Re: Autumn Squad
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:55 pm
In fact I think most are including Dunc and Finn.
what has he done to earn a spot? He used to be good and I know his name?hugh_woatmeigh wrote:I know there are availability issues but second row & 12 a bit crap. Second row cover against Georgia should be better. Unless he's hurt himself, Richie should be on the bench bare minimum.
Not a lot to moan about otherwise.
It is one of those but often their interviews are decent. Also Goode seems to be fairly honest in his assessments.General Zod wrote:I’m not sure how much you really select with the opposition in mind when playing at this level, but the Georgian centres look pretty weak (!) from what little I can gather, so it’s a chance for Lang and Harris to show what they can do offensively in particular.
Am predicting a good game from Toolis, particularly in the lineout, and am glad to see Brown given a go at the captaincy.
Good tip re: Hogg’s assessment of the defence. Does he name names? Will listen now...
Edit - just realised the rugby pod is one of those “top bants” type podcasts. Will still listen, but will grit my teeth!
Ah the old replace a lock and back 3 player with a hooker swapScottish Caley Fan wrote:Hes not in the matchday squad but good to see another youngster, Ewan Ashman in the squad now that Gilchrist and Hoyland are out injured, according to Gav Harper's tweet earlier.
Is that the same lad Hamilton that is on BT Sport as a pundit and co summariser on Edinburgh or Glasgow games:-)? I like him and Chris Paterson .Mikey Brown wrote:Yeah if you ever listen to that podcast you need to be ready to skip through a shit ton of awful uber-lad banter and adverts and promotional shit, but agree lots of the interviews are worth checking out. Hamilton is often surprisingly good here.
That’s the one. He spends so much time pissing about that it catches me off guard slightly when he is more insightful.Scottish Caley Fan wrote:Is that the same lad Hamilton that is on BT Sport as a pundit and co summariser on Edinburgh or Glasgow games:-)? I like him and Chris Paterson .Mikey Brown wrote:Yeah if you ever listen to that podcast you need to be ready to skip through a shit ton of awful uber-lad banter and adverts and promotional shit, but agree lots of the interviews are worth checking out. Hamilton is often surprisingly good here.
He's okay. It was his primary position up until a couple of years ago, so there's not a huge drop-off in performance from him playing 12, but he does start from the fairly low base of being James Lang, so I'm not sure whether you'd want a player of that quality in a pivotal position like 10 anyway.General Zod wrote:Can Lang play 10?
Edit - yes. I’ve no idea how good he is.
He also said something interesting about playing. Said he has enjoyed playing pretty much every week rather than 2-3 then out for a couple.General Zod wrote:Can Lang play 10?
Edit - yes. I’ve no idea how good he is.
Without saying it in the podcast, I don’t think Hogg rated Matt Taylor too highly, or at least as highly as he rates Tandy. Good stuff, as our defence has been found wanting in the past few years at the highest level.
Fair point. Yeah, in some of the less attritional positions (i.e. the Jessicas), it might benefit to play more often.Big D wrote:He also said something interesting about playing. Said he has enjoyed playing pretty much every week rather than 2-3 then out for a couple.General Zod wrote:Can Lang play 10?
Edit - yes. I’ve no idea how good he is.
Without saying it in the podcast, I don’t think Hogg rated Matt Taylor too highly, or at least as highly as he rates Tandy. Good stuff, as our defence has been found wanting in the past few years at the highest level.
Easy to say for a back 3 player but maybe some do need to play more.
most players would say they want to play every week surely. Nel benefits from playing as much as possible, always slow to get back up to speed, think he has said as much himselfGeneral Zod wrote:Fair point. Yeah, in some of the less attritional positions (i.e. the Jessicas), it might benefit to play more often.Big D wrote:He also said something interesting about playing. Said he has enjoyed playing pretty much every week rather than 2-3 then out for a couple.General Zod wrote:Can Lang play 10?
Edit - yes. I’ve no idea how good he is.
Without saying it in the podcast, I don’t think Hogg rated Matt Taylor too highly, or at least as highly as he rates Tandy. Good stuff, as our defence has been found wanting in the past few years at the highest level.
Easy to say for a back 3 player but maybe some do need to play more.
Whilst I can see the logic in all that you say, you may have nailed it in the last point if continuity in selection pays off against a welsh side in a bit of a transition phase.Soapy wrote:Reflecting on Townsend's selection for tonight's game keeps raising questions for me on his strategic thinking and abilities to manage his resources.
I can't see the logic in having Steele in the squad and then starting Price and having Horne on the bench. Can Steele play international level? We don't know. Will we find our tonight? No. If Price or Horne is crocked and out of the Wales game has Steele demonstrated he could cover? No.
Does Horne need to show he can start big games? Yes. Is this a chance to do that? Yes. Has Townsend had a look at that? No.
