RugbyRebels

Have to say I'm not looking ahead to the Irish first up, those boys start so damn fast that I fear it will be a repeat of last year's start.

I think our only hope is to hope we get the first kick off, go really Depp and MTFU in the tackle and be prepared to spend the first 15 - 20 mins hitting everything as hard as we can and hope that we don't get steamrolled. Hopefully the weeg players will have learned from the Munster game what to expect and have a better plan.

I think Ireland are beatable, and like Australia its in the backs that we can damage them but we really need the entire pack playing out their skin. Im a huge fan of a fetcher but what the Irish tend to do is run at the fetcher to prevent them being effective so I think for me there is no point starting at fetcher at the Irish.

We need guys that can tackle for the first 60 mins and then change it up in the last 20 when everyone is a bit tired. So for me

Harley
Barclay
Denton should be our starting back row,

tempted to go with Grant Gilchrist instead of RG in the second row as he is more aggressive around the tackle

Think the starting props are Dickinson and Nell which really means that its whoever is the most aggressive out of Brown, McInally and Ford, Ford has just has his best game but I'm concerned that we need to wait another 100 caps to see it again, Brown is an extra back row but I think McINally is the most aggressive front up tackler.


So front row for me is

Dickinson
McInally
Nell

Backs really take of themselves except the centres which I think is Dunbar and Jones

So team for Ireland if all fit

Dickinson
NcInally
Nell
GG
JG
Harley
Barclay
Denton

Laidlaw - I think as we are playing a back row without a solid lineman its really important that we move that ball around as fast as possible
Russell
Seymore
Dunbar
Jones
Maitland
Hogg

Sutherland/Reid/Dell whoever is fit
Ford/Brown
Ferguson
R Gray
Watson
Price
Horne
Bennet

Which one of our guys, will be the first to be sent off? and Why>

Ford is nailed on at 2 until someone takes the shirt. Brown has not done enough and McInnally certainly hasn't.

GG is nowhere near the XV, sorry. And if he is it's to replace Jonny as they are much more alike than GG and RG. It would take a serious run of form from Gilchrist to dispalce either.

I think having both Harley and Denton in the same back row will limit our attack big time. It's been a year since I saw Denton have a good game and even when he has those good games he isn't capable of drawing the man and giving the pass when necessary or running at the gap. That is where we are punishing teams and that is how we are scoring tries. Not really sure what the answer is as Bradbury is another season or two off being a regular international. Either way his style of play is perfectly fine as long as we have other loosies that offer those traits.

Dickinson
Ford
Nel
Gray
Gray
Barclay
Watson
Denton (needs a serious run of form, otherwise Wilson slots in and Bradbury to bench)

Laidlaw
Russell
Seymour
Dunbar
Jones
Maitland
Hogg

Dell
Brown
Fagerson
Gilchrist
Wilson
Price
Kinghorn
Bennett

Depending on form I would have younger lads like Bradbury, Kinghorn and Hoyland ready to slot in if injuries arise.

I'll probably be questioned about the inclusion of Laidlaw but we really need to develop other kicking options before phasing him out. If we get sucked into a stodgy game against the Welsh with Halfpenny kicking them from all over the park I certainly want Laidlaw on the pitch. Nobody else cuts the mustard yet.

I think 12 of the first choice team is pretty much nailed on: the backs and front five. Both as you have them apart from Ford in at hooker. Ford makes a huge difference to our scrum and his arrows in the last 18 months have been solid.

Back row still some concerns. Barclay prob has to play somewhere. One from Hardie/Watson and then Wilson/Strauss at 8, unless Denton can get fit, get a game and actually show some form for the first time since his move to Bath. Ditto Ashe. Seems unlikely in the time available. I think Bradbury could get mugged by the Irish.

EDIT: just realised OP had GG instead of RG. No way...RG is miles ahead on current form.

I agree that you guys are picking the best team, but neither of you have dealt with my concern that our issue isn't in the backs, its in fronting up to the Irish in the first 20 mins

Some of the guys you have picked are our best players but have not been able to demonstrate any ability to step up and meet the Irish for the first 20 mins, We need a dry day to take on the Irish to allow our backs to get moving but we also need to adapt our ruck game so that we can slow down the Irish ball, last year we were totally second best for mot of the game around the ruck

You can only piss with the c0ck you've got.

