Gregor Townsend admitted Scotland are effectively playing knockout rugby already as he challenged his side to kick-start their World Cup campaign with a much-needed victory over Tonga on Sunday.
After losing their opening match to world champions South Africa, the Scots know they will almost certainly require three wins from their remaining pool B matches against the Tongans, Romania and Ireland.
Bonus points are also likely to be a factor in deciding which sides progress to the quarter-finals from a section containing three of the world’s five highest-ranked teams.
Two weeks on from their demoralising 18-3 defeat in Marseille, Townsend has called on his team – who touched down in the south of France at the start of September with high hopes – to belatedly signal their arrival at the tournament by turning on the style against Tonga this weekend.
“We need to get our World Cup started,” he said on Friday morning. “You can get your World Cup started with your first game but also your first win. This is obviously a crucial game for us.
“It’s our knockout stage now. If we lose a game, we’re out the tournament, and every game now ahead of us we have to approach it with that mentality.”
Townsend has made four changes to the side that started against South Africa, with forwards Rory Sutherland and Scott Cummings replacing Pierre Schoeman and Grant Gilchrist and backs Kyle Steyn and Chris Harris taking over from Darcy Graham and Huw Jones.
Schoeman, Graham and Jones are on the bench alongside George Horne and Ewan Ashman, both of whom are back in the mix after missing out against South Africa due to concussion. Gilchrist drops out of the 23 altogether.
“We know this is a really important game for us so we’ve put out as strong a team as we can to win it,” said Townsend. “We feel the last 20 minutes are going to be important so to have players like Darcy Graham, Huw Jones and George Horne coming off the bench to give something different for the Tongan defence could be as important as the guys who get to start.”
Gloucester centre Harris – a member of the British and Irish Lions squad in 2021 – is preparing to make only his second start of 2023 after losing the number 13 jersey to the resurgent Jones since the start of the Six Nations.
“Chris has done really well in training and I thought he played really well against Georgia (in the last warm-up match) when he came on,” said Townsend.
“There’s competition in every position and Sione (Tuipulotu) and Huw have been two of our best players in this calendar year.
“Chris will bring his own game, which is based on work-rate and his defence is always at a high level. We will have times where it will be tough for us defensively – especially in the wide channels – so having Chris in there can bring out his strengths.”
Another 2021 Lions squad member coming in from the fringes for Scotland this weekend is Sutherland, who will be making only his second international start in 19 months. The 31-year-old is currently without a club after a turbulent couple of years with Worcester and then Ulster.
“It’s been an interesting and challenging time for Rory with going down south and then the club that he joined going bust,” said Townsend. “He then did very well over in Ulster but I know it was a tough time for his family to make one move and then to come back to Scotland while he was over in Ulster.
“And he’s without a club just now. But I have to say, even with those challenges in the background on and off the field, Rory is the same person and he trains really well.
“He’s had other challenges with injuries and selection. He wasn’t in our 23 for the game against South Africa and he just applies himself so well in training.
“He’s obviously been competing with Pierre the last couple of seasons as well and Pierre has been playing really well for us but he’s now got an opportunity to start and it’s a great opportunity for him to go ‘right, this is what I can do from a starting perspective’.”
Consistency key for Australia ahead of Wales Test
Australia scrum-half Tate McDermott says the Wallabies are still searching for consistency ahead of Sunday's Autumn International versus Wales in Cardiff.
Australia beat England on their travels for the first time since 2015 last week, with Max Jorgensen's last-gasp try sealing a dramatic 42-37 success.
However, Joe Schmidt's team have not won successive Tests since July, losing three in a row before their triumph at Twickenham.
The last time they were on the winning side, against Argentina in the Rugby Championship in August, they were then thumped 67-27 by the Pumas in the return fixture just a week later.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's game, McDermott called on the visitors to produce a repeat of last week's performance.
"We've had a couple of good wins this year – flashback to Argentina where we knocked them off in the first game, but a week later, we're a completely different team," said McDermott.
"The group in general has a feeling that repeatability is the biggest thing for us to move forward, and we've got to make sure of that.
"Backing up our performance against the English is crucial for us.
"It's a fresh page and while last week was a great moment, it's irrelevant because we've got a fierce Welsh team in our face, and we've got to make sure we're ready for them."
Schmidt has made six changes to Australia's XV for the game, with centre Joseph Suaalii among those to make way after impressing against England last time out.
