Scots Abroad VIII (or let's spot the new messiah)

[Tobylerone]

He called retirement "la petite mort" (the little death). It actually means an orgasm.
Someone has been playing games with him.

Yes, I wondered about that one as well, but you can see where he`s coming from......

[Mikey Brown]

I was surprised to see he had 40 caps. In my mind he had that one great season where the killer Bs ran riot and we dominated all before us, but outside of that was just dribs and drabs. Not sure if that is fair or not but his highlights reel was actually quite entertaining.



A whole lot of breaks in there where we just absolutely fail to offer any support.

It would be fantastic to have a number 8 playing like that at the moment. It's possible Thomson, or Fagerson in time, could be that guy. We really seem to struggle to produce athletic, powerful players who really throw themselves in to contact as well as using the ball smartly.

[Chunks Baws]

I was surprised to see he had 40 caps. In my mind he had that one great season where the killer Bs ran riot and we dominated all before us, but outside of that was just dribs and drabs. Not sure if that is fair or not but his highlights reel was actually quite entertaining.



A whole lot of breaks in there where we just absolutely fail to offer any support.

It would be fantastic to have a number 8 playing like that at the moment. It's possible Thomson, or Fagerson in time, could be that guy. We really seem to struggle to produce athletic, powerful players who really throw themselves in to contact as well as using the ball smartly.

Cornell du Preez has been playing very well for Worcester lately. I wouldn't be surprised to see him called up.

[Mikey Brown]

Fair shout. Haven't seen much of them myself but all the reports and saying so and seems to be reinvigorated after that horrible injury.

Part of what I was alluding to though was this need to keep selecting SH rejects (sounds harsh but I don't know how else to put it) as we don't seem to create these types very often ourselves. I thought Ashe could be it but I should have abandoned that hope a long time ago. FWIW I think Fagerson will be quality, but not sure if now is the moment to bring him in.

CdP was dumped on the back of the same Wales game that saw Harris binned (initially) right?

[Chunks Baws]

Fair shout. Haven't seen much of them myself but all the reports and saying so and seems to be reinvigorated after that horrible injury.

Part of what I was alluding to though was this need to keep selecting SH rejects (sounds harsh but I don't know how else to put it) as we don't seem to create these types very often ourselves. I thought Ashe could be it but I should have abandoned that hope a long time ago. FWIW I think Fagerson will be quality, but not sure if now is the moment to bring him in.

CdP was dumped on the back of the same Wales game that saw Harris binned (initially) right?

Yeah, amongst a sea of pish that day he was a particularly large floater of a turd. His stats that day were embarrassing. I can't remember exactly what they were and can't find them on Goggle, but he made something like 5 yards, barely touched the ball and made hardly any tackles. It will be a hell of a comeback story if he does get picked and becomes a key player for us. I'll remain traditionally pessimistic for now though.

[Mikey Brown]

Yep. He's certainly got some skills but it does seem to be a trend that Denton/Strauss/CdP would occasionally have games where they looked like they'd never encountered a rugby ball before. Not that that's a particularly un-Scottish trait.

But hey, we've progressed to NZ imports rather than SA.

[Big D]

Yep. He's certainly got some skills but it does seem to be a trend that Denton/Strauss/CdP would occasionally have games where they looked like they'd never encountered a rugby ball before. Not that that's a particularly un-Scottish trait.

But hey, we've progressed to NZ imports rather than SA.

Until this year. The JockBoks are coming.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Beattie definitely falls into the Allister Hogg pot. Criminally underused and frozen out.

[whatisthejava]

Beattie definitely falls into the Allister Hogg pot. Criminally underused and frozen out.

Ally Hogg is still the weirdest in that he went from nailed on starter edinburgh captain to jetisoned by the same coach

[af73]

It's been a trait of Scottish coaching/selection for as long as I can remember.

Once you are in its very difficult to get out.....once you're out virtually impossible to get back in.
Reasons can include - face/school tie/club/coaching ideology (also known as systems/processes/game plan)

Not sure if we are more prone to this than other nations but with our resources we are less able to be so.

[General Zod]

It's been a trait of Scottish coaching/selection for as long as I can remember.

Once you are in its very difficult to get out.....once you're out virtually impossible to get back in.
Reasons can include - face/school tie/club/coaching ideology (also known as systems/processes/game plan)

Not sure if we are more prone to this than other nations but with our resources we are less able to be so.

Unaccountable ineptitude and a decent wage. Basically what I aspire to, so I can’t be all high and mighty about this.

[septic 9]

Beattie definitely falls into the Allister Hogg pot. Criminally underused and frozen out.

nonsense.

Hogg's omission for so long was ridiculous because he kept playing well while we capped some numpties and out of form guys. Much more akin to Barclay's black balling by Scott Johnson. Beattie's form fell off a cliff for too long - had he ever got back near his best and was interested he wouldn't have ended up a bit part player or in D2 in France

[septic 9]

Not sure if we are more prone to this than other nations but with our resources we are less able to be so.

I'd maybe argue the opposite. If a player is disruptive, doesn't fit in or just won't stick to the plan, we can less afford to keep them in and around a wider squad. We don't have the strength or depth to tolerate that.

Hogg was always a mystery. He was always clear he was available, so it wasn't that. I'm not even sure he was told why he wasn't being considered. Barclay was always excellent and got even better, he knew why he had been shunned.

[Mikey Brown]

My memory of when Hogg fell out of favour was clearly a bit dodgy. Just looked it up and he was only 26 when he won his last cap.

Strange looking at his match stats now. http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/pl ... view=match 35% win ratio is pretty grim though.

