The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[Slick]

Really enjoyable game.

Ref team also had a very good game

[Tichtheid]

Ref team also had a very good game

I’m never shy of criticising refs, so the other way has to be pointed out too, they did well tonight and contributed to an enjoyable game

[Yr Alban]

If I decided to get Premier for the year, how do I go about it? I have Sky, but I cancelled all the sports channels last year as I rarely watched them and I was sick of overfunding English football.

Have googled and can’t find any info from Sky that makes any sense.

[Tichtheid]

If I decided to get Premier for the year, how do I go about it? I have Sky, but I cancelled all the sports channels last year as I rarely watched them and I was sick of overfunding English football.

Have googled and can’t find any info from Sky that makes any sense.

I get Prem Sports as an add-on to Virgin tv services, I suppose you could give Sky a ring and see if they will offer you a better price for Prem channels than you can get from Premier themselves - they have an online subscription option https://www.premierplayer.tv/subscribe?view=subscribe

I'm sure I've read that people can get an annual pass for £80

[GrahamWa]

If I decided to get Premier for the year, how do I go about it? I have Sky, but I cancelled all the sports channels last year as I rarely watched them and I was sick of overfunding English football.

Have googled and can’t find any info from Sky that makes any sense.

https://subscribe.premiersports.com/pro ... E4NDA2NC4w

You'll need your sky viewing card number. Personally, if you've not had it before I would wait until they offer a deal. The "rack" price is £129.99 for the year or £14.99 a month.

[KingBlairhorn]

They seem to have changed the prices this year so all platforms are the same, starting at £12.99 per month. As per earlier posters, in previous years the online only premier player was available for around £80 one off payment. I have had that for several years now and simply cast straight to my tv.

[dpedin]

URC fixtures are out. I can't say I am particularly pleased as they seem to have shifted from Friday/Saturday evenings to Saturday/Sunday afternoons when most are doing other stuff. As has been pointed out by many elsewhere, they are now competing with family time, football matches and club rugby amongst other things. That seems a bit of an own goal to me.

I also note that the subscription is now a minimum of £12.99 per month for Premier Player, or £14.99 per month if you don't want a minimum contract length. £156 - 180 is a lot of money given the Irish and Welsh are getting all their games for free on terrestrial TV. At £80 two years ago and to a lesser extent at £120 last year it was easier to justify the subscription and to accept the shit production standards, Irish centric focus and terrible app. At £156 I start to get more demanding with my money. I don't see what they have done to justify double the cost over such a short period, other than adding Spanish football that I have no interest in.

I followed the advice from this board a few years ago - cancelled my automatic renewal from last year at end of July and got email offering me a years subs for £80 which I have taken up, paid it this week. I set a calendar reminder. My son can also use the app and cast to his tv down south so it works out at £40 each for the year.

I didn’t get that email and haven’t renewed yet - they offered me one month half price. Is it a code you can enter at checkout? Mind sharing if so?

No code - they sent me an email with the offer - all I had to do was respond to take up offer. I ended up having to call them as my debit card had expired and they needed the new details. No harm giving them a buzz and asking?

[dpedin]

Should have said - I get it through Sky

[robmatic]

Pretty entertaining so far although I must say I was kind of expecting 2 or 3 players a game to be standing out and it isn’t really happening - SK 10 best so far.

Tell you what’s bloody great though, no 4th official. So much better to watch and the teams just getting on with it - no really controversial decisions so far either.

The commentator seems to be watching a different game though

Baggott was with Embra for awhile, he never quite made the step up. I’ve liked his opposite number in previous weeks but he’s made a few howlers with the boot tonight

I agree on the tmo

Baggott looks really good at this level, think he's been the pick of the Super6 10s from what I've seen this season.

[I like neeps]

Totally agree with slick about the TMO. I'd remove them from rugby completely, or at least time limit to 1 minute or 3 replays per decision. Or potentially captains review so it's like cricket you can only review a number of decisions per match.

I would say though the super6 having two cameras and very limiting replays helps remove controversy too.

[KingBlairhorn]

Totally agree with slick about the TMO. I'd remove them from rugby completely, or at least time limit to 1 minute or 3 replays per decision. Or potentially captains review so it's like cricket you can only review a number of decisions per match.

I would say though the super6 having two cameras and very limiting replays helps remove controversy too.

They had captains review in the rainbow cup and it was fucking horrendous.