Samu Kerevi returns to the lineup, with Jorgensen, Nic White, Allan Alaalatoa, Seru Uru and Will Skelton also introduced.
Wales, meanwhile, have made four alterations to the team that started last week's 24-19 loss to Fiji, with James Botham, Jac Morgan, Ellis Bevan and Tom Rogers the players introduced.
Coach Warren Gatland said: "We haven't thrown in the towel. We can only continue to work as hard as we've been doing and, hopefully, we'll get across the line.
"Do I believe in what we're doing? 100%. The conviction is there and if the conviction is there, it probably takes away a little bit of some of the noise that's coming towards us."
Wales team: Cameron Winnett, Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Blair Murray, Gareth Anscombe, Ellis Bevan; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (c), Archie Griffin, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, James Botham, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Keiron Assiratti, Christ Tshiunza, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Sam Costelow, Eddie James.
Australia team: Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Len Ikitau, Samu Kerevi, Max Jorgensen, Noah Lolesio, Nic White, Angus Bell, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Nick Frost, Will Skelton, Seru Uru, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini.
Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Zane Nonggorr, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Ireland made 'step up' in tense Argentina victory, says Doris
Ireland captain Caelan Doris said the team made a clear step up in Friday's thrilling victory over Argentina, but he knows further improvements are needed for future games.
Ireland edged out Argentina by a 22-19 scoreline in Dublin, bouncing back after suffering their first home defeat in more than three years versus New Zealand last week.
The hosts made a flying start with two tries in the opening five minutes, though Argentina threatened to fight back by scoring all 10 points in a second half punctuated by penalties.
The Pumas spent the closing minutes camped in Ireland's 22 but were unable to make the pressure count, and Doris' primary feeling at the full-time whistle was one of relief.
"It went right down to the wire there. We were happy with how it started. There was a good feeling through the warm-up and that carried over to the start," he told TNT Sports.
"I felt we were in a pretty good position at half-time and their quality showed in the second half.
"It was back and forth and our discipline was probably a factor again. We got the result, which was the most pleasing thing after last week."
Ireland were into double figures for penalties as early as the 54th minute and received two yellow cards, prompting Doris to demand greater discipline in their remaining Autumn internationals versus Fiji and Australia.
"We want a better performance. Discipline is one thing that needs to improve, but we are continuing to grow as a group," he said.
"I think today was a bit of a step up from last week but we feel like there is definitely more in us.
"A more complete performance is what we are asking for over the next couple of weeks, and we're going to need it."
'It's always personal' – Kolisi says South Africa highly motivated for England clash
South Africa captain Siya Kolisi insists the world champions will not be lacking in motivation for Saturday's clash with England at Twickenham, saying the teams' meetings are "always personal".
The Springboks are aiming to inflict a fifth straight defeat on Steve Borthwick's troubled hosts, who suffered a dramatic 42-37 defeat to Australia last week.
England's most recent meeting with South Africa – in the semi-finals of last year's World Cup – was overshadowed by Tom Curry accusing Bongi Mbonambi of directing a racist slur towards him, an allegation the Springboks hooker denied.
South Africa won that match 16-15 thanks to a late Handre Pollard penalty before beating New Zealand in the final, and Kolisi knows they now have a target on their backs.
"It's always personal. That's just how we prepare ourselves for games," Kolisi said on Friday.
"It's got to be personal. It's another man trying to run through you in-game, it doesn't get more personal than that. So every game for us is personal.
"This one, in Twickenham, is a big game and we know what England have been going through. We've been in their position before.
"We know we've got a target on our back at all times. Every single team that plays against us... we've got to make it as personal as possible because we want to stay where we are."
England have recalled full-back Freddie Steward for the match, after he lost his place to George Furbank during the Six Nations earlier this year.
The 23-year-old is delighted to be back in the fold and is determined to make the most of his opportunity.
"It was one of the hardest things I've had to deal with," Steward told BBC Radio 5 Live. "When you have something for a while and then you lose it, it puts into perspective how important that thing is to you.
"Not having that over the last couple of months has been really challenging. Emotionally, it has been tough, but I've had to use that as fuel to keep pushing and wanting to get better and win that place back.
"It can be a kick in the teeth but you have to use those experiences, and I'm sat here now as a better rugby player and a stronger person."
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