RugbyRebels

Huw Jones doesn't do the basics very well. He pulls out some worldie lines here and there but that's not good enough. He's a Townsend player, not a Rennie player.

Jones has all the tools to become one of the best 13s in the international game. It's down to him.

Mikey Brown wrote:Jones still not really fancied by Rennie. I just can't get my head around it. What has happened to him?

He hasn't really developed since he burst onto the scene.

He is a talent but needs to improve areas (defence, consistency etc) now people have worked him out.

Having said that... Surely Rennie must have had a say in his contract extension?

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:Huw Jones doesn't do the basics very well. He pulls out some worldie lines here and there but that's not good enough. He's a Townsend player, not a Rennie player.

Jones has all the tools to become one of the best 13s in the international game. It's down to him.

that'll be why Toonie had a look at him in the warm up in Nice then ditched him for the excitng Harris.

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:Having said that... Surely Rennie must have had a say in his contract extension?

you'd think.

Big names are signed off centrally by committee chaired by Dodson, and Dodson defers in stuff like that to Scott Johnson every time. Certainly Rennie would have a say, whether he was listened to another matter
Jones was a Scott Johnson signing, intended for Edinburgh (Glasgow had centres in their pomp in Horne, Dunbar, Bennett, Grigg breaking through, Johnson already in the books, and Kelly as s stage 3. I'm told Jones didn't fancy playing for the no-hopers, so Glasgow it was, Bennett to Edinburgh.

His non selection now, as last season, is as you suggest entirely down to performance, whether in games when he does play, or in training.

I struggle with folk who think he should get more chances if he isn't performing.

I still think that Jones would be best on the wing where he can pick his moments and lines. He has some of the same strengths as Steyn but with more potential for me. Steyn seems a Rennie favourite though.

switchskier wrote:I still think that Jones would be best on the wing where he can pick his moments and lines. He has some of the same strengths as Steyn but with more potential for me. Steyn seems a Rennie favourite though.

the difference is Steyn delivered week in week out last season. Jones didn't. Steyn is wasted on the wing but needs must.

Rennie's favourites isn't the problem. Rennie is. Either he is a shit coach, or he isn't doing the work, or the squad are not with him. Very obvious, today just reinforced the earlier games this season

So, how bad was this? I literally only recognise Hibbard’s name from their side.

Mikey Brown wrote:So, how bad was this? I literally only recognise Hibbard’s name from their side.

It was another rank performance from Glasgow. Thomson lost his head early on. Frisby average as usual.

Clutching here but I wonder if Rennie’s situation has anything to do with it.

Mikey Brown wrote:Clutching here but I wonder if Rennie’s situation has anything to do with it.

Recruitment has a lot to do with it IMO.

septic 9 wrote:

switchskier wrote:I still think that Jones would be best on the wing where he can pick his moments and lines. He has some of the same strengths as Steyn but with more potential for me. Steyn seems a Rennie favourite though.

the difference is Steyn delivered week in week out last season. Jones didn't. Steyn is wasted on the wing but needs must.

Rennie's favourites isn't the problem. Rennie is. Either he is a shit coach, or he isn't doing the work, or the squad are not with him. Very obvious, today just reinforced the earlier games this season

That is a very black and white view. He has shown enough both at Glasgow and before to show he is not a shit coach. Players and teams can underperform without not being with the coach. The frustrating thing I'd that his work with the second string was what really stood out last season.

Still time to turn around this season though and at least make playoffs and HC.

My thing with Jones is that I haven't seen these terrible performances from him. Sure he had weaknesses but when I've seen him for Glasgow he has not been awful.

If Rennie is to be Oz coach he should go now. These long drawn out goodbyes aren't great.

Big D wrote:If Rennie is to be Oz coach he should go now. These long drawn out goodbyes aren't great.

correct. It mucks up recruitment and retention for next season on 2 grounds. Players do not know who the coach will be, whoever new coach is will be working with a squad that isn't his, so next season another transition - this is what happened with Rennie.

I'm not sure SRU will want or can afford another "names" from the SH and its most likely going to be an internal candidate, so easy to make the change now. Blair.

