2024 Autumn Internationals

[BaldiePete]

Scotland’s autumn matches have been announced. I see we’re doing our bit for Tier 2 nations (again) by playing Portugal. Does anyone know when the international release window is? It usually only covers three matches so either Fiji or Australia will be outside the window. We should have beaten Australia last time at Murrayfield and I would hope to do so this year. Unless South Africa are rebuilding they are probably still out of our reach.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68608446

2 November - Scotland v Fiji (kick-off 17:40 GMT)
10 November - Scotland v South Africa (16:10)
16 November - Scotland v Portugal (15:10)
24 November - Scotland v Australia (13:40)

[General Zod]

2 November - Scotland v Fiji (kick-off 17:40 GMT)
10 November - Scotland v South Africa (16:10)
16 November - Scotland v Portugal (15:10)
24 November - Scotland v Australia (13:40)

Fiji’s the one outside the window. Means that’s basically an A-team fixture, and Portugal’s going to be one to give a few people a run-out. Other games on Sundays so I probably won’t go to any of them. I suppose it’s nice to give Portugal a shot and see somebody different.

[BaldiePete]

That’s interesting because England are playing the All Blacks on the same day and have matches on the next three weekends. Given how zealously the English Premier League teams like to enforce the window the RU must have come to some special arrangement with them.

[Big D]

That’s interesting because England are playing the All Blacks on the same day and have matches on the next three weekends. Given how zealously the English Premier League teams like to enforce the window the RU must have come to some special arrangement with them.

Yes, they pay them.

[Which Tyler]

That’s interesting because England are playing the All Blacks on the same day and have matches on the next three weekends. Given how zealously the English Premier League teams like to enforce the window the RU must have come to some special arrangement with them.

Yes, RFU came to a special arrangement with their clubs in 2008 (IIRC) where they pay for release outside of the windows.
IRFU, SRU and WRU were offered the same, but declined, so the clubs keep their employees.
It's only mentioned every year (probably every international window) for (approximately) 16 years.

[BaldiePete]

So, the team for the Fiji match which can only include home based players is basically Glasgow with maybe three Edinburgh players. The way things are going they could play Dobie on the wing rather than DVDM and also start Sutherland.

Rowe
Steyn
Jones
Tuipolotu
DVDM
Hastings
Horne
Schoeman
Matthews
Fagerson
Cummings
Williamson
Fagerson
Ritchie Darge
Dempsey


Edit
Woops I forgot Darge. Sorry Jamie but you’re out.

[Big D]

A team coaching staff announced for the Chile game.

Horne as HC with Lawrie and Murchie assisting. Lawrie benefitting from "ah fuck it he's Scottish and it is only one game" because it is hard to see how he has improved the Edinburgh forward play.

[BaldiePete]

Squad is announced on Wednesday. I’d like to see Ben Muncaster get a call up. Also Tom Jordan, I think he qualifies before November. At hooker let’s see Johnny Matthews, Gregor Hiddleston and Patrick Harrison competing with Ewan Ashman. It could be a big squad as I’d guess it’ll also cover the A game against Chile.

[BaldiePete]

Freddy Douglas gets a call up before he’s played a professional game.

Muncaster, Jordan and Tuipolotu Jr. all included.

Rory Hutchison returns.

I forgot all about Ewan Johnson. I’ll have to add him to my Scots Abroad list.

[Mikey Brown]

Darge and Russell demoted for Tuipulotu seems a bit weird, but okay. Has Tuipulotu jnr actually earned this call up?

I hope we primarily use Dobie as a 9. Is Price anywhere near his best again?

Also what has happened to Sam Skinner? Seemed so promising a few years back. Injured or form just dropped off?

[BaldiePete]

Skinner is injured. Price played really well last week but has generally been poor.

[Big D]

A squad missing Gray Jnr (assuming Snr is retired), Redpath and Steyn for a mixture of reasons. Pretty decent players missing.

[BaldiePete]

It’s a big squad. I wonder if the A team for Chile will be picked from it.

[BaldiePete]

A squad missing Gray Jnr (assuming Snr is retired), Redpath and Steyn for a mixture of reasons. Pretty decent players missing.

[BaldiePete]

Squad by position. Makes it easier to see who’s missing. No Matthews, Townsend must have something against him. I’m not sure about loosehead behind Schoeman. How has Sutherland been? Also, tighthead after Fagerson doesn’t inspire confidence. Second row and back row all fine, Watson's time must be done now. At scrumhalf, hopefully Price is 4th choice. I can see Dobie on the bench against SA in a 6:2 split. At standoff Healey has been dumped and Jordan brought in. Given their respective form, that’s as expected. Given injuries the rest of the backs are probably as expected but Paterson has only played for Edinburgh A this season.


