Wales v Scotland 13th Feb 2016

[Chunks Baws]

Thought I might as well start this over here. Hopefully everyone migrates over here.

Is the team announced today or tomorrow? Many of you going down to Cardiff?

Unfortunately I can't see past a Wales win. A fairly convincing one at that.

[sharvey44]

I'd say tomorrow lunchtime.

I'm not going. The last time I went was the 50odd drubbing which kind of tainted my experience of Cardiff

I think we'll get humped. again.

[laribold]

Yep...
Not going.
Not confident.

Despite playing (and often beating) the vast majority of these players week in, week out in the Pro12 we simply have never been able to counteract Gatlandball.
And last week's attempt vs a similarly heft-driven England side has shown me nothing to say that we'll do any better this year, I'm afraid.

The Welsh will go into this correctly confident of victory and we will still have this monkey on our back. Even if we do get a lead, you simply cannot write the Welsh off. They have an ability to claw their way back into games and have shown it time and time again.

From a Scottish perspective, it's not even like we're brimming with other options to change up the team.
Maybe some tinkering in the back-row? Maybe centre/wing? But realistically it's going to be a very similar looking team taking to the park because the next available options are either injured or massively off form.

Pessimist or realist, either way I think I'll just need to be pisst to watch this one...

[AL.]

I think that all our "neighbours" know how to beat us, and although we are better than we were.....so are they......

[Donny osmond]

Call me a miserable old bit, but I can't see us winning against any if the home nations this year. We may have an outside chance against France at MF if they keep being as rubbish as they have been, Italy away is looking like a nail biter.

Wales in Cardiff? Nae chance. Even if everyone was fit and in form, nae chance. They are about 12 or so players better than us right now.

[Chunks Baws]

Taylor is the only change, in for Scott who is injured apparently. Not that it's a surprise, given the injury list, but our Bench is just so meh.

[UKHamlet]

I think your front row will mince ours. The second and back rows I'd have in our favour. Our backs haven't been firing too well and Biggar and Williams probably won't last the entire match, which means you'll face Priestland and Anscombe for some of the game. It should be tight.

[Chunks Baws]

I think your front row will mince ours. The second and back rows I'd have in our favour. Our backs haven't been firing too well and Biggar and Williams probably won't last the entire match, which means you'll face Priestland and Anscombe for some of the game. It should be tight.

We'll find a way to make the same old mistakes and no doubt get a player or two binned/sent off. I always have a cracking time in Cardiff so I'm coming down with low expectations to enjoy a good old fashioned 'tour' and sesh.

[whatisthejava]

I think your front row will mince ours. The second and back rows I'd have in our favour. Our backs haven't been firing too well and Biggar and Williams probably won't last the entire match, which means you'll face Priestland and Anscombe for some of the game. It should be tight.

Id say we probably have the front 5 (as a unit) at scrum time and Hogg might squeezes past Williams but the rest of the pitch is yours

Reckon wales by 7 - 10 with us throwing numerous chances in the bin and then getting a glorious try at the end that means feck all

Oh yes and a needless yellow card or even a possible red

[whatisthejava]

I think your front row will mince ours. The second and back rows I'd have in our favour. Our backs haven't been firing too well and Biggar and Williams probably won't last the entire match, which means you'll face Priestland and Anscombe for some of the game. It should be tight.

PS thanks for changing he board, the old one was so mobile unfriendly

[Edinburgh in Exile]

We'll find a way to make the same old mistakes and no doubt get a player or two binned/sent off. I always have a cracking time in Cardiff so I'm coming down with low expectations to enjoy a good old fashioned 'tour' and sesh.

There is a good reason we all feel like that will happen. I've never arsed to look at it, but here is a list of our cards vs. Wales in the last 10 years...

