The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[Slick]

Didn’t see the game, how did Ross Thompson and Darge go?

Thompson missed one kinda easy kick (rattled the post) and then kicked a further two harder kicks one almost immediately after. Very assured performance, put plenty in defence and not too shabby tactically in attack.

Darge was fantastic again. Dempsey took MotM probably for metres ran along with his breakdown work but Darge must have been a very close 2nd.

Wasn't looking forward to the derbies but if Glasgow keep to that level they are going to be epic with the form that Edinburgh are in.

Cheers. I’d heard Darge had a stormer and that’s against an international level back row which is a huge step for him.

Is the 2nd Jan game at big MF?

[Biffer]

Didn’t see the game, how did Ross Thompson and Darge go?

Thompson missed one kinda easy kick (rattled the post) and then kicked a further two harder kicks one almost immediately after. Very assured performance, put plenty in defence and not too shabby tactically in attack.

Darge was fantastic again. Dempsey took MotM probably for metres ran along with his breakdown work but Darge must have been a very close 2nd.

Wasn't looking forward to the derbies but if Glasgow keep to that level they are going to be epic with the form that Edinburgh are in.

Cheers. I’d heard Darge had a stormer and that’s against an international level back row which is a huge step for him.

Is the 2nd Jan game at big MF?

Yes, it's at the big hoose

[I like neeps]

Glasgow introduced some interesting set piece moves last night. They should have executed the 3 Vs 2 better McKay's pass to Forbes was pretty poor. And both Forbes and Steyn regularly came off their wings in open plan. Do they're backs are improving but I think they play a bit too deep.

It's just ridiculous how good Dempsey is playing. Darge is playing almost as well (he's on significantly better form than Hamish Watson) and Matt Fagerson is a much more effective 6 where he can just get in amongst it. Really enjoy their pack since Rennie's time as they can be aggressive and abrasive as anything.

McKay Vs Boffeli
Johnson vs Lang
Thompson Vs Kinghorn
Price Vs Vellacott
Schoeman vs Fagerson
Cummings Vs Hodgson/Sykes
Darge/Dempsey/Fagerson Vs Bradbury/Ritchie/Watson.

If Omicron doesn't cancel it maybe the 1872 is more exciting than Christmas.

[Yr Alban]

Glasgow introduced some interesting set piece moves last night. They should have executed the 3 Vs 2 better McKay's pass to Forbes was pretty poor. And both Forbes and Steyn regularly came off their wings in open plan. Do they're backs are improving but I think they play a bit too deep.

It's just ridiculous how good Dempsey is playing. Darge is playing almost as well (he's on significantly better form than Hamish Watson) and Matt Fagerson is a much more effective 6 where he can just get in amongst it. Really enjoy their pack since Rennie's time as they can be aggressive and abrasive as anything.

McKay Vs Boffeli
Johnson vs Lang
Thompson Vs Kinghorn
Price Vs Vellacott
Schoeman vs Fagerson
Cummings Vs Hodgson/Sykes
Darge/Dempsey/Fagerson Vs Bradbury/Ritchie/Watson.

If Omicron doesn't cancel it maybe the 1872 is more exciting than Christmas.

I’m sure Dempsey will lose form, or get injured, at some point in the (checks calendar) next 11 months.

[Jock42]

Is the weegie match worth watching? Seen some clips on twitter and the fog looked horrendous.

Chuffed to fuck with the embra result last week.

[dpedin]

Glasgow introduced some interesting set piece moves last night. They should have executed the 3 Vs 2 better McKay's pass to Forbes was pretty poor. And both Forbes and Steyn regularly came off their wings in open plan. Do they're backs are improving but I think they play a bit too deep.

It's just ridiculous how good Dempsey is playing. Darge is playing almost as well (he's on significantly better form than Hamish Watson) and Matt Fagerson is a much more effective 6 where he can just get in amongst it. Really enjoy their pack since Rennie's time as they can be aggressive and abrasive as anything.

McKay Vs Boffeli
Johnson vs Lang
Thompson Vs Kinghorn
Price Vs Vellacott
Schoeman vs Fagerson
Cummings Vs Hodgson/Sykes
Darge/Dempsey/Fagerson Vs Bradbury/Ritchie/Watson.

