Scotland xv vs France

First topic message reminder :

15. Hogg- played well on his first cap and look very promising, he has to start
14. Jones- Looked good and made some promising breaks
13. De Luca- Bit of a muppet, give him a last international chance outside a decent ball-playing inside centre
12. Scott- Playing well at club, works well with De Luca, will bring something extra
11. Evans- Exciting and unpredictable player, could easily become a lion
10. Laidlaw- scored a try and Scotland's backs did something for a change
9. Blair- fast and snappy player brings fresh impetus. At his best he is world class as is
8. Beattie- Big gamble but if it pays off it could be fantastic
7. Rennie- very good, certain lion, world class as is Barclay on his best form
6. Denton- can lead a generation of wacky haired Scottish forwards with Gray, might be harsh to move him from 8
5. Hamilton- adds considerable bulk
4. Gray- irreplaceable, Scotland's only guaranteed Lions starter with ford
3. Cross- good in the loose, not convinced with his scrumming
2- Ford- world class player, best European hooker
1. Shiells/ Jacobsen- Shiells has proved himself to be solid in the aviva, Jacobsen is a true legend

16. Lawson- there in case ford get's injured
17. Kalman- will do a job
18. Kellock- true leader, solid lineout
19. Barclay- off form but a fantastic player, if we can get him back to his best then we'll have an almighty fight for the 7 shirt
20- Cusiter- tenacious but his passing can be slow and inaccurate
21. Weir- Solid kicker, nailed on starter in two years
22. S/R Lamonts- neither have been fantastic but will add bulk

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Not to unduly alarm anyone, but on another site, someone with an 'inside source' is giving this as the team:

Hogg
R Lamont
S Lamont
Morrison
Jones
Laidlaw
Blair
Jacobson
Ford
Cross
Hamilton
Gray
Barclay
Rennie
Denton
Subs: S Lawson, Kalman, Kellock, Vernon, Cusiter, Weir, De Luca


I can only hope that that's a mahoosive wind-up - too awful to contemplate otherwise

Fraid not. This is the team to play France from @Scotlandteam on twitter.

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Not to unduly alarm anyone, but on another site, someone with an 'inside source' is giving this as the team:

Hogg
R Lamont
S Lamont
Morrison
Jones
Laidlaw
Blair
Jacobson
Ford
Cross
Hamilton
Gray
Barclay
Rennie
Denton
Subs: S Lawson, Kalman, Kellock, Vernon, Cusiter, Weir, De Luca


I can only hope that that's a mahoosive wind-up - too awful to contemplate otherwise

confirmed... too awful to contemplate...

Absolutely speechless. Again, good decisions (Blair and Hogg starting) are marred by inexcusable ones! Just stunned...

looking forward to the next "should Robinson go" poll

I love the can't pass / won't pass centre pairing

Hogg R Lamont S Lamont Morrison Jones Laidlaw Blair Jacobsen Ford Cross Gray Hamilton Barclay Rennie Denton start on Sunday

Subs: S Lawson Kalman Kellock Vernon Cusiter Weir De Luca

From twitter 5 mins ago.

OMG OMG OMG

Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play France in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at Murrayfield on Sunday 26 February, kick-off 3pm

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap

14 Rory Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) 28 caps, 6 tries, 30 points
13 Sean Lamont (Scarlets) 62 caps, 8 tries, 40 points
12 Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors) 32 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
11 Lee Jones (Edinburgh Rugby) 2 caps

10 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) 4 caps, 1 try, 1 conversion, 2 penalties, 13 points
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby) 77 caps, 7 tries, 35 points

1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby) 62 caps
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) 55 caps, 2 tries, 10 points CAPTAIN
3 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby) 10 caps
4 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 18 caps
5 Jim Hamilton (Gloucester) 36 caps, 1 try, 5 points
6 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) 34 caps, 2 tries 10 points
7 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) 13 caps
8 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) 3 caps

Substitutes

16 Scott Lawson (Gloucester) 31 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
17 Ed Kalman (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap
18 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) 38 caps, 1 try, 5 points
19 Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks) 15 caps
20 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) 57 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
21 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
22 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby) 31 caps, 1 try, 5 points

OMG OMG OMG

It's feicing awful

fES, don't bother coming back from lunch, mate

FFS - is it an accurate source tho or is it the same rumour running round?

