AI Coming

[Big D]

LHP: Marfo, Bhatti
Hooker: Rambo, Turner, Ford
TH: ZJRF, Nel, Berghan
2nd Row: Gray, Toolis, Swinson, Gilchrist, Cummings
B/R: Barclay, Watson, Wilson, Hamilton, Ritchie, Du Preez, Harley

9: Price, Pyrgos, Fowles
10: Finn
10/12: Horne
10/15: Jackson
Centres: Dunbar, Burleigh, Jones, Grigg, Harris
Back 3: Hogg, Seymour, Jones, Fife, MacGuigan,

So:
- Only 2 LHPs, room for Sutherland if he gets a couple of games in? Dell expected back? Concerned here.
- Ford is lucky really. Been nowhere this season.
- THP and second row about right. Bresler not consistently as good as he has been.
- Back row, with Bradbury and Hardie not available surprised there is no Strauss. Hamilton worth a look as he is playing well. No need for Harley in that squad though. Would have preferred Fagerson or Crosbie as they are the future and Harley IMO isn't good enough for international level.
- Ashe - permacrocked? Can his body just not handle pro rugby?
9 - Fowles is awful. If Toony/Blair don't fancy SHC then why not Steele? Is SHC needed at 10 for Edinburgh in SA?
Centres - Burleigh is never an international centre but not many fit alternatives. No idea about Harris.
Back 3 - MacGuigan probably deserves a look, he's been decent for a while.

[Big D]

Scott has been out a few weeks, after looking in pretty good form again, from a fairly innocuous looking leg injury. So... the usual.

Luke Hamilton is one third of the most underwhelming Leicester Tigers backrow of the last two decades.

Chris Harris seems a tidy enough player, but can't say anything screamed international quality about him from what I've seen.

Strauss is a mystery.

He's actually playing out of his skin at the moment, he also has played for Wales U20s so not sure why he has been selected in your squad as that ties him to Wales.

He is eligible for Scotland due to when he played for Wales U20's.

[switchskier]

Weird squad. Fowles ahead of SHC is the weirdest one for me. I'd also have Steele ahead of him, just don't quite see it there. Same with Burleigh (Dean) and Hamilton (Ritchie). Hopefully this is just toonie wanting a chance to train with a wide selection of players but he has always been a bit mad. Don't think that I've ever seen Harris play, or at least can't remember him.

Ritchie is in the squad.

Burleigh is apparently a ball playing 12 where as Dean has been playing well at 13. If Burleigh lines up at 13 ahead of Jones and Grigg then Toony would need sectioned. I would say Dean is unlucky though, from what I have seen he and Grigg should have been a close call.

Oops missed Ritchie.

I think that Dean is better at 12 however and is the most like for like replacement for Dunbar that we have available, should be not be ready from his recent injuries.

[Cameo]

LHP: Marfo, Bhatti
Hooker: Rambo, Turner, Ford
TH: ZJRF, Nel, Berghan
2nd Row: Gray, Toolis, Swinson, Gilchrist, Cummings
B/R: Barclay, Watson, Wilson, Hamilton, Ritchie, Du Preez, Harley

9: Price, Pyrgos, Fowles
10: Finn
10/12: Horne
10/15: Jackson
Centres: Dunbar, Burleigh, Jones, Grigg, Harris
Back 3: Hogg, Seymour, Jones, Fife, MacGuigan,

So:
- Only 2 LHPs, room for Sutherland if he gets a couple of games in? Dell expected back? Concerned here.
- Ford is lucky really. Been nowhere this season.
- THP and second row about right. Bresler not consistently as good as he has been.
- Back row, with Bradbury and Hardie not available surprised there is no Strauss. Hamilton worth a look as he is playing well. No need for Harley in that squad though. Would have preferred Fagerson or Crosbie as they are the future and Harley IMO isn't good enough for international level.
- Ashe - permacrocked? Can his body just not handle pro rugby?
9 - Fowles is awful. If Toony/Blair don't fancy SHC then why not Steele? Is SHC needed at 10 for Edinburgh in SA?
Centres - Burleigh is never an international centre but not many fit alternatives. No idea about Harris.
Back 3 - MacGuigan probably deserves a look, he's been decent for a while.

