Rugby: Rugby-Scotland have dealt with World Cup disappointment, says Townsend

DUBLIN (Reuters) – Scotland have flushed out their deep frustration at a below-par performance against Ireland which saw them exit the World Cup in France in the pool stages, coach Gregor Townsend said at the launch of the Six Nations Championship in Dublin on Monday.

Scotland met Ireland in Paris knowing a win could take them into the quarter-finals, but were barely in the contest as they trailed by 26 points at halftime and lost 36-14 to bow out with a whimper.

“It is important that we recognise the World Cup was the last tournament we played and our last game was a massive disappointment,” Townsend told reporters.

“The players came together last week to process what happened in that game, and any other outstanding issues within the group. It was positive and now we focus on the Six Nations.”

One of the casualties of the World Cup campaign could be skipper Jamie Ritchie, who Townsend admits is no longer assured of his place in the back row and has lost the armband to new co-captains Rory Darge and Finn Russell.

“Moving on from Jamie is really down to the competition we have in the back row, players who were not at the World Cup have put up their hand,” Townsend said.

“That is now a focus for Jamie, to get into the team as a player, because he is competing with some in-form players.”

Back row Darge and mercurial flyhalf Russell are likely to start in the Six Nations opener against Wales in Cardiff on Feb. 3, and Townsend says it will be decided on the day who deals with key issues such as communication with the referee.

“Rory and Finn are key players and leaders in different ways. We think very highly of them,” he said.

“Finn has the experience of lots of test matches, while Rory is a leader in terms of our defence with his physicality, he leads by example.

“We will have to say to the referee before the game ‘who do you want to chat to, is it OK if you chat to two people?’. But there will be someone to do the coin toss and give the last word to the referee.”

Scotland last won what is now the Six Nations in 1999 and finished third last year with three victories in five games.

(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)