Scotland RWC Warm-up Matches

First topic message reminder :

Previous RWC related nonsense:
https://www.606v2.com/t58234p1000-scotland-world-cup-look-ahead-and-squad

Game 1:

  
IRELAND v SCOTLAND
15 August 2015
KO: 17:00 local
Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Game 2:


ITALY v SCOTLAND
22 August 2015
KO: 15:00 local
Stadio Olimpico di Torino, Turin

Game 3:

  
SCOTLAND v ITALY
29 August 2015
KO: 15:15 local
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

Game 4:

 
FRANCE v SCOTLAND
05 September 2015
KO: 21:00 local
Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Always feel that our poaches receive far more attention and criticism than when other nations do the same.

tigertattie wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:My favourite bit:

As Hardie admitted, the All Blacks were his Plan A, representing Scotland was his consolation prize (rugby can be so cruel)

This is the kicker for me! How can you possibly plan to compete on the world stage when we're going to have a team of players that other countries don't want!

"Because a lot of these players are better than ours" is the unfortunate answer. Astonishingly arrogant article from the Torygraph - makes it sound as though Scotland is the only country which does this.

The staggering part is that Hardie was apparently stupid enough to actually give that quote.

Agreed. As Dodson says, we don't make the rules and we risk being left behind if we don't play the 'game' our competitors are playing and have been playing since the outset of professionalism.

I think the criticism currently being levelled at the SRU is a consequence of the SRU playing catch up and of the structures not being in place that the likes of the WRU and Leinster have had in place for years. This liaison post looks like a knee jerk appointment and its an easy target for a pretty poor piece of Jeremy Vine-esque journalism.

However the SRU is playing catch up and therefore the likes of Hardie, Blake, even Strauss and Nel appear all the more blatant. Personally I hope these guys and their non SQ colleagues at the clubs drive up standards and come 2019 the Telegraph will be writing an article entitled 'Scotland's Golden Generation: How the SRU finally got it right.'

Hardies is exactly the sort of player I don't think we should be taking. Scotland as a consolation priose for him? No thanks.

Its somewhat different to guys like Lineen and Denton

TJ wrote:Hardies is exactly the sort of player I don't think we should be taking.  Scotland as a consolation priose for him?  No thanks.

Its somewhat different to guys like Lineen and Denton

It is indeed.

I have absolutely no issue with Denton playing for Scotland.  He moved here years ago (still a kid really) for other reasons and played rugby. His rugby then got him noticed while here and he was picked to play for Scotland.

Even Tim Visser is palletable! He moved here as he wanted to play for Scotland as he saw that as the better option than to play for the Dutch.

Players coming here because their "current" nation don't deem them good enough reeks of desperation from the SRU part and makes the player look like a mercenary.

reallybored wrote:Always feel that our poaches receive far more attention and criticism than when other nations do the same.

Just playing Devil's Advocate here, but you don't see any other nation parachuting players into their WC squads half way through preparation who have never set foot in the country....

RDW_Scotland wrote:

reallybored wrote:Always feel that our poaches receive far more attention and criticism than when other nations do the same.

Just playing Devil's Advocate here, but you don't see any other nation parachuting players into their WC squads half way through preparation who have never set foot in the country....

+1, or at least I agree with the Devil's Advocate!

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

reallybored wrote:Always feel that our poaches receive far more attention and criticism than when other nations do the same.

Just playing Devil's Advocate here, but you don't see any other nation parachuting players into their WC squads half way through preparation who have never set foot in the country....

+1, or at least I agree with the Devil's Advocate!

Nobody in the SRU will be saying that they are proud of this - the visual is indeed awful.

But it's a terribly lazy 'let's write something to let us go down the pub at lunchtime' piece of polemic.

Someone should tell them that to be sneery when you're the Telegraph looks particularly nasty.

Dunbar is confident he'll be fit in time for the world cup, and is due to start taking contact in August

http://m.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/latest/alex-dunbar-still-has-sights-set-on-world-cup-1-3837110

Fingers crossed eh. Update on Bennett next?

George Carlin wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

reallybored wrote:Always feel that our poaches receive far more attention and criticism than when other nations do the same.

