Laidlaw vs Jackson vs Leonard vs Weir

Which of these players is the best and who will be first choice in 2015?

I have a feeling it'll be Weir and Laidlaw as first and second. Although if Jackson finds some form he may be in the running. Leonard will be 4th choice although he's yet to properly step up to the plate at even club level apart from that one MoTM performance so hard to say!

I can see Weir and Laidlaw as the 1st and 2nd choices for the next few years, with Jackson shifting out to 12.

I don't see Jackson as a long term 10, he can't goalkick and his kicking out of hand is average at best. I think he'd be a cracking 13 though! Perhaps Glasgow could try him there seeing as they don't have a quality 13

DTH will play 13 when he comes back I would think.

Weir

Just too early to say for me, each of them has somewhat different strengths and weaknesses and I'm sure they'll develop in different ways too. I have a funny feeling that Laidlaw may well be our 9 by then too. Depends too on who is in charge of the team and to what extent player development could be affected by injuries between now and then (god forbid)

Funnily there is a 3 year gap between them, 27, 24, 20 nearly 21 for Weir.

I also think its an early call, but Weir produced an excellent display really the whole team A did against the Saxons.

I just wish he had got his 1st cap at the weekend, but not to be.

What I wonder who AR going to pick, and I agree with others that he might include Jackson over Weir only because he was at WC.

What I saw was Weir with the free approach of the A team suddenly knew there was a different style of rugby compared with the Rabo 12.

I would be gutted for Weir if he did not get his 1st cap this 6 nations. Jackson would make a good 12 with his passing skills.

Leonard, unsure to early to call Weir with the proper coaching I think will be our future 10?

Weir and Laidlaw - perhpas laidlaw might go back to 9 to accommodate Weir.

different sort of players as well. weir the better kicker, Laidlaw less predictable.

Nice to have the choice. jackson I am afraid is out of it unless Robinson has another brainfart

Robinson has to go. The man is deluded. It can't be good for his health.

Weir is capable of fantastic rugby but he runs the risk of becoming Dan Parks MK2.

The best thing for Weir IMO is to either leave Glasgow or start ignoring efforts to turn him into a territorial kicking fly half.

Laidlaw has played really well at fly half but I can only see Cusiter, Blair and Lawson having a couple of seasons left at most and Laidlaw will inevitably have to switch back to 9. Jackson is a good player on his day but to be honest if Weir plays his rugby and doesn't allow coaches to influence his playing style I reckon he'll be Scotlands fly half with Harry Leonard as the other option.

My prediction is that Laidlaw will ultimately move back to 9, and I think Duncan Weir will ultimately become first choice 10 when all is said and done. Laidlaw's goal kicking will mean that Jackson is a good bench option though, to bring a bit more maverick from the bench.

By 2015 I predict that Leonard will have become a centre for Edinburgh, playing a controlling 12 outside Alex Blair, by then the most exciting stand-off in European rugby history (but he won't get picked for Scotland because he lacks "experience").

Matt Scott will be captain of Toulouse, and widely regarded as the greatest 12 to play the game since Tim Horan.

funnyExiledScot wrote:My prediction is that Laidlaw will ultimately move back to 9, and I think Duncan Weir will ultimately become first choice 10 when all is said and done. Laidlaw's goal kicking will mean that Jackson is a good bench option though, to bring a bit more maverick from the bench.

By 2015 I predict that Leonard will have become a centre for Edinburgh, playing a controlling 12 outside Alex Blair, by then the most exciting stand-off in European rugby history (but he won't get picked for Scotland because he lacks "experience").

Matt Scott will be captain of Toulouse, and widely regarded as the greatest 12 to play the game since Tim Horan.

I think Weir will be 10, though its too early to tell what kind of challenge Leonard will make.

As others have said, Laidlaw will probably return to 9, while Jackson simply doesn't have the succesful kicking ratio required to be a Test 10. It was ok when Paterson was at 15 to take the kicks at goal, but thats no longer the case. I for one hope he responds well to the increased competition for the 10 jersey.

The idea of Jackson at 13 is a tough one. I recall him scoring a great try for Glasgow as a centre substitution against Munster (the same try that he broke his collar bone scoring).

However, at club level I think DTH (or even Horne) would always be preferred at 13 to Jackson, likewise at Test level anyone of Evans, De Luca or Ansbro would be preferred ahead of him for the jersey.

funnyExiledScot wrote:My prediction is that Laidlaw will ultimately move back to 9, and I think Duncan Weir will ultimately become first choice 10 when all is said and done. Laidlaw's goal kicking will mean that Jackson is a good bench option though, to bring a bit more maverick from the bench.

By 2015 I predict that Leonard will have become a centre for Edinburgh, playing a controlling 12 outside Alex Blair, by then the most exciting stand-off in European rugby history (but he won't get picked for Scotland because he lacks "experience").

Matt Scott will be captain of Toulouse, and widely regarded as the greatest 12 to play the game since Tim Horan.

+1 A flawless plan, I congratulate you, fES

Laidlaw at sh and weir at fh.

