RugbyRebels

Cameo wrote: ↑Fri Nov 14, 2025 9:52 pm Slightly mixed feelings about this. Starting team is good (though not quite what I would have picked). Bench looks a bit funny. If we are going to have two backrow, are Bayliss and Fagerson really the best combo. I struggle slightly to see Bayliss in our top 23 to be honest, though that might be a bit of a blindspot for me. Onyeama-Christie would have offered something a little different. Funny too how Ritchie is now completely on the outside when he was possibly our beat player in the 6 Nations.

Seems a bit of a luxury to have a straight wing on the bench too but I can be on board with that as long as he comes on with plenty of time to go. He's not the kind of player to come on and get 10 carries in 10 minutes.

Interesting changes from Argentina. I suspect they'll be looking to shore up their midfield defence.

Agree with all of that. I’ve never really liked the idea of having a player run around at 6 all game and then have to be a lock for 20 minutes.

The second rows were very good last week, but risking that just to get Bayliss in the squad seems odd. I know he scored that wonder try a while back, but I just don’t really see it with him.

I hope Russell and Darge really are fully fit. Shame not to see Dobie get a start, but maybe that combo works better this way round.

How we can get to the top 6 before the RWC draw. Today’s results all went our way but the biggest stumbling block has to be our game against Argentina tomorrow. Can we really win it by 16+ ? I doubt it, but I hope we have a decent crack at it.


https://archive.ph/2025.11.12-101641/ht ... top-seeds/

All the results Scotland need
Setting aside draws for just now, these are the results that Scotland will be looking for over the next two weekends.

Saturday, November 15
•England not to beat New Zealand by 16 or more points
•France to beat Fiji
•Ireland to beat Australia

Sunday, November 16
•Scotland to beat Argentina by 16 or more points

Saturday, November 22
•Spain to beat Fiji (back-up plan if Fiji beat France)
•France to beat Australia

Sunday, November 23
•Scotland to beat Tonga
•England to beat Argentina

A good half overall, but could well have been further ahead with a bit better luck or execution. Argentina will probably be saying they left a few out there too though.

2nd half implosion.

We seem to have reverted back to the 1 step forward, 2 steps back, Scotland performances.

Jesus fucking Christ. What do you even say?

That was genuinely abysmal. We were 21-0 up after 54 minutes and managed to concede 33 points in the next 25 minutes. Some very unhappy punters at Murrayfield today. If this was football there would be demonstrations outside the ground and calls for mass sackings but this is rugby so we’ll just shrug our shoulders and move on.

My big fear is we’re going end up where Wales are, but without going through the years when they were excellent and won championships.

I’ve never been one to jump on the #ToonyOut bandwagon but we must be at the point now where the SRU must consider replacing him.

What's townsends contract due to end?

Carreras was incredible when he came on

Ashman has decided he's an incredible player and is just going for it.......fair play to him

Right. Have had a chance to calm down.

It was unfortunate to lose White before the game. I don’t feel Dobie had his best game. Some of his kicks were too long and gave the Pumas too much time on the ball.

A 5:3 bench was not the correct choice and we should have stuck with a 6:2. This became evident at the early loss of Brown. Even if we didn’t lose him I still think the lack of bench lock would have been an issue.

Yes Russell’s pass was a catalyst for the Puma’s 12 point period but we should have been able to get a hold of the game and close it out.

Not many positives, Ashman hitting his jumpers and being a menace in the loose. Front row in general having scrum dominance.

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 16, 2025 9:50 pm What's townsends contract due to end?

Carreras was incredible when he came on

Ashman has decided he's an incredible player and is just going for it.......fair play to him

I think Townsend’s contract is until the end of the RWC.

Ashman has made an incredible improvement in his play. I’ve been the first to criticise him, particularly for very poor lineout throwing, for both Edinburgh and Scotland but fair play to him, he’s been one of the few bright spots.

If 2/5 in the 6 Nations "isn't good enough" for the SRU then how can 33-24 from 21-0 up be accepted by them, it was a total collapse and that's 100% on Gregor Townsend.

Journalists, pundits and fans have had just about ENOUGH of this now so the SRU need to act before it's too late.

Gregor said himself that the chance to coach at another world cup was the reason he stayed on but even he must know, with every loss that is looking increasingly unlikely so just have the balls to resign and stop being so bloody ignorant!

So, that was bad.

I'm not quite in the Toony out camp but can see why others are and wouldn't be angry if that is what they decide to do. What I do think is needed is some fundamental reassessment of a few things. We have not suddenly become a bad team 50 mins into today's game, but we do have persistent issues.

First - Use of the bench. What is going on? There are questions over who should be on the bench, but whoever is there we shouldn't be in a position where two of them are unused and two come on with ten to go. It's just a waste.

Second - Kinghorn. I don't want to pick on him too much and he hasn't been all bad, but I think it is time to try Jordan at fullback. Kinghorn just looks indecisive at the moment and is making mistakes without really trying much. Jordan's directness and toughness might add something and Kinghorn may be a bench option you actually want to bring on.

Third - Backrow. Been beating this drum for a little while. All good players but I don't think we are getting enough from them. Once Argentina started coming back, they made ground so easily and we really needed a couple of big moments (I know Brace wasn't keen on jackallers but still). I would like to us start the 6N with a backrow of Brown, AOC or Ritchie, and Dempsey. I'd also like us to be fast tracking McConnell and Dempsey.

Fourth - Second row. We've all said it but we need to move on from Gilchrist. He has been fine, but we have options now and he won't be getting any better. To be honest, I'd say similar about his place at Edinburgh.

Fifth - Nine. This one is more controversial but I would be starting Dobie from now. He didn't have his very best game, but when we were going well he was really adding sonething. If White is on the bench, I think that is a good one two.

I suppose my point is that if we keep Townsend, it needs to be on the basis that we can't just rely on building experience amongst the same team - we need to see changes. The good thing is we have some promising players coming through who really could make a difference.

The weird thing is I still consider myself to be living through some of the good years of Scottish rugby! I just fear not making the most of it then regressing to the early 2000s.

Oh, and how good was Darcy Graham today!