Scotland A v England Saxons, 31 January

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Scotland A v England Saxons
Friday 31 January 2014, kick-off 7.30pm
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

Referee: [tbc]
Assistant Referees: [tbc]
Citing Commissioner: [tbc]

A. Squads

1. Scotland A

Forwards – Olly Atkins (Edinburgh Rugby), Fraser Brown, Kevin Bryce (both Glasgow Warriors), Blair Cowan (London Irish), Jonny Gray, Robert Harley (both Glasgow Warriors), Allister Hogg (Newcastle Falcons), Tyrone Holmes, Ed Kalman (both Glasgow Warriors), Kieran Low (London Irish), Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Shiells (Newcastle Falcons) and Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors)

Backs – Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Cuthbert, Dougie Fife (both Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors), Grayson Hart (Edinburgh Rugby), Tom Heathcote (Bath Rugby), Byron McGuigan, Henry Pyrgos (both Glasgow Warriors), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) and Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors)

2. Saxons

Forwards - Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby) Calum Clark (NorthamptonSaints) Sam Dickinson (NorthamptonSaints) Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs) Jamie George (Saracens) George Kruis (Saracens) Charlie Matthews (Harlequins) Tom Mercey (NorthamptonSaints) Elliott Stooke (GloucesterRugby) Luke Wallace (Harlequins) Alex Waller (NorthamptonSaints) Dave Ward (Harlequins) Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)

Backs - Freddie Burns (GloucesterRugby) Elliot Daly (London Wasps) Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs) Matt Hopper (Harlequins) Dave Lewis (Exeter Chiefs) Rob Miller (Sale Sharks) Joe Simpson (London Wasps) Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs) Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby) Tom Varndell (London Wasps)

B. Previous Form

1 February 2013, Kingston Park
England Saxons 9 Scotland A 13

3 February 2012, Galashiels
Scotland A 35 England Saxons 0

C. Teams

England Saxons: 15 Miller (Sale), 14 Rokoduguni (Bath), 13 Daly (Wasps), 12 Eastmond (Bath), 11 Thompstone (Leicester), 10 Burns (Gloucester), 9 Robson (Gloucester); 1 Waller (Northampton), 2 Ward (Harlequins), 3 Wilson (Newcastle), 4 Stooke (Gloucester), 5 Kruis (Saracens), 6 Clark (Northampton, capt), 7 Wallace (Harlequins), 8 Dickinson (Northampton)

Replacements: 16 George (Saracens), 17 Catt (Bath), 18 Brookes (Newcastle), 19 Matthews (Harlequins), 20 Ewers (Exeter), 21 Simpson (Wasps), 22 Slade (Exeter), 23 Sharples (Gloucester)

Scotland A: 15 Cuthbert (Edinburgh), 14 Fife (Edinburgh), 13 Bennett (Glasgow), 12 Grove (Worcester), 11 McGuigan (Glasgow), 10 Tonks (Edinburgh), 9 Pyrgos (Glasgow); 1 Reid (Glasgow), 2 Brown (Glasgow), 3 Welsh (Glasgow), 4 Low (London Irish), 5 Gray (Glasgow, capt), 6 Harley (Glasgow), 7 Cowan (London Irish), 8 Hogg (Newcastle)

Replacements: 16 Bryce (Glasgow), 17 Allan (Edinburgh), 18 Kalman (Glasgow), 19 Atkins (Edinburgh), 20 Holmes (Glasgow), 21 Hart (Edinburgh), 22 Heathcote (Bath), 23 Vernon (Glasgow)

Ooft - I'm assuming he's being reprimanded for it so he's unlikely to be facing us?

It was quite some time ago RDW. He received a relatively meagre 32-week ban. Very nasty incident. Simply hyper-extended the arm, got up and walked off- as if it was nothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxfOcZrxuHU

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:What did he (allegedly) do?

He didn't 'allegedly' do anything - he actually broke Hawkins's arm, deliberately

He hyperextended the player's elbow and it snapped. Absolutely hideous.
I have never actually seen an explanation as to WTF Clark thought that he was doing.

Just read on the Warriors twitter feed that the game will be getting streamed live on youtube.

cakeordeath wrote:Just read on the Warriors twitter feed that the game will be getting streamed live on youtube.

Pucker, thanks for that.

From SRU site:

Scotland A team to play England Saxons, Scotstoun Stadium, Friday 31 January (kick-off 7.30pm):

15. Jack Cuthbert (Edinburgh Rugby)

14. Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby)

13. Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors)

12. Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors)

11. Byron McGuigan (Glasgow Warriors)

10. Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby)

9. Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors)



1. Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors)

2. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors)

3. Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors)

4. Kieran Low (London Irish)

5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) CAPTAIN

6. Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors)

7. Blair Cowan (London Irish)

8. Allister Hogg (Newcastle Flacons)



Subsitutes

16. Kevin Bryce (Glasgow Warriors)

17. Alex Allan (Edinburgh Rugby)

18. Ed Kalman (Glasgow Warriors)

19. Olly Atkins (Edinburgh Rugby)

20. Tyrone Holmes (Glasgow Warriors)

21. Grayson Hart (Edinburgh Rugby)

22. Tom Heathcote (Bath Rugby)

23. Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors)

Decent team, pretty much as expected.

