Scott Cummings described Gregor Townsend as “a massive influence” on his career as he savours his second World Cup under the Scotland head coach.
The 26-year-old lock has enjoyed the most significant moments of his rugby journey under the man currently in charge of the national team.
Townsend was the Glasgow head coach when Cummings broke through and made his debut at club level as a teenager in 2015.
Two years later – and just months after landing the Scotland job – he gave the Warriors second-rower his first full international call-up for the Autumn Tests in 2017.
Townsend then handed Cummings his first cap in the summer of 2019 and took him to his first World Cup that year in Japan, where he made four appearances, aged 22.
The dependable Warriors forward has remained involved throughout the head coach’s reign and – although not always a starter – has accumulated 31 caps, two of which came in the opening matches of this World Cup against South Africa and Tonga.
“Gregor’s been massive for me,” he said. “World Cups have always been a good time for me. Eight years ago was when I made my debut for Glasgow, as we had about 22 guys away at the World Cup (in England in 2015).
“Gregor gave me my debut, and then I managed to get in the squad for the last World Cup, and then this one. He’s been a massive influence on my career and has helped shape me into the player I am.”
Asked if Townsend has evolved as a coach since he first played under him, Cummings said: “Yes, I think he probably has. The game has changed as much as anything.
“We play a different style to what we did back then. He has always been an attacking coach, something I like. I don’t want it to be slow. Gregor has always had a fast-paced game plan and I’ve really enjoyed playing under that.”
Cummings feels being at the previous World Cup has helped him deal with the demands of this one.
“Being in Japan was an amazing experience but now, being a bit older, I’ve understood what it means a bit more the second time round and the magnitude of it,” he said.
“We’ve loved being here. We had a fantastic camp (in the build-up) and a lot of fun, training hard and played in some tough games. I’ve really enjoyed it so far.”
Cummings explained how the camaraderie within the squad has helped the players deal with the intensity of living together in their hotel in the hills just outside Nice for the best part of a month.
“It’s tough,” he said. “You’re coming in every day, doing the same sort of things, building towards the same stuff, living in a hotel.
“We’ve been in our hotel for about three weeks now. It’s just about not letting people go into their shells, going out for a meal sometimes on a day off.
“There’s a lot of PlayStation being played, getting tournaments going, things like that, keeping morale up as much as we can.
“A lot of players’ partners and families have been out, so they have been around the hotel, and people seeing their kids.
“The squad is in a great place. It’s been a real family ethos, we are all great mates who are all getting on and enjoying spending time with each other.”
Scotland have spent their entire World Cup so far in the south of France, with their time in Nice interrupted only by a trip along the coast to Marseille for their first match against South Africa.
They will fly to the other end of the country for this Saturday’s must-win encounter with Pool B minnows Romania in Lille.
“It should be a bit colder up there so it will be nice to get away from the sun for a bit and get out of the hotel, have a couple of days somewhere else, see a different part of the country,” said Cummings.
“France is an amazing country and I really enjoyed Marseille and staying out in Aix en Provence.
“It’s a lovely part of the country but it will be good to see somewhere else and not always be in Nice.”
Cummings has seen a familiar face added to the squad over the past few days, with his uncapped Glasgow club-mate Johnny Matthews called up at the weekend after hooker Stuart McInally had to pull out with a neck injury.
“Johnny had an amazing season last year, as anybody who follows the URC will know,” he said. “He’s been playing unbelievably well for Glasgow and it’s very well deserved.
“We’re all absolutely gutted for Stuart not to get that 50th cap he really deserved. But Johnny came out on tour with us last year to Chile, so he’s been in and around the squad before, and he massively deserves the opportunity. I am excited to hopefully see him play.”
England and Saracens number eight Vunipola fined after arrest in Mallorca
England international Billy Vunipola has confirmed he has been fined after an incident which saw him arrested in Mallorca on Sunday, with his club Saracens set to launch an internal investigation.
On Monday, widespread reports claimed Vunipola had been tasered by Spanish police in the early hours of Sunday morning, with an altercation taking place after he left a club in Palma.
Saracens later confirmed they were aware of an incident and said they would deal with it internally.
