Glasgow and Edinburgh ongoing banter thread 24 - Covid funtimes

by **RDW** Mon 20 Apr 2020, 12:10 am

First topic message reminder :

Previous gibberish

https://www.606v2.com/t69038p1050-glasgow-and-edinburgh-banter-thread-no-23-new-season-new-thread

Fixtures

Glasgow - none

Edinburgh - none

Scotland - none

Sad

by **RDW** Sat 18 Jul 2020, 9:02 am

Well it's the wife's birthday today which means we should have been in New Zealand right now watching Scotland get humped by the All Blacks in Dunedin.

Instead we're in the Hunter Valley drinking lots of wine - swings and roundabouts!

by jimbopip Sat 18 Jul 2020, 9:29 am

You take her to the swing park on her birthday Shocked

How old is she exactly?

I remember you posting that you had seen Bruce Springsteen when you took Mrs Flounder(Ursula) to her Pony Club meeting. I assumed she was one of the adult supervisors. Now I'm concerned. chin

by bsando Sat 18 Jul 2020, 10:01 am

RDW wrote:Well it's the wife's birthday today which means we should have been in New Zealand right now watching Scotland get humped by the All Blacks in Dunedin.

Instead we're in the Hunter Valley drinking lots of wine - swings and roundabouts!

Not a bad compromise!

by **RDW** Sat 18 Jul 2020, 10:13 am

What's people's thoughts on the cancelled summer tour - blessing in disguise or missed opportunity to really test ourselves?

I'm probably closer to the former - it was set up to be an absolutely brutal tour at the end of a long season. Would love to have seen our fully fit squad have a good crack at both SA and NZ but there would have been a slim chance of us being able to put our best team out for the tour.

by jimbopip Sat 18 Jul 2020, 10:26 am

I'm thinking that professional rugby is a pretty brutal environment in which to earn a crust. Sam Warburton's autobiography was grim reading at times; the toll on the average top level player's body can be horrific. The long lay off must have been good for them. Certainly Richie Gray will probably be better for it. Similarly, if the coaches are able to have lots of time with the squads it should be a good thing; DW getting to know the Glasgow players and setting out his expectations and philosophy, Cockers standing in front of a flip chart with two pictures, Danny La Rue in full feathers and sequins mode, Martin Johnson in blood and knuckles mode. "Now lads, repeat after me slingbacks bad! Bandages good."

I'm sure the rest will be better than being flogged through a series thrashing in the Land Of The Long White Cloud.

by **NeilyBroon** Sat 18 Jul 2020, 10:34 am

Aye it's a bit disappointing not to have a crack at the top table but Jimbo is right that this enforced rest is probably good for the players, maybe not in terms of mental health and job stability but in terms of their physical fitness.

Hopefully we'll get another chance next year as the calendar inevitably is rejigged, whether at home or away. It's going to be a bit mental next year for the players anyway. Hopefully we will see squad rotation every week (for their sake as much as anything).

by jimbopip Sat 18 Jul 2020, 11:22 am

Well Neily, I think there is one prediction we can safely make; there will be more squad rotation at Scotstoun next season than there was under Cowboy Dave.

by **NeilyBroon** Sat 18 Jul 2020, 11:29 am

jimbopip wrote:Well Neily, I think there is one prediction we can safely make; there will be more squad rotation at Scotstoun next season than there was under Cowboy Dave.

There'd be more squad rotation under Cockers and thats saying something!

by bsando Sun 19 Jul 2020, 7:10 am

It was certainly clear that while Scotland’s defence was doing much better in the 6N their attack was at times pretty sub par. I think it’s good the players get a breather really. While it’s a shame to miss out on seeing Scotland playing in NZ for the first time in 20+ years and taking on the world champs, it would have been a very difficult tour with a new game plan. Hopefully when Scotland do finally meet NZ and SA they’ll be better prepared and have a better attack in place.

by **NeilyBroon** Sun 19 Jul 2020, 10:25 am

Agree bsando. We've looked a bit headless again, I'm hoping Johnny bell will have an influence on how the national side play. At the moment it's very reminiscent of the Andy Robinson era (which may or may not be to do with Toonie's attack plan considering he was also attack coach back then).

