favourites, and barring that last minute against France they would have been odds on to win a Grand Slam, so our analysis has to be good. But we know what we're up against and we can prepare for that."
The match, which kicks off the weekend's programme at 1.30, will be refereed by Dave Pearson of England, with a Welsh team of touchjudges, Nigel Owens and Tim Hayes, and TMO Hugh Watkins.