The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[Tichtheid]

Wooden spoon last year, not bad 19/20, relegated from the JWRC 18/19. And this team is lacking a lot of quality.

SRU are asleep at the wheel. The age grades are regressing fast, exiles pathways are all well and good but development in Scotland is failing.

Enjoy tomorrow and the next few years. The dark days aren't far away if this continues. Wise up Mallinder.

Dry your eyes mun, Scotland have always been rubbish at age grade, they were when I played at that level and the senior team were not poor, I stood on the terraces to watch us win two grand slams.

The SRU are the ones bringing the game into the 21st century now, they are opposed by the clubs, the clubs opposed the Super 6, they opposed professionalism, the only way for Scotland to progress is to follow the route Dodson is providing.

And for the majority of the time they've been rubbish at international level as well mate. Especially in the pro era

Creating the super6 is all well and good. It needs to actually develop players to be a success. I've enjoyed it - but it hasn't developed anyone yet. Creating the super6 isn't the success - it could be a dramatic failure. Four of the boys out there played super6 this year - what are the rest of them doing? Either in England or nothing apparently.

How many seasons has the Super 6 been running and playing fixtures?

[Tattie]

I don’t care what anyone says or the “sensible” arguments re funding. Simply put, you cannot expect to compete with two pro teams and by far the smallest pool of available players of any off our competitors, there is just no depth. The SRU have to find the money from somewhere or accept permanent mediocrity punctuated by very occasional success. Yeah the national team are doing well at the moment but what’s to come - a team full of poaches?

Pro teams aren't really relevant to the 20s. How many of these players are going pro? Very few I'd wager.

The problem is clubs and schools are not creating good players consistently. We've been the worst home nations under20s side for a good few years now.

The SRU for a long time have been offshoring development. The "scottishness" debate is a red herring. There is a clear problem in that the SRU are clearly using other countries to develop players for Scotland.

I’m not just talking about the U20s, the bigger picture just looks depressing to me. The current “success” i.e. competitiveness is papering over huge cracks. We’re becoming a bit of a laughing stock in regard to the poaches and it’s only going to get worse.

[I like neeps]

Dry your eyes mun, Scotland have always been rubbish at age grade, they were when I played at that level and the senior team were not poor, I stood on the terraces to watch us win two grand slams.

The SRU are the ones bringing the game into the 21st century now, they are opposed by the clubs, the clubs opposed the Super 6, they opposed professionalism, the only way for Scotland to progress is to follow the route Dodson is providing.

And for the majority of the time they've been rubbish at international level as well mate. Especially in the pro era

Creating the super6 is all well and good. It needs to actually develop players to be a success. I've enjoyed it - but it hasn't developed anyone yet. Creating the super6 isn't the success - it could be a dramatic failure. Four of the boys out there played super6 this year - what are the rest of them doing? Either in England or nothing apparently.

How many seasons has the Super 6 been running and playing fixtures?

Two.

But you're suggesting that creating super6 is a great success. I am saying it might not be. There's no guarantee here.

[I like neeps]

I don’t care what anyone says or the “sensible” arguments re funding. Simply put, you cannot expect to compete with two pro teams and by far the smallest pool of available players of any off our competitors, there is just no depth. The SRU have to find the money from somewhere or accept permanent mediocrity punctuated by very occasional success. Yeah the national team are doing well at the moment but what’s to come - a team full of poaches?

Pro teams aren't really relevant to the 20s. How many of these players are going pro? Very few I'd wager.

The problem is clubs and schools are not creating good players consistently. We've been the worst home nations under20s side for a good few years now.

The SRU for a long time have been offshoring development. The "scottishness" debate is a red herring. There is a clear problem in that the SRU are clearly using other countries to develop players for Scotland.

I’m not just talking about the U20s, the bigger picture just looks depressing to me. The current “success” i.e. competitiveness is papering over huge cracks. We’re becoming a bit of a laughing stock in regard to the poaches and it’s only going to get worse.

Fortunately with the 5 year residency I don't think it will get too much worse as the SRU surely will realise bringing South Africans across to paper said cracks isn't sustainable. I'm not looking forward to Australian international Jack Dempsey playing for us though.

I am very worried for the future though I agree. I think we've effectively papered over the two pro teams, poor development pathways and weak domestic market well. I don't think we're far away from the mid to late 2000s again.