2015 - Finn Russel (yellow)
2014 - Stuart Hogg (red)
2013 - Nobody
2012 - Rory Lamont, Nick DeLuca (both yellow)
2011 - Nobody
2010 - Lawson (yellow), World Class Phil (red I think)
2009 - Geoff Cross (yellow)
2008 - Nathan Hines (yellow)
2007 - Sean Lamont (yellow) Although we did somehow manage to win this game... Fuck knows how, probably the ref.
2006 - Scott Murray (red) Sean Lamont (yellow)

Say what you will about some of them, but that is a woeful disciplinary record against one team.

[Matt Ha]

Can't really argue about the starting team. Bench is a mixed bag. Fagerson hopefully continues climbing up his very steep learning curve and McInally can provide impetus but most of the backs will slow things down rather than speeding things up.

[Big D]

Scotland: Stuart Hogg; Sean Maitland, Mark Bennett, Duncan Taylor, Tommy Seymour; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (captain); Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, WP Nel, Richie Gray, Jonny Gray, John Barclay, John Hardie, David Denton.

Replacements: Stuart McInally, Gordon Reid, Zander Fagerson, Tim Swinson, Blair Cowan, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Duncan Weir, Sean Lamont.


Would like to have seen Ashe/Strauss and Jackson on the bench. Probably too early for BToolis to replace Swinson.

[OptimisticJock]

We'll find a way to make the same old mistakes and no doubt get a player or two binned/sent off. I always have a cracking time in Cardiff so I'm coming down with low expectations to enjoy a good old fashioned 'tour' and sesh.

There is a good reason we all feel like that will happen. I've never arsed to look at it, but here is a list of our cards vs. Wales in the last 10 years...

2015 - Finn Russel (yellow)
2014 - Stuart Hogg (red)
2013 - Nobody
2012 - Rory Lamont, Nick DeLuca (both yellow)
2011 - Nobody
2010 - Lawson (yellow), World Class Phil (red I think)
2009 - Geoff Cross (yellow)
2008 - Nathan Hines (yellow)
2007 - Sean Lamont (yellow) Although we did somehow manage to win this game... Fuck knows how, probably the ref.
2006 - Scott Murray (red) Sean Lamont (yellow)

Say what you will about some of them, but that is a woeful disciplinary record against one team.

Didn't Southwell get a card too as he was stretchered off for taking a foot to the face?

[AL.]

We'll find a way to make the same old mistakes and no doubt get a player or two binned/sent off. I always have a cracking time in Cardiff so I'm coming down with low expectations to enjoy a good old fashioned 'tour' and sesh.

There is a good reason we all feel like that will happen. I've never arsed to look at it, but here is a list of our cards vs. Wales in the last 10 years...

2015 - Finn Russel (yellow)
2014 - Stuart Hogg (red)
2013 - Nobody
2012 - Rory Lamont, Nick DeLuca (both yellow)
2011 - Nobody
2010 - Lawson (yellow), World Class Phil (red I think)
2009 - Geoff Cross (yellow)
2008 - Nathan Hines (yellow)
2007 - Sean Lamont (yellow) Although we did somehow manage to win this game... Fuck knows how, probably the ref.
2006 - Scott Murray (red) Sean Lamont (yellow)

Say what you will about some of them, but that is a woeful disciplinary record against one team.

Didn't Southwell get a card too as he was stretchered off for taking a foot to the face?

I think you are right, I believe cross was stretchered off at the same time as his card in 2009 also......

We do not want an air battle with this lot, they know what they are up to and have the making of us in that area of the game (and a lot more besides.....) am keeping a five pound note (my annual gift to subsidise the Welsh of Suffolk) for my mate Jones down the pub in my arse crack until the final whistle, I don't think Ill be keeping it!

[OptimisticJock]

There is a good reason we all feel like that will happen. I've never arsed to look at it, but here is a list of our cards vs. Wales in the last 10 years...