[KingBlairhorn]

Should have said - I get it through Sky

Cheers, I’ll maybe give them a ring through the week. To be honest it probably would have just auto-renewed but my card ran out. It seems like a chance to get a more reasonable price for the year.

[I like neeps]

Totally agree with slick about the TMO. I'd remove them from rugby completely, or at least time limit to 1 minute or 3 replays per decision. Or potentially captains review so it's like cricket you can only review a number of decisions per match.

I would say though the super6 having two cameras and very limiting replays helps remove controversy too.

They had captains review in the rainbow cup and it was fucking horrendous.

I mean captains review instead of a referee review. Refs can't go to the tmo only players can and they only get 2 per game unless they're correct.

[KingBlairhorn]

Totally agree with slick about the TMO. I'd remove them from rugby completely, or at least time limit to 1 minute or 3 replays per decision. Or potentially captains review so it's like cricket you can only review a number of decisions per match.

I would say though the super6 having two cameras and very limiting replays helps remove controversy too.

They had captains review in the rainbow cup and it was fucking horrendous.

I mean captains review instead of a referee review. Refs can't go to the tmo only players can and they only get 2 per game unless they're correct.

Is that not more or less what was in place? The captain saw something, complained to the ref and the ref went to the TMO to have them check.

To be honest the issue was mostly with the refs using it poorly. For instance Glasgow lost their challenge against Leinster I think it was after foul play; Glasgow clearly explained the issue they wanted to check and the TMO checked something else. Obviously there was no issue with the incorrect incident checked so Glasgow lost their challenge. In another match Glasgow challenged at the same time as the opposition (for foul play), they checked the opposition issue first, decided it was actually a Glasgow pen and then just disregarded the Glasgow challenge, despite the fact it might have been a yellow/red card offence.

It was pish and a big no thanks from me.

[I like neeps]

They had captains review in the rainbow cup and it was fucking horrendous.

I mean captains review instead of a referee review. Refs can't go to the tmo only players can and they only get 2 per game unless they're correct.

Is that not more or less what was in place? The captain saw something, complained to the ref and the ref went to the TMO to have them check.

To be honest the issue was mostly with the refs using it poorly. For instance Glasgow lost their challenge against Leinster I think it was after foul play; Glasgow clearly explained the issue they wanted to check and the TMO checked something else. Obviously there was no issue with the incorrect incident checked so Glasgow lost their challenge. In another match Glasgow challenged at the same time as the opposition (for foul play), they checked the opposition issue first, decided it was actually a Glasgow pen and then just disregarded the Glasgow challenge, despite the fact it might have been a yellow/red card offence.

It was pish and a big no thanks from me.

No that wasn't what the captain's review was, that's how things currently are the captain always talks to the ref who checks virtually every decision. The captain's review I suggest would remove that as in my recommendation the referee cannot use the tmo. The tmo cannot check check. The tmo is only used when the captain asks for a review. So instead of almost every decision being reviewed very few are. The captain's review sucked because it added the tmo to a match where the tmo was already involved far too often.

Then all the high shots etc get cited post game.

Also the culture around refereeing should change. We've all had a good time discussing the super 6 and never once has anyone moaned about the referee. I think the moaning and media makes referees more afraid so we get the tmo ad infinitum.

[Big D]

Then all the high shots etc get cited post game.

That would be a backwards step.

If the game is serious about concussion etc (and to be honest I am not sure it is) then high shots have to be stamped out at source as the occur.

[Biffer]

Then all the high shots etc get cited post game.

That would be a backwards step.

If the game is serious about concussion etc (and to be honest I am not sure it is) then high shots have to be stamped out at source as the occur.

Absolutely. Post match bans won’t have a big effect on behaviour. Losing games will.

[Biffer]

WRT premier sports, it seems they’ve added Top14 rugby this year, if that makes a difference for anyone.

[KingBlairhorn]

I mean captains review instead of a referee review. Refs can't go to the tmo only players can and they only get 2 per game unless they're correct.

Is that not more or less what was in place? The captain saw something, complained to the ref and the ref went to the TMO to have them check.

To be honest the issue was mostly with the refs using it poorly. For instance Glasgow lost their challenge against Leinster I think it was after foul play; Glasgow clearly explained the issue they wanted to check and the TMO checked something else. Obviously there was no issue with the incorrect incident checked so Glasgow lost their challenge. In another match Glasgow challenged at the same time as the opposition (for foul play), they checked the opposition issue first, decided it was actually a Glasgow pen and then just disregarded the Glasgow challenge, despite the fact it might have been a yellow/red card offence.