If Omicron doesn't cancel it maybe the 1872 is more exciting than Christmas.

I’m sure Dempsey will lose form, or get injured, at some point in the (checks calendar) next 11 months.

Glasgow played Exeter off the park and should have won by more! Excellent tactics, well executed meant Exeter couldn't get a foothold in the game. Weegies targeted the breakdown and played lots of pick and goes and short balls to runners coming in at angles around the rucks. They were breaking the gain line and forcing the big Exeter pack to have to turn backwards all the time and by the end of the match their big back row was knackered. Without the ball in front of them the Exeter pack looked very, very cumbersome. They really missed not having a proper 7 to at least try and slow the Weegies down.

Price and Thomson ran the game, Exeter's 9 and 10 were poor by comparison and looked a bit lost. The rest of the Glasgow backs looked far superior to their opposite numbers - without good ball Exeter backs looked slow and struggled with the pace of the game and the fast defence. They were never really in the game.

Every Glasgow player played their part, everyone outplayed their opposite number. Exeter were poor - they need better props, a proper 7, a new 9, new centres and more mobile winger than Nowell. The change in the laws has hit them harder than other teams, particularly at the breakdown and the no latching rule. A number of their players now look a bit old/slow for how the game is going. They can bully poorer teams but up against a fit, fast and skilful team like Glasgow they looked a bit out of date with their game plan.

[OomStruisbaai]

Did EdinBokke played this weekend?

[dpedin]

Did EdinBokke played this weekend?

Week off.

[JM2K6]

Glasgow introduced some interesting set piece moves last night. They should have executed the 3 Vs 2 better McKay's pass to Forbes was pretty poor. And both Forbes and Steyn regularly came off their wings in open plan. Do they're backs are improving but I think they play a bit too deep.

It's just ridiculous how good Dempsey is playing. Darge is playing almost as well (he's on significantly better form than Hamish Watson) and Matt Fagerson is a much more effective 6 where he can just get in amongst it. Really enjoy their pack since Rennie's time as they can be aggressive and abrasive as anything.

McKay Vs Boffeli
Johnson vs Lang
Thompson Vs Kinghorn
Price Vs Vellacott
Schoeman vs Fagerson
Cummings Vs Hodgson/Sykes
Darge/Dempsey/Fagerson Vs Bradbury/Ritchie/Watson.

If Omicron doesn't cancel it maybe the 1872 is more exciting than Christmas.

I’m sure Dempsey will lose form, or get injured, at some point in the (checks calendar) next 11 months.

Glasgow played Exeter off the park and should have won by more! Excellent tactics, well executed meant Exeter couldn't get a foothold in the game. Weegies targeted the breakdown and played lots of pick and goes and short balls to runners coming in at angles around the rucks. They were breaking the gain line and forcing the big Exeter pack to have to turn backwards all the time and by the end of the match their big back row was knackered. Without the ball in front of them the Exeter pack looked very, very cumbersome. They really missed not having a proper 7 to at least try and slow the Weegies down.

Price and Thomson ran the game, Exeter's 9 and 10 were poor by comparison and looked a bit lost. The rest of the Glasgow backs looked far superior to their opposite numbers - without good ball Exeter backs looked slow and struggled with the pace of the game and the fast defence. They were never really in the game.

Every Glasgow player played their part, everyone outplayed their opposite number. Exeter were poor - they need better props, a proper 7, a new 9, new centres and more mobile winger than Nowell. The change in the laws has hit them harder than other teams, particularly at the breakdown and the no latching rule. A number of their players now look a bit old/slow for how the game is going. They can bully poorer teams but up against a fit, fast and skilful team like Glasgow they looked a bit out of date with their game plan.

Couldn't agree more

[Tichtheid]

Exeter picked Skinner at 7.


To my mind that sums up everything about Exeter's approach and where they went wrong. He's a lock, against a ground hog like Darge there is no contest, despite Darge's inexperience and youth - I doubt if he's played a dozen professional games.

