Josh Strauss To Play for Scotland Despite Losing Passport

The Scottish back-rower will play in France despite losing the important travel document.

Josh Strauss To Play for Scotland Despite Losing Passport

According to the Scottish Rugby Union, Sale Sharks back-rower Josh Strauss will play against France in the Six Nations this weekend despite him losing his passport.

The big South Africa-born No 8 has been on top form for the national side during the first two weeks of the Six Nations as Scotland beat Italy and then narrowly lost to Ireland at home and the Scots’ recent injury troubles have been well-document, so any absence was sure to be felt at the back of the scrum.

Obviously the misplacement of a passport for any player looking to travel creates significant issues but this gets heightened even further when there is not enough time to get a replacement. However the Union have since come out and said the issue has been resolved and Strauss will play.

The news that he will be available to play will be music to Gregor Townsend’s ears as he has already had several of his starting team decimated by injuries. Exciting fly-half Finn Russell is out after picking up a concussion whilst playing for Racing last week, and then you have players like Stuart Hogg, John Barclay, Hamish Watson, Huw Jones, and Ryan Wilson all out for the foreseeable future too.

Scotland will be looking to get back to winning ways against the French as they travel to the Stade de France. The Scots have not beaten France away from home since 1999, however they are facing a French side drastically searching for an identity and some sign of form.

Two weeks ago they were utterly demolished against England and as a result Jacques Brunel has made several changes to the side. Chief among which are Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack starting in place of Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez. Their pack is largely unchanged.

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