Just playing Devil's Advocate here, but you don't see any other nation parachuting players into their WC squads half way through preparation who have never set foot in the country....

+1, or at least I agree with the Devil's Advocate!

Nobody in the SRU will be saying that they are proud of this - the visual is indeed awful.

But it's a terribly lazy 'let's write something to let us go down the pub at lunchtime' piece of polemic.

Someone should tell them that to be sneery when you're the Telegraph looks particularly nasty.

Agreed! It is lazy journalism as well, particularly the section which appears to differentiate England (good) from Scotland (bad) because the two of three players they can think of for England arrived there when they were younger. How about Henry Paul and Ricki Flutey for example? A NZ league cap and a Maori respectively? Rokoduguni? Or is an army link somehow better?

I agree on Hardie. I personally think it reflects extremely poorly on the SRU, Cotter and Scottish rugby generally, but scouting for players who wish to play in Scotland for three years and qualify is simply playing to the rules. It is more pronounced in Scotland because we rely on it more, having a dramatically smaller playing pool and considerably less cash in the sport.

The Telegraph know this of course, but they're still smarting from the SNP ruining the Tory repeal of the fox hunting ban.

The Herald mentioned today that all 4 centres might be fit. Matt Scott mentioning again that there was an argument he shouldn't have played in the 6N as the shoulder was clearly not right.

Normally I agree with you guys, but the attacking of the poorly written telegraph article doesn't change the fact that Hardie himself stated that Scotland was at best a consolation prize. He should never play for Scotland. Ever.

He will never have my support even if he becomes Richie McCaw incarnate. He has nailed his colours to the mast and they are Black, not Navy blue.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Normally I agree with you guys, but the attacking of the poorly written telegraph article doesn't change the fact that Hardie himself stated that Scotland was at best a consolation prize. He should never play for Scotland. Ever.

He will never have my support even if he becomes Richie McCaw incarnate. He has nailed his colours to the mast and they are Black, not Navy blue.

I do agree to an extent, but I'm pretty sure that Metcalfe and the Leslie brothers felt the same way, even if they didn't say it. We're kidding ourselves if we think that all the residency/granny players only ever wanted to play for Scotland.

Laney probably felt the same way as well, but the thought of him ousting Mauger or Cullen from the ABs jersey is frankly hilarious.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Normally I agree with you guys, but the attacking of the poorly written telegraph article doesn't change the fact that Hardie himself stated that Scotland was at best a consolation prize. He should never play for Scotland. Ever.

He will never have my support even if he becomes Richie McCaw incarnate. He has nailed his colours to the mast and they are Black, not Navy blue.

I do agree to an extent, but I'm pretty sure that Metcalfe and the Leslie brothers felt the same way, even if they didn't say it. We're kidding ourselves if we think that all the residency/granny players only ever wanted to play for Scotland.

Laney probably felt the same way as well, but the thought of him ousting Mauger or Cullen from the ABs jersey is frankly hilarious.

If he was a centre or a tighthead I could understand though. The injury problems in the centre are obvious and known to many and behind Nel we are short on tightheads. The backrow is arguably our strongest position especially when we take into account guys like Brown who have not been selected.

It's not Scotland's fault he can't get into the the All Blacks team and we don't have an obligation to cap him just because he is a Kiwi with a tenuous link to Scotland.

That's the trouble with rugby nowadays, even down to local club level - there's a perception that any player from SANZAR is going to be better than anyone from the UK.

Which is utter bollix quite frankly.

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:That's the trouble with rugby nowadays, even down to local club level - there's a perception that any player from SANZAR is going to be better than anyone from the UK.

Which is utter bollix quite frankly.

Damn straight. We all know that it's players from Ayr that really rock the rugby world.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Normally I agree with you guys, but the attacking of the poorly written telegraph article doesn't change the fact that Hardie himself stated that Scotland was at best a consolation prize. He should never play for Scotland. Ever.

He will never have my support even if he becomes Richie McCaw incarnate. He has nailed his colours to the mast and they are Black, not Navy blue.

