Scotland Team for Saturday

Not the U20s this time!

R Lamont Jones De Luca S Lamont Evans Parks Cusiter Jacobsen Ford Murray Gray Hamilton Strokosch Rennie Denton
Subs S Lawson Cross Kellock Barclay Blair Laidlaw Morrison

Evans is playing!

And so it begins.... Parks starts

So's Parks though and you haven't picked Danielli how could you

Excluding the half backs (attempting not to blow a gasket) pretty happy with the team and as expected.

Take cover!!

Is bad to hope for a minor injury to a certain no. 10?

Astounding, as a welshie I feel sorry for you poor buggers, its a bit like the old Gatland Bennet lovechild scenario that went on down 'ere

How annoying - the team is pretty much perfect except for one obvious and unfortunately influential selection.

If Parks plays badly Robinson will have no-one to blame but himself. It's an appauling selection. He isn't on form and doesn't deserve to be in the side on merit. His style of play will not help NDL and Jones replicate their club form. I hope Blair and Laidlaw are brought into the fray ASAP. Along with Cross and Kellock at least for once there's some positive impact to come on from the bench, and the possibility of a Plan B. I just hope it's not too late in the game, and we end up chasing it and asking what could have been at the final whistle (remember the 2007 WC QF.....). What is not encouraging is the fact that Graeme Morrison is on the bench. Hasn't played well this season.

On a positive note, congratulations to Lee Jones. He deserves this cap and provided Parks and Lamont don't log-jam the ball, he'll cause England some problems. He and Max Evans are both exciting runners with ball in hand.

On another positive note the selection of David Denton at 8 is extremely positive news. Big chance for him to make that jersey his own with Beattie out of the reckoning. The back row selection is encouraging.

Apart from desperate, that's not a bad looking team. Perhaps Cusiter should be behind Blair, but a swap of half backs on 60 mins isn't out of the question, and the Edinburgh duo should hopefully prove their worth. Can't complain with the pack - Hamilton over Kellock adds bulk and Rennie over Barclay was always going to be close. Pleased for Lee Jones, hopefully he actually sees the ball...

I have never understood why the teams are announced so early. The selection of Parks isn’t a surprise. If he’d gone with Laidlaw then I honestly wouldn’t have been as upset if we lose. At least we would have been trying something new. We have told the world that we’re going to play at territorial game. Now the English have plenty of time to get their back three practicing taking high ball. I understand that we want to play as much as possible in the opponent 22, stealing lineout ball is something we thrive at, but the guy who’s best at it is on the bench. Robbo’s only saving grace is that he has SLamont at 12, Blair and Laidlaw on the bench and of course no Godman.

Well thats the end of the chances of a Calcutta cup and the end of Robinsons time as Scotland coach. indefensible.

Our best chance was to attack the English players with a fast game. Now we weill ease them intot eh game with plenty of kicks to run back and possession to gel - then too late make the change and chase the game once they have settled.

Robinson must go

Anyone know when England will be announcing?

1-8, exactly what I wanted.

11-15, exactly what I wanted.

9, fair enough.

10, utter madness.

Still fairly confident that we can win the game but hoping Laidlaw gets on the pitch for long enough to show what he can do and win a start against Wales. The fact that both he and Blair are on the bench at least shows that he's there as a stand off in his own right, not just a useful versatile bench cover, although I was half expecting him to cover 9 and 10 with a 5/2 subs split. Also thought Vernon would be on the bench in place of Barclay to cover more than one position.

Dan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That aside, I am pretty pleased with the team. Denton and Rennie will form a rampaging backrow unit and Strokosh will provide good balance there.

Great to see Lee Jones in the team but can't help but think his first cap would have been so much better if Blair and Laidlaw were playing.

Terrible decision. I almost hate to say it but I kind of hope England cuff us. I would hate for Robinson to be exonerated by a skin of the teeth win.

Also surprised to see it up so early - thought it was going to be tomorrow?

With a sell out they aren't needing the extra publicity to sell tickets...

In recent times, England have been a pretty undisciplined side, so having as good a kicker as Park's on the pitch is no bad thing.

But I know with the rest of your backline it's going to be difficult for Parks to bring them into the game.

Maybe use Parks to hopefully graft out a lead, before making changes at the 55-60min mark, and release the backs then?

I dunno, tis a bit of a baffling choice. Park's has been average this season, not dreadful, but I wouldn't have said good enough to get the starting spot either.

TJ wrote:Well thats the end of the chances of a Calcutta cup and the end of Robinsons time as Scotland coach. indefensible.

Our best chance was to attack the English players with a fast game. Now we weill ease them intot eh game with plenty of kicks to run back and possession to gel - then too late make the change and chase the game once they have settled.

Robinson must go

I actually think you take them on up front. Hit the breakdown hard and scrap for everything - England lacks grafters in their front five.

Parks is still madness though

geoff998rugby

I agree - but then you need to do something positive with the ball - not merely kick it to the most dangerous back three around.

No point in fighting for possession just to give it away. Parks also cannot tackle so is a liability in defense.