Putting a pod system back in and working on the offloading game I think would be the way to go. We used to be so good at it, I don't know where it's gone wrong. If Toonie can temper his ego some more and step further back and allow other coaches some freedom on our attack plan we could see an improvement. As I've said before it also depends a lot on who we get as a forwards coach.

by **NeilyBroon** Tue 21 Jul 2020, 8:43 pm

Scott Steele has signed for quins. May have a late surge in form? He's only 26, would be nice to have another option.

by Hazel Sapling Wed 22 Jul 2020, 9:14 am

NeilyBroon wrote:Scott Steele has signed for quins. May have a late surge in form? He's only 26, would be nice to have another option.

From the sounds of it, he is the third option behind Care (34 in January) and Landajo (32). Steele should be within the rotation and either of the first two could be at risk of an international call up as well.

by tigertattie Wed 22 Jul 2020, 11:47 am

Care wont be called up. He's burnt his bridges with Jones!

He's also 34 which is getting on a bit for a poncey back!

by Hazel Sapling Wed 22 Jul 2020, 12:50 pm

Never say never. Eddie Jones only considers SH's over the age of 30.

It is a good place for Steele if they stick with only three SH's. Hopefully he has a better time there than SHC and Jackson

by EST Wed 22 Jul 2020, 1:10 pm

Yeah, a good place for Steele to end up. He's a very competent player, if perhaps not international class.

It's all a bit quiet on all things Scottish Rugby just now. I wonder how the respective pro sides are going to approach these two fixtures, one with lots to play for and the other with nothing aside from pride and impressing a new gaffer.

by **BigGee** Wed 22 Jul 2020, 4:26 pm

Fixtures confirmed today

22nd August then a 6 day turnaround for the return on the 28th.

I am not convinced Glasgow will go hell for leather at these games, they have nothing to play for and then face a pretty fallow period once they are done. I expect DW will use it to have a look at the squad, expect a few changes from one game to the next.

by EST Thu 23 Jul 2020, 9:16 am

BigGee wrote:Fixtures confirmed today

22nd August then a 6 day turnaround for the return on the 28th.

I am not convinced Glasgow will go hell for leather at these games, they have nothing to play for and then face a pretty fallow period once they are done. I expect DW will use it to have a look at the squad, expect a few changes from one game to the next.

Yeah, that would be my guess - give the squad a decent run-out and try out a few combinations.

by **RDW** Thu 23 Jul 2020, 9:22 am

When are Glasgow likely to play another game after?

I previously mentioned that the rumours were that after the Euro games it would go straight into a big international block, and that's confirmed as being the case. In the announcement it made a big play of the clubs having their international players available to complete the 2019-20 season - no mention about starting the new one...

Would be pretty sneaky to have overlooked that fact if the Pro 14 is going to kick off the new season at the same time. I still think we'll see a restart in December/January as part of the new global season.

by **BigGee** Thu 23 Jul 2020, 10:05 am

I can't see how they will get through a whole season of games starting that late

We have got to fit in next season euro fixtures as well, then the 6N and have it all wrapped up for a Lions tour in the summer.

Surely they will start some club ganes in Nov when the AIs are going on

by EST Thu 23 Jul 2020, 10:08 am

RDW wrote:When are Glasgow likely to play another game after?

I previously mentioned that the rumours were that after the Euro games it would go straight into a big international block, and that's confirmed as being the case. In the announcement it made a big play of the clubs having their international players available to complete the 2019-20 season - no mention about starting the new one...

Would be pretty sneaky to have overlooked that fact if the Pro 14 is going to kick off the new season at the same time. I still think we'll see a restart in December/January as part of the new global season.

It's all gone a bit quiet on that front hasn't it? There seemed to be real momentum at the start of lock-down, but as I understand it the Top 14/Premiership reps were excluded from the world rugby talks and aren't happy with the two international block proposal?

by **BigGee** Thu 23 Jul 2020, 12:53 pm

Glasgow to get back training at Scotstoun next week.

Another step towards some kind of normality thankfully.

by jimbopip Thu 23 Jul 2020, 1:57 pm

DW's first two matches might, just might, present him with a bit of a dilemma. Headscratch

Obviously, he will want two victories; or at least two very good performances.

Obviously, he will want to put the Effeminates From The East back in their box.

