Team for Scotland

[FKAS]

Dropping Penaud is wild

Agreed!
It is said that Galthié dropped Penaud for his “lack of commitment and sharpness”!
Penaud’s performances in Blue are nearly always of the top drawer and to drop him for the above reasons is crazy.
Galthié’s detractors are growing in number and he needs convincing wins in the rest of the 6N.
First up is the potential banana skin on Sunday in Rome followed by a trip to Dublin.
Galthié is maybe feeling a tad nervous.

Maybe he wants some shock tactics to spur the team on. France have fallen off since the disappointment of the world cup. Not helped by some of their absentees, Dupont last year and this 6N with no Danty or Fickou. Does look like they need a bit of a kick up the backside.

[p/d]

I assume Penaud has taken the heat for the Daly try.

As for kick up the arse as a team, perhaps. After a hit and miss convincing win v Wales they weren’t far off tearing us a new one.

Not sure I would be pressing a panic button yet.

[Scrumhead]

Not sure about that. I didn’t think that in real time and Puja’s excellent MBM does a great job of debunking the idea that France were rampant/we were lucky.

Anyway, I hate 7:1s and I’m enjoying Italy being more competitive so it would be nice to see Galthie’s tactics bite him in the arse.

What would be lovely is a BP win for us today, Italy to pull off a shock win and then France to go all out against Ireland to give us a shot at winning the 6 Nations. That would probably need an unlikely sequence of results including 3 BP wins for us and Ireland getting nothing vs. France, but a man can dream …

[FKAS]

I assume Penaud has taken the heat for the Daly try.

As for kick up the arse as a team, perhaps. After a hit and miss convincing win v Wales they weren’t far off tearing us a new one.

Not sure I would be pressing a panic button yet.

French media is out for blood though and France's playing resources are exceptional. Results are expected. Galthie's position might be precarious so he'll want a reaction. Italy were a banana skin last year for France.

[p/d]

Not sure about that. I didn’t think that in real time and Puja’s excellent MBM does a great job of debunking the idea that France were rampant/we were lucky.

Anyway, I hate 7:1s and I’m enjoying Italy being more competitive so it would be nice to see Galthie’s tactics bite him in the arse.

What would be lovely is a BP win for us today, Italy to pull off a shock win and then France to go all out against Ireland to give us a shot at winning the 6 Nations. That would probably need an unlikely sequence of results including 3 BP wins for us and Ireland getting nothing vs. France, but a man can dream …

Certainly didn’t say we were lucky and France rampant But hey-ho.

Agree on the 7:1

[p/d]

I assume Penaud has taken the heat for the Daly try.

As for kick up the arse as a team, perhaps. After a hit and miss convincing win v Wales they weren’t far off tearing us a new one.

Not sure I would be pressing a panic button yet.

French media is out for blood though and France's playing resources are exceptional. Results are expected. Galthie's position might be precarious so he'll want a reaction. Italy were a banana skin last year for France.

Media the world over. But agree they expect to win and thiat does put pressure on the coach. Not sure the 7:1 is a great response

[Scrumhead]

Not sure about that. I didn’t think that in real time and Puja’s excellent MBM does a great job of debunking the idea that France were rampant/we were lucky.

Anyway, I hate 7:1s and I’m enjoying Italy being more competitive so it would be nice to see Galthie’s tactics bite him in the arse.

What would be lovely is a BP win for us today, Italy to pull off a shock win and then France to go all out against Ireland to give us a shot at winning the 6 Nations. That would probably need an unlikely sequence of results including 3 BP wins for us and Ireland getting nothing vs. France, but a man can dream …

Certainly didn’t say we were lucky and France rampant But hey-ho.

Agree on the 7:1

That’s just how I interpreted the ‘France weren’t far off tearing us a new one’.

[p/d]

Not sure about that. I didn’t think that in real time and Puja’s excellent MBM does a great job of debunking the idea that France were rampant/we were lucky.

Anyway, I hate 7:1s and I’m enjoying Italy being more competitive so it would be nice to see Galthie’s tactics bite him in the arse.

What would be lovely is a BP win for us today, Italy to pull off a shock win and then France to go all out against Ireland to give us a shot at winning the 6 Nations. That would probably need an unlikely sequence of results including 3 BP wins for us and Ireland getting nothing vs. France, but a man can dream …

Certainly didn’t say we were lucky and France rampant But hey-ho.

Agree on the 7:1

That’s just how I interpreted the ‘France weren’t far off tearing us a new one’.

At no stage did France look rampant. I still believe that there were moments in the game when France could have (should have) put clear daylight between us on the scoreboard - mbm or not.

As for lucky. No more than any team.

[Mikey Brown]

Luck is a weird concept in sport really. I do think France were a bit lucky*, and did look like they could break away at times, but it’s not that dissimilar to some of our recent ‘snatching defeat from the jaws of victory’ games over the last season.

