A CUT ABOVE

Scots have never been so united so Toony admits it will be tough to pick squad

- DAVID BARNES

FRANCE.....30 SCOTLAND.....27

GREGOR TOWNSEND claims he has never seen a group of players as unified as his World Cup training squad has been this summer.

But as he sits down to decide the 33 stars to go to France next month, the Scotland head coach will have to deliver devastating news to four who will miss out.

Telling a player that he is surplus to requirements is tough - especially when stakes are so high and every member of the group has worked hard since coming into camp in May.

Several fringe players made strong cases for inclusion in Scotland's narrow defeat to France in Saint-Etienne on Saturday evening.

But Scotland's selection process will be more in depth than analysis of one game with the final World Cup squad announced on Wednesday.