I do agree to an extent, but I'm pretty sure that Metcalfe and the Leslie brothers felt the same way, even if they didn't say it. We're kidding ourselves if we think that all the residency/granny players only ever wanted to play for Scotland.

Laney probably felt the same way as well, but the thought of him ousting Mauger or Cullen from the ABs jersey is frankly hilarious.

I think you're probably right, but we should be careful. As I always say, we can't see into a man's soul, unless you have someone like John Hardie who seems to spill his soul to a journalist for a free Happy Meal.

I can only speak from my own experience having grown up outside of Scotland (my only qualification was through my parents having been born there), but I only ever wanted to play for Scotland, and I knew lots of SQ players at school who felt the same way. Then again, I suppose if I'd suddenly been called up to Zimbabwe through my own 'granny connection' I would be lying if I'd said that it had always been my dream to play for 'Robert the B***ard' (as my mother insists on calling him).

IanBru wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Normally I agree with you guys, but the attacking of the poorly written telegraph article doesn't change the fact that Hardie himself stated that Scotland was at best a consolation prize. He should never play for Scotland. Ever.

He will never have my support even if he becomes Richie McCaw incarnate. He has nailed his colours to the mast and they are Black, not Navy blue.

I do agree to an extent, but I'm pretty sure that Metcalfe and the Leslie brothers felt the same way, even if they didn't say it. We're kidding ourselves if we think that all the residency/granny players only ever wanted to play for Scotland.

Laney probably felt the same way as well, but the thought of him ousting Mauger or Cullen from the ABs jersey is frankly hilarious.

I think you're probably right, but we should be careful. As I always say, we can't see into a man's soul, unless you have someone like John Hardie who seems to spill his soul to a journalist for a free Happy Meal.

Souls are overrated. I had mine removed at 2 yrs PQE.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:That's the trouble with rugby nowadays, even down to local club level - there's a perception that any player from SANZAR is going to be better than anyone from the UK.

Which is utter bollix quite frankly.

Damn straight. We all know that it's players from Ayr that really rock the rugby world.

True dat.

The Scotland "Torygraph" XV of shame:

1.Dell 2.Russell 3.Hilton 4.Hines 5.Toolis 6.M Leslie 7.Hardie 8.Strauss 9.Hart 10.Parks 11.Visser 12.J Leslie 13.Laney 14.Maitland 15.Metcalfe

Head Coach: Matt Williams
Backs: Scott Johnson
Forwards: Vern Cotter

Oh Flower of Scotland......

What's depressing is that that really is quite a team!

funnyExiledScot wrote:The Scotland "Torygraph" XV of shame:

1.Dell 2.Russell 3.Hilton 4.Hines 5.Toolis 6.M Leslie 7.Hardie 8.Strauss 9.Hart 10.Parks 11.Visser 12.J Leslie 13.Laney 14.Maitland 15.Metcalfe

Head Coach: Matt Williams
Backs: Scott Johnson
Forwards: Vern Cotter

Oh Flower of Scotland......

What depresses me most is we justify this sort of thing by hiding behind the moniker of :

"This is how professional rugby is these days" and "do unto others what they would do unto you".

It is quickly turning rugby and in particular Scottish rugby into a farce.

Well here's the Scotland "Made from Girders" XV to challenge them:

1.Smith 2.Bulloch 3.E Murray 4.J Gray 5.S Murray 6.White 7.Rennie 8.Taylor 9.Armstrong 10.Townsend 11.Hogg 12.S Hastings 13.A Tait 14.Paterson 15.G Hastings

Head Coach: I McGeechan (ignoring the whole Yorkshire thing)
Forwards: J Telfer
Backs: G Townsend (in a sort of player/coach role....)

My money is on the Scottish Scots....just.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Well here's the Scotland "Made from Girders" XV to challenge them:

1.Smith 2.Bulloch 3.E Murray 4.J Gray 5.S Murray 6.White 7.Rennie 8.Taylor 9.Armstrong 10.Townsend 11.Hogg 12.S Hastings 13.A Tait 14.Paterson 15.G Hastings

Head Coach: I McGeechan (ignoring the whole Yorkshire thing)
Forwards: J Telfer
Backs: G Townsend (in a sort of player/coach role....)

