Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend identified the performance of debutant Jaco van der Walt as ‘a big positive’ following his side’s Autumn Nations Cup defeat against Ireland.
The fly-half kicked 11 points in an assured international bow on Saturday and gives Townsend further options in the No.10 jersey for next year’s Guinness Six Nations.
Duncan Weir held the position throughout the Autumn Nations Cup group stage and with Finn Russell and Adam Hastings to add in to the mix when they return from injury, Townsend is spoiled for choice in the role he made his own during his playing days.
The 47-year-old was particularly impressed by van der Walt following his debut in Dublin, praising the way the Edinburgh man dealt with the step up in class.
“I thought he did really well, he kicked very well,” Townsend said. “He was comfortable at international level.
“There were a couple of errors just down to probably excitement, the first time playing on that big level.
“But he should be really pleased with how he performed. And that’s on the back of two training sessions really.
“To come in for your first cap on the back of quarantine, meeting your new teammates and training with them for the first time and then to produce a performance like that – that’s a big positive.”
Van der Walt will hope to make his Guinness Six Nations bow in the spring as he looks to match the impact of his Edinburgh teammate Duhan van der Merwe, whose superb individual try on Saturday took his tally to three in five Tests since also qualifying on residency grounds earlier this year.
Captain Stuart Hogg, who filled in at stand-off in the closing stages of Scotland’s Guinness Six Nations triumph in Wales in October following the injuries to Russell and Hastings, believes his side can look ahead with optimism to next year’s Championship despite Saturday’s defeat.
Scotland begin their 2021 campaign with a trip to Twickenham – the scene of a memorable 38-38 draw between the two sides in 2019 – to battle it out for the Calcutta Cup and Hogg is remaining positive.
“We feel we’re on the right track to achieving something special,” he said.
“We know we are nowhere near the finished article – you are never going to be – but the fortunate thing for us is we understand where we are going wrong.
“We understand where our mistakes are happening. I am proud of the boys’ efforts, I am proud of how much we stuck in there.
“The big thing I asked the boys was to empty the tank and show what it means to play for Scotland. In large parts we did exactly that.”