Put it another way, if Glasgow had picked Darge at 4 or 5 they'd have rightly been called out on the stupidity.

[JM2K6]

They genuinely don't have a 7 in the squad. Closest they have is a kid who seems better suited to blindside. Often they pick giant Saffers like Kirsten or the 97 year old ghost of 2015's Don Armand. They've not had a proper 7 since Julian Salvi but the power game has seen them through it - even when they were champions they could still get caned at the breakdown.

The comparison between Maunder and Price at 9 should've had Baxter phoning every agent he knew. White ran that team in recent years, Maunder's coasting on Exeter's loyalty to local kids...

(Not of interest to this thread in particular, but I find Exeter's first team weaknesses actually quite reassuring, from a salary cap perspective)

Also genuinely thought Darge was Watson at one point. Huge game.

[Tichtheid]

They genuinely don't have a 7 in the squad. Closest they have is a kid who seems better suited to blindside. Often they pick giant Saffers like Kirsten or the 97 year old ghost of 2015's Don Armand. They've not had a proper 7 since Julian Salvi but the power game has seen them through it - even when they were champions they could still get caned at the breakdown.

The comparison between Maunder and Price at 9 should've had Baxter phoning every agent he knew. White ran that team in recent years, Maunder's coasting on Exeter's loyalty to local kids...

(Not of interest to this thread in particular, but I find Exeter's first team weaknesses actually quite reassuring, from a salary cap perspective)

Also genuinely thought Darge was Watson at one point. Huge game.

He's been playing like that since he joined Glasgow because he couldn't get a game at Edinburgh.

Imagine my delight as an Edinburgh fan.

Nah, more seriously, the SRU do have to juggle players between the two teams, it leads to enormous amounts of bad feeling from the "team first, Scotland second" fans, but imo it has to be done.

[Tichtheid]

Oh and on Price, he just extended his contract at Glasgow this week.

I haven't read the Rugby Paper, just someone online saying that they are reporting that Bristol are after George Turner, another Edinburgh guy who went to Glasgow.

[robmatic]

It's all setting up nicely for the 1872 Cup.

I'm not sure what to make of Glasgow in the Danny Wilson era. Sometimes they look great in every aspect of the game and other times they just don't turn up.

[dpedin]

They genuinely don't have a 7 in the squad. Closest they have is a kid who seems better suited to blindside. Often they pick giant Saffers like Kirsten or the 97 year old ghost of 2015's Don Armand. They've not had a proper 7 since Julian Salvi but the power game has seen them through it - even when they were champions they could still get caned at the breakdown.

The comparison between Maunder and Price at 9 should've had Baxter phoning every agent he knew. White ran that team in recent years, Maunder's coasting on Exeter's loyalty to local kids...

(Not of interest to this thread in particular, but I find Exeter's first team weaknesses actually quite reassuring, from a salary cap perspective)

Also genuinely thought Darge was Watson at one point. Huge game.

Agree about what White brought to the Exeter team, he covered the cracks for a while but now he has gone they are getting a real showing up.

[westport]

Confirmed that Sam Skinner has signed for Edinburgh

[I like neeps]

They genuinely don't have a 7 in the squad. Closest they have is a kid who seems better suited to blindside. Often they pick giant Saffers like Kirsten or the 97 year old ghost of 2015's Don Armand. They've not had a proper 7 since Julian Salvi but the power game has seen them through it - even when they were champions they could still get caned at the breakdown.

The comparison between Maunder and Price at 9 should've had Baxter phoning every agent he knew. White ran that team in recent years, Maunder's coasting on Exeter's loyalty to local kids...

(Not of interest to this thread in particular, but I find Exeter's first team weaknesses actually quite reassuring, from a salary cap perspective)

Also genuinely thought Darge was Watson at one point. Huge game.

He's been playing like that since he joined Glasgow because he couldn't get a game at Edinburgh.

Imagine my delight as an Edinburgh fan.

Nah, more seriously, the SRU do have to juggle players between the two teams, it leads to enormous amounts of bad feeling from the "team first, Scotland second" fans, but imo it has to be done.