Weir and Jackson. Laidlaw doesn't look like an international 10 to me, he should stick to scrumhalf

Isn't Laidlaw a natural scrum half? I'm surprised not many have considered him there yet, it's hardly as if Scotland are starved for quality at 10 atm with this season's emergences.

Laidlaw has been great at ten for Edinburgh this year.

In 2015:

9 G Laidlaw
10 D Weir
11 T Visser
12 H Leonard
13 R Jackson
14 M Evans
15 S Hogg

20 C Gregor
21 J Ansbro
22 C Paterson

Hmmm, my crystal ball shows something slightly different:

1.Welsh 2.Ford (c) 3.Low 4.Gilchrist 5.Gray 6.Brown 7.Rennie 8.Denton 9.Laidlaw 10.Weir 11.Visser 12.Scott 13.Ansbro 14.Jones 15.Hogg

16.Cross 17.MacArthur 18.MacKenzie 19.Harley 20.Cusiter 21.Jackson 22.Bennett

funnyExiledScot wrote:Hmmm, my crystal ball shows something slightly different:

1.Welsh 2.Ford (c) 3.Low 4.Gilchrist 5.Gray 6.Brown 7.Rennie 8.Denton 9.Laidlaw 10.Weir 11.Visser 12.Scott 13.Ansbro 14.Jones 15.Hogg

16.Cross 17.MacArthur 18.MacKenzie 19.Harley 20.Cusiter 21.Jackson 22.Bennett

Actually that's precisely what I have in mind too, with exception of Bennett perhaps simply as I'm not sure who you're referring to (?): I was just pointing out you could have them all in your starting 15 if you wanted!

Mark Bennett

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/8510132/Scotland-teenager-Mark-Bennett-rejects-Glasgow-overtures-to-sign-for-Clermont-Auvergne.html

Nobody else think that young Sam H Clyne might be in the mix for 10 in a few years' time?

Haven't seen him play so can't really comment. Similarly Bennett, I'm only including him based on hype.

In truth that bench slot could be taken by any number of players: Harry Leonard, Tom Brown, Ben Cairns (remember him), Jim Thompson, Jack Cuthbert.......

funnyExiledScot wrote:Haven't seen him play so can't really comment. Similarly Bennett, I'm only including him based on hype.

In truth that bench slot could be taken by any number of players: Harry Leonard, Tom Brown, Ben Cairns (remember him), Jim Thompson, Jack Cuthbert.......

Now you're just being silly!

Cuthbert is a straneg one. He looked like he could have been quite dangerous last season.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Cuthbert is a straneg one. He looked like he could have been quite dangerous last season.

No he didn't.

How about Steve Shingler?

KickAndChase wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Cuthbert is a straneg one. He looked like he could have been quite dangerous last season.

No he didn't.

How about Steve Shingler?

He did really when you think about it. He kept Abendanon or whatever his name is out of the Bath 15 slot for the bulk of the season and scored a hanful of scintilating tries. He also seemed to kick pretty well.

As I said he looked dangerous. strange that his form has slumped so quickly.

Before the last World Cup Cuthbert put in about three decent games for Bath, and because everyone was so worried about the possibility of Southwell playing for Scotland he was suddently hailed as the next big thing.

I've seen him make a couple of cameos this season. He's just big and reasonably quick. He has no handling ability and zero football brain. Basically a cross between Rory Lamont and Nikki Walker.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Before the last World Cup Cuthbert put in about three decent games for Bath, and because everyone was so worried about the possibility of Southwell playing for Scotland he was suddently hailed as the next big thing.

I've seen him make a couple of cameos this season. He's just big and reasonably quick. He has no handling ability and zero football brain. Basically a cross between Rory Lamont and Nikki Walker.

Who have over 50 caps between them

funnyExiledScot wrote:Before the last World Cup Cuthbert put in about three decent games for Bath, and because everyone was so worried about the possibility of Southwell playing for Scotland he was suddently hailed as the next big thing.

I've seen him make a couple of cameos this season. He's just big and reasonably quick. He has no handling ability and zero football brain. Basically a cross between Rory Lamont and Nikki Walker.

Totally agreed - I think that the QE2 has a smaller turning circle.

I've waited all my life for Andy Irvine II and now that Mr Hogg is here, please can we banish the likes of Shug and Cuthbert to the 'bad memory' box? You know, the one with a picture of Brendan Laney on the front.

Indeed, but they were competing against Southwell, Webster and Danielli for caps. Cuthbert will be up against Hogg, Visser and Jones.

There's always room for a straight running big quick guy, but you have to surround him with footballers to make it work. That's why Walker has been a success at the Ospreys, put into space he's a very good runner, he just won't generate much off the cuff. I put Cuthbert in the same bracket. He hasn't been getting a game though this season, so needs to sort that out.

Love the idea of the "bad memory box" - very hard to choose a player for the front of it.

Perhaps a collage featuring Shepherd, Laney and Di Rollo on the front.

On the back we could have players in the wrong jerseys, so Dickinson at tighthead, White at lock, Hines at 6, Barclay at 6, Henderson and McLaren on the wing and of course, Laney at 15.