RugbyRebels

Some random thoughts;

What the fuck was going on in the scrum? McInally seems to have helped but it seems notable that after swapping Turner out to the flank (presumably in order to get SM scrummaging at 2) on that crucial scum against 7-man NZ we got totally biffed. Was that just the usual scrum lottery? Lineout seems good (?) and he gets some credit there.

Barclay was great.

Watson was having a fucking stormer and we were hard done by to lose him, but Hamilton really showed some heart in the time he was on. I feel bad for berating him as an AP level reserve. Can’t judge much from that game in terms of his quality but he put some real work in, in that short time.

Jonny Gray is my hero. He was everywhere.

Dunbar is so crucial for our defence, and I can’t really decide if that is good or not.

Jones drifted in and out a bit as he tends to do, but he always makes a telling contribution as some point.

Seymour was absolutely fucking dreadful. When he took it over the line I thought we should have hauled him off, if we’d had anyone good on the bench that is. Then he made that classic run through the middle and the hand in Jones’s try that reminded me why I love him so much.

Hogg is a fucking superstar.

Who is still able to stand? Any props left?

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Brown and Maitland called up.

Thinking about the Read thing, i think the ref also got the call on the Jones try wrong. Jones moved forward whilst offside from the kick prior to being played onside.

Wasn't his best game.

We reckon calling up only Brown and Maitland is any indication of the fitness of Marfo, Watson, Dunbar, Jones, Seymour?

Hamilton is presumably gubbed and I'm not sure if Wilson was actually injured or just out of the squad? But those injuries in the backs could really cause some problems if any of them are serious.

Mikey Brown wrote:We reckon calling up only Brown and Maitland is any indication of the fitness of Marfo, Watson, Dunbar, Jones, Seymour?

Hamilton is presumably gubbed and I'm not sure if Wilson was actually injured or just out of the squad? But those injuries in the backs could really cause some problems if any of them are serious.

Wilson is OK for this match. We also have Bradbury and Ritchie in the squad, I think?

The ozzies got thrown off the pitches at Peffermill as there was a uni game scheduled the next day and the groundsmen thought they might wreck the pitch

Its not going with well Chika

They could have stopped the whinging and went over to Lismores ground at Inch park

whatisthejava wrote:The ozzies got thrown off the pitches at Peffermill as there was a uni game scheduled the next day and the groundsmen thought they might wreck the pitch

Its not going with well Chika

They could have stopped the whinging and went over to Lismores ground at Inch park

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/scot ... 69d47109d9


The sham forced on the Wallabies under grey skies in the bleak Scottish capital was pulled just 90 minutes before the team was to start their most important and physically intense session of the week to prepare for Sunday’s Test at Murrayfield.

Lmao.

The in-goals were so limited, forwards with bigger turning circles like Rob Simmons. Lukhan Tui and Lopeti Timani found themselves turning in the winter leaves and trees beyond the deadball line.

Oh dear. I hope they're okay.

Welcome to playing rugby in Scotland where the biggest obstacle to a game is a Edinburgh council employee and a man with a dug

Pampered asshats. All they need is a bit of grass, cones and balls.

Maybe a session that isn't "physically intense" may actually help them.

Scotland team to play Australia at BT Murrayfield
Saturday 25 November (kick-off 2.30pm) – live on BBC / BT Sport

15. Stuart Hogg VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) - 55 caps

14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) - 38 caps
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) - 10 caps
12. Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) - 28 caps
11. Sean Maitland (Saracens) - 28 caps

10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) - 31 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) - 10 caps

1. Darryl Marfo (Edinburgh Rugby) - 2 caps
2. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) - 11 caps
3. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh Rugby) - 4 caps
4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) - 17 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) - 37 caps
6. John Barclay CAPTAIN (Scarlets) - 65 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) - 14 caps
8. Ryan Wilson VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) - 31 caps

Substitutes:

16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) - 28 caps
17. Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) - 2 caps
18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) - 14 caps
19. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby) - 6 caps
20. Cornell du Preez (Edinburgh Rugby) - 4 caps
21. Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) - 26 caps
22. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) - 27 caps
23. Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks) - 1 cap

That is incredibly harsh to drop CDP, Toolis and then Jones entirely.

Berghan will be a fucking disaster. That man is half the player Jon Welsh is.

I hope Maitland can go the distance. Would have stuck with L Jones and had him on the bench. Nice to see Dunbar and Watson starting.

It's the fact that Jones has not even made the bench ahead of McGuigan that has rustled my jimmies.

Every single one of those boys had the game of their career against the ABs. I have no idea how this is justifiable in any sense. I

do wonder if Toony's hand was forced by the fact that the Weeg have a game on the weekend and they will probably struggle to get a 23 out. Maybe not forced but it may have been a consideration.