That 6 nations opener against Wales really is a killer, eh.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Marfo started for the Ospreys today... Anyone spot that?

[switchskier]

Marfo started for the Ospreys today... Anyone spot that?

Scrum did fairly well but ineffective carrying. Part of a generally poor Ospreys team and didn't look international quality at all. Scotland are headed for a loosehead crisis very soon.

[ARM]

Marfo started for the Ospreys today... Anyone spot that?

Scrum did fairly well but ineffective carrying. Part of a generally poor Ospreys team and didn't look international quality at all. Scotland are headed for a loosehead crisis very soon.

Scotland has issues at loosehead no doubt but Marfo is not relevant to that conversation. We just need to get through the 6N and Kebble then qualifies in the autumn. By that stage the current Glasgow front five could be first choice for Scotland.

[septic 9]

Marfo started for the Ospreys today... Anyone spot that?

Scrum did fairly well but ineffective carrying. Part of a generally poor Ospreys team and didn't look international quality at all. Scotland are headed for a loosehead crisis very soon.

Scotland has issues at loosehead no doubt but Marfo is not relevant to that conversation. We just need to get through the 6N and Kebble then qualifies in the autumn. By that stage the current Glasgow front five could be first choice for Scotland.

Hmmm.
I'm far from certain Kebble is the answer to anything. He had some storming games in his first season, since then.................well its mixed to put it mildly. He isn't really carrying the way he was recruited to do, drifts out of games, refs have taken a huge dislike to his scrummaging (not always correctly but that's how it is), and he is injured too often - rarely gets past HT when he starts a game.

SRU could do worse than talk Glasgow and Gordon Reid into a big comeback

[switchskier]

Scrum did fairly well but ineffective carrying. Part of a generally poor Ospreys team and didn't look international quality at all. Scotland are headed for a loosehead crisis very soon.

Scotland has issues at loosehead no doubt but Marfo is not relevant to that conversation. We just need to get through the 6N and Kebble then qualifies in the autumn. By that stage the current Glasgow front five could be first choice for Scotland.

Hmmm.
I'm far from certain Kebble is the answer to anything. He had some storming games in his first season, since then.................well its mixed to put it mildly. He isn't really carrying the way he was recruited to do, drifts out of games, refs have taken a huge dislike to his scrummaging (not always correctly but that's how it is), and he is injured too often - rarely gets past HT when he starts a game.

SRU could do worse than talk Glasgow and Gordon Reid into a big comeback

A fully fit and motivated Reid would be great but if he isn't in that mindset then it would be a disaster (similar to your comments on Beattie jr).

Hughes starts for Leicester today but pretty sure that's a second choice side.

[ARM]

Scrum did fairly well but ineffective carrying. Part of a generally poor Ospreys team and didn't look international quality at all. Scotland are headed for a loosehead crisis very soon.

Scotland has issues at loosehead no doubt but Marfo is not relevant to that conversation. We just need to get through the 6N and Kebble then qualifies in the autumn. By that stage the current Glasgow front five could be first choice for Scotland.

Hmmm.
I'm far from certain Kebble is the answer to anything. He had some storming games in his first season, since then.................well its mixed to put it mildly. He isn't really carrying the way he was recruited to do, drifts out of games, refs have taken a huge dislike to his scrummaging (not always correctly but that's how it is), and he is injured too often - rarely gets past HT when he starts a game.

SRU could do worse than talk Glasgow and Gordon Reid into a big comeback

In a pretty bare cupboard he looks like the best option we have...at least until Schoeman then qualifies. I think you do his carrying and scrummaging a disservice although the inconsistency and resilience are points I’d accept.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Reid is on a dual contract or whatever they are called anyway. He trains with the weeg and is available to play for them if needed.

[septic 9]

Hmmm.
I'm far from certain Kebble is the answer to anything. He had some storming games in his first season, since then.................well its mixed to put it mildly. He isn't really carrying the way he was recruited to do, drifts out of games, refs have taken a huge dislike to his scrummaging (not always correctly but that's how it is), and he is injured too often - rarely gets past HT when he starts a game.

SRU could do worse than talk Glasgow and Gordon Reid into a big comeback

A fully fit and motivated Reid would be great but if he isn't in that mindset then it would be a disaster (similar to your comments on Beattie jr).

not sure I referred to Beattie's mindset in that way, although that many have questioned it over the years. Could have, but what I did say was his form dropped off markedly.
To be very clear "mindset" and attitude have never ever been an issue with Reid. Reid would play for Glasgow for nothing. He wasn't really wanting to go south but made the best of it, his wife didn't settle and moved back early, so he wanted back nearer home. SRU had the chance to sign him for Glasgow again but ........anyway he is on a partnership with Warriors, hopefully fitness isn't as much of an issue as it otherwise would have been although match fitness (speed of any game he has played will have been slow motion compared to a test match) could be.

[Mikey Brown]

Richie Gray back to Glasgow!

[General Zod]

https://amp.rugbypass.com/news/saracens ... ssion=true

So, could be Maitland, Superdunc and Hunter-Hill looking for a club soon.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

https://amp.rugbypass.com/news/saracens ... ssion=true

So, could be Maitland, Superdunc and Hunter-Hill looking for a club soon.

Hunter-Hill is tied to Edinburgh until 2021 but I take your point.

Sarries have been paying these guys for 7-8 months already, whatever they've been paid counts towards this years cap. If they need to cut it further they need to offload the required players quick. The players have to agree to this of course... and the irony is, those that are likely most interested in their players and those with the room in the cap to afford them are those around the relegation zone themselves.