We look at four rugby union players who could elect to represent Scotland at the France Rugby World Cup in 2023. The Scots have 21 players on their Six Nations roster who were born abroad, which is the most of any team in the competition. Rugby supporters can book France Rugby World Cup Tickets on our website at exclusively discounted prices.
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Gregor Townsend was able to turn his team from disposable scraps into legitimate title challengers because of this approach to talent identification. Additionally, he hasn't finished; five more players are rumoured to be switching teams before the upcoming France Rugby World Cup 2023.
#1. Tom Roebuck
Roebuck made his Premiership Rugby Cup debut on October 26 as a senior Sale Sharks player. He earned his first senior deal with Sale in November 2018, and during the 2020–21 season, he made 5 Premiership appearances. For the Aon U18 International Series in South Africa in July 2018, Roebuck received his initial call-up to the England Under 18 team.
He participated in each of England's three tournament games. He was included in the England Under 18 team in March 2019 for matches versus Scotland and France. In January 2020, he was selected for England's Top Player Team for the 2020 Under-20 Six Nations. Following that, when England completed their grand slam, he began their victories over Wales and Italy.
Roebuck's breakthrough year in the 2021/22 Premiership season came after a stretch of six tries in six matches in January 2022 solidifying his position in Alex Sanderson's team. If Townsend can persuade the 21-year-old to accept the call, he will be available. The player was summoned up by England in the autumn but has not yet received a cap.
#2. John Cooney
As a scrum-half who excelled at kicking, passing, and speed, he started his rugby professional career. Due to the availability of other excellent scrum halves on the team, Cooney's opportunities were limited after making his Leinster senior debut in 2009.
In 2012, Cooney joined the provincial team Connacht Rugby in search of increased playing time. He demonstrated his abilities and made a name for himself as a dependable and important player while playing for Connacht. Due to his contributions, Cooney was selected for the Emerging Ireland team to compete in the 2014 Tbilisi Cup.
Cooney moved to Ulster Rugby in 2017, where he continues to perform well. Cooney received many honours and recognition in the rugby community as a result of his regular efforts. Cooney gained international acclaim for his outstanding club achievements. In 2018, he made his international debut for Ireland, earning his maiden cap against Australia.
The former Connacht star is now eligible to move because he hasn't competed for Ireland in three years. His father, John Cooney Senior, was a journalist who was born in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. He first worked for the Glasgow Herald before moving on to become the European correspondent for The Irish Times and eventually the religious affairs correspondent.
If a player has been retired from rugby union worldwide for three years and was born in the nation they wish to serve, they are eligible to swap nations.
Are you aware? He is the first player to appear in more than 20 games for Connacht, Leinster, and Ulster, three different Irish provinces.
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#3. Fin Smith
Smith was chosen to play for England's under-20 team in the Six Nations Under 20s Championship in 2021, and he made a substantial contribution by starting all five of the games and earning a try versus Scotland. England triumphed in the competition and completed a grand slam.
Smith competed for the England U20 team in a summer tournament in Italy in July 2022. Smith is qualified to represent Scotland since he is the grandchild of previous Scotland and Lions prop Tom Elliot. Steve Borthwick invited him up to the national England team in January 2023 in preparation for the 2023 Six Nations Championship. You can buy your Rugby World Cup Final Tickets.
“Since the Six Nations, I have spoken with Fin Smith three times, and I have also spoken with other dual-qualified players who did not make our squad, according to Townsend. He is undoubtedly a player with whom we have the utmost confidence. He just turned 20 a few weeks ago and participated in a lot of rugby at a young age.”
“I believe that his performance versus Bath over the course of the weekend was one of his most impressive ones. Yes, he is making progress, but we didn't think this tour was the appropriate time for him, and he would certainly need to agree on Scotland and England. I went down to witness the Premiership final versus London Irish, so sure, he is progressing.”
#4. Zach Mercer
A rising star in English rugby, Zach Mercer has represented his country at different young levels and won the World Rugby U20 Tournament in 2016. For Bath Rugby, he made his senior pro appearance in 2016 and rapidly created a name for himself as an explosive and talented number eight.
Additionally, he was called up to the England senior squad, where he made his debut versus South Africa in 2018. As a result of his work with Bath Rugby, Mercer received numerous honours, including the title of Young Player of the Season. Refer to more recent sources, such as news stories, rugby websites, or team profiles, for further details on his career and most recent achievements.
“Considering I had been raised in Scotland, I was qualified to play on the stay, therefore I did, according to Mercer. At the moment, all I wanted was to play rugby worldwide and compete against the best, so I joined Scotland's U16 team. I attempted to join the Scotland U18s a year early but was unsuccessful.”
“When the following season rolled along, I was determined to play for Scotland. At about the same time as I was considering other contracts, Bath presented me with one. It would be foolish to refuse a contract from a squad like that, so of course I took it.”
“Unfortunately, the Scotland U18s coach called me at that point to let me know I had no chance to be selected as I hadn't committed to Scotland rugby, he claimed. When I informed the England U18s head trainer I hadn't been selected 20 minutes later, he simply remarked, “Go down and compete for us then,” which helped me to recall that day very clearly.
“After that, I participated in a contest for the England U18s against Scotland. You really couldn't have written it.”
#5. Ben Healy
In the 2019–2020 campaign, Healy earned his professional debut with Munster. He played fly-half most of the time, but he also showed off his abilities as a controlled, precise kicker and as a playmaker with excellent judgement.
Healy immediately established himself as a regular member of the Munster team as a result of his performances, which won over coaches and spectators alike. Healy had a breakthrough year in the 2020–2021 season, greatly aiding Munster's effort.
He showed his capacity for game management by contributing to multiple triumphs with crucial passes and kicks. Additionally, he showed composure under pressure by stepping up to place crucial kicks at critical times. His initial call-up to the Irish senior team's training camp in November 2020 demonstrated his potential to play at the highest level for his country.
Healy will sign a two-year contract to join Edinburgh this summer. The 23-year-old, who played for Ireland at the under-20 level, is eligible to represent Scotland because of his grandparents. Healy has played for the Irish province since 2019, making 47 games and scoring 275 points. They want to play a lot.
Healy told Edinburgh's website, “I'm excited to introduce myself to a new setting and find out how I do. I want to express my gratitude to all those at Munster for their assistance over the past several years. I've enjoyed every second of my tenure competing for the club, however, I decided it was appropriate time to move to Edinburgh and take on a fresh challenge.”
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