Two-job Townsend is on the brink but deserves break from Scotland fans
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend may have played down rumours that he has agreed to take over as boss of Prem Rugby club Newcastle Red Bulls after the 2027 World Cup, but he currently advises the club south of the border on strategy and philosophy.
So he’s well on his way, right? One thing is for certain, Two-Job Townsend should remain with Scotland, despite losing to Italy on the opening weekend of the Guinness Six Nations.
Starting with the obvious: sacking a coach midway through a tournament is just pointless. Townsend selected the squad, coached the team before the tournament and a change now, for one of his assistants no doubt, would have little impact.
Scotland mismanaged the conditions in Italy – which was a lot swampier than expected – and were outdone by a stronger Azzurri pack. But it is one game in a series of five across Europe and Townsend’s history isn’t that bad.
Townsend on the brink
Yes, Townsend has taken on Ireland 10 times and is yet to win a match against his Celtic neighbours. But his record against England sits at 71 per cent win rate from seven matches, 42 per cent from 12 games against France, 89 per cent from nine against Italy and 38 per cent from eight matches versus Wales.
It’s not atrocious. And the reality is that while many think Scotland have stagnated under Townsend, the systems he has put in place have been vital. Ireland are one of only three nations Townsend has not beaten in his tenure, alongside New Zealand and double world champions South Africa.
The Scot has built up a network of loyal followers across governing body the SRU and can be credited, in part, for helping to develop two strong club sides in Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors.
Under his watch, too, the British and Irish Lions selected 13 Scottish players for their 2025 tour of Australia, nearly triple the number initially named in 2017.
Yes, he has a second job, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he is bad at his first one. So I have sympathy for the Scottish head coach at the moment.
Future for Scotland
And, anyway, in years gone by when Scotland have been written off, they’ve come out and won a number of Calcutta Cup fixtures. This is something Townsend will be targeting again this weekend up in Murrayfield.
It shouldn’t be lost on rugby fans, either, that former England coach Eddie Jones had a second job with Japanese Top League side Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath – a consultancy position he held for two decades, including when England went on to win Six Nations championships.
Two-Job Townsend looks to be on the brink, having seen fans increasingly turn against him. He may be on the ropes, and some have even said he could be out before the end of the month.
But he should stay and the SRU should stick it out. I don’t think he has been a failure for Scottish rugby. Anyway, Newcastle Red Bulls are on a spree of ending coaches’ contracts so he could be One-Job Townsend soon – whether that’s in an office north or south of the border remains to be seen.
Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimist Performance and recently finished rowing the Atlantic to raise money for MND charities. Donate at World’s Toughest Row