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The approach Ewan Ashman is taking for his big World Cup audition
By PA
Ewan Ashman is aiming to stake his claim for a Rugby World Cup starting berth after being handed the number two jersey for Saturday’s warm-up match at home to France. The 23-year-old – who will make just his second international start this weekend – is a notable inclusion in an otherwise established XV chosen by Gregor Townsend for the showdown with Les Bleus.
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Ashman appears to be vying with the more experienced George Turner for a starting place, while Dave Cherry and Stuart McInally are the other two hookers battling to win a place in the final 33-man squad for the World Cup.
Head coach Townsend said earlier this week that the Canada-born Ashman – who moved to Edinburgh this summer from Sale – “has the attributes to start for us” and that he “absolutely” has a chance to play his way into a starting berth for the World Cup opener against South Africa in Marseille.
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“The whole team is preparing for the World Cup but for individuals, it’s about trying to put your best foot forward to get into that starting team,” Ashman said following the team run at Murrayfield on Friday.
“I’m just glad to have that opportunity because the competition is fierce for every position now with the depth we have.
“You have to view every game as an opportunity to try and get on that plane and into the team. I’m really excited. This is only my second start in a Scotland jersey and I’m really, really excited to get out there, especially at home.”
Ashman – whose father Jonathan is Scottish – scored a try on his debut as a substitute against Australia in autumn 2021 while he also came on against the might of New Zealand last November.
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The hooker’s only start among his seven caps to date came against Argentina last summer, so this weekend’s match against France will be arguably his biggest for the national team so far. With his family in the crowd, he is determined to ensure his emotions do not get the better of him.
“It’s a big game but they are all big games at Murrayfield,” he said. “My first start was over in Argentina which at the time felt like a big game but I’m a lot more experienced now.
“For me personally, it’s easy at Murrayfield to get quite emotional, like when you walk off the bus, and at the anthems, when the adrenalin is going and you have got butterflies in your stomach, so I try to play it down a bit more,” he said.
“I try not to treat games too differently. Obviously, this is a big game but I try and play it down and relax and treat it as another game of rugby and perform my role for the team. I try not to get too up for it because that is when I can make mistakes.”
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Scotland play France away next weekend and Ashman believes back-to-back fixtures against the world’s second-ranked team will stand them in good stead for pool-stage matches against the heavyweights of South Africa and Ireland.
“Yeah, it’s perfect,” he said. “France are an all-star team. They’re going to be hugely physical and that should prepare us for Ireland and South Africa.
“They’re coming to Murrayfield and that gives us a real opportunity to set out our stall for the World Cup. It is going to be confrontational and physical.
“They pride themselves on their maul and they’re a huge team, just like South Africa, so it’s going to be a hugely challenging game. It’s the perfect opportunity to prepare for the World Cup.”