[Tichtheid]

I don’t care what anyone says or the “sensible” arguments re funding. Simply put, you cannot expect to compete with two pro teams and by far the smallest pool of available players of any off our competitors, there is just no depth. The SRU have to find the money from somewhere or accept permanent mediocrity punctuated by very occasional success. Yeah the national team are doing well at the moment but what’s to come - a team full of poaches?

Pro teams aren't really relevant to the 20s. How many of these players are going pro? Very few I'd wager.

The problem is clubs and schools are not creating good players consistently. We've been the worst home nations under20s side for a good few years now.

The SRU for a long time have been offshoring development. The "scottishness" debate is a red herring. There is a clear problem in that the SRU are clearly using other countries to develop players for Scotland.

I’m not just talking about the U20s, the bigger picture just looks depressing to me. The current “success” i.e. competitiveness is papering over huge cracks. We’re becoming a bit of a laughing stock in regard to the poaches and it’s only going to get worse.

Only to halfwits.

The fact is that Scottish people emigrate, there is a whole big debate as to why that is, and it's for another thread perhaps, but the qualifications are what they are.
For every "poach" in rugby terms you could call multitudes of "poaches" of young Scottish people who have gone to live and work abroad, it's just down to how you want to word these things.

[Tichtheid]

And for the majority of the time they've been rubbish at international level as well mate. Especially in the pro era

Creating the super6 is all well and good. It needs to actually develop players to be a success. I've enjoyed it - but it hasn't developed anyone yet. Creating the super6 isn't the success - it could be a dramatic failure. Four of the boys out there played super6 this year - what are the rest of them doing? Either in England or nothing apparently.

How many seasons has the Super 6 been running and playing fixtures?

Two.

But you're suggesting that creating super6 is a great success. I am saying it might not be. There's no guarantee here.

Both of your suggestions are not quite true. The first season was curtailed, so there's only really been one and a bit.

I did not say the Super 6 is a great success, you will have to point to the quote from me on that.

I'm only saying that we give the Super 6 a chance because the clubs were not preparing players to be ready to step up. That much was patently obvious from both the results when our clubs played the second tier clubs in England and got battered and when we needed players to fill in for injuries for Edinburgh and Glasgow

Also, reading on the Glasgow forum from guys who have sons playing in the S6 and in and around the academy system, the consensus is that the conditioning of the S6 guys is far superior to that of the previous club game.
That is one of the reasons that S6 players are not allowed to play for the clubs in the amateur leagues

[Big D]

The problem is clubs and schools are not creating good players consistently. We've been the worst home nations under20s side for a good few years now.

The SRU for a long time have been offshoring development. The "scottishness" debate is a red herring. There is a clear problem in that the SRU are clearly using other countries to develop players for Scotland.

That's the problem. Bar a very small number of schools in the grand scheme of things, schools aren't interested in rugby unless the SRU or clubs are funding it. Most clubs can't afford it and the SRU can't fund it in schools to the extent that is required.

Clubs do an admirable job with youth sections but there is a drop off in numbers the older the kids get.

Councils aren't bothered about rugby but happy to subsidise football with 4g pitches because of participation numbers.

This isn't just an SRU problem in the sense that they alone can solve it, but it is very much a problem for the SRU.

[Tattie]

Pro teams aren't really relevant to the 20s. How many of these players are going pro? Very few I'd wager.

The problem is clubs and schools are not creating good players consistently. We've been the worst home nations under20s side for a good few years now.

The SRU for a long time have been offshoring development. The "scottishness" debate is a red herring. There is a clear problem in that the SRU are clearly using other countries to develop players for Scotland.

I’m not just talking about the U20s, the bigger picture just looks depressing to me. The current “success” i.e. competitiveness is papering over huge cracks. We’re becoming a bit of a laughing stock in regard to the poaches and it’s only going to get worse.

Only to halfwits.

The fact is that Scottish people emigrate, there is a whole big debate as to why that is, and it's for another thread perhaps, but the qualifications are what they are.
For every "poach" in rugby terms you could call multitudes of "poaches" of young Scottish people who have gone to live and work abroad, it's just down to how you want to word these things.

Come on, you know fine well no sensible person would have any issue with, or that I’m talking about, those kind of players. We’re not the only ones that do it and we’re not breaking any rules but with our massive, self imposed handicap, it’s inevitable and ain’t going to change if we want to remain remotely competitive.

[I like neeps]

How many seasons has the Super 6 been running and playing fixtures?

Two.

But you're suggesting that creating super6 is a great success. I am saying it might not be. There's no guarantee here.

