‘Angry’ Gregor Townsend hits out as Scotland boss loses club v country battle over key forward
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend and lock Jonny Gray.
Gregor Townsend has revealed that Jonny Gray chose to stay with his Top 14 club rather than play for Scotland in the end-of-year series.
The lock currently plays for Bordeaux-Begles in France after switching from Exeter Chiefs ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Gray’s debut for Bordeaux in September was his first game since April 2023 after a serious knee injury saw him sidelined for over a year.
However, the second-row has featured in six more games for UBB, helping them to second place in the table – one point behind leaders Toulouse.
Missing out on November Tests
The 30-year-old was therefore looking fit and powerful but, according to Townsend, he turned down the opportunity to represent Scotland in the November Tests.
“I’m angry, disappointed because we want players to experience more than just club rugby if they’ve deserved it,” Scotland’s head coach told the BBC’s Scotland Rugby Podcast.
“Maybe from Bordeaux’s side this is a player who has been injured, then played a lot of rugby and could do with a rest.
“But from our side it’s, did he need to play all those games in a row? Jonny would have gone well in our squad but it’s now a chance for someone else.”
Gray would have been unavailable for Scotland’s opener against Fiji, which falls outside the international window, but he could have featured against South Africa, Portugal and Australia.
However, the experienced lock, along with Bordeaux, have decided that it is too early for a Test return having only just come back from a serious injury, but Townsend disagrees.
“He’s come back from a really tough injury and missed almost 18 months,” he said. “But he’s played every single game for Bordeaux this season and played well – in big games.
“La Rochelle at the weekend, Toulouse a couple of weeks before. He would have been in really the mix for not just our squad but our matchday 23.
“So it’s disappointing both Bordeaux and Jonny think the best thing for him is to rest after two months of rugby – given he’s had time off.”
The other Gray
Jonny is not the only Gray to miss out on the squad with his brother, Richie, also omitted, which could well end his international career.
The 35-year-old enjoyed an international renaissance in 2022 and was a key part of the side at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
He is set to leave Glasgow Warriors at the end of November and join Toyota Verblitz in Japan, but he could have featured for the national team next month.
Townsend insisted that his current form did not merit a call-up, though, and that he wanted to look to the future in the second-row position, but the Scotland boss also praised the experienced lock.
“He’s had two careers almost internationally,” he added. “The first one was exceptional when he came through. I was fortunate enough to be involved at that time as an assistant coach.
“I remember a line-break against France, with his blond hair. He was a revelation. He got into the Lions on the back of playing so well for Scotland and Glasgow.
“The way he’s come back in the last couple of years, I think he’s been better. He played in some really big wins for us. The wins against England, especially Twickenham two years ago.
“He’s been very professional to make the most of what he can do physically to go with the experience he’s had.”
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