Re: Lions
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 2:12 pm
The is the challenge for any coach selecting a representative team is trying to get the blend of "current" form using competitions from 3 months before the tour and what the coaches know about a player. And that is part of the problem of Gatland/AN Other being a national coach at the same time as being a Lions coach. It is natural for coaches to go with those they trust and know, or think they will know that turn up in the big games.
This is the same for representative teams from Caley, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Borders age grades all they way up to the Lions.
It happened recently for Scotland. For example, Darcy Graham was performing better than Seymour going into the 6N. Seymour was picked due to past performances. Townsend appears to lean on Glasgow players (Wilson and Gray) because he trusts them. It took an extended run of not peak form before Gray was benched.
The England game that year wasn't just an away game. It was a game talked up by players as Scotland showing they had 6N title ambitions, it was a high pressure game and they bottled it. Arse shatteringly so. Glasgow went to Sarries and got beaten easily in the QFs in Europe that year. Another high pressure game. Both pro teams were nowhere in the league that year. Winning the odd game against a Welsh team without their head coach (we never beat a Gatland coached Welsh team and he was coach forever) or the odd game against Ireland is great but means little without consistency. We are starting to get a consistent at home but remain by and large poor away.
That being said Watson and Barclay should have toured IMO. But English would point to Launchbury as someone who should have toured.
Gatland doesn't think much of the Scotland players, that much is clear, but it is up to them to change peoples minds. If the players take care of their club duties on the pitch, international honours will come and if they play well internationally collectively then Scotland will be consistently better. Do that then lets see where we are in two years and we can discuss Lions, get annoyed at Gatland, argue over the concept of the Lions etc.
As much as I don't like him he and his coaches have got a lot of selections right when it mattered for the test team even if squad selection has been debateable. Rowntree wanting Corbisiero over Grant in 2013, Gatland trusting Davies in 2017 had big impacts on the series.
This is the same for representative teams from Caley, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Borders age grades all they way up to the Lions.
It happened recently for Scotland. For example, Darcy Graham was performing better than Seymour going into the 6N. Seymour was picked due to past performances. Townsend appears to lean on Glasgow players (Wilson and Gray) because he trusts them. It took an extended run of not peak form before Gray was benched.
The England game that year wasn't just an away game. It was a game talked up by players as Scotland showing they had 6N title ambitions, it was a high pressure game and they bottled it. Arse shatteringly so. Glasgow went to Sarries and got beaten easily in the QFs in Europe that year. Another high pressure game. Both pro teams were nowhere in the league that year. Winning the odd game against a Welsh team without their head coach (we never beat a Gatland coached Welsh team and he was coach forever) or the odd game against Ireland is great but means little without consistency. We are starting to get a consistent at home but remain by and large poor away.
That being said Watson and Barclay should have toured IMO. But English would point to Launchbury as someone who should have toured.
Gatland doesn't think much of the Scotland players, that much is clear, but it is up to them to change peoples minds. If the players take care of their club duties on the pitch, international honours will come and if they play well internationally collectively then Scotland will be consistently better. Do that then lets see where we are in two years and we can discuss Lions, get annoyed at Gatland, argue over the concept of the Lions etc.
As much as I don't like him he and his coaches have got a lot of selections right when it mattered for the test team even if squad selection has been debateable. Rowntree wanting Corbisiero over Grant in 2013, Gatland trusting Davies in 2017 had big impacts on the series.