Pretty much agree. I appreciate wanting to look at options (and I suppose Townsend hasn't dealt with Maitland in a while, or in this environment?) but how much meaningful time is McGuigan going to be given, short of injury?

Harsh on CDP.

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:I
do wonder if Toony's hand was forced by the fact that the Weeg have a game on the weekend and they will probably struggle to get a 23 out. Maybe not forced but it may have been a consideration.

Yeah - wonder if it’s that? Harsh on anyone really to get dropped after the last game.

Anyway, surprised to see Gilchrist start. How come we named the team so early? Thought it would be tomorrow?

General Zod wrote:

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:I
do wonder if Toony's hand was forced by the fact that the Weeg have a game on the weekend and they will probably struggle to get a 23 out. Maybe not forced but it may have been a consideration.

Yeah - wonder if it’s that? Harsh on anyone really to get dropped after the last game.

Anyway, surprised to see Gilchrist start. How come we named the team so early? Thought it would be tomorrow?

Well both Seymour and Jones would have been made available to Glasgow if they'd been dropped. If you were dropping anyone based on that NZ performance it would be Seymour. So I'm not sure what's going on here really.

Surprising selections but I’d say Fagerson has not performed all season and Bergen has scrummaged well - better than Nel prior to Nov. I think he’ll go ok. Maybe Gilchrist gives a bit more shove than Toolis? Tough on Jones and Du Preez but Maitland is a better player imo and Wilson is our most improved player over the past 12 months (ironically with Toolis I’d say). Regardless RW seems to be GT’s favoured no8 when fit.

Matt Ha wrote:Scotland team to play Australia at BT Murrayfield
Saturday 25 November (kick-off 2.30pm) – live on BBC / BT Sport

15. Stuart Hogg VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) - 55 caps

14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) - 38 caps
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) - 10 caps
12. Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) - 28 caps
11. Sean Maitland (Saracens) - 28 caps

10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) - 31 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) - 10 caps

1. Darryl Marfo (Edinburgh Rugby) - 2 caps
2. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) - 11 caps
3. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh Rugby) - 4 caps
4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) - 17 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) - 37 caps
6. John Barclay CAPTAIN (Scarlets) - 65 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) - 14 caps
8. Ryan Wilson VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) - 31 caps

Substitutes:

16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) - 28 caps
17. Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) - 2 caps
18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) - 14 caps
19. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby) - 6 caps
20. Cornell du Preez (Edinburgh Rugby) - 4 caps
21. Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) - 26 caps
22. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) - 27 caps
23. Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks) - 1 cap

Wilson was always coming in for CdP. CdP could have played as the bastard son of Zinzan and prime Dallalio and he still would have been benched. Wilson has improved but just isn't an international 8 for me. He'll have good games but they are the type of performances you'd expect from a 6 (run himself into the ground, make loads of tackles)

Gilchrist over Toolis will be a bit of rotation IMO. GG did well when he came on so I am ok with that if it is rotation.

This may be unpopular but Jones, for me wasn't as good as some last week. Had to give a couple of passes and didn't but also missed a couple of tackles that led to breaks IIRC. Seymour was also up and down but he is the class operator of the 2 (and established 1st choice) as seen by his touch for the try and the high ball he took really well.

Brown on the bench is a no brainer for me.

Berghan over Fagerson is interesting. May be that they think Fagerson will offer more knowing he'll have 25-30mins to play balls out.

Pleased for McGuigan, had a chat to him on Saturday and his new cap never left his head. He was clearly delighted to be capped. It is nice seeing folk that happy. They made him sing at the speeches too which was a laugh.

hugh_woatmeigh wrote: Well both Seymour and Jones would have been made available to Glasgow if they'd been dropped. If you were dropping anyone based on that NZ performance it would be Seymour. So I'm not sure what's going on here really.

1st choice wing regaining his place after proving his fitness (and presumably looking sharp in training) and the coaches choosing a player who is comfortable at wing and full back on the bench. It makes some sense.

See Dunbar got concussed and is following the graduated return-to-play protocol - is there time for that, I thought it took at least three weekends?

Selection looks a very clear policy of having a strong bench to punch holes at the end of the game

Zander will come on firing, as will Toolis and CDP

Maitland coming straight in is to deal with the fact that unlike NZ Australia has a bunch of big boys in the backs (except for Beale)

no sleep wrote:See Dunbar got concussed and is following the graduated return-to-play protocol - is there time for that, I thought it took at least three weekends?

Aye, depends on severity and symptoms.

Will Doddie present the match ball again?