Both of your suggestions are not quite true. The first season was curtailed, so there's only really been one and a bit.

I did not say the Super 6 is a great success, you will have to point to the quote from me on that.

I'm only saying that we give the Super 6 a chance because the clubs were not preparing players to be ready to step up. That much was patently obvious from both the results when our clubs played the second tier clubs in England and got battered and when we needed players to fill in for injuries for Edinburgh and Glasgow

Also, reading on the Glasgow forum from guys who have sons playing in the S6 and in and around the academy system, the consensus is that the conditioning of the S6 guys is far superior to that of the previous club game.
That is one of the reasons that S6 players are not allowed to play for the clubs in the amateur leagues

Which is fine, I agree super6 players generally shouldn't play premiership. But guys like Tait, Townsend, McKnight, Munn, Williamson etc played a few games between them in the super6 and haven't played rugby since. After missing out on rugby for a year due to covid. Where's the logic in that? 19 year olds are too physical for the amateur premiership? Because of the super6 the most promising youngsters in Scotland barely play rugby. It's just a bad design whatever way you slice it. Because nobody gets developed if they only play three months a year.

[Tichtheid]

I’m not just talking about the U20s, the bigger picture just looks depressing to me. The current “success” i.e. competitiveness is papering over huge cracks. We’re becoming a bit of a laughing stock in regard to the poaches and it’s only going to get worse.

Only to halfwits.

The fact is that Scottish people emigrate, there is a whole big debate as to why that is, and it's for another thread perhaps, but the qualifications are what they are.
For every "poach" in rugby terms you could call multitudes of "poaches" of young Scottish people who have gone to live and work abroad, it's just down to how you want to word these things.

Come on, you know fine well no sensible person would have any issue with, or that I’m talking about, those kind of players. We’re not the only ones that do it and we’re not breaking any rules but with our massive, self imposed handicap, it’s inevitable and ain’t going to change if we want to remain remotely competitive.

Japan have scouts going around Tongan schools, offering scholarships to big beefy athletic kids. French clubs have scouts ranging around the Pacific, Saracens have "ties" with clubs in that area and elsewhere.

Why are we pulling on the hairshirt?

[I like neeps]

The problem is clubs and schools are not creating good players consistently. We've been the worst home nations under20s side for a good few years now.

The SRU for a long time have been offshoring development. The "scottishness" debate is a red herring. There is a clear problem in that the SRU are clearly using other countries to develop players for Scotland.

That's the problem. Bar a very small number of schools in the grand scheme of things, schools aren't interested in rugby unless the SRU or clubs are funding it. Most clubs can't afford it and the SRU can't fund it in schools to the extent that is required.

Clubs do an admirable job with youth sections but there is a drop off in numbers the older the kids get.

Councils aren't bothered about rugby but happy to subsidise football with 4g pitches because of participation numbers.

This isn't just an SRU problem in the sense that they alone can solve it, but it is very much a problem for the SRU.

True it's a problem. But surely we can take lessons from Ireland or Wales. I can't believe all of those countries with perhaps football teams that are more successful than Scotland internationally are doing it. I can't imagine governments are throwing money at the sport.

[Tichtheid]

Two.

But you're suggesting that creating super6 is a great success. I am saying it might not be. There's no guarantee here.

Both of your suggestions are not quite true. The first season was curtailed, so there's only really been one and a bit.

I did not say the Super 6 is a great success, you will have to point to the quote from me on that.

I'm only saying that we give the Super 6 a chance because the clubs were not preparing players to be ready to step up. That much was patently obvious from both the results when our clubs played the second tier clubs in England and got battered and when we needed players to fill in for injuries for Edinburgh and Glasgow

Also, reading on the Glasgow forum from guys who have sons playing in the S6 and in and around the academy system, the consensus is that the conditioning of the S6 guys is far superior to that of the previous club game.
That is one of the reasons that S6 players are not allowed to play for the clubs in the amateur leagues

Which is fine, I agree super6 players generally shouldn't play premiership. But guys like Tait, Townsend, McKnight, Munn, Williamson etc played a few games between them in the super6 and haven't played rugby since. After missing out on rugby for a year due to covid. Where's the logic in that? 19 year olds are too physical for the amateur premiership? Because of the super6 the most promising youngsters in Scotland barely play rugby. It's just a bad design whatever way you slice it. Because nobody gets developed if they only play three months a year.

