The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[robmatic]

Bit flat for a BP win, mostly because the ref was fussy and there wasn't much continuity.

Hopefully that was just a dead leg for Mata, but if not Bradbury is looking in good form.

Line out is rubbish with McInally on the pitch.

[robmatic]

Bit flat for a BP win, mostly because the ref was fussy and there wasn't much continuity.

Hopefully that was just a dead leg for Mata, but if not Bradbury is looking in good form.

Line out is rubbish with McInally on the pitch.

Also, we might not have looked as good as last week but Treviso are a much better team than Dragons.

[Yr Alban]

Pleased at the Embra result. Particularly pleased for Bradbury, who seems to be tapping into a rich vein of form.

[Slick]

Looks like Bradbury has done what we have all been hoping for and played himself into the 6N squad and a possible start. Really pleased for him.

Kinghorn had a good game and I liked Savala when he came on. Completely agree with whoever said Currie looked quietly excellent.

Thought the ref had a good game actually

[Slick]

As an aside, I do like Jim Hamilton as a commentator/pundit

[Slick]

I see Chris Harris had a stormer last night and is now being talked about as one of the top centres in world rugby

[dkm57]

Great to see Bradbury becoming the player we all thought he could be. Hope Mata's injury was just a knock.

I was also very impressed by Kinghorn, very different kind of 10 sometimes jackaling like another back rower alongside his day job. I like that Scotland now have 3 very different options at 10.

[Big D]

I see Chris Harris had a stormer last night and is now being talked about as one of the top centres in world rugby

He handled Radradra fairly well. One point he made 15 yards and the commentators were all like "look how easily he makes metres" when in reality Harris had shepherded him into a little pocket minimising any threat and not allowing himself to be stepped.

[Slick]

I see Chris Harris had a stormer last night and is now being talked about as one of the top centres in world rugby

He handled Radradra fairly well. One point he made 15 yards and the commentators were all like "look how easily he makes metres" when in reality Harris had shepherded him into a little pocket minimising any threat and not allowing himself to be stepped.

I mentioned previously that I spent much of the first half of the Japan game just watching him and it was an absolute defensive masterclass

[clydecloggie]

I see Chris Harris had a stormer last night and is now being talked about as one of the top centres in world rugby

He handled Radradra fairly well. One point he made 15 yards and the commentators were all like "look how easily he makes metres" when in reality Harris had shepherded him into a little pocket minimising any threat and not allowing himself to be stepped.

I mentioned previously that I spent much of the first half of the Japan game just watching him and it was an absolute defensive masterclass

Aye. Obviously there's Lukhanyo Am but Chris Harris has to be up there in conversations about best defensive centre in the world. It looks like he's adding more of an attacking threat as well - which would make him the complete package.

[I like neeps]

Fair play to Bradbury - looks like the tough love treatment from Townsend is working. The whole Edinburgh team is working well. Lang and Currie is a very nice centre partnership to build up.

[Yr Alban]

Fantastic skills showed by Charlie Chapman to score for Gloucester. We seem to have 9s coming out of our ears. Why can’t we make one or two 3s?

[I like neeps]

Fantastic skills showed by Charlie Chapman to score for Gloucester. We seem to have 9s coming out of our ears. Why can’t we make one or two 3s?

I liked him a lot for the under20s it's exciting to see him come through. I don't think we're blessed with 9s however. Behind Price there's a lot of unproven young guys/premiership bench players. We need a good back up to Price - I don't think we have that right now.

[I like neeps]

Tuipolotu looks significantly better at 12.

[Slick]

Tuipolotu looks significantly better at 12.

He’s had a great start.

Who’s the Glasgow 15?

[I like neeps]

Tuipolotu looks significantly better at 12.

He’s had a great start.

Who’s the Glasgow 15?

New signing Josh McKay from NZ. Not SQ.

[Slick]

Tuipolotu looks significantly better at 12.

He’s had a great start.

Who’s the Glasgow 15?

New signing Josh McKay from NZ. Not SQ.