My money is on the Scottish Scots....just.

Was Tom Smith not english with a Scots family?

funnyExiledScot wrote:Well here's the Scotland "Made from Girders" XV to challenge them:

1.Smith 2.Bulloch 3.E Murray 4.J Gray 5.S Murray 6.White 7.Rennie 8.Taylor 9.Armstrong 10.Townsend 11.Hogg 12.S Hastings 13.A Tait 14.Paterson 15.G Hastings

Head Coach: I McGeechan (ignoring the whole Yorkshire thing)
Forwards: J Telfer
Backs: G Townsend (in a sort of player/coach role....)

My money is on the Scottish Scots....just.

Would have Cammy Murray in there instead of Paterson.

cp10 wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Well here's the Scotland "Made from Girders" XV to challenge them:

1.Smith 2.Bulloch 3.E Murray 4.J Gray 5.S Murray 6.White 7.Rennie 8.Taylor 9.Armstrong 10.Townsend 11.Hogg 12.S Hastings 13.A Tait 14.Paterson 15.G Hastings

Head Coach: I McGeechan (ignoring the whole Yorkshire thing)
Forwards: J Telfer
Backs: G Townsend (in a sort of player/coach role....)

My money is on the Scottish Scots....just.

Was Tom Smith not english with a Scots family?

Sort of, although he went to school at Rannoch which is about as Scottish as you can get. You could substitute in Chunk if you like. Pretty sure he was Scottish!!

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Well here's the Scotland "Made from Girders" XV to challenge them:

1.Smith 2.Bulloch 3.E Murray 4.J Gray 5.S Murray 6.White 7.Rennie 8.Taylor 9.Armstrong 10.Townsend 11.Hogg 12.S Hastings 13.A Tait 14.Paterson 15.G Hastings

Head Coach: I McGeechan (ignoring the whole Yorkshire thing)
Forwards: J Telfer
Backs: G Townsend (in a sort of player/coach role....)

My money is on the Scottish Scots....just.

Would have Cammy Murray in there instead of Paterson.

I did think of specialist wingers like Cammy Murray, Logan and Stanger, I felt that Paterson and Hogg, whilst not wingers, were/are far more accomplished and rounded players.

Cammy Murray had a couple of good moments in 1999, particularly the try against Ireland (described by Bill MacLaren as an "inebriated twitter), but he lacked for power and pace. Paterson could probably fall into the same category (as a winger), but I'm not letting Hastings (or Toonie) anywhere near the goal kicking!!

Aye fair point.

It's unfortunate for CM that injury halted his career. I honestly believe he would have really kicked on and become a brilliant player. Sadly, that's been a case for a few players over the years.

Logan though.......

I'll assume you're taking the pi$$.

If we are going 90s onward think big shlong has a case? Born in Perth. Paterson can be Utility back on the bench.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Well here's the Scotland "Made from Girders" XV to challenge them:

1.Smith 2.Bulloch 3.E Murray 4.J Gray 5.S Murray 6.White 7.Rennie 8.Taylor 9.Armstrong 10.Townsend 11.Hogg 12.S Hastings 13.A Tait 14.Paterson 15.G Hastings

Head Coach: I McGeechan (ignoring the whole Yorkshire thing)
Forwards: J Telfer
Backs: G Townsend (in a sort of player/coach role....)

My money is on the Scottish Scots....just.

Is that the Alan Tait with the thick Lancastrian accent?

I fear that this kind of 'real Scot' business just serves to ostracise anyone who wasn't born in Scotland. It's a shame because some of the greatest Scots had 'foreign' accents. I know we're talking about national sport here, and it's all fun and games, but it can verge on ugly nationalism sometimes.

For better or worse we all live in a global community and we have to accept that nationality is flexible. I've supported Scotland all my life and played within the exile system (which let's be honest is as far from being a glory supporter as is possible!), yet I come up to Murrayfield and get called a plastic. You can't win!

