CHAOS THEORY

SRU upheaval may save Toony if new chairman goes for stability

- STUART BATHGATE

ITALY hit the jackpot with Blackjack but the deck isn't necessarily stacked against Gregor Townsend in this game of stick or twist.

And it's got less to do with the 21 unanswered points Scotland coughed up in Saturday's 31-29 defeat in Rome and more to do with those dealing the cards... or rather contracts.

Townsend is coming under pressure to quit after Italy banked a first home Six Nations win in 11 years at his expense.

That pressure on the head coach is sure to increase if his team lose the curtain closer to Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

In post since 2017, this is his seventh Championship and the best Townsend has managed are two third-place finishes.

He has been in charge for two World Cups, neither of which Scotland got out of the pool. If you look at things in that light, it might seem a change at the top is long overdue.

But there is one very good reason and it has little to do with what is happening on the pitch- why the SRU will be reluctant to part company with him right now.