It was pish and a big no thanks from me.

No that wasn't what the captain's review was, that's how things currently are the captain always talks to the ref who checks virtually every decision. The captain's review I suggest would remove that as in my recommendation the referee cannot use the tmo. The tmo cannot check check. The tmo is only used when the captain asks for a review. So instead of almost every decision being reviewed very few are. The captain's review sucked because it added the tmo to a match where the tmo was already involved far too often.

Then all the high shots etc get cited post game.

Also the culture around refereeing should change. We've all had a good time discussing the super 6 and never once has anyone moaned about the referee. I think the moaning and media makes referees more afraid so we get the tmo ad infinitum.

Ok, I see the distinction you are making.

I don't think I would like that either as I don't think the players necessarily know a lot of the time that an infringement has been committed.

Take the ABs game in 2017 when Kieran Read slapped the ball out Gray's hand on the goalline. Clear yellow card and probably a penalty try. I can only think Gray and the others boys didn't realise it had happened as I don't think they particularly complained to the ref about it. The TMO should have picked that up and Read should have been binned. Without independent TMO referral you'll get loads of stuff like that going on with the best cheaters winning.

[Soapy]

Ok, I see the distinction you are making.

I don't think I would like that either as I don't think the players necessarily know a lot of the time that an infringement has been committed.

Take the ABs game in 2017 when Kieran Read slapped the ball out Gray's hand on the goalline. Clear yellow card and probably a penalty try. I can only think Gray and the others boys didn't realise it had happened as I don't think they particularly complained to the ref about it. The TMO should have picked that up and Read should have been binned. Without independent TMO referral you'll get loads of stuff like that going on with the best cheaters winning.

I seem to remember Price trying to get Carley to look at it but he refused and just waved him away.

[Jock42]

URC fixtures are out. I can't say I am particularly pleased as they seem to have shifted from Friday/Saturday evenings to Saturday/Sunday afternoons when most are doing other stuff. As has been pointed out by many elsewhere, they are now competing with family time, football matches and club rugby amongst other things. That seems a bit of an own goal to me.

Were there not lots of complaints when Friday nights were introduced?

Makes no odds to me other than its more conducive to a couple of post match beers for me if I get through.

[robmatic]

URC fixtures are out. I can't say I am particularly pleased as they seem to have shifted from Friday/Saturday evenings to Saturday/Sunday afternoons when most are doing other stuff. As has been pointed out by many elsewhere, they are now competing with family time, football matches and club rugby amongst other things. That seems a bit of an own goal to me.

Were there not lots of complaints when Friday nights were introduced?

Makes no odds to me other than its more conducive to a couple of post match beers for me if I get through.

Swings and roundabouts really, I know some folk can't do Friday nights because of their kids' bedtimes or because they finish work too late to make it to the game on time. I doubt that there is an ideal time and attending the games will always be in competition with something for some people.

Since it is going to be weekend afternoons this season, it does at least give Edinburgh and Glasgow the chance to make a day out of it at their respective stadiums with kids activities etc and the bars can be open longer for the grownups.

[Big D]

Then all the high shots etc get cited post game.

That would be a backwards step.

If the game is serious about concussion etc (and to be honest I am not sure it is) then high shots have to be stamped out at source as the occur.

Absolutely. Post match bans won’t have a big effect on behaviour. Losing games will.

Yup, boils my piss when coaches say "early red cards ruin games". So what? Teach your guys to tackle lower/safer.

[westport]

New attack coach to assist Toony

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scot ... T0iqLpM0xs

[Tichtheid]

New attack coach to assist Toony

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scot ... T0iqLpM0xs

I can't say I know the name, but his credentials are solid, Toulouse have recreated some of the attacking flair that made me love watching them.

The Hootsmun says he is to be made available to Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as academy players.

[robmatic]

New attack coach to assist Toony

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scot ... T0iqLpM0xs

I can't say I know the name, but his credentials are solid, Toulouse have recreated some of the attacking flair that made me love watching them.

The Hootsmun says he is to be made available to Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as academy players.

I think in theory that was Mike Blair's role as well, so probably a like-for-like replacement.

Seems to be some well-regarded attack coaches arriving in Scotland this year, with Nigel Carolan at Glasgow as well.

I wonder if we will see another assistant coach at Edinburgh before the start of the season to help with the forwards.