However, that would have the unintended consequence of handing Munster a home semi. I would be surprised if someone at HQ has not already mentioned "the big picture" and "the benefits to Scottish rugby as a whole" of the Luvvies getting a home semi and possibly a place in the final.

chin

Personally, I think back to Damon Runyon and his scepticism around the majority of boxing matches. Unless if was a title fight, and quite often even not then, he believed managers were guided by the principle of, "Well I've invested a huge amount of time and money into this lad; the last thing I want to do is put him in the ring with someone who might actually hurt him." I would not be surprised if DW uses these fixtures as a full contact training session for as many players as possible. Ten easy points to the Luvvies.

by **BigGee** Fri 24 Jul 2020, 2:40 pm

Just finished a night shift this morning so passing the afternoon without a lot of oomph by watching the Reds v The Western Force.

Am thinking it is just as well Edinburgh did not get Jono Lance tbh, he has missed 2 conversions in front of the posts so far and Force are 28-24 down.

The game is generally pretty awful though, you would imagine any of the NZ franchises could put 50 points on either of them.

by **BigGee** Fri 24 Jul 2020, 4:24 pm

https://www.theoffsideline.com/hamilton-burr/?v=79cba1185463

Hamilton Burr, who never really quite made it with Glasgow, seems to be doing pretty well down in NZ.

Might be one to look at bringing back in the future.

by bsando Fri 24 Jul 2020, 4:58 pm

BigGee wrote:Just finished a night shift this morning so passing the afternoon without a lot of oomph by watching the Reds v The Western Force.

Am thinking it is just as well Edinburgh did not get Jono Lance tbh, he has missed 2 conversions in front of the posts so far and Force are 28-24 down.

The game is generally pretty awful though, you would imagine any of the NZ franchises could put 50 points on either of them.

Ah yes I didn't think he looked that great either when I saw the Force lose their first match. So you've confirmed my suspicions that he may have been a not so great signing had he been allowed to stay in the UK with Edinburgh.

Glad to see the Force back though and funny to see Frisby and Lance will be lining up vs Brumbies with Atkins on the bench.

Australia needs a Western Australian rugby presence at the highest level. AFL and Cricket dominates in WA but Rugby has a solid supporter base there and a good system in place in Perth. I hope they can remain part of an Australian Super Rugby competition.

by bsando Fri 24 Jul 2020, 5:11 pm

BigGee wrote:https://www.theoffsideline.com/hamilton-burr/?v=79cba1185463

Hamilton Burr, who never really quite made it with Glasgow, seems to be doing pretty well down in NZ.

Might be one to look at bringing back in the future.

That was a good read! I love it when players go out of the comfort zone and flourish elsewhere. My big takeaway from that article was he has been working very hard and pushing himself, so if he were to return he may well do a lot better with his new mindset and ability. NZ really are miles ahead in terms of player development.

by **BigGee** Fri 24 Jul 2020, 5:17 pm

bsando wrote:
BigGee wrote:Just finished a night shift this morning so passing the afternoon without a lot of oomph by watching the Reds v The Western Force.

Am thinking it is just as well Edinburgh did not get Jono Lance tbh, he has missed 2 conversions in front of the posts so far and Force are 28-24 down.

The game is generally pretty awful though, you would imagine any of the NZ franchises could put 50 points on either of them.

Ah yes I didn't think he looked that great either when I saw the Force lose their first match. So you've confirmed my suspicions that he may have been a not so great signing had he been allowed to stay in the UK with Edinburgh.

Glad to see the Force back though and funny to see Frisby and Lance will be lining up vs Brumbies with Atkins on the bench.

Australia needs a Western Australian rugby presence at the highest level. AFL and Cricket dominates in WA but Rugby has a solid supporter base there and a good system in place in Perth. I hope they can remain part of an Australian Super Rugby competition.

Ollie Atkins actually played pretty well when he came on, I always thought he was a decent player that Edinburgh did not really get the best out of.

by **RDW** Sat 25 Jul 2020, 5:18 am

I've been watching a lot of Aussie rugby out here and it's really been poor quality. It's sad to see actually! The Brumbies are decent but the rest are really poor - Glasgow and Edinburgh would beat them all comfortably I reckon. Murray Douglas has started every game for the Brumbies.