Pat_Mustard wrote:looking forward to the next "should Robinson go" poll

It will be going up soon!

TJ wrote:FFS - is it an accurate source tho or is it the same rumour running round?

HAHAHAHAHA! you wish! this is what we have to put up with I am afraid.

We have plenty of flair in that centre partership and I'm sure the physicality of our backrow will be more than enough to out muscle the monstrous French Backrow.......

I think Scotland and Ireland are on the same boat to be honest

Trying to look at the positives, I am very happy to see Hogg there starting. Is Vernon not a fair bit down the pecking order though for the back rowers?

Rory_Gallagher wrote:I think Scotland and Ireland are on the same boat to be honest

Trying to look at the positives, I am very happy to see Hogg there starting. Is Vernon not a fair bit down the pecking order though for the back rowers?

Good point Rory I'm glad we have Richie "the Bruiser" Vernon's physicality to come off the bench and give us some power in the backrow......

again!

This is one of Robinson's worst teams he has ever picked. Where if FlyhalfFactory to defend this lunacy?

OK, the positives (yes, I found one):

club halfback partnership

And the negatives:
Bosher obsession at centre
Barclay (for all that he's a great openside) at blindside

I give in

With a creative 12 (NOT Morrison) could Sean Lamont make a good 13 though? That certainly won't be the case this game though.

Other positive - No Godman or Jackson

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:OK, the positives (yes, I found one):

club halfback partnership

And the negatives:
Bosher obsession at centre
Barclay (for all that he's a great openside) at blindside

I give in

Well I'll be at the Portland Heights Hotel on Sunday afternoon to watch this misery unfold. So greatful I won't be at the match!

Hogg starting with Laidlaw/Blair partnership = good if you ask me. I don't mind morrison, although it seems he's nearly as popular as Parks with some Scottish fans. I think there is a lot of unnecessary negativity here. I'm looking forward to see how these selections work out.

Dare I say it....

Shades of Hadden team selection here!

bsando wrote:Hogg starting with Laidlaw/Blair partnership = good if you ask me. I don't mind morrison, although it seems he's nearly as popular as Parks with some Scottish fans. I think there is a lot of unnecessary negativity here. I'm looking forward to see how these selections work out.

I'm not! We are going to witness 1st hand Scotland getting absolutley beasted in the backrow and run ragged in the backs. This will not be a pretty watch for Scottish Rugby fans. As I said before, the worst Scottish Selection I can recall. Hines at 6 made some sense since he was a gritty hard tackler. Barclay is a specialist openside who is going to be turned into road kill all match long. Denton is probably going to get hurt with all the carrying he will be expected to do and we are just going to look like an embarrasment.

Aside from his obvious failings, has Scott Lawson not just been released from Gloucester?

I mean there are clearly far more things wrong with the team selection but I just thought I'd mention this.

Awesome looking French side, but worry not, Scotland have a 6 playing 8, a 7 playing 6, a 9 playing 10, a winger playing 13, a 13 sitting on the bench, and an on form 12 and 6 sitting at home.

What could go wrong?

Scott Lawson is actaulyl been playing very well for Gloucester, so no issue with him on the bench

Manky-Flanker wrote:Awesome looking French side, but worry not, Scotland have a 6 playing 8, a 7 playing 6, a 9 playing 10, a winger playing 13, a 13 sitting on the bench, and an on form 12 and 6 sitting at home.

What could go wrong?

Better to laugh this one off than spend this week and next week moping about it. I'm starting to develop a bit of Gallows Humour with this Scotland Team.

Laidlaw is a 9 or 10 = been playing 10 for edinburgh for two seasons.

