Scotland approached these six nations with full knowledge that there would be a significant hole in its center of the field during the duration of the championship.
With Captain Sione Tuipulotu discarded due to an injury, Gregor Towsend always knew that his hand had weakened before the action was launched.
They were always going to be great boots to fill. In fact, such had been the form shown by Tuipulotu in the last 18 months, they are some of the largest boots in world rugby at this time.
Trying to follow the steps of the Glasgow Warriors center would be an ungrateful task. In a nutshell, there are not many players in the game that can combine gross power and sublime ability.
It is two players in one, an excavator and a magician, a destructive corridor capable of sublime art moments. He is also a leader.
How do you replace someone like that? Is it possible? All these questions will have been running through Towsend's mind in the preparation for this Saturday's opening clash with Italy in Murrayfield.
Stafford McDowall has taken the place of Tuipulotu in the Scotland team that anfla to Italy in Murrayfield
Tuipulotu has become one of the most exciting players in the country, but the six nations will be lost
McDowall seems relaxed in the training session of Scotland, but has a great task in his hands
Stafford McDowall has now become the chosen one, the player who will try to fill the considerable void left by Tuipulotu in the inner center.
McDowall is a good player in his own right. He captured Scotland against Portugal in autumn.
He has captained Glasgow Warriors on countless occasions and was a key figure for them in his triumph of URC last season.
McDowall also started against Ireland in Dublin last year, and played well, when Tuipulotu lost that game due to an injury.
He is 26 years old and certainly has no rookie. But, honestly, McDowall could have one of the most difficult works of world rugby at this time.
Because, rightly or incorrect, everything that does during these next months will be seen through the prism of Tuipulotu; Can you fill the Giant hole in the form of SOONE in the center of the Scotland field?
'You look at that real depth selection, the debate, which is the best for the individual and also for the team. We feel that Stafford has a good cohesion in the sense that he has played a lot of rugby with Huw (Jones), '' Towsend said.
'Stafford has also won. Soone did not play against Ireland last year. Stafford played and played very well. It was one of our best performances in the championship last year.
Dave Cherry has won an unexpected call after a fairly long spell in the desert
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'Every time Stafford has been given the opportunity, either on the summer tour or in the November test, he has really intensified. He is a quality test player. It will bring your own strengths.
McDowall always seemed to be the most likely option. It will bring to bulk and muscle to the center of the field of Scotland.
There were some suggestions that Towsend could seek to use Tom Jordan at age 12, but that was never really in the letters.
While Jordan can cover the center in case of injuries or an emergency, the possibility of starting with Huw Jones would leave the center of the Scotland field with a too light appearance.
McDowall, on the other hand, is defensively solid and a ram with a ball in his hand. From growing on the family farm in Dumfries and Galloway, you will add some solid meat to the Scotland background.
Especially since Italy has gone for a division of six two, Towsend is very aware of the threat that the Italians and their power game could raise.
Its central combination of Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex can be lethal, with Brex scoring in the victory of Italy 31-29 over Scotland in Rome last year. Ange Capuzzo is obviously another dangerous flyer in the Italian ranks.
“Italy has many threats in that background from its 10,” said Towsend. 'Obviously, Capuzzo has been in a great way for Toulouse in the wing and back.
Gregor Towsend is looking for his team of Scotland to start winning against Italy
'Then, wherever it is, it is a real threat and much of its game passes through its centers, especially Brex as a player. '
While the McDowall selection was expected, Towsend seems to have opted with the Lineout of Scotland.
Dave Cherry receives the approval in Hooker and will win his first limit from the World Cup. But Cherry is largely cooked, since it only started four games for Edinburgh this season.
His piece work is generally a strength, but the reality is that he has not played a large amount of rugby at the higher level.
He was not even making him a team of 30 men this time last year. Apparently he had disappeared from the face of the earth.
Now, he is catapulting ahead of Ewan Ashman. It should be said that Ashman's work in Lineaut was not exactly stellar in autumn.
But he feels like a bold call from Towsend to return to a 34 -year -old prostitute who was at miles out of the image for last year.
“Dave has been playing well for Edinburgh,” Towsend said. 'We feel that Dave's strengths will adapt to what we want to do.
'His experience will be his force number 1, his precision and experience of the piece in the scrum, and yes, we feel that this is the appropriate combination for what we want to achieve as a team on Saturday.
“Regarding the selection (ahead of Ashman), as I said before feeling that Dave's strengths will adapt to us at the beginning of the game, and Ewan outside the bank will be very motivated and brings different strengths, which are their power and its speed “.
In other places, there is a fairly established look for the Scotland team. Darcy Graham returns and will play his first game of the six nations since 2022 after missing the last two championships due to an injury.
Jamie Ritchie is rewarded for her performance against Australia in autumn and aligns in the back row with Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge, with Jack Dempsey on the bank.
Jonny Gray returns in Lock to win his first cap in two years, after having overcome a recent injury that cares with Bordeaux.
Scotland knows that they will be strong favorites to overcome Italy. Even without Tuipulotu talent, only one victory will serve.
McDowall is the most natural option to replace it. A heavyweight operator that will add to bulk and ballast to the center of the Scotland field in front of Italy's power game. That is the plan, at least.