Scotland vs Italy 6 nations. Sat 2nd Feb

First topic message reminder :

Scotland Vs Italy

Location: BT Murrayfield

KO: 14.15

TV: BBC(I think)

Last time out:
Italy 27 - 29 Scotland

Head to Head
Played:  19
Sco wins: 12
Italy wins: 7

EWT Spoons wrote:

RDW wrote:

jimbopip wrote:

tigertattie wrote:Someone tell me what I should think of that team!!!

I’m conflicted!

I’d have wee Horne benching and goodness knows why Harris is still there. I’m worried if Johnson is struggling in his first cap we might see jones at 12 with Harris at 13 again which sacred the bajeesus our of me!

If injury/having an off-day strikes we could end up with

10. Hastings
12. Dancer
13. Rolf Harris
14. Darcy The Dancer.

So...who's scared now?

Darcy Graham would somehow find his way into the 23?

He does have magic feet that lad.

You ne'erdowells all predicted Graham would be in the 23. It's not my fault if Toonie ignores you.

p.s. One downside to Princess Daughter, Feckless Rogue and baby Thor staying with us; Feckless's sister is coming down from Yorkshire with husband and wanes to see the baby, ETA about two-ish Saturday afternoon.

p.p.s. Eejit are you Embra?

Am I whowhatnow?

The big question:

Who is going to score more Fantasy Rugby points this weekend: Kinghorn or Seymour?

Not loving this team. Best 6 is at 7, best 7 isn't in the 23, there's a lock at 6, Ryan Wilson at 8, no George Horne, Chris Dean or Darcy Graham, a fullback on the wing and Chris Harris on the bench. A bit of a mess.

I'm ok with SJ at 12 though. I'd have gone with Dean but that's a very close call. Harris on the bench I just don't understand. Surely Graham on the wing with Kinghorn on the bench would be much better? Hastings can cover centre if needed.

Robbo: Seymour is the answer to that question.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Not loving this team. Best 6 is at 7, best 7 isn't in the 23, there's a lock at 6, Ryan Wilson at 8, no George Horne, Chris Dean or Darcy Graham, a fullback on the wing and Chris Harris on the bench. A bit of a mess.

I'm ok with SJ at 12 though. I'd have gone with Dean but that's a very close call. Harris on the bench I just don't understand. Surely Graham on the wing with Kinghorn on the bench would be much better? Hastings can cover centre if needed.

Robbo: Seymour is the answer to that question.

The more I think about it, I tend to agree fEs - the back-row is very unbalanced and we have fallen into the trap of playing a lock at 6, which I can't remember ever being successful at international level.

It feels quite similar to when we saw Jones and Harris line up at centre against Wales last season - two good players shoe-horned into an unfamiliar combination.

To be fair, Ritchie's preferred position is (or at least historically was) 7, so I don't think playing him there is much of an issue. He only moved to 6 because of Watson.

Skinner - seems to play quite a lot at 6 for Exeter so hopefully that's a good sign.

Also George Horne is injured, so makes sense he's not involved.

Agreed on Harris though, other than being versatile (poor in several positions) I don't see the appeal.

No one has selected Scotland to lose against Italy in the predictions... Eek

The idea of Chris Dean ahead of Sam Johnson is some mad luvvie guff!

I'm not a fan of Skinner at 6. Some of our best games we've played we've had almost 2 7s on the park for most of the game suh as barlcay or Ritchie at 6 with Mish at 7. It's like the Pooper tactic of Oz. Having two menaces at the breakdown jsut seems to work in the modern game.

Still. Should be enough to put Italy away

tigertattie wrote:I'm not a fan of Skinner at 6. Some of our best games we've played we've had almost 2 7s on the park for most of the game suh as barlcay or Ritchie at 6 with Mish at 7. It's like the Pooper tactic of Oz. Having two menaces at the breakdown jsut seems to work in the modern game.

