6N squad - starting team

[BaldiePete]

I want to beat Ireland more than anything. I just fucking hate them and all their shitty pundits bleating about any player whoever looks remotely like they enjoy the game.

Now that we have the “perpetually losing to Gatland’s Wales” monkey off our backs, perpetually losing to Ireland is next. Much as I desperately want us to win next month I think it would take a 100% effort by us combined with an 80% or lower performance by Ireland for us to win.

[francoisfou]

I want to beat Ireland more than anything. I just fucking hate them and all their shitty pundits bleating about any player whoever looks remotely like they enjoy the game.

Now that we have the “perpetually losing to Gatland’s Wales” monkey off our backs, perpetually losing to Ireland is next. Much as I desperately want us to win next month I think it would take a 100% effort by us combined with an 80% or lower performance by Ireland for us to win.

I’d be delighted if you beat Ireland, a team who need pulling down a peg or two. I was disappointed to lose to them last Saturday, although I suppose they deserved their win.

[Mikey Brown]

Might as well just skip the text, and the graphs are horrible to look at but there is some interesting stuff in there.

https://www.scottishrugbyblog.co.uk/202 ... two-weeks/

[Cameo]

Might as well just skip the text, and the graphs are horrible to look at but there is some interesting stuff in there.

https://www.scottishrugbyblog.co.uk/202 ... two-weeks/

Yeah, I will be interesting to see how much our high tackle success rate is from facing two fairly one dimensional attacks or whether we can keep it up.

Anyone seen any decent analysis of our attacking shape? Feels like it has changed (rather than us becoming better at what we were trying to do) but don't have the time to properly look at it.

[Mikey Brown]

On one hand yes, but also really don’t want to be doing quite that much defending vs those two.

[BaldiePete]

Might as well just skip the text, and the graphs are horrible to look at but there is some interesting stuff in there.

https://www.scottishrugbyblog.co.uk/202 ... two-weeks/

Yeah, I will be interesting to see how much our high tackle success rate is from facing two fairly one dimensional attacks or whether we can keep it up.

Anyone seen any decent analysis of our attacking shape? Feels like it has changed (rather than us becoming better at what we were trying to do) but don't have the time to properly look at it.

Squidge’s analysis of the England match.



John Barclay talking about Scotland this weekend about 37 minutes in.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... nd-special

[Big D]

Watson was not good tonight.

[Cameo]

Any word on Crosbie's fitness?

We are massive underdogs these next two games but I can't wait. They will probably be two very different types of games. Against France, I suspect we will get plenty of chances to play ball in hand - the risk will just be getting turned over in dangerous positions and how dangerous France can be from turnovers. Against Ireland, we will face long periods under pressure from relentless attack when it feels like we will never get the ball back. I'm more optimistic for the former than the latter, but realistically if we are in with a shout in either game with ten minutes to go we'll have done well.

[Mikey Brown]

Was Crosbie a doubt?

[Cameo]

Was Crosbie a doubt?

I thought he was injured when he came off. Was holding his arm and came off about 2 mins after coming back on (after being off for Turner's sin bin).

Maybe was just precautionary.

[Cameo]

Speculation that Leon MacDonald (ex All Black 15 now coaching the Blues) has been sounded out about the Scotland job post World Cup.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby- ... IB2IOJNUE/

Whatever the position on Townsend it's sensible to be considering options, and MacDonald isn't a ridiculous one, but they'll surely be spitting mad that it is coming out now.

[General Zod]

Was Crosbie a doubt?

I thought he was injured when he came off. Was holding his arm and came off about 2 mins after coming back on (after being off for Turner's sin bin).

Maybe was just precautionary.

They’re saying he got a “stinger”, which is usually sorted in short order.

[francoisfou]

Midi Olympique thinks this’ll be the side to face Scotland: 15. Ramos ; 14. Penaud, 13. Fickou, 12. Moefana, 11. Dumortier ; 10. Ntamack, 9. Dupont (cap.) ; 7. Ollivon, 8. Alldritt, 6. Jelonch ; 5. Willemse, 4. Flament ; 3. Haouas, 2. Marchand, 1. Baille

Remplaçants : 16. Barlot, 17. Wardi, 18. Falatea, 19. R. Taofifenua, 20. Cros, 21. Macalou, 22. Couilloud, 23. Jalibert. Only the one enforced change, Haouas (remember him from Murrayfield? the tw@t) in for banned Atonio. I hope Willemse has had a rocket up his erse cos he’s had two rather ineffective matches.

[Mikey Brown]

I thought Haouas was in fucking prison or something???

Has Macalou become the bridge between a 6:2 bench and a forward that can genuinely cover wing? He's certainly a handy player.