Ahh yeah, cheers, I’ve read about him

[KingBlairhorn]

Price’s form just gets better and better

[Slick]

Incurrent form Darge is going to give Mish a run
for his money come the 6N

Edit: and let’s just get Dempsey qualified

[Slick]

Price’s form just gets better and better

Yup

[I like neeps]

Incurrent form Darge is going to give Mish a run
for his money come the 6N

Edit: and let’s just get Dempsey qualified

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

[Tichtheid]

Incurrent form Darge is going to give Mish a run
for his money come the 6N

Edit: and let’s just get Dempsey qualified

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

Right now I'd pick Bradbury anyway, tbh

[KingBlairhorn]

Incurrent form Darge is going to give Mish a run
for his money come the 6N

Edit: and let’s just get Dempsey qualified

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

The whole point of this rule is to allow those who feel more than one nationality to change their mind. I have no idea what Dempsey feels, but if he has decided he wants to be Scottish good for him. The PIs are going to have significant proportions of their squads born outside their nations, nobody is going to or should have the right to question their right to feel Samoan/Fijian/Tongan or whatever so nobody should treat someone who wants to be Scottish any different IMO.

[I like neeps]

Incurrent form Darge is going to give Mish a run
for his money come the 6N

Edit: and let’s just get Dempsey qualified

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

Right now I'd pick Bradbury anyway, tbh

Both would be in the squad but Dempsey has done it all season so I'd give him the edge.

[Slick]

Incurrent form Darge is going to give Mish a run
for his money come the 6N

Edit: and let’s just get Dempsey qualified

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

Right now I'd pick Bradbury anyway, tbh

Well then you are quite mad

[Tichtheid]

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

Right now I'd pick Bradbury anyway, tbh

Well then you are quite mad

Darge over Watson right now might not be mad, though

edit, or Crosbie over Watson, Mish could well be third choice 7 right at this moment on form

[Yr Alban]

Incurrent form Darge is going to give Mish a run
for his money come the 6N

Edit: and let’s just get Dempsey qualified

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

The whole point of this rule is to allow those who feel more than one nationality to change their mind. I have no idea what Dempsey feels, but if he has decided he wants to be Scottish good for him. The PIs are going to have significant proportions of their squads born outside their nations, nobody is going to or should have the right to question their right to feel Samoan/Fijian/Tongan or whatever so nobody should treat someone who wants to be Scottish any different IMO.

I’m going to take a pragmatic line here. We’re going to keep getting repeated kickings due to the number of players born outside Scotland (mostly in England with at least one Scots parent). I’d rather get the kickings and have a shot at winning things rather than get the kickings and win sod all. Dempsey would provide a very useful option in what has been a problem position for us for years. Yes, Bradbury’s looking like a good option too right now, but realistically we need at least 2-3 international class players for each position. If Dempsey wants to follow his roots and join our wee band, bring it on. I doubt we’ll be making a lot of use of this ruling overall.

[Yr Alban]

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

Right now I'd pick Bradbury anyway, tbh

Well then you are quite mad

Dempsey won’t qualify until next year. Bradbury has the chance to make the shirt his own in the meantime.

[Slick]

Right now I'd pick Bradbury anyway, tbh

Well then you are quite mad

Darge over Watson right now might not be mad, though

edit, or Crosbie over Watson, Mish could well be third choice 7 right at this moment on form

Think you are right, he’s definitely in a post Lions doldrums. Would be a massive decision to leave him out of that England game

[I like neeps]

Incurrent form Darge is going to give Mish a run
for his money come the 6N

Edit: and let’s just get Dempsey qualified

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

The whole point of this rule is to allow those who feel more than one nationality to change their mind. I have no idea what Dempsey feels, but if he has decided he wants to be Scottish good for him. The PIs are going to have significant proportions of their squads born outside their nations, nobody is going to or should have the right to question their right to feel Samoan/Fijian/Tongan or whatever so nobody should treat someone who wants to be Scottish any different IMO.

No, but the PIs are tiny economies and populations who lack infrastructure to create proper development pathways and have 1 pro team in the Drua and that's only now. They punch well well above their weight (as do Scotland). Also we all understand that if a player declares for a tier 1 team rather than a PI team the commercial reality for them is hugely beneficial to their families etc.