I am assuming Gilchrist will be the 24th man then since he's not in this team either? Maybe Seymour too?

I like that team, particularly the pack. Good mobile set of forwards and it's great to see the old stager Ali Hogg back at 8.

Tonks at 10 will be interesting and I'm pleased to see the Messiah pairing up with Grove. Not much separating those two from the two centres in the Scotland XV.

Cuthbert has deserved the chance to play at 15, and Fife on the right wing has been extremely consistent.

A couple of handy players on the bench as well. Atkins and Holmes in particular will add something from the bench.

  I can't belive that Vernon is poised to get an international cap in the backline.

The talk of him playing in the centre was the centre of a rather ammusing exchange some months ago.

Each time I see McGuigan play I see Vernon as an increasingly likely candidate!!

I really hope Farndale impresses for the U20. The sooner we get him playing for Edinburgh the better.

I'm assuming/hoping the Saxons team will look something like:

1. A Waller
2. D Ward
3. S Wilson
4. E Stooke
5. G Kruis
6. D Ewers
7. L Wallace
8. S Dickinson
9. D Lewis
10. H Slade
11. M Benjamin
12. K Eastmond
13. E Daly
14. C Sharples
15. R Miller

16. J George 17. N Catt 18. T Mercy 19. C Matthews 20. J Gibson 21. J Simpson 22. F Burns 23. ?

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:  I can't belive that Vernon is poised to get an international cap in the backline.

The talk of him playing in the centre was the centre of a rather ammusing exchange some months ago.

told ya so!

Saxons team:

England Saxons

15 Rob Miller (Sale Sharks)
14 Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
13 Elliot Daly (London Wasps)
12 Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)
11 Adam Thompstone (Leicester Tigers)
10 Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby)
9 Dan Robson (Gloucester Rugby)

1 Alex Waller (Northampton Saints)
2 Dave Ward (Harlequins)
3 Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)
5 George Kruis (Saracens)
6 Calum Clark (Northampton Saints, Captain)
7 Luke Wallace (Harlequins)
8 Sam Dickinson (Northampton Saints)

Replacements

16 Jamie George (Saracens)
17 Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
18 Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
19 Charlie Matthews (Harlequins)
20 Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs)
21 Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
22 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
23 Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)

Exciting new backline (except Burns) - Slade may well be disappointed not to be starting this one. Rotation in the forwards too, as expected - Scott Wilson starts against the land of his father (and mother and birth).

I'm very impressed with this side. At least six of the pack should be looking upon this as a step towards the world cup squad. In the backs again only two (Cuthbert and McGuigan) don't look as if they have any chance of forcing their way into the main squad. Richie V seems to be covering centre and wing from the bench so should probably come on at some point. That's just mad Ted, so it is.

Dubbelyew L Overate wrote:Saxons team:

England Saxons

15 Rob Miller (Sale Sharks)
14 Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
13 Elliot Daly (London Wasps)
12 Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)
11 Adam Thompstone (Leicester Tigers)
10 Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby)
9 Dan Robson (Gloucester Rugby)

1 Alex Waller (Northampton Saints)
2 Dave Ward (Harlequins)
3 Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)
5 George Kruis (Saracens)
6 Calum Clark (Northampton Saints, Captain)
7 Luke Wallace (Harlequins)
8 Sam Dickinson (Northampton Saints)

Replacements

16 Jamie George (Saracens)
17 Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
18 Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
19 Charlie Matthews (Harlequins)
20 Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs)
21 Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
22 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
23 Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)

Exciting new backline (except Burns) - Slade may well be disappointed not to be starting this one.  Rotation in the forwards too, as expected - Scott Wilson starts against the land of his father (and mother and birth).

What on earth Burns is doing starting I have no clue. He'll need the game of games to atone for last week's performance.

Otherwise than that I like the team. Clark was owned last week and I'd rather have seen Ewers there at 6. That's a very heavy-weight pack with some other good options on the bench.

Glad to see Daly at 13 and Miller start. Two powerful wingers, and Eastmond will hopefully put his hand up for selection for the first team.

Burns - god only knows, let him dig himself a bit deeper why not?

Backline has been reshuffled to good effect, though you'd have to be blind to see what didn't work last week. Positive changes in the pack too, Clark and Wallace need a big performance.

In a way, Burns starting again makes some kind of sense, particularly with Robson starting too. It may just click for him (hoping so, but not holding my breath).

Developing Slade is a bit of a luxury - Ford is the next cab off the rank, and Myler is probably an adequate stand-in for 6N in case of injury. He'll get another 10 or 20 minutes, though, then back to Exe to try and displace Steeno.