I wonder what would have happened with Darge had Cockers played young players. If Edinburgh thought Darge would be as good as he is we'd be talking about if Boyle got in the Glasgow team ahead of Gordon/Miller Vs Exeter. The SRU deserve very little credit for squad planning as Glasgow spent most of last season with Ioane getting red carded and Fotu Lokotui now in the ProD2. They should have moved him sooner.

[Tichtheid]

I wonder what would have happened with Darge had Cockers played young players. If Edinburgh thought Darge would be as good as he is we'd be talking about if Boyle got in the Glasgow team ahead of Gordon/Miller Vs Exeter. The SRU deserve very little credit for squad planning as Glasgow spent most of last season with Ioane getting red carded and Fotu Lokotui now in the ProD2. They should have moved him sooner.

Darge signed his first professional contract as a 20 year old in July 2020 , along with Sam Grahamslaw and Connor Boyle.

I recall hearing a lot about the two backrows and seeing them in the U20s.

I'm pretty sure I saw Darge's name among the injured list a lot of the time during his few months at Edinburgh and he moved over in March this year, along with Miller who had been really good at Edinburgh.

They could have moved him over to Glasgow's physio team earlier, I suppose.

[I like neeps]

I wonder what would have happened with Darge had Cockers played young players. If Edinburgh thought Darge would be as good as he is we'd be talking about if Boyle got in the Glasgow team ahead of Gordon/Miller Vs Exeter. The SRU deserve very little credit for squad planning as Glasgow spent most of last season with Ioane getting red carded and Fotu Lokotui now in the ProD2. They should have moved him sooner.

Darge signed his first professional contract as a 20 year old in July 2020 , along with Sam Grahamslaw and Connor Boyle.

I recall hearing a lot about the two backrows and seeing them in the U20s.

I'm pretty sure I saw Darge's name among the injured list a lot of the time during his few months at Edinburgh and he moved over in March this year, along with Miller who had been really good at Edinburgh.

They could have moved him over to Glasgow's physio team earlier, I suppose.

Well the first thing is the most sensible option is not to have two young exciting sevens at the same team. Especially if that team also has Ritchie, Watson, and Crosbie. And the other team has Tom Gordon (great player, not Hamish Watson/Jamie Ritchie/Luke Crosbie good) and then TJ Ioane (not a good player) on loan from LI. So they failed in that bit of squad planning.

The next sensible thing to do is not play Ally Miller over both of them for most of the season. But we all know when it came to youth development Richard Cockerill was not so good.

Miller moved in the summer. Darge moved early because he didn't get a game at Edinburgh. I just went back and checked and he wasn't down as injured as far back as November as he was on the bench for a game in November. Pretty sure the season started late October.

[Tichtheid]

I wonder what would have happened with Darge had Cockers played young players. If Edinburgh thought Darge would be as good as he is we'd be talking about if Boyle got in the Glasgow team ahead of Gordon/Miller Vs Exeter. The SRU deserve very little credit for squad planning as Glasgow spent most of last season with Ioane getting red carded and Fotu Lokotui now in the ProD2. They should have moved him sooner.

Darge signed his first professional contract as a 20 year old in July 2020 , along with Sam Grahamslaw and Connor Boyle.

I recall hearing a lot about the two backrows and seeing them in the U20s.

I'm pretty sure I saw Darge's name among the injured list a lot of the time during his few months at Edinburgh and he moved over in March this year, along with Miller who had been really good at Edinburgh.

They could have moved him over to Glasgow's physio team earlier, I suppose.

Well the first thing is the most sensible option is not to have two young exciting sevens at the same team. Especially if that team also has Ritchie, Watson, and Crosbie. And the other team has Tom Gordon (great player, not Hamish Watson/Jamie Ritchie/Luke Crosbie good) and then TJ Ioane (not a good player) on loan from LI. So they failed in that bit of squad planning.

The next sensible thing to do is not play Ally Miller over both of them for most of the season. But we all know when it came to youth development Richard Cockerill was not so good.

Miller moved in the summer. Darge moved early because he didn't get a game at Edinburgh. I just went back and checked and he wasn't down as injured as far back as November as he was on the bench for a game in November. Pretty sure the season started late October.