TJ wrote:Laidlaw is a 9 or 10 = been playing 10 for edinburgh for two seasons.

let's not get hung up on a technicallity. He is a 9/10 but he, Mike Blair, the Tight 5, Jones and Hogg are the only bright points on that starting team.

FES is going to have a fit when he comes in from his Edinburgh al fresco lunch!

England fan in peace:

it's a disappointing selection from Robinson surely? That centre partnership reminds me of the "good" old days when we had Tindall and Noon. if ever the ball gets past Morrison to S. Lamont, there's no way it'll get past him to the wingers! Also, where is Max Evans? Is he injured?

On the positive side, Hogg and Blair are good selections. Not too sure about Barclay, great open-side, but has he got much experience at blind-side? If not the backrow looks a bit unbalanced.

But yeah, main gripe is with the centre partnership really.

Just a bit of humour TJ

EWT Spoons wrote:Aside from his obvious failings, has Scott Lawson not just been released from Gloucester?

I mean there are clearly far more things wrong with the team selection but I just thought I'd mention this.

They're not/he's not renewing his contract

67,500 will have paid to watch this upcoming garbage.

Do one Robinson.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:England fan in peace:

it's a disappointing selection from Robinson surely? That centre partnership reminds me of the "good" old days when we had Tindall and Noon. if ever the ball gets past Morrison to S. Lamont, there's no way it'll get past him to the wingers! Also, where is Max Evans? Is he injured?

On the positive side, Hogg and Blair are good selections. Not too sure about Barclay, great open-side, but has he got much experience at blind-side? If not the backrow looks a bit unbalanced.

But yeah, main gripe is with the centre partnership really.

Evans is injured, Barclay is a specialist openside who in an abortive experiment by Sean Lineen had a few unsuccessful cameo's at no.8 this season. I have no idea why Harley & McInally have been overlooked against this physical French Backrow.

I am just embarrassed at the utter calamity that is Robinson's ineptitude as a selector - pls somebody save us from him

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
Evans is injured,

that's a shame, a terrific player who could have caused the French defense problems. Is R. Lamont a winger? Thought Sean was more of a winger than Rory but I could be wrong...

Mad for Chelsea wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
Evans is injured,

that's a shame, a terrific player who could have caused the French defense problems. Is R. Lamont a winger? Thought Sean was more of a winger than Rory but I could be wrong...

No, you'd be right

This seem a fairly strange selection for me:

Why bring in an attacking 9 but also a defensive 12? You want your 9 to raise the tempo, but your 12 will slow everything down again??

I reckon we should have a poll on how many times the back 3 will be passed the ball.

My vote - 3 times in total, between them all.

I'm actually a bit stunned by this team selection, in recent posts I've stuck up for Robinson on the grounds that we've become harder to beat recently, but this selection is baffling.
Morrison is in no way an international standard player, Robinson's argument is that he has played himself back in through the last two Glasgow games,Robinson obviously didn't watch those games very carefully.
What is the point of selecting exciting players such as Hogg, Laidlaw and Jones if the midfield is going to be so limited?
Morrison may be a defensively sound player but in an attacking sense he offers nothing, international rugby is meant to be entertaining (I've paid £75 for my ticket and want a good game) therefore we need to select exciting players even if they aren't experienced.
As a side note, I saw Morrison play in a few Scotland A games in Perth and even at that level he looked limited and very slow. He was paired with Ben Macdougall
(remember him?, one of Matt Williams choices) who looked a much more threatening player than Morrison that game.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:I am just embarrassed at the utter calamity that is Robinson's ineptitude as a selector - pls somebody save us from him

You could have exaggerated a wee bit more. "Utter Calamity" I don't think is a strong enough term for this bile we will be forced to endure.

What has happened at training for Townsend and Robinson to see 2 lumbering behemoths form this centre partnership?

Seriously if this is what it's come to I kind of hope Bradley asks to get The front Row, Denton, Rennie, Blair, Laidlaw, Jones and NDL back and not risk them getting injured before the HC quarter final.

