Scots Abroad VIII (or let's spot the new messiah)

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Some promising stuff from Hastings but it can't be easy. Bath are an absolute rabble and they have been all season.

[OptimisticJock]

Been put under pressure a couple of times, dealt with it about as well as you could. Held his nerve with that attack but was in a no win situation. Nice half break not long before that taking the time to pick out a pass.

[Hollognois]

Richie Gray at 5 for Castres tonight.

[Mikey Brown]

Visser finishes off a relatively straight-forward try for Quins and has made a few good runs, one saved from being a try by Cusiter turning it over for Sale. Sale havent had the ball much but he really is a fantastic defender.

[Mikey Brown]

Cusiter off with a concussion after smashing Visser with his head. Fantastic. Visser having a really good game. I imagine Maitland and Visser know they are both playing for one wing spot this weekend?

[switchskier]

Steele signs a 2 year contract extension with London Irish. A bit of a shame as I hoped he might replace Fowles at Edinburgh when they went down.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Steele signs a 2 year contract extension with London Irish. A bit of a shame as I hoped he might replace Fowles at Edinburgh when they went down.

They are pretty much gone aren't they? Big problem for Scotland with Maitland still in the early stages of his deal. Less of an issue with Cowan & Steele. As for Cross I'm not quite sure how he revitalises his career from this point on. He was never a world beater but he was a decent prop and now he is rotated at a mid table championship team.

[Mikey Brown]

Maitland just hasn't convinced me like I'd want. Frankly I'd be a lot more concerned about Visser or Seymour not playing at the top level, even though Maitland has the highest ceiling of all.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Anyone else watchign this? Tonks isn't doing a terrible job at 10 for LI. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if he develops into an option at 10.

4 Scots in the starting 15 btw. I wonder if Maitland and Cowan fancied a trip to New York instead... it all seems a bit convenient really.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

London Irish are absolutely going down this year. Third time I've seen them play this season and they look no different. Even with a result today they don't have enough time to turn it around anymore. That's a lot of international regulars playing championship rugby next season...

[switchskier]

Anyone else watchign this? Tonks isn't doing a terrible job at 10 for LI. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if he develops into an option at 10.

4 Scots in the starting 15 btw. I wonder if Maitland and Cowan fancied a trip to New York instead... it all seems a bit convenient really.

Been flicking in and out. Tonks has looked ok an his kicking has been miles better than Burleigh's has been all season. Steele had a decent pass for the LI try. That was harsh on LI, they deserved a bonus point.

Jammy starting for Sarries too with Brown off the bench but both a bit annonymous.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Anyone else watchign this? Tonks isn't doing a terrible job at 10 for LI. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if he develops into an option at 10.

4 Scots in the starting 15 btw. I wonder if Maitland and Cowan fancied a trip to New York instead... it all seems a bit convenient really.

Been flicking in and out. Tonks has looked ok an his kicking has been miles better than Burleigh's has been all season. Steele had a decent pass for the LI try. That was harsh on LI, they deserved a bonus point.

Jammy starting for Sarries too with Brown off the bench but both a bit annonymous.

They absolutely do not deserve anything. Have you seen the positioning of the players when they have possession and try to string together attacks? I saw 10 players, yes 10 bunched up in the same small area. imagine if Sarries were turning the ball over? They'd have the run of the pitch. They have forwards who are walking from ruck to ruck. They look an absolute shambles.

Tonks did ok. He was trying to get play going and invited the forwards onto the ball. Steele was good, I can see why LI want him tied down. Cowan anonymous and Maitland was poor.

[switchskier]

Anyone else watchign this? Tonks isn't doing a terrible job at 10 for LI. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if he develops into an option at 10.

4 Scots in the starting 15 btw. I wonder if Maitland and Cowan fancied a trip to New York instead... it all seems a bit convenient really.

Been flicking in and out. Tonks has looked ok an his kicking has been miles better than Burleigh's has been all season. Steele had a decent pass for the LI try. That was harsh on LI, they deserved a bonus point.

Jammy starting for Sarries too with Brown off the bench but both a bit annonymous.

They absolutely do not deserve anything. Have you seen the positioning of the players when they have possession and try to string together attacks? I saw 10 players, yes 10 bunched up in the same small area. imagine if Sarries were turning the ball over? They'd have the run of the pitch. They have forwards who are walking from ruck to ruck. They look an absolute shambles.

Tonks did ok. He was trying to get play going and invited the forwards onto the ball. Steele was good, I can see why LI want him tied down. Cowan anonymous and Maitland was poor.

Didn't think that Sarries were that much better, such a frustrating side to watch. LI fought for it, scored a decent try and were in the game. They'd benefit from getting more ball to their back three but as you hint, that'd kill their pack. They're not built as a cohesive team more an odd sort of mix.

[switchskier]

Cracking try from Visser today. Scotland have to try get him matched up one on one a bit more and let him go for it.

[ARM]

Cracking try from Visser today. Scotland have to try get him matched up one on one a bit more and let him go for it.

Think club rugby is his level. Great finisher but gets targeted in Test rugby.

[switchskier]

Cracking try from Visser today. Scotland have to try get him matched up one on one a bit more and let him go for it.

Think club rugby is his level. Great finisher but gets targeted in Test rugby.

If he's the best available then you work to magnify his strengths and minimise the weaknesses.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Cracking try from Visser today. Scotland have to try get him matched up one on one a bit more and let him go for it.

