At The Sporting Base, we will be previewing all 16 Rugby League World Cup nations ahead of the men’s tournament’s kick-off on 15 October. In our eighth segment, we dive into Scotland’s quietly strong squad and how their tournament may look.
IRL Ranking: 15th
Group: B
Schedule: Italy (Kingston Park, Newcastle); Australia (Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry); Fiji (Kingston Park, Newcastle)
World Cup Appearances: 4 (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017)
Best Result: Quarterfinals (2013)
Head Coach: Nathan Graham
Title Odds: $1001.00
After a near two-year hiatus, Scotland made their return onto the international rugby league scene in October of last year in a 30-all draw with World Cup newcomers Jamaica.
Their squad for that clash was made up almost exclusively of Championship and League One campaigners with a number of Super League and NRL stars expected to put their hands up for the World Cup this October.
Their tournament will kick-off against Italy in Newcastle before facing Australia in Coventry and finishing off the group stage against the Fijians back in Newcastle.
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Head coach Nathan Graham will have some big selection calls to make in his first World Cup with the Bravehearts as they aim to improve on a winless 2017 World Cup.
NRL stars Campbell Graham and Euan Aitken have both declared their intentions to represent their heritage along with Super League standouts Lachlan Coote and Kane Linnett who were a part of North Queensland’s 2015 premiership-winning team. Aaron Schoupp and Christian Crichton are two other eligible names that the Scottish coaching staff will hope make themselves available.
Coote will line-up at fullback if healthy with Toulouse star Matty Russell on one wing and Halifax try-scoring ace Lachlan Walmsley and York City flanker Will Oakes potentially competing with Crichton for a spot on the other wing.
Graham will walk into one of the centre spots with a number of candidates to partner him. Aitken has spent a majority of his NRL career in the centres but has had a strong year as an edge forward with the Warriors whilst Schoupp has established himself as an NRL-quality centre at Canterbury. Dewsbury’s Davey Dixon partnered Batley’s Kieran Buchanan in the centres in Scotland’s draw with Jamaica a year ago. Warrington star Jake Wardle may also firm as an option provided he is overlooked by England.
Salford’s Ryan Brierley wore the seven for the Bravehearts in their last outing and is the favourite to land the gig again with Leeds half Callum McLelland an option to partner him along with Canterbury youngster Bailey Hayward, Mackay Cutters hooker Kyle Schneider, and Salford utility Danny Addy. Wakefield veteran Liam Hood is set to win the hooking role with Schneider a depth option for the position also.
Salford prop Sam Luckley will head up the middle-third of the field alongside St Helens lock James Bell. Former-skipper Dale Ferguson will also come into consideration along with Addy, York City’s Jack Teanby, Barrow’s Charlie Emslie and Whitehaven’s Guy Graham.
Their list of second-row options is also rather extensive with Linnett locked onto one edge and Aitken an option on the other. If Aitken lines up in the centres, Leigh’s Joe Wardle, Halifax’s Ben Kavanagh, Featherstone’s Ben Hellewell, and Townsville’s Kayleb Milne loom as options.
Scotland should present as a challenging matchup in the group stage of the tournament with several battle-hardened veterans still playing at a high level and some classy backs.
Their opener against the Italians will be their biggest clash of the tournament with Australia and Fiji both expected to prove a class above.