The number eight, who was born in Australia but has represented England 75 times, later released a statement of his own via his club, denying that any violence took place and confirming the police investigation was now closed.
"I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand," that statement read.
"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.
"I was charged with resisting the law and, following an 'express trial', I have paid a fine of €240. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.
"I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved."
Fraser Brown ‘hugely proud’ of Scotland career as he announces rugby retirement
Fraser Brown declared himself “hugely proud” of his Scotland career as he announced his retirement from professional rugby.
The 34-year-old Glasgow hooker has not played since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the World XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham last May and he has now conceded defeat in his bid to return to action.
Brown won 61 Scotland caps, with the first of them coming against Italy in 2013 and the last in the Six Nations match at home to Ireland in 2023, the same game incidentally in which Stuart Hogg won his final cap. The front-rower went to both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
“When you have a serious injury like I did with an ACL at the end of your career, it is always going to be hard to come back from,” Brown told Scottish Rugby.
“That probably made it a little easier to announce my retirement but it’s still a surreal and strange feeling.
“I’m hugely proud to have played so many times for Scotland during my career. To get one cap was great, but then my second one came against the All Blacks at Murrayfield which was such a special occasion.
“To reach 50 caps was a big moment as I had to deal with a lot of injuries throughout my career and to be part of the growth process of the team which has resulted in where they are now has been cool.”
At club level, Brown made 141 appearances for Glasgow after joining from Edinburgh in 2011.
The hooker helped them win the Guinness Pro12 in 2015 with victory over Munster in the final in Belfast, while his last appearance for Warriors proved to be last season’s Challenge Cup final defeat by Toulon in Dublin.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith paid tribute to Brown, saying: “Fraser is the epitome of a modern professional and someone who should serve as a role model to any young player starting their journey.
“The respect with which he is held, not only within the Glasgow Warriors community but within the wider rugby family, should serve to underline the achievements he has earned throughout his career and the manner in which he has achieved them.
“His work ethic and determination to bring the best out of the people and players around him has been clear to all throughout his career.
“I wish him the very best for whatever comes next and I know he will apply that same work ethic and determination that made him one of this club’s most distinguished Warriors.”
Brown becomes the second experienced Scotland front-rower to announce his retirement in the space of a month after Edinburgh prop WP Nel recently revealed he would be hanging his boots up at the end of this season.
England tap into knowledge of Brian Ashton to play entertaining brand of rugby
England have been tapping into the knowledge of veteran attack guru Brian Ashton to achieve their aim of filling Twickenham.
The Red Roses ran in 14 tries in an 88-10 victory over Ireland that places them on the brink of claiming a sixth consecutive Guinness Women’s Six Nations title when they face France on Saturday.
A thrilling attacking performance before a 48,778 crowd was born out of the belief that in order to play in front of a full house of Twickenham at next year’s home World Cup, they must play appealing rugby.
And helping them achieve that aim is Ashton, a former England men’s head coach regarded as a visionary in the game whose expertise has been enlisted by Red Roses boss John Mitchell.
“Brian makes us ask questions. ‘If this is the picture, what is the easiest way that you can take the wins?’” said Dow, who ran in a hat-trick against Ireland.
“I do think it is about asking those questions and having Brian Ashton available throughout the week…I absolutely adore the man.
“The way he phrases things almost makes you re-think the philosophy of rugby. I think in the English brand the philosophy is ‘let’s kick to the corner, let’s take the territory’. But is that the philosophy of all rugby? Can we expand that?
“At the end of the day, professional rugby is a business in its own way. We need to be proving to the whole of England that we can play an exciting brand of rugby.”
While England march on by overwhelming the opposition in front of them, Ireland’s blowout highlights the gulf in class in the women’s game and affects the credibility of the Six Nations.
The Red Roses have accumulated 228 points after four rounds and France are the only European team capable of taking the wind out of their sails when the rivals clash in Bordeaux.
“I 100 per cent think teams will catch up and as much as we may be on top now, it is on us to try and work to keep that place and demand more from ourselves,” Dow said.
“Because as much as we’d love the game to grow, we want to keep the gap ourselves and continue to prove that we can be the best.”
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