None of that is the case with Scotland (except the punching above our weight). He doesn't want to be Scottish either and that's why when we asked if he wanted to come over when Scott Johnson was DoR he said you're alright I want my Wallabies cap.

I can live with the project players, I have no qualms with grannies. Dempsey playing for Scotland would make me very uncomfortable.

[Tichtheid]

Dempsey is having a stormer, mind

[I like neeps]

Dempsey is having a stormer, mind

How many times are they going to let him pick up from the bottom of a ruck and run half the pitch?!

[KingBlairhorn]

I wonder if Dempsey would want to play for Scotland. I have to say I hope he doesn't. I don't mind the rule as a way to improve the PIs but Dempsey had the chance to play for Scotland and he chose Australia. Good for him and all but let's not pick him.

The whole point of this rule is to allow those who feel more than one nationality to change their mind. I have no idea what Dempsey feels, but if he has decided he wants to be Scottish good for him. The PIs are going to have significant proportions of their squads born outside their nations, nobody is going to or should have the right to question their right to feel Samoan/Fijian/Tongan or whatever so nobody should treat someone who wants to be Scottish any different IMO.

No, but the PIs are tiny economies and populations who lack infrastructure to create proper development pathways and have 1 pro team in the Drua and that's only now. They punch well well above their weight (as do Scotland). Also we all understand that if a player declares for a tier 1 team rather than a PI team the commercial reality for them is hugely beneficial to their families etc.

None of that is the case with Scotland (except the punching above our weight). He doesn't want to be Scottish either and that's why when we asked if he wanted to come over when Scott Johnson was DoR he said you're alright I want my Wallabies cap.

I can live with the project players, I have no qualms with grannies. Dempsey playing for Scotland would make me very uncomfortable.

The commercial reality of playing for Scotland over England can also be stark. It can be the difference between a professional career or not, and that’s before we get to the match fees differential, bonus differential, and wider commercial opportunity of being an England international. The earning potential of an English international is orders of magnitude higher than a Scottish international. Those who are dual qualified have a significant life decision to make.

[I like neeps]

The whole point of this rule is to allow those who feel more than one nationality to change their mind. I have no idea what Dempsey feels, but if he has decided he wants to be Scottish good for him. The PIs are going to have significant proportions of their squads born outside their nations, nobody is going to or should have the right to question their right to feel Samoan/Fijian/Tongan or whatever so nobody should treat someone who wants to be Scottish any different IMO.

No, but the PIs are tiny economies and populations who lack infrastructure to create proper development pathways and have 1 pro team in the Drua and that's only now. They punch well well above their weight (as do Scotland). Also we all understand that if a player declares for a tier 1 team rather than a PI team the commercial reality for them is hugely beneficial to their families etc.

None of that is the case with Scotland (except the punching above our weight). He doesn't want to be Scottish either and that's why when we asked if he wanted to come over when Scott Johnson was DoR he said you're alright I want my Wallabies cap.

I can live with the project players, I have no qualms with grannies. Dempsey playing for Scotland would make me very uncomfortable.

The commercial reality of playing for Scotland over England can also be stark. It can be the difference between a professional career or not, and that’s before we get to the match fees differential, bonus differential, and wider commercial opportunity of being an England international. The earning potential of an English international is orders of magnitude higher than a Scottish international. Those who are dual qualified have a significant life decision to make.

Sure, it's not close to the gap between the PIs and the All Blacks etc but it's a gap. And yes they do have a decision to make. And in my opinion they should then live with that decision.

However, I'm pro a policy to help out the Pacific Islanders who add so much of the fun in rugby and are treated poorly.

[Achahoish]

Fantastic skills showed by Charlie Chapman to score for Gloucester. We seem to have 9s coming out of our ears. Why can’t we make one or two 3s?

I liked him a lot for the under20s it's exciting to see him come through. I don't think we're blessed with 9s however. Behind Price there's a lot of unproven young guys/premiership bench players. We need a good back up to Price - I don't think we have that right now.