So if Price gets injured out of the Wales game we're going to have a starting scrumhalf that has limited experience of starting and a back-up with no international experience. Or SHC gets a nod and Steele is thanked for holding the tackle bags.
Similar story for whether Huw Jones can do a job at 15. I'd have given him a start but going 6/2 (why?) on the bench has scuppered that. If your picking on form, Jones is ahead of Kinghorn. Kinghorn is an ok wing but a poor fullback whose poor positional skills are even more exposed. His attacking game has been below average (admittedly outside the Edinburgh midfield ...) for the last 12 months. Looking at backups to Hogg should be a priority regardless (and especially now Maitland has been caught out on the razzle with Robshaw at the Fez Boys ...) but Townsend has passed that up. You might argue that VDM will benefit from having a familiar face at FB but if you are having to hand hold one of our outside backs against Georgia it doesn't suggest a positive mindset (and is contrary to be willing to go with Hastings covering midfield). VDW would surely benefit more from another in-form, positionally aware player in the back 3?
Without a doubt, Ritchie and Watson are our first choice 6 and 7 when fit. Ritchie needs the game time. Watson doesn't. Pick Cowan to play tonight cause he's not going to play next week unless Hamish is injured. Which he might be tonight. And we then are looking at starting Cowan with no international games in 4 years or a makeshift 7. If Thomson is behind Fagerson, Haining and Du Preez, why bother picking him in the squad?
Townsend's thinking is so hard to fathom that there is maybe a genius masterplan at work. He has got much to prove and I'm hoping this series will be the start of him demonstrating the skills of an international-level coach. For the good of Scottish rugby I hope he does that. I'm currently in hopes high/expectations low mode.
All that said, I want it all to go brilliantly tonight and a win against Wales next week would make me ecstatic.
fair play that's quality bollocksSoapy wrote:Reflecting on Townsend's selection for tonight's game keeps raising questions for me on his strategic thinking and abilities to manage his resources.
I can't see the logic in having Steele in the squad and then starting Price and having Horne on the bench. Can Steele play international level? We don't know. Will we find our tonight? No. If Price or Horne is crocked and out of the Wales game has Steele demonstrated he could cover? No.
Does Horne need to show he can start big games? Yes. Is this a chance to do that? Yes. Has Townsend had a look at that? No.
So if Price gets injured out of the Wales game we're going to have a starting scrumhalf that has limited experience of starting and a back-up with no international experience. Or SHC gets a nod and Steele is thanked for holding the tackle bags.
Similar story for whether Huw Jones can do a job at 15. I'd have given him a start but going 6/2 (why?) on the bench has scuppered that. If your picking on form, Jones is ahead of Kinghorn. Kinghorn is an ok wing but a poor fullback whose poor positional skills are even more exposed. His attacking game has been below average (admittedly outside the Edinburgh midfield ...) for the last 12 months. Looking at backups to Hogg should be a priority regardless (and especially now Maitland has been caught out on the razzle with Robshaw at the Fez Boys ...) but Townsend has passed that up. You might argue that VDM will benefit from having a familiar face at FB but if you are having to hand hold one of our outside backs against Georgia it doesn't suggest a positive mindset (and is contrary to be willing to go with Hastings covering midfield). VDW would surely benefit more from another in-form, positionally aware player in the back 3?
Without a doubt, Ritchie and Watson are our first choice 6 and 7 when fit. Ritchie needs the game time. Watson doesn't. Pick Cowan to play tonight cause he's not going to play next week unless Hamish is injured. Which he might be tonight. And we then are looking at starting Cowan with no international games in 4 years or a makeshift 7. If Thomson is behind Fagerson, Haining and Du Preez, why bother picking him in the squad?
Townsend's thinking is so hard to fathom that there is maybe a genius masterplan at work. He has got much to prove and I'm hoping this series will be the start of him demonstrating the skills of an international-level coach. For the good of Scottish rugby I hope he does that. I'm currently in hopes high/expectations low mode.
All that said, I want it all to go brilliantly tonight and a win against Wales next week would make me ecstatic.
can't be arsed wading through that podcast shite. I've nee head Hamilton say anything remotely insightful, He's a clown and a gossip columnist. Mossie could bore for Scotland, in fact in his punditry that's what he doesMikey Brown wrote:That’s the one. He spends so much time pissing about that it catches me off guard slightly when he is more insightful.Scottish Caley Fan wrote:Is that the same lad Hamilton that is on BT Sport as a pundit and co summariser on Edinburgh or Glasgow games:-)? I like him and Chris Paterson .Mikey Brown wrote:Yeah if you ever listen to that podcast you need to be ready to skip through a shit ton of awful uber-lad banter and adverts and promotional shit, but agree lots of the interviews are worth checking out. Hamilton is often surprisingly good here.