[Tichtheid]

I wonder if we will see another assistant coach at Edinburgh before the start of the season to help with the forwards.

I hope so, it's an area we are lacking in as things stand.

[Biffer]

That would be a backwards step.

If the game is serious about concussion etc (and to be honest I am not sure it is) then high shots have to be stamped out at source as the occur.

Absolutely. Post match bans won’t have a big effect on behaviour. Losing games will.

Yup, boils my piss when coaches say "early red cards ruin games". So what? Teach your guys to tackle lower/safer.

Yeah, it's not the ref that has ruined the game, it's the player.

[Slick]

A few bits in this of interest:

Alan-Basson ‘AB’ Zondagh, the 35-year-old South African who has been skills coach for French and European champions Toulouse for the past two years, is expected to be confirmed as one of Gregor Townsend’s assistants with Scotland in the next few days.

Zondagh, who was part of the Natal Sharks coaching team for 12 years before moving to France in 2019, is the son of Alan Zondagh, the former director of rugby at the Blue Bulls, Saracens and London Scottish.

Zondagh, who has confirmed his departure from Toulouse but not his new role with Scotland, has been credited with helping to restore the French side as a domestic and European force after a number of quiet years, especially in terms of developing individual players.

Antoine Dupont, the Toulouse scrum half who was voted Six Nations player of the tournament last year, paid tribute to Dupont in a tweet that said: ‘Thank you for everything.”

One of those with whom Zondagh will be working in Scotland is hooker Fraser Brown. The Glasgow Warriors co-captain said yesterday that the so-called ‘captain’s challenge’ was a worthwhile innovation in last season’s Rainbow Cup but welcomed the fact it will play no part in the forthcoming United Rugby Championship (URC).

The procedure allowed a team’s captain to draw the match referee’s attention to possible infringements in the lead-up to a score. However, the experimental law change quickly became unpopular as it caused lengthy delays and led to scores being chalked off for the most minor technical infringements.

“Before it came in I thought it could be a good tool in rugby,” the 32-year-old said. “But on reflection I thought it was unwarranted. It was a pretty poor thing to bring in. It slowed the game down and it brought referees and officials into question. It challenged their opinion a bit too much.

“We all know the players make mistakes and we make plenty of them in every game. Referees and officials are no different. If you are searching for the perfect game of rugby from an official point of view you will never find it.

“I can understand why they brought it in, to create a bit of innovation, but I didn’t think it worked at all. It certainly made it very difficult for the players in the middle because you had everyone appealing for everything all the time. As soon as we can start stripping that back then the better it will be.”

In his first public statement since the release of the first tranche of the 2021-22 URC fixture list, Brown agreed that the loss of the Warriors’ traditional Friday evening slot was a blow to the club but also suggested that having most of their scheduled home games on Saturday afternoons could still allow the Scotstoun side to develop new audiences.

“Hopefully we will have a lot of families here which will be really good for us in terms of trying to grow the sport,” he said.

Meanwhile, Niko Matawalu, the former Glasgow scrum half and winger, has signed a short-term deal as injury cover for Montauban, the French Pro D2 (second division) side

[robmatic]

Embra sign Australian loosehead prop Harry Lloyd on a short-term deal until Super Rugby AU starts. Seems a fair enough signing, they were looking short of numbers there after Sutherland escaped.

[dpedin]

Embra sign Australian loosehead prop Harry Lloyd on a short-term deal until Super Rugby AU starts. Seems a fair enough signing, they were looking short of numbers there after Sutherland escaped.

Sounds like there might be someone carrying an injury and they need cover to me!

[robmatic]

Embra sign Australian loosehead prop Harry Lloyd on a short-term deal until Super Rugby AU starts. Seems a fair enough signing, they were looking short of numbers there after Sutherland escaped.

Sounds like there might be someone carrying an injury and they need cover to me!

I think they needed cover regardless, with Schoeman and Venter the only senior props on that side.

[KingBlairhorn]

Embra sign Australian loosehead prop Harry Lloyd on a short-term deal until Super Rugby AU starts. Seems a fair enough signing, they were looking short of numbers there after Sutherland escaped.

Sounds like there might be someone carrying an injury and they need cover to me!

I think they needed cover regardless, with Schoeman and Venter the only senior props on that side.

Definitely, Schoeman will 100% be getting capped in the autumn so will be unavailable for long periods.