Has Blair shown anything to say it should be him other than a lot of experience in and around the squad?

Cameo wrote:
That is a very black and white view. He has shown enough both at Glasgow and before to show he is not a shit coach. Players and teams can underperform without not being with the coach. The frustrating thing I'd that his work with the second string was what really stood out last season.

Still time to turn around this season though and at least make playoffs and HC.

My thing with Jones is that I haven't seen these terrible performances from him. Sure he had weaknesses but when I've seen him for Glasgow he has not been awful.

Ok . In general Coaches are just like players. They can be very good then somehow fall off a cliff. Just because he was good doesn't mean he is now. And sometimes a coach, just like a player can be very good but just not a fit for a particular team. Thats as I say in general.
Rennie has either recruited poorly or is coaching set up is poor - the 2nd string out so far has loads of experience and good players, yet in 4 league games and 2 warm ups they look as if they've met in the pub before the game. And WTF was he keeping Thomson on for so long on Saturday? Thomson is a fringe squad player at his very best but has been shit all season. I'd have been better because I wouldn't have got near the ball and thus made fewer mistakes

Jones runs a nice line sometimes, but not often for Glasgow. Thats it. For Glasgow he does not deliver, sure he has been with Scotland and had an injury, but he has been a waste of a big salary for Glasgow in a position they didn't need to spend it on, another Scott Johnson fuck up. Money that could have been better used elsewhere.

Mikey Brown wrote:Has Blair shown anything to say it should be him other than a lot of experience in and around the squad?

Townsend had a bit more, as Scotland Assistant Coach - which he was slated for. he did ok for Glasgow. Blair has been groomed for bigger things for several years, he is clearly very highly thought of and my info is that he is very astute tactically. At some point he needs to be given an opportunity (there ain't too many come along for coaches in Scotland), or move on or be cut.

The alternatives internal to the SRU are not screaming from their outcomes pick me pick me

That's interesting. How do you think Glasgow fans will react if Blair is made HC?

septic 9 wrote:

Mikey Brown wrote:Has Blair shown anything to say it should be him other than a lot of experience in and around the squad?

Townsend had a bit more, as Scotland Assistant Coach - which he was slated for. he did ok for Glasgow. Blair has been groomed for bigger things for several years, he is clearly very highly thought of and my info is that he is very astute tactically. At some point he needs to be given an opportunity (there ain't too many come along for coaches in Scotland), or move on or be cut.

The alternatives internal to the SRU are not screaming from their outcomes pick me pick me

This is one of the areas I fear the SRU have no clear strategy.

Using the national team to Groom coaches (Townsend, Hodge and maybe Blair) feels like a back to front approach. How is being a "skills" coach of a national side preparing him for being a club HC? It is no surprise he appears tactically astute but it is unclear how much impact that has had with the Scotland squad. Is he effectively the attack coach?

Dalziel has been sent all over for his coaching education, whereas Kenny Murray has been embedded in Glasgow for the last 6 years.

There seems to be more of a plan now with UKCC4 qualifications and the super 6 but the SRU haven't come up with a good method of getting Scottish coaches through and ready for HC jobs.

Chunks Baws wrote:That's interesting. How do you think Glasgow fans will react if Blair is made HC?

he was at Glasgow for a few seasons as assistant coach, no issues. I don't see any really - no doubt a few will be demanding a Gatland or something appointment

Big D wrote:

septic 9 wrote: This is one of the areas I fear the SRU have no clear strategy.

Using the national team to Groom coaches (Townsend, Hodge and maybe Blair) feels like a back to front approach. How is being a "skills" coach of a national side preparing him for being a club HC? It is no surprise he appears tactically astute but it is unclear how much impact that has had with the Scotland squad. Is he effectively the attack coach?

Dalziel has been sent all over for his coaching education, whereas Kenny Murray has been embedded in Glasgow for the last 6 years.

