Sam Hidalgo-Clyne Is the man for Scotland – Scott Hastings
Hidalgo-Clyne, 21, enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with Edinburgh last season, playing a key role in the Gunners march to the Challenge Cup final.
His form earned him a place in Vern Cotter’s Six Nations squad and he went on to earn five caps as a replacement in the Scots’ Wooden Spoon campaign.
The Spanish-born half-back’s lively snipes around the fringes and desire to play at a high tempo have won him plenty of admirers, but it is Laidlaw’s more structured approach that has been preferred by Cotter so far.
However, former Scotland and Lions centre Hastings would plump for Hidalgo-Clyne when Scotland kick off their World Cup campaign against Japan.
Hastings told TRP: “I would go for Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, he is the man in form. He had a simply outstanding season for Edinburgh and I don’t think you can ignore a guy in such a vein of form.
“That’s no slight on Greig, who had a good season for Gloucester, but I think Sam would offer a bit more in attack with more tempo and pace in their game.
“He is a reliable goal-kicker and you would still have the option of Greig off the bench. There’s no doubt it is a close contest but I would go for Hidalgo-Clyne.”
Before that Japan clash, Cotter’s squad will get the chance to impress during warm-up fixtures against France, Italy (home and away) and Ireland.
Among those set to get an outing are the uncapped quartet of John Hardie, Hugh Blake, Josh Strauss and WP Nel. New Zealand-born flanker Blake, eligible for selection through Scottish grandparents, has been called up before making an appearance for new club Edinburgh.
Fellow back-rower Hardie is another ‘kilted Kiwi’ who has been parachuted in to the squad, while No.8 Strauss and prop Nel have qualified through residency.
Hastings has no issue with Scotland’s use of the rules as they stand, but would prefer to see a tightening of the regulations.
“The rules are the rules and you cannot be critical if you are adhering to them,” he said. “But I would certainly like to see some changes. I think three years is too short to qualify in terms of residency – I’d like that stretched to five or six years to test your desire to represent a nation.
“At the moment it almost feels like it is part of a job opportunity. It’s part of the package of making the move.
“I played alongside Sean Lineen, who was the original ‘kilted Kiwi’ but he played and coached in Scotland for many years and he gave an awful lot to Scottish rugby.
“Now in the professional age it is a bit different. There is no real loyalty and it is a shortcut to success.”
ANDREW GWILYM