I actually think Ford has been a bit more dynamic recently. LHP would be the number one concern from that list. I know Welsh is playing tight head but would he not be worth a space?

Other than that it is a strange squad but considering the injuries I think we can get a decent team out of that. A few people I dont particularly want to see capped at this stage though (Fowles and Burleigh spring to mind)

[Numbers]

Scott has been out a few weeks, after looking in pretty good form again, from a fairly innocuous looking leg injury. So... the usual.

Luke Hamilton is one third of the most underwhelming Leicester Tigers backrow of the last two decades.

Chris Harris seems a tidy enough player, but can't say anything screamed international quality about him from what I've seen.

Strauss is a mystery.

He's actually playing out of his skin at the moment, he also has played for Wales U20s so not sure why he has been selected in your squad as that ties him to Wales.

He is eligible for Scotland due to when he played for Wales U20's.

I thought that as Wales had nominated the U20s as their second side he would be ineligible, just like Steven Shingler.

[Big D]

Out of that squad (and I expect a LH to be called up) I'd go with:
Marfo (scrumages better than Bhatti)
Rambo
ZJRF
Gray
Toolis
Barclay
Watson
Wilson

Price
Finn
Jones
Dunbar
Jones
Seymour
Hogg

either hooker, Bhatti, Nel (although being honest Berghan has been better this year), Swinson, Ritchie, Pyrgos, Horne, Fife

For the Samoa game could go with Wilson, Watson and CdP to give Barclay an extra week if needed.

[Big D]

He's actually playing out of his skin at the moment, he also has played for Wales U20s so not sure why he has been selected in your squad as that ties him to Wales.

He is eligible for Scotland due to when he played for Wales U20's.

I thought that as Wales had nominated the U20s as their second side he would be ineligible, just like Steven Shingler.

He didn't play v France who were the only other designated U20 side at that time.....from what I have read.

[Cameo]

Out of that squad (and I expect a LH to be called up) I'd go with:
Marfo (scrumages better than Bhatti)
Rambo
ZJRF
Gray
Toolis
Barclay
Watson
Wilson

Price
Finn
Jones
Dunbar
Jones
Seymour
Hogg

either hooker, Bhatti, Nel (although being honest Berghan has been better this year), Swinson, Ritchie, Pyrgos, Horne, Fife

For the Samoa game could go with Wilson, Watson and CdP to give Barclay an extra week if needed.

I'd be okay with thay although would like a loosehead. Wouldn't be surprised to see Horne start at 12. Would also quite like to see (2 years ago) CDP get a start.

Is Watson fully fit?

[Big D]

Watson is fit I think.

Horne is a strange one for me. I've long championed his inclusion in the 23 but when I was challenged as to what he has done at international level to justify it I found it quite hard.

I can only think of 3/4 games he's been really good in out of 25 caps.

He a one of a few that Scotland could do with a performance if given a chance. Gilchrist, Jackson and Pyrgos are all players who have been given chances but could do with a performance (if given a chance).

[Cameo]

Agreed on Horne. I think he is a noce player to watch and a lot of coaches clearly like him but I wouldnt have him as our first choice. He does offer a slightly different option tobthe runners we have in the centre though and maybe helps shape our game more than doing anything spectacular himself. A little worried by his defence though. He has been run over (by very big men) a couple of crucial times.

Think Gilchrist has generally played decently for Scotland. Jackson I think will always just be a bit meh at that level. Pyrgos started very well but has faded like he has for Glasgow

[ARM]

Blimey.

With all the injuries, we're scraping the barrel.

