Scotland vs South Africa pre-match buildup.

First topic message reminder :

I thought I would start a Scotland vs South Africa thread, seeing that the other one is filled to the brim and there is a new opponent to focus on.

Scotland had a good game against South Africa with a not a full strength team in June. although I was not enammered with the tactics of Scotlands' tactics at the breakdown during that match, you have to give them Cudo's for their performance.

They scored two well executed tries and had our breakdown I shambles for most of the match.

South Africa learnt a lot from that match and it should stand them in good stead for the upcoming match.

By virtue of the Scottish performance on the weekend I would suggest that they will go into this match feeling better prepared and a bit of a roll. The momentum of a good match is always a positive to have.

It is obviously to early to speculate too much on team selections, but I would expect Scotland to put out their very best for this one.

Heyneke Meyer has been a tad contradictory in his media releases this past week as he first suggested that he will make some changes against Scotland regardless of the result against wales, but after the match he said he isn't going to make too many changes and doesn't believe in resting his best players during a test season, that should happen during the Super Xv and Currie Cup which we all know is a farce.

Morne Steyn had a back spasm during the Welsh encounter and will be assessed later in the week. I would like to see Lambie get another go at ten though.

SA have improved during the past RC and hopefully they can continue to improve.

For some reason we play poorly at Murrayfield, and I am hoping that we show a better performance there than we did in the past decade.

I'll update the thread as more news and team selections become available.

Scotland team announced.

1. Dickinson
2. Ford
3. Low
4. Gray snr
5. Hamiton
6. Strokosch
7. Denton
8. Barclay
9. Laidlaw (c)
10. Jackson
11. Lamont
12. Taylor
13. NDL
14.Seymour
15. Maitland

Replacements

16. Lawson
17. Grant
18. Cross
19. Gray jnr
20. Beattie
21. Cuisiter
22. Weir
23. Evans

Biltong wrote:Well if you cite JP, you have to cite Hamilton for deliberately injuring Louw

Eh?

Hamliton comes in to clear the ruck and you can see quite clearly he is putting his arms under the player in front of him and trying to lift him off - the injury is just an unfortuanltey accident as head hit and shoulder meet

To say delibrate is really quite a stretch...

On the JP - not a citing - not somehing I like but not a citing

Is really in the same league as finger wagging when scoring and waving a 'card' in front of the ref - classless

Riskysports wrote:On the JP - not a citing - not somehing I like but not a citing

Is really in the same league as finger wagging when scoring and waving a 'card' in front of the ref - classless

Agree, it is allowwing yourself to be hyped up in the moment. Not very classy indeed. However, I think making a player eating grass is a statement towards the player, not the crowd, whereas wagging your finger at the crowd is not necessarily aimed at an opposition player.

Riskysports wrote:On the JP - not a citing - not somehing I like but not a citing

Is really in the same league as finger wagging when scoring and waving a 'card' in front of the ref - classless

I disagree, I think it is worth citing. There is no need for that behaviour.

I would however like to review the player that slide into Jackson head with his knees after your try - seemed to be very late and potentially very dangerous...

I have the game recorded, will quickly have a look.

I thought Denton's reaction was pretty decent to be honest. Had he kicked off then JP could easily have been carded (along with Denton) for instigating matters. Silly really given the match situation (i.e. the Boks in cruise control).

I was behind the Hamilton incident in the North stand and in real time it looked a legitimate clearance, but I haven't seen a replay.

Riskysports wrote:I would however like to review the player that slide into Jackson head with his knees after your try - seemed to be very late and potentially very dangerous...

I think it was JDV but I saw no malice in it.

funnyExiledScot wrote:I thought Denton's reaction was pretty decent to be honest. Had he kicked off then JP could easily have been carded (along with Denton) for instigating matters. Silly really given the match situation (i.e. the Boks in cruise control).

I was behind the Hamilton incident in the North stand and in real time it looked a legitimate clearance, but I haven't seen a replay.

It was around the 73 minute mark, going to have a peek on iPlayer

It was Jean de Villiers, and it wasn't his knee.

I gather he must have though JP was being held up, so he went down (on his knees) grabbing hold of Jackson, his sternum hit Jackson behind the head as he slid into him.

I doubt knowing de Villiers that there was any malicious intent there.

cakeordeath wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:I thought Denton's reaction was pretty decent to be honest. Had he kicked off then JP could easily have been carded (along with Denton) for instigating matters. Silly really given the match situation (i.e. the Boks in cruise control).

I was behind the Hamilton incident in the North stand and in real time it looked a legitimate clearance, but I haven't seen a replay.

It was around the 73 minute mark, going to have a peek on iPlayer

Just watched it (74.31) and Hamilton binds onto a Scottish player. Looks fine to me

Binds?

I think we are in total disagreement here.

Interpretation, eh?

Biltong wrote:Binds?

I think we are in total disagreement here.

Interpretation, eh?

Well knowing Jim Hamilton there probably was some malice in it!!

I'm going to stick up for Big Jim! When I saw it on Sunday it looked to me as though he went in with the arms and he lifts someone off the ruck.

guess we'll leave it be to see if the citing commisioner has anyting to say!

To be clear I'm not saying he did anything wrong. I saw it live and it looked legitimate to me. I haven't seen a replay.

I was only joking that whereas Biltong suggested that JDV's character would endorse the view that he didn't mean to hurt or injure Jackson, I'm not sure Hamilton's character or track record helps him much!

Biltong wrote:Binds?

I think we are in total disagreement here.

Interpretation, eh?

No, he binds.  

Why do people get so obsessed over every tiny potential indiscretion... It's rugby, tempers flare, people get wound up, things happen. Everyone loves to jump on their high horse and point fingers as soon as something happens, but the truth is that every team has (or at some point has) players who have lost their cool at some point. Instead of all the indignation, just focus on the good points and enjoy the game.