Still. Should be enough to put Italy away

Skinner does play at 6 for Exeter, but this is a team who play Don Armand (6'5" lummox) at 7 and Matt Kvesic (an actual 7) at 8. Maybe that proves that the number on your back doesn't matter so much these days, but I do worry that Skinner is a bit slow to play BR at this level. McInally is also superb over the ball, so that takes some pressure off.

I think 7 is Ritchie's best position, especially at international level.

I think we'll get away with it this weekend but if we play the same backrow against Ireland we're going to have a long day at the breakdown.

Backrow is a real problem with so many injured.  Hardie might be the answer but IMO he has flattered to deceive in a Scotland shirt.

TJ wrote:Backrow is a real problem with so many injured.  Hardie might be the answer but IMO he has flattered to deceive in a Scotland shirt.

Probably our best player in the 2015 world cup though

Having a mobile backrow plays to our strengths but it does not always work, as it can lead us to getting mashed by big packs, which has happened on more than one occasion.

I have watched Skinner a few times at BS for Exeter and he has been good, that may actually end up being his best position, especially bearing in mind how many good locks we have.

tigertattie wrote:

TJ wrote:Backrow is a real problem with so many injured.  Hardie might be the answer but IMO he has flattered to deceive in a Scotland shirt.

Probably our best player in the 2015 world cup though

To be honest, I think Denton may well have been our best forward/player in the 2015 WC, but unfortunately he has not moved on from it.

Hardie is good at what he does, which is being a very destructive openside. He does often unfortunately tend to take himself out in the process, a bit like Favaro used to do for Glasgow. He is not as creative a player as some of the other backrows and that may be what has counted against him.

Hardie playing for the falcons on saturday, so not even staying with the squad.

All this Hardie talk is taking us away from the real issue

Just what are the photographs that Wilson has that Townsend doesnt want us to see???

tigertattie wrote:All this Hardie talk is taking us away from the real issue

Just what are the photographs that Wilson has that Townsend doesnt want us to see???

Must go higher than that, as Vern picked him a lot too. Photos of Dodson?

I'm not actually that against Wilson starting tomorrow, we have a larger, less mobile back row than we usually do. Having Wilson's mobility and handling may work well for us. Even if Parisse isn't half the player he once was he's still something of a talisman for them. If Wilson neutralises him and no one else then he's done his job.

If Wilson neutralsies Parisse I'll eat my hat

Ritchie and Skinner yes, Wilson. No!

Parisse is too much of an experianced warrior to get caught up in the niggle that Wilson will throw about.

tigertattie wrote:If Wilson neutralsies Parisse I'll eat my hat

Ritchie and Skinner yes, Wilson. No!

Parisse is too much of an experianced warrior to get caught up in the niggle that Wilson will throw about.

Parisse isn't the player he once was and Wilson isn't as poor as he's made out to be. He isn't a world class number eight but there is at least five more talented number 8s out there than him eligible for Scotland. Denton, Fagerson, Ashe, Bradbury and Strauss. Each one of them has had significant injury problems and or failed to kick on. Strauss has never replicated his Glasgow form in a Scotland shirt, which isn't surprising he was in the unusual position of being capped after his peak. Ashe and Denton should have been competing for the shirt for the last five years. But both of them have suffered from enormous dips in form and horrendous injury records (and in Denton's case poor moves). Fagerson and Bradbury are perhaps the next two off the block but neither of them are available now. Ideally Wilson would be the sixth choice but unlike those ahead of him he is consistent and he's always fit. There's a reason Wilson is the only one (Strauss aside perhaps) to have been a regular club captain.

Anyone going to the U20s game tonight?

http://www.swlondoner.co.uk/tim-visser-six-nations/

Nice little interview from Tim Visser about Darcy and Kinghorn and also his retirement. Seems like he’s really embracing a more laidback approach to his rugby now.

Is there a stream for the u20s game?

No. Sadly not

Is it time to build the pillow fort behind the sofa yet?

Results from yesterday:

7's played 3 lost 3

Ladies thumped by Italy Ladies

Under 20's walloped by Italian Under 20's.