On a side note, just listening to Matt Dawson's Rugby World Cup show and they're talking about the fact that the RWC squads have to be announced by the 31st of August. This is quite interesting because it means that Cotter will have to announce the final squad before the last warm up game. Therefore, I think it's safe to assume that final game against France will be pretty much the full strength teams from both nations. This also means that it's more likely that your Hardie's et al will play in the first 2 games.

Exactly who is likely to lose out if hardie plays a couple of blinders? Cause I reckon that's what he would need to do to get in at this stage given the other players are known quantity and not coming off injury. ?

Totally agree, Alive.

Can we settle on the 'outrage' side of things now and get vaguely excited about what could be a very high quality addition to the squad.

If Hardie does get at least one game (which I hope he will - it would be silly not to tie him in now), then I would be happy to see him at Glasgow - particularly as I have an Italian mate who tells me that Favaro's injury is not as straightforward as it first appeared.

4 Nakarawa
5 Gray
6 Harley/Ashe
7 Hardie
8 Strauss

LIKE.

Im i right to say we may have 3 7s. Cowan Barcs and Hardie ?

who loses out in that scenario?.

Remember its not at all unlikely one of them may get injured .

On another note this is the side that played Tonga last November. My guess half that team wont feature less than 1 year later....amazing really.

S Hogg; T Seymour, S Lamont (D Taylor, 73), A Dunbar, T Visser; F Russell (D Weir, 77), G  Laidlaw (captain; C Cusiter, 72), A Dickinson (G  Reid, 64), R Ford (F Brown, 70), G Cross (R Grant, R Gray (K Low, 73), J Gray, R Harley, B Cowan, J  Beattie (A Strokosch, 64).

Hamish Watson is in the squad too.

I'd be disappointed if Hardie was given more of a 'chance than him over the 3 games.

madmaccas wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Well here's the Scotland "Made from Girders" XV to challenge them:

1.Smith 2.Bulloch 3.E Murray 4.J Gray 5.S Murray 6.White 7.Rennie 8.Taylor 9.Armstrong 10.Townsend 11.Hogg 12.S Hastings 13.A Tait 14.Paterson 15.G Hastings

Head Coach: I McGeechan (ignoring the whole Yorkshire thing)
Forwards: J Telfer
Backs: G Townsend (in a sort of player/coach role....)

My money is on the Scottish Scots....just.

Is that the Alan Tait with the thick Lancastrian accent?

I fear that this kind of 'real Scot' business just serves to ostracise anyone who wasn't born in Scotland. It's a shame because some of the greatest Scots had 'foreign' accents. I know we're talking about national sport here, and it's all fun and games, but it can verge on ugly nationalism sometimes.

For better or worse we all live in a global community and we have to accept that nationality is flexible. I've supported Scotland all my life and played within the exile system (which let's be honest is as far from being a glory supporter as is possible!), yet I come up to Murrayfield and get called a plastic. You can't win!

It's not about accents for me. It's about passion and commitment. When a professional rugby player bemoans his fortune that he has to play his international rugby for Scotland instead of his first choice team he doesn't deserve to wear the thistle in the first place.

I also find it hard to believe that Hardie has played better or greater intensity rugby than either Watson, Barclay or latterly Batman....

madmaccas wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Well here's the Scotland "Made from Girders" XV to challenge them:

1.Smith 2.Bulloch 3.E Murray 4.J Gray 5.S Murray 6.White 7.Rennie 8.Taylor 9.Armstrong 10.Townsend 11.Hogg 12.S Hastings 13.A Tait 14.Paterson 15.G Hastings

Head Coach: I McGeechan (ignoring the whole Yorkshire thing)
Forwards: J Telfer
Backs: G Townsend (in a sort of player/coach role....)

My money is on the Scottish Scots....just.

Is that the Alan Tait with the thick Lancastrian accent?

I fear that this kind of 'real Scot' business just serves to ostracise anyone who wasn't born in Scotland. It's a shame because some of the greatest Scots had 'foreign' accents. I know we're talking about national sport here, and it's all fun and games, but it can verge on ugly nationalism sometimes.

