Scotland approached this Six Nations in full knowledge that there would be a significant hole in their midfield for the duration of the Championship.
With captain Sione Tuipulotu ruled out due to injury, Gregor Townsend always knew that his hand had been weakened before the action even got under way.
They were always going to be big boots to fill. Indeed, such had been the form shown by Tuipulotu over the past 18 months, they are some of the biggest boots in world rugby right now.
Trying to follow in the footsteps of the Glasgow Warriors centre would be a thankless task. Quite simply, there aren’t many players in the game who can combine raw power and sublime skill.
He is two players in one, a bulldozer and a magician, a destructive runner capable of moments of sublime artistry. He’s also a leader.
How do you replace someone like that? Is it even possible? All of these questions will have been running around Townsend’s mind in the build-up to this Saturday’s opening clash with Italy at Murrayfield.
Stafford McDowall has taken Tuipulotu’s place in Scotland team hosting Italy at Murrayfield
Tuipulotu has emerged as one of the country’s most exciting players but will miss Six Nations
McDowall looks relaxed at Scotland training session but he has huge task on his hands
Stafford McDowall has now emerged as the chosen one, the player who will try to fill the sizeable void left by Tuipulotu at inside centre.
McDowall is a fine player in his own right. He captained Scotland against Portugal back in the autumn.
He has captained Glasgow Warriors on countless occasions and was a key figure for them in their URC triumph last season.
McDowall also started away against Ireland in Dublin last year – and played well – when Tuipulotu missed that match due to injury.
He’s 26 years old and certainly no rookie. But, truthfully, McDowall might just have one of the toughest jobs in world rugby right now.
Because, rightly or wrongly, everything he does over these next couple of months will be viewed through the prism of Tuipulotu; can he fill the giant Sione-shaped hole in Scotland’s midfield?
‘You look at that selection in real depth, you debate it, what is the best for the individual and also the team. We feel Stafford has good cohesion in that he’s played a lot of rugby with Huw [Jones],’ said Townsend.
‘Stafford has earned it, too. Sione didn’t play against Ireland last year. Stafford played and played very well. It was one of our best performances of the Championship last year.
Dave Cherry has won an unexpected call-up after a fairly lengthy spell in the wilderness
Jamie Ritchie makes the team as reward for his fine performance against Aussies last autumn
Scotland are hoping the popular Darcy Graham can remain injury free during tournament
‘Whenever Stafford has been given the opportunity, whether on summer tour or November Test, he’s really stepped up. He’s a quality Test player. He will bring his own strengths.’
McDowall always looked to be the most likely choice. He will bring bulk and muscle to Scotland’s midfield.
There were some suggestions that Townsend may look to utilise Tom Jordan at 12, but that was never really on the cards.
Whilst Jordan can cover centre in the event of injuries or an emergency, the prospect of him starting alongside Huw Jones would leave Scotland’s midfield looking far too lightweight.
McDowall, on the other hand, is defensively sound and a battering ram with ball in hand. From growing up on the family farm in Dumfries and Galloway, he will add some solid beef to Scotland’s backline.
Especially given that Italy have gone for a six-two split, Townsend is well aware of the threat that could be posed by the Italians and their power game.
Their centre combination of Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex can be lethal, with Brex scoring in Italy’s 31-29 win over Scotland in Rome last year. Ange Capuozzo is obviously another dangerous flyer in the Italian ranks.
‘Italy have a lot of threats in that backline from their 10 right through,’ said Townsend. ‘Obviously Capuozzo has been in great form for Toulouse on the wing and at full-back.
Gregor Townsend is looking for his Scotland team to get off to winning start against Italy
‘So wherever he’s going to be is a real threat and a lot of their game goes through their centres, especially Brex as a ball-player, Menoncello as a carrier, so we’ve got to be really switched on defence throughout the 80 minutes.’
Whilst the selection of McDowall was to be expected, Townsend looks to have taken a gamble with Scotland’s lineout.
Dave Cherry gets the nod at hooker and will win his first cap since the World Cup. But Cherry is largely under-cooked, having only started four games for Edinburgh this season.
His set-piece work is generally a strength, but the reality is that he hasn’t played a huge amount of rugby at the top level.
He wasn’t even making it into a 30-odd man squad this time last year. He had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth.
Now, he’s catapulted in ahead of Ewan Ashman. It should be said that Ashman’s work in the lineout wasn’t exactly stellar in the autumn.
But it does feel like a bold call from Townsend to revert back to a 34-year-old hooker who was miles out of the picture for all of last year.
‘Dave has been playing well for Edinburgh,’ said Townsend. ‘We feel Dave’s strengths will suit what we want him to do.
‘His experience will be his No 1 strength, his set-piece accuracy and experience in the scrum, and yeah, we feel that’s the right blend for what we want to achieve as a team on Saturday.
‘Regarding the selection [ahead of Ashman], as I said before we feel Dave’s strengths will suit us as we start the game, and Ewan off the bench will be very motivated and brings different strengths, which is his power and his speed.’
Elsewhere, there is a fairly settled look to the Scotland team. Darcy Graham comes back in and will play his first Six Nations game since 2022 after missing the last two championships due to injury.
Jamie Ritchie is rewarded for his performance against Australia in the autumn and lines up in the back row alongside Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge, with Jack Dempsey on the bench.
Jonny Gray returns at lock to win his first cap in two years, having overcome a recent injury niggle with Bordeaux.
Scotland know they will be strong favourites to beat Italy. Even without the talents of Tuipulotu, only a victory will do.
McDowall is the most natural option to replace him. A heavyweight operator who will add bulk and ballast to Scotland’s midfield in the face of Italy’s power game. That’s the plan, at least.