There seems to be more of a plan now with UKCC4 qualifications and the super 6 but the SRU haven't come up with a good method of getting Scottish coaches through and ready for HC jobs.

and what could that strategy be? The reality is that there are only 2 pro teams and one national team, so not that many positions. At the same time too much rotation within those and you disrupt the pro team and make it look like even more of an SRU puppet.

If Super 6 works then its another opportunity to develop head coach material, but with only 2 pro teams we are not in the position of any 6N union (bar Italy who have a similar problem) . We do seem behind others in appointing ex players from the pro era into pro coaching positions. Some of that is definitely lack of positions, some lack of ability (fair enough) and some investing in players who do not appear to want to coach except at a very limited role as and when (Paterson)

septic 9 wrote:

Big D wrote:

septic 9 wrote: This is one of the areas I fear the SRU have no clear strategy.

Using the national team to Groom coaches (Townsend, Hodge and maybe Blair) feels like a back to front approach. How is being a "skills" coach of a national side preparing him for being a club HC? It is no surprise he appears tactically astute but it is unclear how much impact that has had with the Scotland squad. Is he effectively the attack coach?

Dalziel has been sent all over for his coaching education, whereas Kenny Murray has been embedded in Glasgow for the last 6 years.

There seems to be more of a plan now with UKCC4 qualifications and the super 6 but the SRU haven't come up with a good method of getting Scottish coaches through and ready for HC jobs.

and what could that strategy be? The reality is that there are only 2 pro teams and one national team, so not that many positions. At the same time too much rotation within those and you disrupt the pro team and make it look like even more of an SRU puppet.

If Super 6 works then its another opportunity to develop head coach material, but with only 2 pro teams we are not in the position of any 6N union (bar Italy who have a similar problem). We do seem behind others in appointing ex players from the pro era into pro coaching positions. Some of that is definitely lack of positions, some lack of ability (fair enough) and some investing in players who do not appear to want to coach except at a very limited role as and when (Paterson)

You're right, it really isn't easy for the reasons you outline but there needs to be something better than becoming a national coach as a first significant coaching appointment and then being shoehorned (Hodge) back into the club set up.

Perhaps S6 will offer that pathway. It is going to be interesting to see what happens if guys like Cairns, Kelly, Murchie etc get good head coaching experience in the S6 and how that compares to say someone like Blair or similar as skills coach for Scotland should they apply for the same job. Or even Beattie as 7s coach.

I noticed that Peter Horne is to be involved with County/Wolves in the S6 as defence coach. He seems like someone who probably has a coaching career ahead of him.

I don't think the SRU will ever appoint directly from the super 6 to being a head coach of a pro team but the aim should be for coaches to more easily move from their to assistant coach jobs. Then if they do well and are applying for head coach jobs, their time as Super 6 coaches will hopefully count for more than being a prem coach currently.

I'd be intrigued by Blair but (without ever having seen him coach) would fear it's a bit premature. His roles so far seem to have been floating ones rather than having specific responsibility for an area of the game.

O'Halloran would still be my choice although for all I know he is not as highly rated by those he works with. Kenny Murray has taken them a few times when Rennie has been away so must be in with a shout too.

As an Edinburgh fan can I suggest that you take Hodge (the assistant with the most experience after all) and we can get a new assistant? I hear that Cairns is well thought of.

Cameo wrote:I don't think the SRU will ever appoint directly from the super 6 to being a head coach of a pro team but the aim should be for coaches to more easily move from their to assistant coach jobs. Then if they do well and are applying for head coach jobs, their time as Super 6 coaches will hopefully count for more than being a prem coach currently.

I'd be intrigued by Blair but (without ever having seen him coach) would fear it's a bit premature. His roles so far seem to have been floating ones rather than having specific responsibility for an area of the game.

O'Halloran would still be my choice although for all I know he is not as highly rated by those he works with. Kenny Murray has taken them a few times when Rennie has been away so must be in with a shout too.

Not saying they would go for the HC role but someone like Cairns or Murchie could be a backs coach to begin with. Cockerill took Lawrie on as an assistant straight out of the prem.

These are now coaches with pro rugby or international experience doing the hard yards to build experience. Hopefully they can show up as good coaches and get a shot at pro rugby somewhere.