For better or worse we all live in a global community and we have to accept that nationality is flexible. I've supported Scotland all my life and played within the exile system (which let's be honest is as far from being a glory supporter as is possible!), yet I come up to Murrayfield and get called a plastic. You can't win!

Absolutely agree with this, Scotland has always been a country with a high number of emigres to NZ, Australia, USA etc and many more people moving down south as well for work, doesn't mean they don't identify themselves as Scots just because they don't live here, in fact the Scots diaspora often has a stronger sense of positive patriotism than those who live in Scotland.

madmaccas wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Well here's the Scotland "Made from Girders" XV to challenge them:

1.Smith 2.Bulloch 3.E Murray 4.J Gray 5.S Murray 6.White 7.Rennie 8.Taylor 9.Armstrong 10.Townsend 11.Hogg 12.S Hastings 13.A Tait 14.Paterson 15.G Hastings

Head Coach: I McGeechan (ignoring the whole Yorkshire thing)
Forwards: J Telfer
Backs: G Townsend (in a sort of player/coach role....)

My money is on the Scottish Scots....just.

Is that the Alan Tait with the thick Lancastrian accent?

I fear that this kind of 'real Scot' business just serves to ostracise anyone who wasn't born in Scotland. It's a shame because some of the greatest Scots had 'foreign' accents. I know we're talking about national sport here, and it's all fun and games, but it can verge on ugly nationalism sometimes.

For better or worse we all live in a global community and we have to accept that nationality is flexible. I've supported Scotland all my life and played within the exile system (which let's be honest is as far from being a glory supporter as is possible!), yet I come up to Murrayfield and get called a plastic. You can't win!

+1 Amen, tell it preacher.

madmaccas wrote:On a side note, just listening to Matt Dawson's Rugby World Cup show and they're talking about the fact that the RWC squads have to be announced by the 31st of August. This is quite interesting because it means that Cotter will have to announce the final squad before the last warm up game. Therefore, I think it's safe to assume that final game against France will be pretty much the full strength teams from both nations. This also means that it's more likely that your Hardie's et al will play in the first 2 games.

There is also a strong chance that it'll be the players who aren't picked as he doesn't need to experiment any more and might want to protect the guys he has chosen in the WC squad for when the comp starts. He could give the players being left out a run out as there is nothing to prove in the match and I doubt he'll want to risk any injuries.

Or as you say it could be full strength sides to give them a final run out.

Can’t wait to find out.

EWT Spoons wrote:

madmaccas wrote:On a side note, just listening to Matt Dawson's Rugby World Cup show and they're talking about the fact that the RWC squads have to be announced by the 31st of August. This is quite interesting because it means that Cotter will have to announce the final squad before the last warm up game. Therefore, I think it's safe to assume that final game against France will be pretty much the full strength teams from both nations. This also means that it's more likely that your Hardie's et al will play in the first 2 games.

There is also a strong chance that it'll be the players who aren't picked as he doesn't need to experiment any more and might want to protect the guys he has chosen in the WC squad for when the comp starts.  He could give the players being left out a run out as there is nothing to prove in the match and I doubt he'll want to risk any injuries.

Or as you say it could be full strength sides to give them a final run out.

Can’t wait to find out.

That is an interesting PoV - I hadn't thought of that. Worth noting that VC himself has already stated he doesn't like the 4 games.

As most have seen previously, I'm not in favour of wrapping our players in cotton wool - therefore I hope the final games is the strongest team possible (allowing for changes if some key players have been involved in previous games). We need to be battle hardened.

I think the reason we get more abuse for it than others for it is the indiscreet and unashamed nature of our pursuit of players from other nations. Although it seems ridiculous to me when we have these inquests and investigations and sack coaches every two years or so. Edinburgh have had more "comebacks" than Frank Sinatra in recent years. And the truth is not that we find second rate foreign players who can't make their own team or that we have poor coaches (sometimes we do but so does everyone), the issue is that for fifteen years of professionalism we kept expecting quality players to materialise and tried to point to anomalies like Stuart Hogg and Mike Blair as a trend, but let's not forget Kyle Traynor has Scotland caps. Hopefully these academies will make a difference but they've spent £20 million on them, I'd love to see how much has been spent on foreign players and project players for Scotland and the pro teams, probably not £20 million but even an investment of £1000 can make a big difference to individual clubs and their ability to produce youth players.