Dobie gets my vote

[Tichtheid]

Fantastic skills showed by Charlie Chapman to score for Gloucester. We seem to have 9s coming out of our ears. Why can’t we make one or two 3s?

I liked him a lot for the under20s it's exciting to see him come through. I don't think we're blessed with 9s however. Behind Price there's a lot of unproven young guys/premiership bench players. We need a good back up to Price - I don't think we have that right now.

Dobie gets my vote

Right now Price is second only to Dupont in the 6N scrum halves stakes, imo.

I'm not sure Dobie is ready yet, he's only 20 so he has plenty of time. Horne seems to have gone backwards, I really rated him and I hve been a fan for years, but he lost the heid in some European games and hasn't quite got his mojo back.

Shiel can be brilliant, but is inconsistent, Pyrgos - now there is a man who has looked rejuvenated over the last couple of weeks, but I like the idea of Vellacott coming on at 65 mins and injecting insane pace into a game

[I like neeps]

I liked him a lot for the under20s it's exciting to see him come through. I don't think we're blessed with 9s however. Behind Price there's a lot of unproven young guys/premiership bench players. We need a good back up to Price - I don't think we have that right now.

Dobie gets my vote

Right now Price is second only to Dupont in the 6N scrum halves stakes, imo.

I'm not sure Dobie is ready yet, he's only 20 so he has plenty of time. Horne seems to have gone backwards, I really rated him and I hve been a fan for years, but he lost the heid in some European games and hasn't quite got his mojo back.

Shiel can be brilliant, but is inconsistent, Pyrgos - now there is a man who has looked rejuvenated over the last couple of weeks, but I like the idea of Vellacott coming on at 65 mins and injecting insane pace into a game

Agreed I think it has to be Vellacott on the bench who is out doing Horne jnr on the try front and both are flawed in game management so you don't lose any control. Not really sure any of the others play enough to be considered.

I long suspected George Horne was a product of Rennie's running rugby and now as neither Glasgow or Scotland play that game he's just pretty average. Dobie played nicely when he came on yesterday, he has a delightful pass.

[I like neeps]

Watched the Premiership rugby highlights:

Duhan VdM was in his usual form, Hutchinson scored a lovely try for Saints, Kyle Rowe (5'9/5'10) ran through Gary Graham (oh dear) for a really good individual from nothing score, we've spoken about the Gloucester boys already it looks like the kicks Hastings missed were right on the touchline to be fair to him.

[Slick]

Dobie gets my vote

Right now Price is second only to Dupont in the 6N scrum halves stakes, imo.

I'm not sure Dobie is ready yet, he's only 20 so he has plenty of time. Horne seems to have gone backwards, I really rated him and I hve been a fan for years, but he lost the heid in some European games and hasn't quite got his mojo back.

Shiel can be brilliant, but is inconsistent, Pyrgos - now there is a man who has looked rejuvenated over the last couple of weeks, but I like the idea of Vellacott coming on at 65 mins and injecting insane pace into a game

Agreed I think it has to be Vellacott on the bench who is out doing Horne jnr on the try front and both are flawed in game management so you don't lose any control. Not really sure any of the others play enough to be considered.

I long suspected George Horne was a product of Rennie's running rugby and now as neither Glasgow or Scotland play that game he's just pretty average. Dobie played nicely when he came on yesterday, he has a delightful pass.

Dobie definitely seems to me the one with the most potential. Vellacot has been brilliant in patches and pretty average in others but I can see him making the step up and being fine

[Slick]

Watched the Premiership rugby highlights:

Duhan VdM was in his usual form, Hutchinson scored a lovely try for Saints, Kyle Rowe (5'9/5'10) ran through Gary Graham (oh dear) for a really good individual from nothing score, we've spoken about the Gloucester boys already it looks like the kicks Hastings missed were right on the touchline to be fair to him.

This is where selection for the 6N might get interesting because we really missed a decent kicker during the AI’s. Finn has a very good record but I’ve never quite had the faith and he was poor last month.

I think SA would have been very different with a trusty boot in the team and we would have been out of sight against Oz. Can’t afford to go into the 6N without a recognised boot and Hastings seems the closest at the moment