Australia would get absolutely humped by NZ just now. It's a good thing Super Rugby was cut short too as the Aussie teams would be humped week in week out.

by bsando Sat 25 Jul 2020, 2:32 pm

Yeah it has been sad to see Australian rugby go down hill these past ten years and the difference in quality is quite striking between SR NZ and Aus. I don't think the Wallabies will get any worse than they have been though, we all know Rennie will help a lot with that. My honest belief is Australia were coached poorly under Chieka and I was not a fan of him at all. Rennie will get a lot more from the players on and off the field.

I guess Australia have sort of become a SH version of Wales, having some pretty average pro sides but managing to put together a good national squad consistently. They're also blessed with the pacific islanders who move to Australia and become eligible for selection so depth will never be a problem. RA just need to sort it out and make sure they come out of the covid crisis with a plan for improving the game in Australia. The days of John Eales and world cup glory are long gone.

by bsando Sat 25 Jul 2020, 2:34 pm

Oh and you'll have to go to an AFL match RDW, it is an amazing experience I promise you.

by bsando Sat 25 Jul 2020, 8:47 pm

I’m probably gonna get up at 4.30 and watch blues play chiefs tomorrow morning. Christie is starting again despite Sam Knock being available and on the bench. Beauden Barrett is staring at 10 for this one which will be very interesting.

by **RDW** Sun 26 Jul 2020, 2:14 am

bsando wrote:Oh and you'll have to go to an AFL match RDW, it is an amazing experience I promise you.

Mate I'm loving AFL - Sydney Swans are my team. They're not doing great this year but they've got a young squad (or so I'm told!). It's an absolutely bonkers game.

On a previous trip to Australia we went to the Anzac Day game at the MCG in Melbourne - 95,000 people watching AFL. Changed days eh!

by **RDW** Sun 26 Jul 2020, 5:50 am

bsando wrote:I’m probably gonna get up at 4.30 and watch blues play chiefs tomorrow morning. Christie is starting again despite Sam Knock being available and on the bench. Beauden Barrett is staring at 10 for this one which will be very interesting.

Worth getting up for - good try from him!

by **RDW** Sun 26 Jul 2020, 6:21 am

Another incredibly exciting kiwi SR game - the quality really is outstanding. As close to a test match as you're gonna get at club level. Gatland's chiefs lose again but it was bloody close!

Finlay Christie played 60 minutes and had a decent game and a well taken try. I don't think we should be breaking the bank to get him over as we've got good choices at 9, but to look comfortable at that standard of rugby is good to know for the future.

by bsando Sun 26 Jul 2020, 7:17 am

I caught the 2nd half after sleeping through my alarm haha. His try was well taken indeed and I saw he won another turnover from sniping at the Chiefs scrum half at scrum time. He likes those ones, he did the same against TJ Perenara last week. Also his box kicking looked much better.
And like you say the competition is fierce, Blues we’re lucky keep the Chiefs out at the end. I saw the Scotsman ran an article on Christie recently but I think he seems pretty keen to just stay settled for a bit at Blues which is the best option for him really. It’ll be interesting to see how he progresses, the pundits talked him up after the game when they interviewed Leon MacDonald. Sounds like he’s well liked within the squad.

by bsando Sun 26 Jul 2020, 7:25 am

RDW wrote:
bsando wrote:Oh and you'll have to go to an AFL match RDW, it is an amazing experience I promise you.

Mate I'm loving AFL - Sydney Swans are my team. They're not doing great this year but they've got a young squad (or so I'm told!). It's an absolutely bonkers game.

On a previous trip to Australia we went to the Anzac Day game at the MCG in Melbourne - 95,000 people watching AFL. Changed days eh!

Haha yeah it is a crazy game, but very fun to watch and play actually. Swans have always been a good side so I’m sure they are rebuilding this season. I’m a west coast fan but have not been keeping up with them as much as I used to. They had a good rivalry with swans back in 2005/2006 when each side won a premiership by a point playing against the other. That Eagles side was largely criticised afterwards though because they were up to some pretty bad off field antics.

by tigertattie Mon 27 Jul 2020, 10:17 am

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Scottish Rugby

Scottish Rugby who?

Exactly!

by jimbopip Mon 27 Jul 2020, 6:03 pm

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/53552277

Knock knock

Who's there?

Next years' Pro 14 Winners.

Ah, you're not Scottish then.