If we point out to the ref that the Scots were an Irish tribe, do you think he will be more lenient?

whatisthejava wrote:I agree that you guys are picking the best team, but neither of you have dealt with my concern that our issue isn't in the backs, its in fronting up to the Irish in the first 20 mins

Some of the guys you have picked are our best players but have not been able to demonstrate any ability to step up and meet the Irish for the first 20 mins, We need a dry day to take on the Irish to allow our backs to get moving but we also need to adapt our ruck game so that we can slow down the Irish ball, last year we were totally second best for mot of the game around the ruck

If you are picking an Edinburgh 2nd row to front up then Toolis is your man. Been miles ahead of GG this year. That being said I still wouldn't pick either ahead of Gray squared. Last year we badly missed JGray, Swinson is many things but he is no replacement for JGray.

Barclay got on the wrong side of the ref and didn't adapt either and then IIRC we stopped trying to compete as much at the breakdown. They then scored 2 tries when Barclay was binned and one when Dunbar was binned.

I would go for:
Dickinson
Ford/Brown
Nel
Gray
Gray
Barclay - was a nuisance at the breakdown in his 2 starts. I watched Harley on Saturday and didn't think he made a case for displacing Barclay.
Watson
Wilson - I still remain unconvinced that he is our best 8 but Strauss is ripe for a choke tackle and Denton isn't fit.

Laidlaw
Russell
Seymour
Dunbar
Jones
Maitland/Hughes/Hoyland
Hogg

Brown/Ford
Sutherland/Dell
Fagerson
Toolis
Bradbury
Price
Horne
Taylor if fit.

When's Ashe back?

General Zod wrote:When's Ashe back?

Into the new year sometime, can't remember exactly. He won't be ready for 6Ns but all going well will get plenty of time at Glasgow.

Cool. I thought it was something like that, but wasn't sure.

67 sleeps until the 6N

F*** im bored

Okay. Looking ahead to the 6N I want to see;

Enough fit props to avoid flogging Dell and Fagerson at such a young age, but definitely letting them loose a fair bit.

Brown (or anyone else that can be bothered) taking the 2 shirt from Ford, or Ford actually fighting to keep it.

The locks staying fit.

Somebody to finally stand up at 6/8 and start smashing people a bit so Watson/Barclay/Hardie can get on with their thing.

Something at 9.

Russell to seem like he should be kicking goals.

Hogg to make at least 1 successful tackle in the tournament.

The big one for me is the 3/4s being a bit of a mess. Seymour has his spot for now and so does Jones if he's fit. The other wings look wimpy or just don't get a chance. Dunbar offers physicality that can't be matched by anyone else, he looked slow as shit on a couple of occasions though. Where does Scott fit in? I'd be mighty tempted to go 11. Jones 12. Scott 13. Dunbar but maybe that's ruining a good thing with Jones in the centre. Hughes or Hoyland probably deserve a bit more of a bash.

Scotland's Back 7
SH: Laidlaw, Pyrgos, Price, Kennedy, SHC (Healthy competition behind Laidlaw but need to perform).
FH: Russell,Wei, Horne (feels very bare)
Centres: Dunbar, Scott, Jones, Bennett, Horne (EXTENDED:Vernon)
Wingers Visser, Seymour Maitland, Hoyland, Hughes, (EXTENDED: Slamont, Bennett because of his pace)
FB: HOGG, KingHorn.(EXTENDED Maitland)

reckon your missing a few

I think centres we are ok unless 3 get injured
wingers really need 2 injuries and then we are capping new starts
FB - If Hogg and Maitland gets injured we have Kinghorn starting, I like Kinghorn but the Irish would beast him and make his life hell , after that we have Murchie and no one else I can think of

Is there not a FB/centre at Northampton

Rory Hutchinson.

An interesting Caveat, against Ireland do we want a dry or wet day

I think we need a dry date, I rate the Irish pack able to grind us down in the wet and the dry but we need our backs firing to at least stand a chance at scoring a few more tries then them

Also need no stupid yellow cards and play the ref unlike last year

whatisthejava wrote:reckon your missing a few

I think centres we are ok unless 3 get injured
wingers really need 2 injuries and then we are capping new starts
FB - If Hogg and Maitland gets injured we have Kinghorn starting, I like Kinghorn but the Irish would beast him and make his life hell , after that we have Murchie and no one else I can think of

Is there not a FB/centre at Northampton

Hutchinson? I am yet to see him?

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Shame about Billy V,

I actually think he takes that England team from pretty good to great , I wouldn't be surprised to see the wheels come off the chariot this weekend against Australia, he sucks men in left right and centre and allows the other back row to focus on other things, I think without him England could well struggle to get their backs moving and I reckon Eddie Jones knows it.

Hopefully he is still injured for the Eng v sco game but I hope he comes back because he really is a tremendous player