[robmatic]

New attack coach to assist Toony

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scot ... T0iqLpM0xs

The Offside Line commenters are predictably debating the value of the SRU hiring a non-Scot.

[KingBlairhorn]

New attack coach to assist Toony

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scot ... T0iqLpM0xs

The Offside Line commenters are predictably debating the value of the SRU hiring a non-Scot.

I can only assume there is a market that laps this kind of thing up as they just drone on and on with their shitty opinions ad infinitum.

The only reason there is a vacancy at all is that one of the top jobs in Scotland has been filled by a Scottish guy. However, who really cares - whilst its nice to see a Scottish coach make it that should only ever be on merit. Surely the point is to be the best we can possibly be at rugby at both club and international level, not to give jobs to the boys which has always been my main criticism of Scottish Rugby administration.

As an aside, all these lads that apparently are good enough to be pro coaches but aren't being offered jobs due to their nationality, the world's richest two leagues are in neighbouring countries. Why not try for a (very well paid) job there and then come back and take an SRU job when you have the experience and skills required.

[westport]

New attack coach to assist Toony

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scot ... T0iqLpM0xs

The Offside Line commenters are predictably debating the value of the SRU hiring a non-Scot.

Personally I don't care if they are white/black/green with pink spots/Scots/Engish/Saffer or a Martian as long as they do a good job

[Biffer]

New attack coach to assist Toony

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scot ... T0iqLpM0xs

The Offside Line commenters are predictably debating the value of the SRU hiring a non-Scot.

I can only assume there is a market that laps this kind of thing up as they just drone on and on with their shitty opinions ad infinitum.

The only reason there is a vacancy at all is that one of the top jobs in Scotland has been filled by a Scottish guy. However, who really cares - whilst its nice to see a Scottish coach make it that should only ever be on merit. Surely the point is to be the best we can possibly be at rugby at both club and international level, not to give jobs to the boys which has always been my main criticism of Scottish Rugby administration.

As an aside, all these lads that apparently are good enough to be pro coaches but aren't being offered jobs due to their nationality, the world's richest two leagues are in neighbouring countries. Why not try for a (very well paid) job there and then come back and take an SRU job when you have the experience and skills required.

The TOL market is the old club man who thinks professionalism was a mistake and if it had to happen the SRU should have given the money to the clubs. Some of them have this ridiculous idea that they'd all be clubs the size of Northampton and Bath right now if that had been done.

[Tichtheid]

The TOL market is the old club man who thinks professionalism was a mistake and if it had to happen the SRU should have given the money to the clubs. Some of them have this ridiculous idea that they'd all be clubs the size of Northampton and Bath right now if that had been done.

It's not as if the moaning-pussed gits are all from the old First Division clubs, but they are delusional.

[KingBlairhorn]

The Offside Line commenters are predictably debating the value of the SRU hiring a non-Scot.

I can only assume there is a market that laps this kind of thing up as they just drone on and on with their shitty opinions ad infinitum.

The only reason there is a vacancy at all is that one of the top jobs in Scotland has been filled by a Scottish guy. However, who really cares - whilst its nice to see a Scottish coach make it that should only ever be on merit. Surely the point is to be the best we can possibly be at rugby at both club and international level, not to give jobs to the boys which has always been my main criticism of Scottish Rugby administration.

As an aside, all these lads that apparently are good enough to be pro coaches but aren't being offered jobs due to their nationality, the world's richest two leagues are in neighbouring countries. Why not try for a (very well paid) job there and then come back and take an SRU job when you have the experience and skills required.

The TOL market is the old club man who thinks professionalism was a mistake and if it had to happen the SRU should have given the money to the clubs. Some of them have this ridiculous idea that they'd all be clubs the size of Northampton and Bath right now if that had been done.

It's an especially odd viewpoint given that it is almost exactly what was done at the advent of professionalism, and it was a disaster that set back Scottish rugby by twenty odd years. In contrast Ireland (who were nowhere near our level at the onset of professionalism) went with the district model right away and look at them now.

What could have been.

[Slick]

New attack coach to assist Toony

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/scot ... T0iqLpM0xs

The Offside Line commenters are predictably debating the value of the SRU hiring a non-Scot.

Personally I don't care if they are white/black/green with pink spots/Scots/Engish/Saffer or a Martian as long as they do a good job

Agree with that. Although I've often wondered why players have to be qualified for a country but not coaches. Would be quite interesting if that was the case.