[francoisfou]

I thought Haouas was in fucking prison or something???

Has Macalou become the bridge between a 6:2 bench and a forward that can genuinely cover wing? He's certainly a handy player.

I think Haouas was given a suspended prison sentence for robbing a tobacconist many years ago, so yes, he has form, so I’m rather surprised that Galthié couldn’t find another prop, one whose squeaky clean. Yes, Macalou is an extraordinary player being equally at ease on the wing (Eddie would surely have slipped him in at 12) as in the back row.

[Mikey Brown]

Fair enough. I had it in my head it was a serious enough offence for him to actually be in prison.

Where does Macalou play most of his club rugby? Can only really think of Botia who does both to a similar level.

[francoisfou]

Fair enough. I had it in my head it was a serious enough offence for him to actually be in prison.

Where does Macalou play most of his club rugby? Can only really think of Botia who does both to a similar level.

Wing forward, I think.

[septic 9]

Where does Macalou play most of his club rugby? Can only really think of Botia who does both to a similar level.

across the back row. I do not ever remember him playing wing for Stade.

He is an amazing athlete it has to be said. It also has to be said that while in the last couple of seasons before this one he often looked the only Stade player who gave a damn, and performed brilliantly; meanwhile in his few back row appearances for France he looked totally out of his depth

He is no Richie Vernon

More Roly Reid

[Cameo]

Roly Reid was a funny one. It felt like the experiment worked but it never really ce to anything. Interested to hear from someone who was older at the time and followed him at Glasgow a bit more closely.

Anyway, some very good Finn content, especially on Townsend telling him to run a bit more:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0f4lfy7

The main thing, which everyone mentions, is how much he thinks about the opposition defensive systems.

[septic 9]

Roly Reid was a funny one. It felt like the experiment worked but it never really ce to anything. Interested to hear from someone who was older at the time and followed him at Glasgow a bit more closely.

Anyway, some very good Finn content, especially on Townsend telling him to run a bit more:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0f4lfy7

The main thing, which everyone mentions, is how much he thinks about the opposition defensive systems.

On way to Paris will try to say about more about Reid later

[Mikey Brown]

Enjoy. I feel like the atmosphere for this one is going to be great.

[Donny osmond]

Roly Reid was a funny one. It felt like the experiment worked but it never really ce to anything. Interested to hear from someone who was older at the time and followed him at Glasgow a bit more closely.

Anyway, some very good Finn content, especially on Townsend telling him to run a bit more:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0f4lfy7

The main thing, which everyone mentions, is how much he thinks about the opposition defensive systems.

On way to Paris will try to say about more about Reid later

Wish I was. Enjoy it mate.

[af73]

Roly Reid was a funny one. It felt like the experiment worked but it never really ce to anything. Interested to hear from someone who was older at the time and followed him at Glasgow a bit more closely.

Anyway, some very good Finn content, especially on Townsend telling him to run a bit more:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0f4lfy7

The main thing, which everyone mentions, is how much he thinks about the opposition defensive systems.

I remember seeing Reid in an early outing on the wing - preseason at Bridgehaugh I think, and thinking "oh, aye. Like the look of this". He'd been a handy enough as a back row but this was immediately obvious as being different and potentially quite good.
Rob Moffat was the backs coach at the time and quite an innovative coach. Hat-trick followed in the league against Cross Keys
In the national team however McGeechan was rowing back from his earlier adventurous incarnations and seemed to be more concerned with what Reid couldn't do than what he could. A more rounded (conservative) selection usually followed. 1st catch off the bench and scored. Second game started against Argentina and had the crowd gasping at an early run. Game was lost though and never capped again.

Reid then flitted between wing and back row at Glasgow as the need arose, excelled on the 7's circuit for a while ultimately becoming one of those "what if" players that you felt never fulfilled early promise ....or was given the chance to. Went back to South Africa and played for Guateng/Lions/Transvaal and finally on the wing for Edinburgh I think.

[Cameo]

Thanks, my main memory was of being unreasonably excited when he scored with his first touch on his debut. I thought we had our own Jonah Lomu! I remember similar hype (based on speed not size) before James Craig debuted.

When people complain about rug y being boring nowadays, I often think back to how starved we were then of any attack. There are a few players from back then I would love to see in the current set up, but a lot of it was just stodge.

[BaldiePete]

Watson replaces Crosbie in the starting 15. I didn’t see Edinburgh’s game against Scarlets (luckily) but Watson can’t have played well in that match and hasn’t exactly been on form, or even playing much, this season. Is Crosbie injured?

Skinner on the bench which is 6:2, with Harris dropping out completely. Price for Horne. Very unfortunate for Horne who’s looked good coming on so far.