Discussion of Scotland for the Italy game

First topic message reminder :

So, here we go again Scotland fans, 6 days to go until another very important RWC warm up test against the Azzuri, and endless thorn in our side in the 6N with a powerful forward display managed to barge Japan out of one of their warm up tests at the weekend.

From what Roinson says, pretty much everyone he is taking on the tour to New Zealand will have game time in the warm ups, and we know Barclay, Brown and Hines are certain to feature in this match, so who do we anticipate will be making an appearance this weekend?

I think the front row may be a tough one to call, will Robinson give Dickinson a chance to start at loose? Or will he stick with chunk? For the match I would expect the pack to look like this :

1. Dickinson
2. Ford
3. Murray
4. Hines
5. Kellock
6. Brown
7. Barclay (C)
8. Beattie

Seems the most logical team however since Robinson has already mentioned Hines, Barclay and Brown in the same breath do we think that will be his starting backrow unit? I would also really like to see Barclay get the captaincy for the game too and for the world cup. I’m a firm believer in a captain in the forwards and feel just like Warburton for Wales it could bring Barclay up to the next level.

The backs is a much more difficult choice to make. Will he go for the trademark bruising backline or will he throw caution to the wind and try and put out a more creative backline. The fly half berth IMO raises the most question marks.

If Robinson thinks Laidlaw is capable of playing a test match at fly half, this would be almost certainly the best place to try it. Is there a chance Laidlaw will start at 10 with either “Desperate” Dan or Jackson on the bench? I would like to see Robinson try for a creative backline but would not want to see that creativity stifled by Parks at 10, so I guess that makes for 2 possible line ups, a creative one and a perhaps not so creative one. IMO Ansbro, Mossy and S. Lamont have done enough to book their places and would not expect them to feature this weekend.

9. Cusiter or Blair / Lawson
10. Laidlaw / Parks
11. Evans or Walker (In Walkers defence, he looked hungry against Ireland and surprisingly dangerous)
12. Cairns / Morrison
13. NDL
14. Danielli
15. R. Lamont / Cuthbert

I would personally like to see how Cusiter/Laidlaw/Cairns/NDL could link up as the 9/10/12/13 axis with some of the bigger boys like Walker, Danielli and Rory Lamont coming into the line and into the spaces the smaller more nimble centres could make for them.

I would not be surprised to see Cuthbert and Denton making cameo appearances from the bench again too with probably Richie Gray in toe too. Most likely with Cross and Lawson covering the front row.

I have tickets for the game, I bought them before my wee rant after the last game, but seriously, I really want Scotland to start Scoring some tries. I’m not expecting us to go out and run a riot but I just want something to cheer for that is not a last gasp sigh of relief!

No 21st, think if it were 6N or in the RWC that's what AR will do. Whilst it helps to win these games for confidence it's more important to check who/what's working or not. I hope he gives both sets of HBs a half each. If Parks has his confidence back he can be a weapon in attack, my other concern is the lack of chance for Laidlaw.

OK Boston but I still thing AR should use them the other way around.

Guess it depends upon the outcome you want. Is it primarily to win the game or is it to see if form, fitness and mental ability are right for Blair and Parks.

This approach puts all the pressure on Blair/Parks. If they deliver they are on the plane. If they have to be bailed out by Cusiter/Jackson then Lawson and Laidlaw are next in line. If Cusiter/Jakson had managed to break the resolve of the Italians in the first half then we'd learn little of where Blair and Parks currently are. They have both had great moments in the past but have also fallen away a bit too. AR needs to know if they are read for the challenge.

If this were a must win game though then you'd be spot on, I won't argue there. Think AR is actually being a bit canny.

Boston,

yes ok good point. Await saturday with baited breath and all that. I was going to decline attendance but at £20 a ticket its not bad value. Cheer the lads on prior to NZ and a few Caley 80s.

PS did you see the ABs so called 'B' Team - awesome !

Is the game on TV? Not seen it so far, but fingers crossed

Red button according to the Beeb Risky

Cool, although less cool as can not record that on Virgin, and am out and about

Cheers

21st, just saw the NZ "2nd string" for the SA match. A lot of very good players there. The main hope for the Boks is that there are a lot of new combinations so they may not gel, but if they do gel, and win well, it'll not be good for SA morale going into the RWC.

The strength in depth of NZ right now is remarkable, they are not unbeatable, no team ever is, but it'll be a game to remember if they are beaten.

Riskysports wrote:Cool, although less cool as can not record that on Virgin, and am out and about

Cheers

It's on BBC Scotland so if you get that you can record it there. On my virgin box I get BBC 2 Wales on number 900 and something (I'm in Scotland) so I'm recording all the games (and I'm at the Scotland one too!)

I checked bbc scotlabd channel and was.not.on boo

BBC 2 Scotland is definitely showing it. The other though is BBC ALBA ( the Scottish Gaelic channel). Seems odd that it's not available outside Scotland. To be fair it'll probably be a crap game anyway, the Italians have a habit of slowing things down.

Think I only get BBC 1 Scotland and not Alba.

Does not surprise me that our game is not on. Almost impossible to follow Scotland or Glasgow and Edinburgh due to the inept SRU promotion

Living in Glasgow I have yet to see any advertising for the Warriors beyond one advert on one taxi... Bloody useless.

It appears it is only on red button...!

Does anyone know if it is possible to record on red button on a Sky+ HD box?

maestegmafia wrote:It appears it is only on red button...!

Does anyone know if it is possible to record on red button on a Sky+ HD box?

it ought to be, you'll probably have to set up the recording manually. That way you can specify whatever channel the red button is for sky, and when your box can start and stop recording.

maestegmafia wrote:It appears it is only on red button...!

Does anyone know if it is possible to record on red button on a Sky+ HD box?

Its on BBC2 scotland at 16:45 channel 990.

screamingaddabs wrote: Seems odd that it's not available outside Scotland. To be fair it'll probably be a crap game anyway, the Italians have a habit of slowing things down.

Its Scotland vs Italy, widely considered to be the most boring international fixture year on year since the six nations started.