Scotland’s defense coach, Steve Tandy, acknowledges the Flying Fijians’ increasing reliance on kicking, a departure from their traditional style. However, he remains cautious of Fiji’s exceptional handling abilities. Tandy highlights the dual threat posed by the island team, emphasizing their potential for offloads and powerful runs through the middle while also adapting to a more kicking-oriented game plan.
“Something magical can happen as well. There might be something defensively where you look at it and you go, ‘well actually everyone’s in the slot, everyone’s doing their job’, but some amazing offload will come,” Tandy remarked, underscoring the unpredictability and skill that Fiji brings to the field.
In other news, the Scotland squad has received a morale boost with the return of star winger Darcy Graham from injury. The Edinburgh player has not donned the national jersey since the final pool match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup against Ireland, and he has missed the last two Six Nations Championships due to various injuries. Tandy is optimistic about Graham’s form as Scotland gears up for a schedule that includes matches against Fiji, South Africa, Portugal, and Australia at Murrayfield.
“It’s awesome to see him back,” Tandy said, noting Graham’s positive demeanor and recent outstanding performance in his club games. As a joint third all-time try-scorer for Scotland, Graham has the chance to enhance his tally, which currently stands at 24 tries. Only Duhan van der Merwe (28) and Stuart Hogg (27) have scored more tries for Scotland. Graham’s last international exploits saw him score four tries against Romania in September 2023.
Though he has faced a challenging stretch of injuries, Graham is set to make his comeback against Fiji this Sunday, bringing renewed hope to the Scotland side.
This article highlights the resilience of athletes like Darcy Graham, who can return stronger after setbacks, reminding fans of the unpredictability and excitement that sports bring. It sets up an optimistic view for Scotland’s upcoming matches, with the team armed with talented players ready to take on formidable opponents.
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