Likewise Lineen should ask for his players back and Robinson's belligerant and foolish tenure as Scotland head coach is ended.

do Scotland actually have a creative IC who could maybe bring out the best of De Luca? I've usually been impressed by De Luca at club level, but at international level he just never gets his hands on the ball due to playing outside Lamont or Morrison.

Matt Scott.

Green as grass but has been playing well in the club game

at least this selection pretty much guarantees Robinson's leaving or sacking, there's literally no chance this side will win against France, but if they do God help us all.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:do Scotland actually have a creative IC who could maybe bring out the best of De Luca? I've usually been impressed by De Luca at club level, but at international level he just never gets his hands on the ball due to playing outside Lamont or Morrison.

Hit the nail on the head!!!! A youngster called Matt Scott plays inside centre for Edinburgh who is probably one of the 1st names on every Scottish Armchair pundit's team list!

Scotland's backline should be :

9. Blair 10. Laidlaw 11. S.Lamont 12. Scott 13. NDL 14. Jones 15. Hogg

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
What has happened at training for Townsend and Robinson to see 2 lumbering behemoths form this centre partnership?

.

Its cowardice. its a team to tackle and negate the French not to score and win

Crikey. The rumours prove true again. The SRU is as leaky as a rusty bucket, that's the last of our problems though.

I am fine with the team, bar the obvious two positions. But I am really struggling to see where the Morrison / Lamont call has come from. I understand that we have some injuries, but who could possibly think that Morrison and Lamont are our best and most in form centres?

King's been playing better than Morrison and he's behind Scott in the Edinburgh backline.

Bring on the summer tour I say, I can't wait to see a settled creative centre partnership and good luck to Hoggy on his debut.

Good shout nickj about Hogg.

Here's hoping that if he does in fact see any ball, he produces some magic and provides some entertainment.

OH FFS! Would people stop carrying on about Matt Scott?

He can't play this year.
He says he doesn't want to play this year.
Robinson can't pick him this year.

I'm not sure it can be said any more simply. Scott has made it clear, repeatedly, that he has important law exams during the Six Nations, and he can't afford to disrupt his preparation.

We need to grasp the fact that, apart from shoving in De Luca, or plucking James King from obscurity, we have no other options than Morrison or Lamont at 12.

It sucks, but it's the truth.

Morrison or Lamont, yes. Morrison and Lamont, hell no!

should be 12 Lamont, 13 De Luca with the players we currently have available. (No Evans or Ansbro)

I think King might be injured too, Houston has been starting at 12 for Edinburgh (Scott at 13)

A real shame Ansbro's injured as well, we could really do with him at present. I think he's a better prospect than de Luca at 13.

IanBru wrote:OH FFS! Would people stop carrying on about Matt Scott?

He can't play this year.
He says he doesn't want to play this year.
Robinson can't pick him this year.

That is Rumour, nothing more. Even if it were not the case could you really see Robinson doing differant?

King would be a better option than Morrison or Lamont as would Houston. They are actual 12's who know how to play a free flowing game from 12. They'll give a bit more away in defence probably but it's a risk I would be happy to take.

Aye good luck Hogg, if you do see the ball (big If) try not to do anything too mesmerising, we don't want Robionson to be able to justify this selection by actually beating France.

Who in the SRU top Brass can look at that team selection and say :

"Yes! That's it! That's the look of a team that can beat the French!"

Thses guys eat, drink, brate and sleep rugby and probably make a fortune for doing it. How can they sit back idley and watch as our team is subject to violation?!

Scotland's backrow for this game is very lightweight...Will they be able to cope with Picamoles?

At the next press conference someone needs to actually stand up and demand an explanation for the repeated mistakes in selection. The press are too easy on Robinson, no difficult questions asked.

Also someone needs to point out to him that successful teams don't base their whole game plan around stopping the opposition.

Has Scott not been playing for his club?

As above - even if not Scott then there are others altho the cupboard is a bit bare