Not sure if Davy Lewis was dropped for Robson (which would have been a bit harsh) - it could be that Exe have a scrumhalf crisis and asked for him back.

Harsh on Lewis who I thought added shape to the game last week. Pleased for Robson though, he's obviously impressed in training and has huge potential. Some lovely kicking against Perpignan for Glaws.

Much better looking Saxons team this week. Anyone know the weather forecast for the game? I guess as it's in Scotland it'll be rain, rain, followed by more rain and perhaps some sleet...

Hopefully Robson can hold Burns hand enough for him to actually play like a professional player this week!

yappysnap wrote:Anyone know the weather forecast for the game? I guess as it's in Scotland it'll be rain, rain, followed by more rain and perhaps some sleet..!

You forgot about the howling gale.  60 - 70mph gusts possible, I understand.  And in case you aren't aware, Glasgow's last two home games were cancelled due to flooded / waterlogged pitch.

Could be rather heavy going.

My hope of the SRU somehow tempting Scott Wilson north of the border again has been quashed. Can't really complain, considering how many guys born in England we have in our system. Still, its not as if we are churning out top quality tight heads up here - a big loss in the grand scheme of things.

Didnt even notice that keiron had been called up aswell...

What would England do without the little club from the borders eh?

Well done Scotty Wilson and Keiron Brookes! And to be honest id rather have either of them on the bench for the seniors over Thomas!

GeordieFalcon wrote:Didnt even notice that keiron had been called up aswell...

What would England do without the little club from the borders eh?

Well done Scotty Wilson and Keiron Brookes! And to be honest id rather have either of them on the bench for the seniors over Thomas!

Bit harsh on Thomas there GF, he's damn good in the loose. He's not a top line scrummager at the moment but I hope Rowntree has done enough work with him in that department.

Could've made a case for Barrow over Matthews as well!

Scotty Scrummages very well...but keiron has been doing both...big scrumming and carrying brilliantly.

Barrw has been injured for a long time mate...only just back for us. But yes he is a definate for caps i would say.

We also have Will Witty the second row in the U19's and Kibirige in the u20's now...the production line is well under way again... 

GeordieFalcon wrote:Scotty Scrummages very well...but keiron has been doing both...big scrumming and carrying brilliantly.

Barrw has been injured for a long time mate...only just back for us. But yes he is a definate for caps i would say.

We also have Will Witty the second row in the U19's and Kibirige in the u20's now...the production line is well under way again... 

Just in time for Leicester to re-stock!

Yeah...notice Leicesters stock falling a little as our production line faltered a bit...but its back on track and we'll ensure Leicester will be Euro champions again soon.    

I just noticed that Blair Cowan was born in a town called 'Upper Hutt' in NZ.

I just squirted milk through my nose.

At least it wasn't Lower Hutt, Bru!

IanBru wrote:I just noticed that Blair Cowan was born in a town called 'Upper Hutt' in NZ.

I just squirted milk through my nose.

In or out?

As, did I dream it, or was Ben Atiga born in Pizza Hutt?

Argy, out thank god.

IanBru wrote:As, did I dream it, or was Ben Atiga born in Pizza Hutt?

Argy, out thank god.

More likely twins with Jabba the Hutt...

Any idea whether this will be going ahead or not?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:At least it wasn't Lower Hutt, Bru!

At last no more need we re-cycle the old, "I've just been up Maryhill" joke. Now when asked why we're looking so smug we can reply, "I've seen Upper Hutt."  

yappysnap wrote:Much better looking Saxons team this week. Anyone know the weather forecast for the game? I guess as it's in Scotland it'll be rain, rain, followed by more rain and perhaps some sleet...

Hopefully Robson can hold Burns hand enough for him to actually play like a professional player this week!

Uh-huh - and where are all the floods then ?

Chjw131 wrote:Any idea whether this will be going ahead or not?

Yes it is - it has not rained here for days - contrary to what the intellectually challenged person above posted.

For those of you who , like RDW, who let a wee bit of cold or wet put you off watching live rugby, the game is being streamed on the SRU website via YouTube.

Game is defo on. There have been covers on the pitch for a couple of days now. I was at scotstoun today and was speaking to some officials.

In case anyone needs it: http://www.rfu.com/news/2014/january/news-articles/310114_saxons_live

Excellent stuff glad to hear it. May the best team win!

What a drop goal by Pythagoras

Impressed with our back three and our urgency but we have to make the yellow count

what was the yellow for? cant hear ref/touch judge commentary on rugbydump

am hoping the second half is a bit more open and adventurous than the first half!

Some nice work by Daly on the two occasions he's had the ball. Stooke, Wilson and Dickinson have stood out so far for Saxons.

yeah, wilkinson looks particularly good.

eidt - meant dickinson   

can you tell i'm a diehard wilko fan

Injury or not, Tonks has just played himself out of contention for the full side.

Heathcote will make a difference.

Burns has looked calmer if unspectacular.