Forwards (26)

Loose-head props:
Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors (34)
Nathan McBeth – Glasgow Warriors (2)
Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (34)
Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (32)

Hookers:
Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (19)
Patrick Harrison – Edinburgh Rugby (2)
Dylan Richardson – The Sharks (3)

Tight-head prop:
Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (67)
Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (2)
Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (5)
D’Arcy Rae – Edinburgh Rugby (1)

Second-rows:
Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (39)
Alex Craig – Scarlets (4)
Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (72)
Ewan Johnson – Oyonnax (3)
Alex Samuel – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped)
Max Williamson – Glasgow Warriors (4)

Back-rows:
Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (7)
Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (3)
Luke Crosbie – Edinburgh Rugby (11)
Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (22) VICE-CAPTAIN
Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (20)
Freddy Douglas – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped)
Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (47)
Ben Muncaster – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped)
Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby (51)


Backs (19)

Scrum-halves:
Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (6)
George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (32)
Ali Price – Edinburgh Rugby (67)
Ben White – Toulon (22)

Stand-offs:
Adam Hastings – Glasgow Warriors (30)
Tom Jordan – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped)
Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (80) VICE-CAPTAIN

Centres:
Matt Currie – Edinburgh Rugby (3)
Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (7)
Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (50)
Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (5)
Mosese Tuipulotu – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped)
Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (27) CAPTAIN


Back-three:
Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (39)
Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (53)
Harry Paterson – Edinburgh Rugby (3)
Arron Reed – Sale Sharks (2)
Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (7)
Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (41)


Players ruled out through injury:
Javan Sebastian, Murphy Walker, Robbie Smith, Cam Henderson, Sam Skinner, Andy Christie, Euan Ferrie, Cameron Redpath, Kyle Steyn and Ollie Smith.

[Cameo]

I'm fairly happy with that. Apparently 22 of them (it might have been 23) have 10 caps or under. There are a few young ones there that it'd be great to make a big impression. Thinking especially of hooker and second row.

Matthews is an odd one as experience does count at hooker. If things start going wrong at lineout, young hookers can really collapse. I can see why long term they hope one of the youngsters will offer more than Matthews, but I'd have had him in for now.

[Cameo]

Okay, going for a Fiji lineup. Largely forst choice but a fee in there to give others a rest or get a chance.

1. Schoemann
2. Ashman
3. Rae
4. Cummings
5. Williamson
6. Muncaster (Fagerson went off after an HIA today and a rest is no harm anyway)
7. Darge (would be fun for Douglas to be chucked in but think we might see it vs Portugal)
8. Dempsey
9. Horne (would be happy to see Dobie too)
10. Jordan
11. VDM
12. Tuipulotu
13. Jones
14. Graham
15. Rowe

Not really sure on a few spots - backrow in particular. Not sure I've seen Muncaster at six and I haven't gone off Ritchie as much as some, but would like to see something a bit different.

We might see a bit more rotation but we don't really need to given we have this game then SA then Portugal where we can rest anyine who needs it. There is also some natural rotation with this game being outside the window. Generally, I think they'll want to get patterns going.

[BaldiePete]

Options are limited for this game but it’s important we win for World Ranking points. We are currently 7th and Fiji are 9th.

Those backs look pretty good but DVDM and Graham have hardly been in form for Edinburgh. Given that the only other back 3 option available is Patterson it’s probably the best choice. Tuipolotu has been named captain so will start but McDowell could maybe be the other centre.

Tighthead depth is really being shown up now. I can see Fagerson being rested but he’ll have to be in the 23 since there are only two home-based players in the squad. Rae doesn’t inspire much confidence. Neither does having Ashman and Harrison as the only available hookers.

[Cameo]

I thought Graham looked sharp again his last match and DVDM hasn't been terrible. I also thought Rae has beem decent in the scrum though agree re tighthead depth.

Couldn't decide on 13. Came back to Jones as him and T being connected and firing seems key to any chance we have against SA.

Be interesting to see anyway.

[septic 9]

can only pick Glasgow or Edinburgh players. So I'd pick Glasgow

[BaldiePete]

I’d be astonished and would be questioning Townsend’s sanity if the team isn’t massively made up of Glasgow players. The hooker will have to be an Edinburgh player and there will be two Edinburgh players in the back three but otherwise it should be Glasgow all the way. However, given that our best back row is all Glasgow, Ritchie or Muncaster might get a run in this game to save them for South Africa.

I note that in England, the diddy Premiership Cup is being played this weekend. I really hope that none of our players are selected for their teams this weekend. What would be the point of Bath playing Russell in a Mickey Mouse match against Ampthill?

[Which Tyler]

I note that in England, the diddy Premiership Cup is being played this weekend. I really hope that none of our players are selected for their teams this weekend. What would be the point of Bath playing Russell in a Mickey Mouse match against Ampthill?

You MIGHT see Bayliss, McConnochie or Redpath out for Bath - purely due to lack of game time thus far; but I expect it to be a team of academy and recent graduates.
No way on earth I can see Russell playing

[BaldiePete]

The Sharks have agreed to release Dylan Richardson for the Fiji match so we might see him, probably on the bench with Ashman starting.

[Mikey Brown]

Honestly only know a couple of names in that side.

Any idea when we're announcing ours? Not that there's much room for wild selections.

[BaldiePete]