Team v Ireland

[whatisthejava]

Has anyone ever played with a back row player who moaned like an old woman.

[Adder]

Has anyone ever played with a back row player who moaned like an old woman.

Are you looking for a new club?

[Chunks Baws]

I played at lock for a few seasons - at 5' 11" I claimed the title of Shortest Lock in Scotland (unverified). The guy I normally played with is about 6' 4" but I don't recall our nr. 8 complaining particularly about it. He moaned about everything else, though, and it's possible it got lost in the noise.

I often covered lock and I'm only 5'10". That was in NZ though, so your record stands. My lock partner was about 6'5". I don't recall our number 8 bitching about it.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Swinson is a manlet.

[Stones of granite]

Has anyone ever played with a back row player who moaned like an old woman.

You usually can't hear them over the bleating from the scrum half

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Weir and Swinson into the starting XV. Very disappointed to see Toolis ignored entirely.

[Chunks Baws]

Disappointed for Toolis and surely Horne did more than enough to earn a start. Also baffled by Wilson starting over Strauss. Impact sub?

[Mikey Brown]

Ah...

Well I wasn't expecting that. I suppose if Weir brings his current form, great, but I'm just not convinced he's made for this level.

[Matt Ha]

Some rather odd calls. I can't see why Strauss isn't starting. Like others I'm not convinced about Weir at test level. In my book he's generally behind Russell and Jackson (and possible Horne) in the pecking order but maybe he's been rewarded for some good performance for Glasgow of late.

[Adder]

Disappointed for Toolis and surely Horne did more than enough to earn a start. Also baffled by Wilson starting over Strauss. Impact sub?

Strauss wasn't playing that well to deserve his spot

[Chunks Baws]

Disappointed for Toolis and surely Horne did more than enough to earn a start. Also baffled by Wilson starting over Strauss. Impact sub?

Strauss wasn't playing that well to deserve his spot

He wasn't but then he went on to have his best performance for Scotland yet. Saying that, Strauss came in for Wilson after Wilson had what was arguably his best Scotland performance.

[Mikey Brown]

I tend to like what the players are doing but I'm really struggling with some of these selections that BVC is making.

[Matt Ha]

Just worried being minus J Grey and Strauss if we'll be lacking a bit of beef up front. I've got too many painful memories of us being dominated by the Irish pack.

[OptimisticJock]

Not sure how Horne gets the bench spot last week after Weir's Glasgow firm then goes on to have a blinder only to be usurped by Weir.

Similar question marks for Strauss/Wilson and SHC/Pyrgos.

Still, even with changes and injuries it's still a good side and shows the relative depth Scotland are developing.

[Mikey Brown]

I was so much more excited about this game than the grandslam decider.

I hope we're not expecting Nel to take on too much of the carrying deficit. He already looks spent by half time.

[switchskier]

Just worried being minus J Grey and Strauss if we'll be lacking a bit of beef up front. I've got too many painful memories of us being dominated by the Irish pack.

Yup, I think that we're light on ball carriers already so losing Gray and especially Strauss is a problem. Hope we're not expecting Dunbar to carry too much of the load, especially straight into Henshaw.

[Cameo]

I would have preferred Horne as doesnt effect our style of play as much but suppose Weir is on form and Horne covers more off the bench.

Strauss is a strange one but maybe we wanted someone fresh in the back row

[switchskier]

Ireland team is:
S Zebo, A Trimble, J Payne, R Henshaw, K Earls, J Sexton, C Murray; J McGrath, R Best (capt), M Ross; D Ryan, D Toner; CJ Stander, T O'Donnell, J Heaslip.

Replacements: R Strauss, C Healy, N White, U Dillane, R Ruddock, E Reddan, I Madigan, F McFadden.

Ideas on how to beat them? That team looks pretty strong to me, other than second row.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I'm still optimistic. Weir has been in great form and Swinson must know that if he has serious international ambitions then opportunities are limited - he must put down a marker on the weekend.

PS am I reading that right? Edinburgh are contributing just 5 players to the match day 23 and they're all in the front row? A truly sad state of affairs.

I know that VC should pick the best man possible every single match but I really do not understand some of these 50/50 selections considering Glasgow have a game this weekend and Edinburgh don't.

[Cameo]

I'm still optimistic. Weir has been in great form and Swinson must know that if he has serious international ambitions then opportunities are limited - he must put down a marker on the weekend.

PS am I reading that right? Edinburgh are contributing just 5 players to the match day 23 and they're all in the front row? A truly sad state of affairs.

I know that VC should pick the best man possible every single match but I really do not understand some of these 50/50 selections considering Glasgow have a game this weekend and Edinburgh don't.

I think you have answered your own question there. even if it is only 51/49 he will pick the one he thinks will do a better job if needed. Scottish Rugby should do what it can to support Glasgow but not by not letting the national coach pick the best team he can

[Pieman]

You missed Hardie so it's actually 6 but still pretty bad.

[Chunks Baws]

If people think Vern needs to think about our club sides over winning a tournament game then we are already heading in to "club v country" territory and becoming more like football. No thanks.

Nice to read that Meat has been picked due to successfully working on exactly what Vern told him to. One of which was playing flatter apparently.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Apologies, so I did.

RE the 49/51 claim - if Glasgow have 3 SQ locks that are better than anything Edinburgh have at the moment (Gilchrist excluded) then something is very, very wrong. Edinburgh have been without Gilchrist pretty much all season yet still churn out excellent performances from the tight 5. No matter how you sell it this is a clanger of a decision.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Ireland team is:
S Zebo, A Trimble, J Payne, R Henshaw, K Earls, J Sexton, C Murray; J McGrath, R Best (capt), M Ross; D Ryan, D Toner; CJ Stander, T O'Donnell, J Heaslip.

Replacements: R Strauss, C Healy, N White, U Dillane, R Ruddock, E Reddan, I Madigan, F McFadden.

Ideas on how to beat them? That team looks pretty strong to me, other than second row.

Our problem has been scoring tries against rush defences. we've fumbled a lot when they've come at us and seem to struggle to get the ball outside them. For some reason we seem to have abandoned the Leinster loop and the inside ball which were both pretty effctive in getting back inside them and around them. Conversely we defend pretty narrow so you want to get the ball wide against us.

[Tobylerone]

Whilst it may have been comforting too see Toolis bulk up the second row, Cotter has seen a fair old number of big bastards in his time in France, Hines et al.
Let`s hope that his faith in Swinson is justified, he usually plays above his weight grade..