Townsend answers Scotland blame question for Argentina collapse as coach defends players and admits mistakes
The Scotland head coach was asked who was to blame for their capitulation against Argentina - the players or the coaching staff?
Gregor Townsend leapt to the defence of his Scotland players following their 24-33 defeat to Argentina in their third Autumn Nations Series test match of 2025 at Murrayfield.
The hosts lead Los Pumas 21-0 but a spectacular comeback from the South Americans and all out collapse by the Scots gifted the victory to the visitors. There were audible boos following the full time whistle in Edinburgh with Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu admitting after the match that the supporters were justified in voicing their disappointment.
Scotland now have one match remaining this year as Tonga visit Murrayfield this Sunday. Townsend knows his side need to respond with a statement victory in front of another big home crowd.
“I could have done things differently” says Townsend after Argentina defeat
Asked if he felt the Scotland players were letting him down on big occasions, Townsend defiantly responded: “Not at all. We're very much together and I'm looking at myself first.
“I could have done things differently during the week, could have changed things during the game. I was considering subs and that yellow card period was a period that I felt wasn't right to make changes.
“I believe in the group, I believe in the players we have and just outside the squad. I know they'll be hurting, I know they're hurting. We're hurting with them but we know we have to be better than we are today.”
He was then asked if that means he stats to question himself and his position, responding: “You do that all the time of course. As a group we review together, how did we not win last week, how did we not win this week. As coaches and players that's what we look to.
“It's not great for anyone [results like the Argentina loss], our players and the coaches. We know the team we have and what we've shown over the last two weeks.
“That has to be turning into victories. That's what we need to deliver to our supporters. So that wasn't good enough.”
The Scotland head coach also fielded questions on his new part-time, non-executive consultancy role with Red Bull. As well as his job as Scotland head coach he will spend up to 30 days a year helping to shape Red Bull’s global rugby strategy, including with the recently acquired Newcastle Falcons (now the Newcastle Red Bulls).
“I know it can help improve me as a coach,” said Townsend. “Improve the coaching group and I'm 100% committed to this role. Red Bull's in my own time so I'll be doing all I can to work with the team this week to make sure we deliver a better performance.”
“We have to show who we are” says Townsend as Tonga test looms
Looking ahead to their final test match of 2025 against Tonga, Townsend added: “I think we have to show who we are and who we want to be and that's an 80-minute performance based on physicality, based on huge effort. We have to show we're a better team from that experience around our discipline and giving away 10 penalties.
“Maybe a few of them were under pressure when we were close to our line but outside of that we gave Argentina too many entries in our 22 because we just didn't get back onside on a few occasions. So that will be the big work-on for us during the week and composure. It was a working already this week and it's still going to be a working.
“I think it's a big crowd next week and we're on to the next game and we want to put on a really good performance as we know the Six Nations are going to be very tough too with the teams we've got coming up. So we want to make sure we finish on a positive.”