As for the centres I think we can afford to take Dunbar in the squad and play him against Japan and the USA and then if it's clear he's crocked call up a replacement. If Scott is fully fit and on form he can be just as effective as Dunbar, maybe not as natural a partner for Bennett but still a very good player, so if there's the slightest doubt he's not ready for this World Cup we should just leave him out, given the time the squad will have spent with Cotter and his systems by then we will have a good chance to make a decent fist of the six nations. Let's not ruin our chances by chucking in players like Dunbar for the sake of it.

Was just watching some highlights and struck by Dunbar's work on the floor. I honestly think he's our best openside!

Agreed maccas, I think the work he does without the ball is outstanding. His tackling is ferocious and he then jackals like a 7. Often he forces 3 or 4 turnovers or penalties a game.
With ball in hand there is not much between Dunbar, Matt Scott12 and but as a defensive leader there's no one to touch him.

Interesting point I think the role of 12 and 13 has been redefined in pro rugby in the last few years. Best example BOD, when he was the first player to the breakdown he'd win the ball like a 7.

So question is should we look to get back rows playing as centre? Ritchie V is a good example of someone who's made the switch well. Possible future for Blake?

RDW_Scotland wrote:Hamish Watson is in the squad too.

I'd be disappointed if Hardie was given more of a 'chance than him over the 3 games.

Me too - Watson looks like he has the potential to be a real class act. And he is named after a heilan' coo

So I received an e-mail electronic missive epistle from the high heid yins at Murrayfield this morning. Among the other pearls of wisdom was the hot news that a pub handily situated between Noocassel toon cntre and St James's Park will be "Scotland Village" or some other such PR-speak Poopie and entry is ONLY £20 per head.

Paying to get into a boozer

WTF WTF

Paying for the opportunity to give our money over the bar.
How stupid do we look/ Also if we go down the road of Scotland fan bars then don't we miss out on mixing with others? Soon we'll have segregated seating and all the wonderful tribalism that makes watching football such a wonderful and life enhancing occasion.

Rant over.

jimbopip wrote:So I received an e-mail electronic missive epistle from the high heid yins at Murrayfield this morning. Among the other pearls of wisdom was the hot news that a pub handily situated between Noocassel toon cntre and St James's Park will be "Scotland Village" or some other such PR-speak Poopie and entry is ONLY £20 per head.

Paying to get into a boozer

WTF WTF

Paying for the opportunity to give our money over the bar.
How stupid do we look/ Also if we go down the road of Scotland fan bars then don't we miss out on mixing with others? Soon we'll have segregated seating and all the wonderful tribalism that makes watching football such a wonderful and life enhancing occasion.

Rant over.

Cool - a place were if the sun does come out we all get blinded by the reflective glory that is Scottish deep tan

justified sinner wrote:Interesting point I think the role of 12 and 13 has been redefined in pro rugby in the last few years. Best example BOD, when he was the first player to the breakdown he'd win the ball like a 7.

So question is should we look to get back rows playing as centre? Ritchie V is a good example of someone who's made the switch well. Possible future for Blake?

Possibly one of the reasons why all the home nations are having issues with injured centre's?

jimbopip wrote:So I received an e-mail electronic missive epistle from the high heid yins at Murrayfield this morning. Among the other pearls of wisdom was the hot news that a pub handily situated between Noocassel toon cntre and St James's Park will be "Scotland Village" or some other such PR-speak Poopie and entry is ONLY £20 per head.

Paying to get into a boozer

WTF WTF

Paying for the opportunity to give our money over the bar.
How stupid do we look/ Also if we go down the road of Scotland fan bars then don't we miss out on mixing with others? Soon we'll have segregated seating and all the wonderful tribalism that makes watching football such a wonderful and life enhancing occasion.

Rant over.

Bloody hell. Just saw that email, have the SRU been taking advice from Schalk Burger!?
Fore £20 I'd expect lunch & 3-4 pints.
Hope no one turns up there!