Boyle and Darge both came up through Edinburgh's academy, though it's not set in stone that means they have to sign for Edinburgh, it's what usually happens and it's a punt at that age

To be fair Miller was very good when he played for Edinburgh last season, he was one of our best forwards over the course.
He started seven games, four at openside, three at 8.

The season started on 2nd of October, the game Darge benched in was round 6.

[mos_eisely_]

I think Mish has been and is a fantastic player for Edinburgh but there's part of me that wishes he hadn't re-signed in January (same with Bill Mata) and that we'd held on to Darge and Miller instead

[I like neeps]

Darge signed his first professional contract as a 20 year old in July 2020 , along with Sam Grahamslaw and Connor Boyle.

I recall hearing a lot about the two backrows and seeing them in the U20s.

I'm pretty sure I saw Darge's name among the injured list a lot of the time during his few months at Edinburgh and he moved over in March this year, along with Miller who had been really good at Edinburgh.

They could have moved him over to Glasgow's physio team earlier, I suppose.

Well the first thing is the most sensible option is not to have two young exciting sevens at the same team. Especially if that team also has Ritchie, Watson, and Crosbie. And the other team has Tom Gordon (great player, not Hamish Watson/Jamie Ritchie/Luke Crosbie good) and then TJ Ioane (not a good player) on loan from LI. So they failed in that bit of squad planning.

The next sensible thing to do is not play Ally Miller over both of them for most of the season. But we all know when it came to youth development Richard Cockerill was not so good.

Miller moved in the summer. Darge moved early because he didn't get a game at Edinburgh. I just went back and checked and he wasn't down as injured as far back as November as he was on the bench for a game in November. Pretty sure the season started late October.

Boyle and Darge both came up through Edinburgh's academy, though it's not set in stone that means they have to sign for Edinburgh, it's what usually happens and it's a punt at that age

To be fair Miller was very good when he played for Edinburgh last season, he was one of our best forwards over the course.
He started seven games, four at openside, three at 8.

The season started on 2nd of October, the game Darge benched in was round 6.

I agree that's it's usually what happens. What I'm saying is that's just poor from the SRU.

Edinburgh's strongest position is probably 7 as you have three international class options. Last season for which they signed pro deals they had 2 international class options, Crosbie who was going to be international and Ally Miller who was quite good but nowhere near the calibre of the other three and now we know Darge as well. And it's not like Edinburgh are short of 6s either. So why on earth did the SRU see fit to sign the two you Ng exciting 7s to that depth chart when Glasgow's wasn't even close to as strong?

Poor squad planning. It worked out eventually about a year after it should have. Maybe Darge wanted to play for Edinburgh (I think he's from north Berwick) and Boyle did too as an ex season ticket holder and both rejected Glasgow.

But I find it hard to credit the SRU for squad planning in this example. They need to put their academy resources where they have the best chances of playing.

[KingBlairhorn]

It’s a great unknown, but would Boyle and Darge be as good if they hadn’t spent a year or two working with literally one of the best back rows in Europe, or working with lokitui et al.? Competition can be a development tool too, as well as games.

[Tichtheid]

btw, I just had a quick look and from what I can see from team sheets Darge was listed injured at the start of last season and after the Leinster game for a few weeks.

Miller was brought in from the 7s originally when Edinburgh had a bit on an injury crisis in the back row, he did well to keep his place in the squad.

[Slick]

It’s a great unknown, but would Boyle and Darge be as good if they hadn’t spent a year or two working with literally one of the best back rows in Europe, or working with lokitui et al.? Competition can be a development tool too, as well as games.

Very good point

[weegie01]

Edinburgh's strongest position is probably 7 as you have three international class options. Last season for which they signed pro deals they had 2 international class options, Crosbie who was going to be international and Ally Miller who was quite good but nowhere near the calibre of the other three and now we know Darge as well. And it's not like Edinburgh are short of 6s either. So why on earth did the SRU see fit to sign the two you Ng exciting 7s to that depth chart when Glasgow's wasn't even close to as strong?

Poor squad planning. It worked out eventually about a year after it should have. Maybe Darge wanted to play for Edinburgh (I think he's from north Berwick) and Boyle did too as an ex season ticket holder and both rejected Glasgow.