Never mind the pillow fort, I'm eating pasta and drinking a nice Chianti for lunch.

jimbopip wrote:Results from yesterday:

7's played 3 lost 3

Ladies thumped by Italy Ladies

Under 20's walloped by Italian Under 20's.

Never mind the pillow fort, I'm eating pasta and drinking a nice Chianti for lunch.

I was just about to post something similar, that’s some lousy results!

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/scotland/interview-kilted-kiwi-john-leslie-just-wanted-to-do-scotland-proud-1-4866523

Is it just my phone or is this an incredibly short interview?

funnyExiledScot wrote:Not loving this team. Best 6 is at 7, best 7 isn't in the 23, there's a lock at 6, Ryan Wilson at 8, no George Horne, Chris Dean or Darcy Graham, a fullback on the wing and Chris Harris on the bench. A bit of a mess.

I'm ok with SJ at 12 though. I'd have gone with Dean but that's a very close call. Harris on the bench I just don't understand. Surely Graham on the wing with Kinghorn on the bench would be much better? Hastings can cover centre if needed.

Robbo: Seymour is the answer to that question.

Agree with me learned colleague, with the exception of Chris Dean, whom I wouldn't have in the squad. Samwise Johnson is definitely the next 12 to try and he should have good continuity with Russell and Saint Shug. I think that he has the potential to be a star in the tournament and we need him to be.

I hate these build up days. Quite intimidated by Wales winning in Paris.

I watched the Scotland v NZ sevens game this morning and we were truly awful, we were lucky to score zero if I am honest. Form in sevens is so fickle, we played really well last weekend and now it just evaporated.

Lossing to the Italian U20s was more of a surprise though, I thought we were meant to have a half decent team this year. We always tend to be slow starters in this competition though and often come better in the WC than the 6N.

It shows that Italy are starting to get their systems right though and have some decent juniors coming through. Bodes well for them going forwards.

RDW wrote:https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/scotland/interview-kilted-kiwi-john-leslie-just-wanted-to-do-scotland-proud-1-4866523

Is it just my phone or is this an incredibly short interview?

The 'View All' link screws up and the rest of the article doesn't load.

Well Italy's ladies team but 4 try's on Scotland's ladies last night. so could today be the same?

majesticimperialman wrote:Well Italy's ladies team but 4 try's on Scotland's ladies last night. so could today be the same?

It has definitely not been a good start to the weekend for us, but I guess things can only get better!

For those who haven't seen it, run "Scottish Peppa Pig" through YouTube.

Starting to get that feeling of existential dread I got the night before I got married and right before every Scotland game.

We're gonna blow it I tells ya.

We’re at home.

30 point win for us

I have started a little Italian six nations thread to discuss the two nations objectively from an impartial point of view as we have so few French or Italians on the boards...

Be great to hear some of your thoughts on the Italian performance after the match.

Good luck, enjoy the game. I hear the weather in Edinburgh is great and I think you are probably going to give them a proper pasting.

https://www.606v2.com/t68403-france-and-italy-team-thread

tigertattie wrote:We’re at home.

30 point win for us

Glacial Greg to take too long getting the ball out and getting tackled out his boots by Negri.

Dancer to throw a no look behind the back offload for Campagnaro to read to score Italy's bpt.

Chris Harris to come on and do Chris Harris things.

I'm going to the bunker.

Scotland 42-23 Italy

Wow Ghiraldini has done well, didn’t know he had so many caps...

Bloody hate the Proclaimer's at the best of times, but that horn is absolutely honking.

Glacial Greg really is comically slow. He's like a sloth in shorts.

Jesus Kinghorn... All he had to do was make the pass!

Anyone else just see Jaques Brunel in the crowd?

Somewhat against the run of play, Italy take the lead

Finn Russell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well taken by Blairhorn as well

robbo277 wrote:The big question:

Who is going to score more Fantasy Rugby points this weekend: Kinghorn or Seymour?

Kinghorn it is

Huw Jones has looked a bit headless like he's not 100% sure what he's supposed to be doing.

What a kick Russell, on the outside of the boot too!