Sam Skinner admits that Scotland were left reeling by South Africa’s ferocious breakdown work and electrifying defensive line-speed in their World Cup opener in Marseilles two weekends ago, but he has promised that they are ready to bounce back off the ropes and come out punching when they take on Tonga in Nice this Sunday.
Head coach Gregor Townsend is due to name his team for this must-win second match of Scotland’s campaign on Friday lunchtime, with a full squad available for selection after scrum-half George Horne and hooker Ewan Ashman completed their return-to-play after concussion protocols, while flanker Luke Crosbie has recovered from the rib injury which ruled him out of the Springboks game.
“It felt like we were fighting against a heavyweight boxer and we were a bit lighter weight, so they just stuck their weight on us and put their game plan into action,” replied Skinner, when asked for his take on Scotland 18-3 loss to the reigning world champions in Marseilles 11 days ago. “We had a game-plan that was extremely strong, and we were as well prepared as I have ever seen us for a game, but we just couldn't quite get it going.
“We fought extremely hard and given our time again we would prepare exactly the same, we would just try to be more accurate.
“You have to credit South Africa's ability to use their strengths and to force us to not be able to implement ours.
“Everyone has a plan until they are punched in the face,” he added. “We did have a plan, it was good and we stuck to it – we just didn't get to actually throw our shots as much as we would have liked to.”
The 28-year-old back-five forward was a frustrated spectator for that campaign opener after not being selected in the match-day 23 and having missed out on the 2019 tournament in Japan because of a hamstring injury suffered during a warm-up match, he is now “chomping at the bit” to get on the park.
He is battling against last week’s starters – Richie Gray and Grant Gilchrist – as well as Scott Cummings who was on the bench against the Springboks in the battle for selection in the second-row. However, he can also play back-row and that versatility may weigh in his favour as Townsend chews over his bench permutations.
“Missing the last World Cup was a huge motivation for me to get here in the first place but now I'm here, and after sitting in the stands watching South Africa, I want to play for my country and contribute to this World Cup,” he confirmed.
“It's difficult not being selected but it's the nature of the tournament, the nature of being a professional rugby player and you've got to crack on and take your moment when you do get an opportunity.
“The guys who are not in that week’s match-day 23 call themselves ‘The Mavericks’. Teams will have their own names; you'll have heard the term bin juice thrown around and at Exeter sometimes we would call ourselves the mixed veg.
“Our task before the last game was to fly off the line like South Africa and be as physical as we could be in training.
“So, we did train for it, but you can't do live contact in training and that's a difference. Once they get through and catch you a couple of times and they slow the breakdown up like they did, that's the challenge.
“And also, we are playing in these warm conditions where the ball is a bit greasy. So, we’ve seen a lot of scrums and a lot of knock-one in games which is going to suit that style of defence, so that also makes it a little bit more of a challenge ,
“Once the week tapers down and the lads are doing team runs and that sort of thing, ‘The Mavericks’ tend to do some extra fitness, weights sessions, anything that will improve our fitness and our capacity for when we are called upon,” he added.
“So, I feel like I’m in great shape and keen to get going – but there are 33 guys in this squad all feeling exactly the same way.”
Tonga lost 59-16 in their opening match of this World Cup campaign against Ireland on Saturday evening, but Skinner says Scotland aren’t paying much attention to that performance and result.
“When you play a team like Tonga, they have incredible individual athletes and footwork – they can run around you and run through you. They have a lot of strength in their squad, so you have to be extremely accurate and physical,” he observed.
“We didn't see anything we didn't already know on Saturday, but we have the utmost respect for Tonga, and we are expecting an extremely physical battle.
“We want to stamp our moment on this World Cup and say: We are here!
“There was a lot of great confidence, chat and belief going into this World Cup and that is still there. South Africa lost their first game at the last World Cup and ended up winning that tournament, New Zealand lost their first one here and nobody is ruling them out, so we're doing every single thing we possibly can to put out our best performance against Tonga.
“We want to win this World Cup as well. Like all teams, that's our ambition. I’m chuffed to bit to be here, and my family have helped me get to this point, I've got myself to the starting block, now it's time to take part in the race.”