2015 - Finn Russel (yellow)
2014 - Stuart Hogg (red)
2013 - Nobody
2012 - Rory Lamont, Nick DeLuca (both yellow)
2011 - Nobody
2010 - Lawson (yellow), World Class Phil (red I think)
2009 - Geoff Cross (yellow)
2008 - Nathan Hines (yellow)
2007 - Sean Lamont (yellow) Although we did somehow manage to win this game... Fuck knows how, probably the ref.
2006 - Scott Murray (red) Sean Lamont (yellow)

Say what you will about some of them, but that is a woeful disciplinary record against one team.

Didn't Southwell get a card too as he was stretchered off for taking a foot to the face?

I think you are right, I believe cross was stretchered off at the same time as his card in 2009 also......

We do not want an air battle with this lot, they know what they are up to and have the making of us in that area of the game (and a lot more besides.....) am keeping a five pound note (my annual gift to subsidise the Welsh of Suffolk) for my mate Jones down the pub in my arse crack until the final whistle, I don't think Ill be keeping it!

I was thinking it was Cross (about 5 minutes into his first cap?) but wasn't sure if I was confusing lawson and wcp

[Big D]

WCP was a yellow IIRC?

Hogg was just epic fuckwittery.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Think you are right on WCP.

Baz, Southwell did take a boot to the face, but Im fairly sure that just ended up as a penas to Wales. Cross deffo got yellowed on debut after knocking himself the fuck out taking Byrne (I think?) out in the air. Same game Wester knocked himself the fuck out tackling Martyn Williams.

Edit: to remove "trying to" on Webster tackling Williams... He did, and that was harsh.

[Pieman]

I'm heading down to Cardiff for this, not entirely sure why I'm doing it to myself. Now that Biggar is fit we're almost guaranteed more cards and a couple of retrospective bans.

I hate it when we play Wales.

[Chunks Baws]

I'm heading down to Cardiff for this, not entirely sure why I'm doing it to myself. Now that Biggar is fit we're almost guaranteed more cards and a couple of retrospective bans.

I hate it when we play Wales.

It's always a cracking trip, despite the score mostly, I think that's why we keep flocking down there every two years. The male members of my family have been making this trip since the 60s.

[Pieman]

I'm heading down to Cardiff for this, not entirely sure why I'm doing it to myself. Now that Biggar is fit we're almost guaranteed more cards and a couple of retrospective bans.

I hate it when we play Wales.

It's always a cracking trip, despite the score mostly, I think that's why we keep flocking down there every two years. The male members of my family have been making this trip since the 60s.

True, it's a great city! I've been to the last few in Cardiff including the 50-3 game and the last minute 13 man collapse.... Maybe this will be our year!!

I'm actually really looking forward to it, although not holding out much hope of a win.

[whatisthejava]

Been going since 2007 , strange to think that te closer than every other team since, even now I'm convinced we will do something brain dead ad retarded and be spanked

[Matt Ha]

I think I'll just retire behind the sofa. Mind you, we've had so many closeish games of late we must win one some time some where.

[UKHamlet]

I think your front row will mince ours. The second and back rows I'd have in our favour. Our backs haven't been firing too well and Biggar and Williams probably won't last the entire match, which means you'll face Priestland and Anscombe for some of the game. It should be tight.

PS thanks for changing he board, the old one was so mobile unfriendly

That was the idea. I've been busy this last year, so I've let things slip, but now my exams, my son's wedding and my house move are out of the way, I'm back in the saddle.

[Big D]

I think your front row will mince ours. The second and back rows I'd have in our favour. Our backs haven't been firing too well and Biggar and Williams probably won't last the entire match, which means you'll face Priestland and Anscombe for some of the game. It should be tight.

PS thanks for changing he board, the old one was so mobile unfriendly

That was the idea. I've been busy this last year, so I've let things slip, but now my exams, my son's wedding and my house move are out of the way, I'm back in the saddle.

Imagine life getting in the way eh!

I hope your exams were a success. Good to see you back on the boards.