But I find it hard to credit the SRU for squad planning in this example. They need to put their academy resources where they have the best chances of playing.

I don't think I still know anyone still in the academy (indirectly through my sons, their parents, or whatever). But I do know several who have come through academies to both Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the SRU are far less involved than most people think, and the clubs have a lot more freedom.

I know that neither Boyle or Darge rejected Glasgow, because Glasgow never asked. It was generally expected that Glasgow would offer one or the other a contract. They were as surprised as anyone when no offer came through.

It was clearly in the wider interests of Scottish rugby for one to go to Glasgow. But the SRU did not force anyone's hand until players that Cockerill was unconvinced by stepped up and the imbalance became absurd. Only then did the SRU step in.

[weegie01]

It’s a great unknown, but would Boyle and Darge be as good if they hadn’t spent a year or two working with literally one of the best back rows in Europe, or working with lokitui et al.? Competition can be a development tool too, as well as games.

I know one young backrow (sadly now permanently broken) who was sought after by Glasgow but who turned the move down as he felt it was more beneficial to his career to stay in Edinburgh.

[weegie01]

btw, I just had a quick look and from what I can see from team sheets Darge was listed injured at the start of last season and after the Leinster game for a few weeks.

Miller was brought in from the 7s originally when Edinburgh had a bit on an injury crisis in the back row, he did well to keep his place in the squad.

Miller was an Edinburgh player who was seconded to the 7s, then came back to Edinburgh.

When they joined Edinburgh Miller and Crosby were both told to pack on a certain amount of weight by Cockerill, Crosby did it and started playing. Miller was told he was not getting picked till he bulked but never did. Oddly, he came back from the 7s bigger. It turns out he was just a comparatively late developer.

[Jock42]

Watching the weegies of late it's a bit gutting Darge has gone there. Not that Boyle is a bad player at all but certainly not at Darges level currently.

I take what you're saying about the lack of SRU involvement but it's certainly working out as more beneficial to Scotland to have him there atm.

[weegie01]

Watching the weegies of late it's a bit gutting Darge has gone there. Not that Boyle is a bad player at all but certainly not at Darges level currently.

I take what you're saying about the lack of SRU involvement but it's certainly working out as more beneficial to Scotland to have him there atm.

There is a catch 22. The more the SRU interferes, the less likely it is they'll get good coaches for the clubs. But the clubs not being managed for the greater good leads to situations like this.

[Jock42]

Watching the weegies of late it's a bit gutting Darge has gone there. Not that Boyle is a bad player at all but certainly not at Darges level currently.

I take what you're saying about the lack of SRU involvement but it's certainly working out as more beneficial to Scotland to have him there atm.

There is a catch 22. The more the SRU interferes, the less likely it is they'll get good coaches for the clubs. But the clubs not being managed for the greater good leads to situations like this.

Aye completely. I think (probably still hope at this point) that both teams are on to a good thing and one (the better of the 2 I'd say without trying to incur the wrath of the mockers god) with a home grown coach.

[Biffer]

Watching the weegies of late it's a bit gutting Darge has gone there. Not that Boyle is a bad player at all but certainly not at Darges level currently.

I take what you're saying about the lack of SRU involvement but it's certainly working out as more beneficial to Scotland to have him there atm.

There is a catch 22. The more the SRU interferes, the less likely it is they'll get good coaches for the clubs. But the clubs not being managed for the greater good leads to situations like this.

There is also a part of it that means a player needs to take some responsibility for where they end up. It won’t be good for them to have it all laid out for them.

I ind it hard to criticise the setup too much at the moment, given both pro teams are good, the national side is better than it’s been for many years and there are more young players of quality coming through than at any point since professionalism started.

[Slick]

With the changes in the English game regarding more EQ players it looks like Skinner might just be one of many coming north.

That’s going to add a new set of challenges with just 2 teams. Interesting times ahead…

[Jock42]

With the changes in the English game regarding more EQ players it looks like Skinner might just be one of many coming north.