Laidlaw is as good a kicker and a better runner and passer

Hmmm, decent team, but I'd have had Balir and Laidlaw starting.

Still I guess the plan is for Parks to put our big beasting pack in the right places, and keep the score board ticking over.
Then come the 2nd half let Blair and Laidlaw enter the fray and tear things up.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Also surprised to see it up so early - thought it was going to be tomorrow?

Not the only thing to happen early
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/16807093.stm

Parks starts ?

now all Enland have to do to win is avoid giving away penalties.

Just what Lancaster would have been hoping for.

IanBru wrote:Anyone know when England will be announcing?

Not until Thursday morning according to the "Countdown to the next team announcement" timer on the RFU site.

England were always going to be strong defensively for this one. Barritt and Farrell will give nothing away and Foden is an excellent scrambling full back. With Parks at 10 Barritt will cut down the Scottish attack with ease. All of the good stuff that we'd get from Blair and Laidlaw, the sharp passing and varying of the angles, will be replaced with those long telegraphed flat passes. Barritt and Farrell will cut that down with ease, and look out for Sharples picking up on the intercept.

It's also frustrating that we'll have less chance of channelling big runners at Charlie Hodgson. He'll be extremely relieved to see that he's playing opposite Parks.

A really frustrating selection, because the rest of the side is spot on.

At least Lee Jones might not have the most challenging of debuts - spend all day chasing Parks' kicks and never touching the ball!

The thing about Laidlaw is not that he's a good kicker too (which he is), it's not that he is a better passer of the ball (which he is) and it's not his outstanding goal kicking or any other measurable statistic. The important thing is his natural ability to read the game, make decisions under pressure, identify and exploit the opposition's weaknesses. None of our other playmakers come close to him in that respect, least of all Dan Parks.

The thing about Laidlaw is not that he's a good kicker too (which he is), it's not that he is a better passer of the ball (which he is) and it's not his outstanding goal kicking or any other measurable statistic. The important thing is his natural ability to read the game, make decisions under pressure, identify and exploit the opposition's weaknesses. None of our other playmakers come close to him in that respect, least of all Dan Parks.

+1

u forgot form. i thought that was hands down Laidlaw as well.

what does he have to do to get a start ?

I would take a heavy defeat against England in Murrayfield with Laidlaw starting, because it would mean we've got the right ATTITUDE to the game. Like an above poster said, I'm going to be furious if Robinson is "vindicated" (cough) with a narrow scraping win.

KickAndChase wrote:I would take a heavy defeat against England in Murrayfield with Laidlaw starting, because it would mean we've got the right ATTITUDE to the game. Like an above poster said, I'm going to be furious if Robinson is "vindicated" (cough) with a narrow scraping win.

But if that happened, Robinson would use it as an excuse to never pick Laidlaw again!

Robinson must go - I have nothing else to say

I wouldn't "take a heavy defeat" under any circumstances.

All I ask is that we pick the team with the best chance of winning the game. Robinson in my view has not done that.

It's not a matter of "vindication". A poor selection is a poor selection. If we win by 3 points with Parks at 10, I'd like to know by how many more points we'd win with Laidlaw starting at 10. He's a better option in every respect.

Oh dear, it's a shame that AR has once again defied the Scottish rugby public and crushed their dreams by selecting the most limited FH in rugby. With DP at fly half and RL at full back we can look forward to a match where the leather is shredded from the ball as it's kicked all over the park...

On a more positive note for Scotland fans, as depressing as the selection is, I feel it is the best way to beat England. Grind them into the dirt until all their hope of playing an expansive game is well and truly wrung from them.

A Sarries kick chase game it is for us then...

I'm prepared for a beating on Saturday if it means Parks never gets anywhere near the side again. (Either that or a training injury)

He's going to ruin any chance we have of progression from the number 9 spot in the world!

he's literally like a curse that keeps coming back to squander our progress. I wish he'd just retire already!

In the spirit of game killing, this is the team i'd pick to contribute to a tug of war at Murrayfield (accepting fitness obviously)

1. A Sheridan
2. D Hartley
3. D Cole
4. M Garvey
5. M Botha
6. C Robshaw
7. T Wood
8. N Easter
9. B Youngs
10. S Myler
11. M Cueto
12. M Banahan
13. B Barritt
14. D Strettle
15. M Brown

16. R Webber
17. M Mullan
18. M Stevens
19. S Shaw
20. B Morgan
21. P Hodgson
22. O Farrell

rugbydreamer wrote:In recent times, England have been a pretty undisciplined side, so having as good a kicker as Parks on the pitch is no bad thing.

But I know with the rest of your backline it's going to be difficult for Parks to bring them into the game.

Maybe use Parks to hopefully graft out a lead, before making changes at the 55-60min mark, and release the backs then?

I dunno, tis a bit of a baffling choice. Park's has been average this season, not dreadful, but I wouldn't have said good enough to get the starting spot either.

dreamer, think Laidlaw's kicking from tee has been better than Parks's this season, so even that can't justify this shambles. And as for Morrison potentially as back three cover, FFS!

