Rugby World Cup: What Scotland require against Romania as promise made over complacency

Scotland have promised there will be no complacency in the ranks as they face Pool B lightweights Romania at the Rugby World Cup in Lille.

Gregor Townsend has made 13 changes for Saturday’s match against opponents who have conceded 158 points and scored just eight in their first two outings. The head coach is using the match to give game-time to those on the fringes while resting some of his big guns as Scotland look to negotiate their final two group fixtures and qualify for the quarter-finals.

A bonus-point win over Romania is the first step and would set them up for a decider with Ireland in Paris next weekend to determine who makes the last eight. If South Africa beat Tonga as expected, Scotland would need to beat the Irish and deny them a bonus point to qualify ahead of Andy Farrell’s side.

Pieter de Villiers, the Scotland scrum coach, said no-one in the camp was taking the Romania game lightly and urged those making their first appearance of the tournament to seize the opportunity. Asked if there was a danger of complacency creeping in, de Villiers said: “We’ve not thought about that. We’d like to do the things we’ve been concentrating on for 80 minutes. A lot of the boys starting this weekend haven’t started games previously, so they’re keen to get going. Starting in a World Cup is such a special feeling. We’ve been training for months and months on end now.

Javan Sebastian of Scotland looks on during a training session at the Rugby World Cup. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“Guys like Javan [Sebastian] are really chomping at the bit to go and show what they can do. We want to be strong up front, but we also want to have that pleasure of scoring tries whilst still respecting the opposition.”

Sebastian, the tighthead prop, is making his first start for Scotland after six previous outings off the bench. He is also one of four starters, along with Ben Healy, Hamish Watson and Luke Crosbie, who were not involved in Scotland’s opening two games, the loss to South Africa and the win over Tonga.

Romania, who lost 82-8 to Ireland and 76-0 to South Africa, have also made wholesale changes, ten in total, and there is a first game at the tournament for former Tonga Sevens player Taliauli Sikuea.