An eight team tournament in the autumn, after the concluding 6 Nations matches , plus rest protocols, means the Luvvies and the Rugby Team will be playing third and fourth choice players in quite a few matches this season.
Discuss.

by bsando Mon 27 Jul 2020, 6:36 pm

by tigertattie Tue 28 Jul 2020, 11:14 am

Lets just sit back for a while and relish our top seeding in Group B!

by **BigGee** Tue 28 Jul 2020, 11:52 am

The TH prop from this years Scotland u20 squad, Mak Wilson, who had a very decent tournament and clearly caught some eyes has signed for Harlequins.

Hopefully he will continue to develop under thd tutelage of Adam Jones. A pretty good mentor you would have to say.

Good luck to the lad. Bit of a log jam of props in the pro sides atm, so good to take the chance of a pro contrsct elsewhere. He may well come back at some stsge stronger and better.

by **BigGee** Tue 28 Jul 2020, 11:54 am

he also joins a longish line of cerebral Scottish props, Murray (Vet), Cross (Doc), Kalman (Rocket Scientist)

This young lads chosen degree was Astro Physics!

by **NeilyBroon** Tue 28 Jul 2020, 12:40 pm

BigGee wrote:he also joins a longish line of cerebral Scottish props, Murray (Vet), Cross (Doc), Kalman (Rocket Scientist)

This young lads chosen degree was Astro Physics!

The Scottish front row has always been abundant with philosophers and intellectuals such as Chunk and Gordie Reid. The further back you go the further it declines with Batman dragging the average down by quite a margin.

by tigertattie Tue 28 Jul 2020, 2:57 pm

You walk into a bar

There's two tables with a spare seat at each

One table has Geoff Cross and Euan Murray

One table has Gordie Reid and Alan Jacobson

Which table do you sit at and why?

by **NeilyBroon** Tue 28 Jul 2020, 3:30 pm

tigertattie wrote:You walk into a bar

There's two tables with a spare seat at each

One table has Geoff Cross and Euan Murray

One table has Gordie Reid and Alan Jacobson

Which table do you sit at and why?

Is that a rhetorical question?

by **BigGee** Tue 28 Jul 2020, 8:13 pm

https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1288185004632289283

That's a real sobering read about Matt Smith's experiences and why he walked away from rugby.

We may be getting better about dealing with the mental health side of sport, but clearly we are not there yet!

Hopefully he goes on from strength to strength in his new career away from professional sport.

by **RDW** Tue 28 Jul 2020, 10:51 pm

That really doesn't make good reading. Sounds like some real issues with parts of the environment at Glasgow - the bit about the mental coach being inntj coaches offices is so amateurish. The whole fundamental of mental health support is people need to feel comfortable seeking it, which clearly wasn't happening at Glasgow.

The Edinburgh move was a strange one - I remember saying at the time there was no chance he was going to get any gametime.

In any case it's good he's got out of the sports and he's doing a lot better. It would be a shame if he's lost to rugby for good - a super 6 or premiership team would happily have him, and give him the friendship and camaraderie that he so enjoyed.

by **BigGee** Wed 29 Jul 2020, 7:31 am

Unfortunately i imagine that playing at a lower level would probably just remind him of what he was missing and what could have been.

I expect he will have to make a clean break from the game, for his own sake.

by **RDW** Wed 29 Jul 2020, 7:34 am

I was just thinking that given he said the rare 20 minutes or so of gametime he got he felt alive - it was the constant holding tackle bags for no gain and dealing with injuries that were the issue.

Obviously this is a complex issue and we don't want to second guess what goes through his mind, but it does sound like he enjoyed playing at least. The problems were because he wasn't doing it very often.

Again it's just a good thing he's managed to find a bit of peace now.

by **NeilyBroon** Wed 29 Jul 2020, 9:42 am

I think it's a very poor reflection on Scottish rugby, although thank god these players have the courage to call it out. Hopefully this will drive change, off site access to a counsellor would be a positive start for sure.

Someone said it before but I think Rennie's coaching style can be very exclusive of those not in the starting 15, and we've seen a few players not in that bubble fall by the wayside. It does make you wonder if players like Huw Jones hadn't got the international opportunity prior to playing in Scotland where they'd be now (obviously in Huws case he'd have options beyond Scotland but for arguments sake)

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