World Cup 2019: Scotland to be 'major threat' in Japan, says Sean Fitzpatrick

Scotland were within a converted try of beating New Zealand earlier this month

Scotland are among the "major threats" capable of winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup, says former New Zealand captain Sean Fitzpatrick.

After watching Scotland's narrow defeat by the All Blacks, Fitzpatrick believes they are improving.

And he predicts that the Scots can make an impact at the World Cup in Japan in two years' time.

"Scotland, Ireland and England are all teams that are going in the right direction," said Fitzpatrick.

Scotland will play Ireland in their opening Pool A match in Japan and will look to win that match in order to avoid a potential quarter-final against New Zealand.

'Free licence to play rugby'

Whoever wins Pool A will face the runner-up from Pool B, which includes New Zealand, South Africa and Italy.

"We're talking mid-cycle now in terms of the players they're developing and they've got a real core base of players now - they've had a lot of injuries this year - but in doing that they've developed a lot of other players that wouldn't have had that opportunity," Fitzpatrick said of Scotland.

"There was a number of players in the Scotland team on Saturday [in the win against Australia] that I hadn't heard of before, which is wonderful."

Reflecting on Scotland's display against the All Blacks, Fitzpatrick said: "I thought Scotland played very well. Traditionally, if New Zealand are 5% off their game every team they play, play the game of their lives.

"People will say how well Scotland played - and they played very well - but the All Blacks played well too, to win. Scotland did play the game of their lives and the pleasing thing for me, if I was a Scotland fan, was the way they backed that up seven days later when they played Australia.

Scotland beat Australia and Samoa during the autumn series

"Most teams play well against the All Blacks and then drop their performance; Gregor Townsend has done a great job and built on a base that Vern Cotter has developed over the years. He's now giving them free licence to get out there and play rugby. Pleasing in the last two weeks I suppose is that they scored tries but they also defended very well."

Turning his attention to the Six Nations, Fitzpatrick believes the championship will prove "hugely competitive".

"Having England at home will be an advantage to Scotland, I suspect," he added.

"You could say that Ireland, England and Scotland, then we get Wales… it's going to be one heck of a Six Nations. Then you throw in the French and we don't know who's going to turn up. Italy will be challenging, also. "

Scotland's 2019 Rugby World Cup schedule

22 September: v Ireland, International Stadium, Yokohama (kick-off 16:45)

30 September: v Play-off winners, Noevir Stadium, Kobe (kick-off 19:15)

9 October: v Europe 1 qualifiers, Shizuoka Stadium, Fukuroi City (kick-off 16:15)

13 October: v Japan, International Stadium, Yokohama (kick-off 19:45)