I think too much is often made of ‘winning at all costs’ and ‘grinding it out’ when often it’s just a 50/50 ball that decides it.

*unlucky. Whoops.

[Oakboy]

Luck is a weird concept in sport really. I do think France were a bit lucky, and did look like they could break away at times, but it’s not that dissimilar to some of our recent ‘snatching defeat from the jaws of victory’ games over the last season.

I think too much is often made of ‘winning at all costs’ and ‘grinding it out’ when often it’s just a 50/50 ball that decides it.

Yes to the 50/50. Players are human beings so mistakes happen. Capitalising on them matters but an interception, for example, can involve luck. There is a fine line between a try if the ball pops up and is caught and a yellow card if it ends as a deliberate knock-on.

The game against France highlighted the crucial nature of taking chances. Regardless of what happened in the other 78 minutes France had two reasonable chances that they blew when tries should have been scored. I don't think either blown chance was down to luck, just poor individual play.

[jngf]

Thinking about Ted Hill at 6 is his style rather similar to Ben Earl’s - both being primarily attack orientated with much faster than average test backrow pace?

I remember a decade or so back that on paper Tom Croft and Tom Rees both brought tremendous attacking skills into the mix but when they were played together the sum was less than the individual parts, perhaps because they were too similar in some though by no means all ways and they nullified each other somewhat?

[Captainhaircut]

We’re going to lose today aren’t we? I honestly can’t stand losing to this lot and their merry band of South African’s, Aussies and Englishmen.

[FKAS]

Thinking about Ted Hill at 6 is his style rather similar to Ben Earl’s - both being primarily attack orientated with much faster than average test backrow pace?

It might be that we introduce THill for Earl with one of the Currys at 7. THill would play Earl's role in attack where he's a good carrier, particularly slightly out from the breakdown. Using him a little wider also maybe hides some of his tackling weakness but makes the most of his mobility where he can cover more ground and support the backline.

[jngf]

Thinking about Ted Hill at 6 is his style rather similar to Ben Earl’s - both being primarily attack orientated with much faster than average test backrow pace?

It might be that we introduce THill for Earl with one of the Currys at 7. THill would play Earl's role in attack where he's a good carrier, particularly slightly out from the breakdown. Using him a little wider also maybe hides some of his tackling weakness but makes the most of his mobility where he can cover more ground and support the backline.

Agree, I think T Hill at 6 , B Curry at 7 is certainly worth looking at for one of remaining tests - I’d even consider Dombrandt or CCS given a start at 8 just to develop our strength in depth

[Oakboy]

Thinking about Ted Hill at 6 is his style rather similar to Ben Earl’s - both being primarily attack orientated with much faster than average test backrow pace?

It might be that we introduce THill for Earl with one of the Currys at 7. THill would play Earl's role in attack where he's a good carrier, particularly slightly out from the breakdown. Using him a little wider also maybe hides some of his tackling weakness but makes the most of his mobility where he can cover more ground and support the backline.

Agree, I think T Hill at 6 , B Curry at 7 is certainly worth looking at for one of remaining tests - I’d even consider Dombrandt or CCS given a start at 8 just to develop our strength in depth

In the interest of development, you'd consider playing Dombrandt (20 caps) ahead of Willis (3 caps)? You'll need to explain that. Starting Willis as often as possible seems vital in the short-term. I'd suggest that there's every chance that he will be undroppable by the time he gets to 20 caps. He's good now but will get a lot better - provided that he's kept in.

[Banquo]

Wales excellent 1st half, Ireland a tad overconfident and losing scrum pens for fun. Ringrose red imo

[Danno]

Wales excellent 1st half, Ireland a tad overconfident and losing scrum pens for fun. Ringrose red imo

Yeah that's red all day, came in like E.Honda with a flying headbutt

[Banquo]

Wales excellent 1st half, Ireland a tad overconfident and losing scrum pens for fun. Ringrose red imo

Yeah that's red all day, came in like E.Honda with a flying headbutt

20 min red

[Danno]

Wales excellent 1st half, Ireland a tad overconfident and losing scrum pens for fun. Ringrose red imo

Yeah that's red all day, came in like E.Honda with a flying headbutt

20 min red

Hate it.

[Banquo]

Yeah that's red all day, came in like E.Honda with a flying headbutt

20 min red

Hate it.

agreed. Ireland a bit at sea tho

[Danno]

Never rooted for Wales before, it feels abhorrent

[p/d]

Never rooted for Wales before, it feels abhorrent

Haven’t felt this dirty since watching a re run of Dallas

[Banquo]

...entertaining, ireland wake up

[Banquo]

looks like the problem wasnt thatcher after all

[Banquo]

lowe is some player, if not a classic wing