That’s going to add a new set of challenges with just 2 teams. Interesting times ahead…

I'd put a pint or 2 on that being a factor on price staying.

[KingBlairhorn]

With the changes in the English game regarding more EQ players it looks like Skinner might just be one of many coming north.

That’s going to add a new set of challenges with just 2 teams. Interesting times ahead…

It feels to me like a huge opportunity. The decline in opportunities for our guys in both England and France simultaneously potentially gives the chance for us to concentrate basically a full tier 1 international side across 2 pro teams. It will be a transitory opportunity, because you can bet your house that a couple of years of poor European performances will see the cap increased/removed in England. Can our pro teams use these few years to put in late stage European runs? Would Glasgow/Edinburgh be able to (partially) replicate Irish growth with those kind of performances. It’s all so very intriguing!

[Slick]

With the changes in the English game regarding more EQ players it looks like Skinner might just be one of many coming north.

That’s going to add a new set of challenges with just 2 teams. Interesting times ahead…

It feels to me like a huge opportunity. The decline in opportunities for our guys in both England and France simultaneously potentially gives the chance for us to concentrate basically a full tier 1 international side across 2 pro teams. It will be a transitory opportunity, because you can bet your house that a couple of years of poor European performances will see the cap increased/removed in England. Can our pro teams use these few years to put in late stage European runs? Would Glasgow/Edinburgh be able to (partially) replicate Irish growth with those kind of performances. It’s all so very intriguing!

Potentially a chance to really boost Super6 as well

[Big D]

With the changes in the English game regarding more EQ players it looks like Skinner might just be one of many coming north.

That’s going to add a new set of challenges with just 2 teams. Interesting times ahead…

It feels to me like a huge opportunity. The decline in opportunities for our guys in both England and France simultaneously potentially gives the chance for us to concentrate basically a full tier 1 international side across 2 pro teams. It will be a transitory opportunity, because you can bet your house that a couple of years of poor European performances will see the cap increased/removed in England. Can our pro teams use these few years to put in late stage European runs? Would Glasgow/Edinburgh be able to (partially) replicate Irish growth with those kind of performances. It’s all so very intriguing!

Assuming the SQ players who are capped don't go elsewhere or SQ coming through at English clubs aren't put off choosing Scotland because of the financial implications then it might work out well.

However, the SRU still only have a limited pot of money, that can dry up pretty quickly, especially on the type of money that Skinner has reportedly been offered.

[JM2K6]

With the changes in the English game regarding more EQ players it looks like Skinner might just be one of many coming north.

That’s going to add a new set of challenges with just 2 teams. Interesting times ahead…

It feels to me like a huge opportunity. The decline in opportunities for our guys in both England and France simultaneously potentially gives the chance for us to concentrate basically a full tier 1 international side across 2 pro teams. It will be a transitory opportunity, because you can bet your house that a couple of years of poor European performances will see the cap increased/removed in England. Can our pro teams use these few years to put in late stage European runs? Would Glasgow/Edinburgh be able to (partially) replicate Irish growth with those kind of performances. It’s all so very intriguing!

Doubt it. It's just not that big a deal to the vast majority of the clubs, whereas trying not to go broke (ESPECIALLY in a Covid world) is a big deal to the vast majority of clubs. Bruce Craig has enough problems trying to make his team not relegation fodder; Saracens are their own special case of course. Will the cap go up again? Almost definitely, but only when it makes financial sense.

[robmatic]

However, the SRU still only have a limited pot of money, that can dry up pretty quickly, especially on the type of money that Skinner has reportedly been offered.

This is true, although perhaps there will be less upwards pressure on the overall salary bill if Ed/Glasgow aren't having to make big offers to keep key players from going down south.

[Big D]

However, the SRU still only have a limited pot of money, that can dry up pretty quickly, especially on the type of money that Skinner has reportedly been offered.

This is true, although perhaps there will be less upwards pressure on the overall salary bill if Ed/Glasgow aren't having to make big offers to keep key players from going down south.

I think it will depend on the players themselves. They might take less to avoid playing the Italian sides twice a year... joking aside there may be a point where they just want a different challenge.

It also means the SRU may have to be ruthless come contract time.