Big question mark over whether a number of these guys are Test class.

Its also potentially one of the most dimunitive and underpowered sides sent out. Top level rugby is all about winning the collisions. We seem to be intent on deliberately conditioning aerobic fitness at the expense of power. I refuse to fully subscribe to the Strachan theory.

[whatisthejava]

It's been clear since Jonson was the coach that the AI and up to a year before the WC the plan is to blood as many guys as possible so we know what we have for the 6N.

Toonie is continuing it and wanting to give every guy a chance, fair play toony tombola until the 6N and then hopefully some stability before back to the tombola.

[General Zod]

Townsend’s just said that Bradbury will come into consideration once he re-takes the field for Edinburgh. On EBC website.

[AL.]

Visser not in for work rate related reasons apparently......bit strong considering other options.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-uni ... -1-4595534

[Mikey Brown]

Page seems to be gone for some reason.

Worryingly, looking at this page http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-uni ... -1-4594612 it would seem there are also question marks over Wilson, Horne and (still) Dunbar. I know I'm turning in to the new, old Greig here but we really might get spanked more than once. With Gray still finding his feet, Barclay with concussion questions (?) and Jones with one game left in SA in which to break all his limbs I am in full pant-shitting mode about this series.

[Big D]

Losing to Samoa would still be absolutely unacceptable IMO.

At the very least we should beat Samoa, be competitive v Oz and competitive for a while v NZ.

[Big D]

To put it into context here is the side that beat Australia in Oz:
15 Greig Tonks Hogg will be back and well rested
14 Lee Jones
13 Alex Dunbar
12 Duncan Taylor Jones is in fine form
11 Rory Hughes Seymour will be back
10 Finn Russell
9 Ali Price Now has a bit more experience at international level
1 Gordon Reid Issues here
2 Fraser Brown Rambo is playing pretty well
3 Zander Fagerson
4 Ben Toolis
5 Johnny Gray
6 John Barclay
7 Hamish Watson
8 Ryan Wilson

There are some fitness doubts but if they all get on the park we are weaker at LHP, slightly weaker at hooker but have our game breakers back. And Oz are missing Izzy.

Providing everyone named in the squad makes it to the 1st game and is available the 23's should be competitive v Oz, less so but still competitive v NZ and beat Samoa.

[Mikey Brown]

Fair enough, you have very slightly eased my worries. I'll just try not to think about the issues of depth in basically every position.

Definitely could be handy then being without Folou. It doesn't really seem fair to have a guy who can jump 35 feet in the air.

[General Zod]

We are also all forgetting that Ford is now a try machine in the blue jersey.

[General Zod]

Australia squad...

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-uni ... -1-4600180

[hugh_woatmeigh]

So the embra team announcement gives us a starting XV of

Marfo
Ford
Nel
Gray
Toolis
Barclay (?)
Watson
Wilson

Price
Russell
Jones
Dunbar (?)
Jones
Seymour
Hogg

Is that right?

[ARM]

So the embra team announcement gives us a starting XV of

Marfo
Ford
Nel
Gray
Toolis
Barclay (?)
Watson
Wilson

Price
Russell
Jones
Dunbar (?)
Jones
Seymour
Hogg

Is that right?

Embra roundheads, Weegie cavaliers. Sounds about right, although young Zander may get the nod.

[Big D]

So the embra team announcement gives us a starting XV of

Marfo
Ford
Nel
Gray
Toolis
Barclay (?)
Watson
Wilson

Price
Russell
Jones
Dunbar (?)
Jones
Seymour
Hogg

Is that right?

Depends what they do with the England based players.

On form Rambo and Fagerson should start. From what I've seen Nel on form is lucky to be in the 23. That being said I wouldn't have dropped him.

It isn't the worst idea to rest Barclay next week either tbh. It's only his 1st game back after concussion.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Z Fagerson is most certainly not in form.

[Mikey Brown]

What about Rickie Van Ruined?