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:In recent times, England have been a pretty undisciplined side, so having as good a kicker as Parks on the pitch is no bad thing.

But I know with the rest of your backline it's going to be difficult for Parks to bring them into the game.

Maybe use Parks to hopefully graft out a lead, before making changes at the 55-60min mark, and release the backs then?

I dunno, tis a bit of a baffling choice. Park's has been average this season, not dreadful, but I wouldn't have said good enough to get the starting spot either.

dreamer, think Laidlaw's kicking from tee has been better than Parks's this season, so even that can't justify this shambles. And as for Morrison potentially as back three cover, FFS!

Parks doesn’t even take the kicks for Cardiff, Halfpenny does. Morrison isn’t cover for back three, that’ll be SLamont. Morrison will go straight to 12. SLamont will move around.

Scot Abroad wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:In recent times, England have been a pretty undisciplined side, so having as good a kicker as Parks on the pitch is no bad thing.

But I know with the rest of your backline it's going to be difficult for Parks to bring them into the game.

Maybe use Parks to hopefully graft out a lead, before making changes at the 55-60min mark, and release the backs then?

I dunno, tis a bit of a baffling choice. Park's has been average this season, not dreadful, but I wouldn't have said good enough to get the starting spot either.

dreamer, think Laidlaw's kicking from tee has been better than Parks's this season, so even that can't justify this shambles. And as for Morrison potentially as back three cover, FFS!

Parks doesn’t even take the kicks for Cardiff, Halfpenny does. Morrison isn’t cover for back three, that’ll be SLamont. Morrison will go straight to 12. SLamont will move around.

Apart from the Wales game last year, has Schlong ever covered for fullback?

Interesting views from our Scottish friends....

I think England have made it clear that we are gonna "try" to pay a fast pacy game with who we have selected squad wise.

It will be interesting to see how Scotlands massive pack take the game. If they manage to get control of the ball...they could squeez the life out of England with Parks playing a territory game.

Its a big ask for Englands forwards now! How i wish Garvey was in the seniors for a bit of ummph

So does this give us some additional insight into Robbo's thinking and the curios way in which his mind works?

BACKS: Only 2 from try-scoring Edinburgh to start (or only 2 from leaky Edinburgh to start) vs only 2 from the miserly Glasgow defence to start (or 2 from a Glasgow backline that struggles score tries)

FORWARDS: 4 from the powder puff EdInburgh pack start, while only 1 forward from a Glasgow pack that hasn't been dominated all season.

Clearly the defensive frailties of Edinburgh have counted against them, as has the poor try-scoring record of Glasgow backs in attack; oddly the one exciting player (Hogg) who has made a few things happen for Glasgow hasn't even made the bench. At the same time the ability of the Edinburgh forwards to get quick ball has counted for them, and Glasgow's slow ball against them. But why bother when Parks will kick the leather of it all afternoon? So we essentially have beefed up the Edinburgh pack by adding Hamilton, Gray, Murray and Stroks, and a mish-mash in the backs

Could be in for a long Saturday afternoon

From a neutral perspective, I'm disappointed to see Dan Parks at ten. I was looking forward to seeing how Laidlaw or Duncan Weir would fare at outside half. Still, some good players there. Pleased that Ross Rennie is starting.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

Scot Abroad wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:In recent times, England have been a pretty undisciplined side, so having as good a kicker as Parks on the pitch is no bad thing.

But I know with the rest of your backline it's going to be difficult for Parks to bring them into the game.

Maybe use Parks to hopefully graft out a lead, before making changes at the 55-60min mark, and release the backs then?

I dunno, tis a bit of a baffling choice. Park's has been average this season, not dreadful, but I wouldn't have said good enough to get the starting spot either.

dreamer, think Laidlaw's kicking from tee has been better than Parks's this season, so even that can't justify this shambles. And as for Morrison potentially as back three cover, FFS!

Parks doesn’t even take the kicks for Cardiff, Halfpenny does. Morrison isn’t cover for back three, that’ll be SLamont. Morrison will go straight to 12. SLamont will move around.

Apart from the Wales game last year, has Schlong ever covered for fullback?

Doubtful but I'd trust him more than Morrison. I expect Jones to come off when Morrison comes on, Schlong to move to the wing.

I have a PLAN - we will sub DP after 5 minutes of play



PS FFS, this feels like trying to polish a turd

the selection of parks is so depressingly backwards I don't know if I could bare to watch this match. Good thing I'm watching it with access to plenty of alcohol!

The Killer S, R & D doesn't sound the same.

However....if Parks doesnt have his kicking boots on...and keeps giving it back to Ashton, Foden and one of Strettle or Sharples to run it back...it could be a long day for the Scottish tacklers....

10,12,13....and I thought the England backline in the WC looked stodgy!!!

GeordieFalcon wrote:However....if Parks doesnt have his kicking boots on...and keeps giving it back to Ashton, Foden and one of Strettle or Sharples to run it back...it could be a long day for the Scottish tacklers....

He hasn't got any other kind of boot.

I have another plan - am getting in extra supplies of to ease the pain - fail safe