Think club rugby is his level. Great finisher but gets targeted in Test rugby.

We legitimately don't have anyone else. Maitland will be playing championship next season and has gone off the boil anyway.

[Mikey Brown]

Maitland is a strange one. I've never been quite convinced by his attitude.

Visser is just a completely pansy in certain situations but a threat we can't ignore in others. If we plan to never have the ball, or get in endless kicking duels then he's not going to shine but there aren't many serious options.

[Spiffy]

Maitland is a strange one. I've never been quite convinced by his attitude.

Visser is just a completely pansy in certain situations but a threat we can't ignore in others. If we plan to never have the ball, or get in endless kicking duels then he's not going to shine but there aren't many serious options.

He is for a bloke of his size. He just scored a beauty of an individual try for Quins against Saints today, leaving two opponents for dead with great sidesteps and acceleration. If he could learn to optimize the use of his bulk he'd be a tremendous player.

[Matt Ha]

Maitland is a strange one. I've never been quite convinced by his attitude.

Visser is just a completely pansy in certain situations but a threat we can't ignore in others. If we plan to never have the ball, or get in endless kicking duels then he's not going to shine but there aren't many serious options.

He is for a bloke of his size. He just scored a beauty of an individual try for Quins against Saints today, leaving two opponents for dead with great sidesteps and acceleration. If he could learn to optimize the use of his bulk he'd be a tremendous player.

There is a video somewhere on you tube in which a journalist goes to Visser's old club in Holland. Has some ex-team mates saying how, as a teenager, how amazing he was, flattening the old and experienced. But one also said "when it came to tackling he was the first one in the showers". I was disappointed to see that quote has now been cut from the video.

[ARM]

Cracking try from Visser today. Scotland have to try get him matched up one on one a bit more and let him go for it.

Think club rugby is his level. Great finisher but gets targeted in Test rugby.

If he's the best available then you work to magnify his strengths and minimise the weaknesses.

The only person that can help Tim Visser in that regard is Tim Visser.

If he's not interested in getting his hands dirty in defence and improving his aerial game then he's not going to be the Test player he could otherwise be.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Think club rugby is his level. Great finisher but gets targeted in Test rugby.

If he's the best available then you work to magnify his strengths and minimise the weaknesses.

The only person that can help Tim Visser in that regard is Tim Visser.

If he's not interested in getting his hands dirty in defence and improving his aerial game then he's not going to be the Test player he could otherwise be.

I wonder if it's an import thing. If your goal is to play Test rugby, then once you've hit it and are a regular in the team maybe imports have little incentive to improve. We've seen similar with Richardt Strauss. Whereas non-imports desperately want to do what they can to improve the team.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

If he's the best available then you work to magnify his strengths and minimise the weaknesses.

The only person that can help Tim Visser in that regard is Tim Visser.

If he's not interested in getting his hands dirty in defence and improving his aerial game then he's not going to be the Test player he could otherwise be.

I wonder if it's an import thing. If your goal is to play Test rugby, then once you've hit it and are a regular in the team maybe imports have little incentive to improve. We've seen similar with Richardt Strauss. Whereas non-imports desperately want to do what they can to improve the team.

Visser isn't exactly a regular though. LI going down poses a problem for us but most times VC would pick Maitland over Visser.

[Chunks Baws]

Maitland is a strange one. I've never been quite convinced by his attitude.

Visser is just a completely pansy in certain situations but a threat we can't ignore in others. If we plan to never have the ball, or get in endless kicking duels then he's not going to shine but there aren't many serious options.

There's something about his demeanour that screams 'I don't want to be here'. I can't tell if he's still taking it hard about never being an AB or if he's really laid back or if he's only in it for money. I thought he started fairly brightly for Scotland and clearly had the rugby brain so clearly lacking in Scots. Maybe he just doesn't have the belly for a fight.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Maitland is a strange one. I've never been quite convinced by his attitude.

Visser is just a completely pansy in certain situations but a threat we can't ignore in others. If we plan to never have the ball, or get in endless kicking duels then he's not going to shine but there aren't many serious options.

There's something about his demeanour that screams 'I don't want to be here'. I can't tell if he's still taking it hard about never being an AB or if he's really laid back or if he's only in it for money. I thought he started fairly brightly for Scotland and clearly had the rugby brain so clearly lacking in Scots. Maybe he just doesn't have the belly for a fight.

He hasn't looked consistently interested for a long time. He raised his game a significant amount for that RWC quarter against Aus but then again so did the rest of the team. The fact that he was just discarded for the rest of the 6N was pretty worrying considering he was actually fit. He looks just as disinterested for LI btw.

This is why the Sarto and Scholes signings are huge problems for me. Good for the clubs but terrible for Scotland. At the risk of derailing the thread Edinburgh really need some better backs/attack coaching. They need to start using their outside backs and getting guys like Brown and Hoyland running lines, on the end of attacking moves, etc otherwise they'll never work their way into contention for Scotland. They just don't do anything on the pitch but it's not exactly their fault. Glasgow have no academy talents that play wing (happy to be corrected) so we won't see any lads coming through there anytime soon. Junior no longer appears to be associated with the weeg but I still have hopes for Jones if he gets a consistent run in the team.

Hopefully our wing problems will work themselves out...

Back on topic, didn't notice that Cusack is now attached to Newcastle. Alex Grove is also back at Wuss from his loan period at LS although not starting.

Heathcote is actually stringing together some very, very good performances from Worcester. I think he may be worth a look again.