The plan was never to play three months a year.

There were plans to play cross-border stuff with Welsh and Irish sides and maybe English teams too.

I wonder what could have possibly happened to put the coolers on that?

I don't think it was the SRU being asleep at the wheel.

[Slick]

Can’t we just enjoy being good for a couple more years…

[Yr Alban]

Yeah Wales are going to win this. Scotland only themselves to blame, should have been out of sight by half time.

ETA there you go.

Just got back from the game. Really quite hacked off. Wales were utterly mediocre and we handed them the game.

Scotland were absolutely dominant in the first half. Wales couldn’t get going at all. Our lineout and defence were excellent, but we couldn’t make it count on the scoreboard. Like watching Scotland 10 years back.

Second half was a different story. Not sure if it was the injuries or what, but they lost their grip on the match entirely. The Welsh managed to get their maul going and you could feel the momentum going their way. Suddenly we got pinged every time we made any field position, and Wales got two or three incredibly fortunate bounces after making errors.

Turning point in the game was when we overthrew a defensive lineout on our own 5m line. Guess we haven’t learned anything from that QF a few years ago.

[Tattie]

Only to halfwits.

The fact is that Scottish people emigrate, there is a whole big debate as to why that is, and it's for another thread perhaps, but the qualifications are what they are.
For every "poach" in rugby terms you could call multitudes of "poaches" of young Scottish people who have gone to live and work abroad, it's just down to how you want to word these things.

Come on, you know fine well no sensible person would have any issue with, or that I’m talking about, those kind of players. We’re not the only ones that do it and we’re not breaking any rules but with our massive, self imposed handicap, it’s inevitable and ain’t going to change if we want to remain remotely competitive.

Japan have scouts going around Tongan schools, offering scholarships to big beefy athletic kids. French clubs have scouts ranging around the Pacific, Saracens have "ties" with clubs in that area and elsewhere.

Why are we pulling on the hairshirt?

There’s a huge difference between trying everything legal at your disposal to try and improve your club and international rugby, and using these loopholes to paper over the cracks. Japanese, French and English rugby haven’t intentionally hamstrung and limited themselves as have the SRU.

[Yr Alban]

Was already feeling depressed without all the negativity on here tonight…

[I like neeps]

Both of your suggestions are not quite true. The first season was curtailed, so there's only really been one and a bit.

I did not say the Super 6 is a great success, you will have to point to the quote from me on that.

I'm only saying that we give the Super 6 a chance because the clubs were not preparing players to be ready to step up. That much was patently obvious from both the results when our clubs played the second tier clubs in England and got battered and when we needed players to fill in for injuries for Edinburgh and Glasgow

Also, reading on the Glasgow forum from guys who have sons playing in the S6 and in and around the academy system, the consensus is that the conditioning of the S6 guys is far superior to that of the previous club game.
That is one of the reasons that S6 players are not allowed to play for the clubs in the amateur leagues

Which is fine, I agree super6 players generally shouldn't play premiership. But guys like Tait, Townsend, McKnight, Munn, Williamson etc played a few games between them in the super6 and haven't played rugby since. After missing out on rugby for a year due to covid. Where's the logic in that? 19 year olds are too physical for the amateur premiership? Because of the super6 the most promising youngsters in Scotland barely play rugby. It's just a bad design whatever way you slice it. Because nobody gets developed if they only play three months a year.

The plan was never to play three months a year.

There were plans to play cross-border stuff with Welsh and Irish sides and maybe English teams too.

I wonder what could have possibly happened to put the coolers on that?

I don't think it was the SRU being asleep at the wheel.

Edit I was wrong the Welsh clubs did agree but the fixtures weren't announced. The Newcastle falcons D team did beat each super6 club handily right enough.

The SRU did turn down a pro14 a league. Which the Irish and Welsh clubs signed up to however. And kiboshed by covid anyway, but a much better development option.

[Jock42]

Can’t we just enjoy being good for a couple more years…

there's the Ukraine thread for that level of hope.

[Tichtheid]

Was already feeling depressed without all the negativity on here tonight…

Well exactly, I don't where the roarin' and greetin' is coming from.

We've got the best full international side we've had for a long time. Our U20s is always a work in progress. We have some real talent available right now and some incredible youngsters coming through (Darge, Boyle, Muncaster for example)

The SRU are making changes to improve the feed of players to the pro teams, the stated aim is to grow to another pro team and the club game has had steps taken to maintain long term stability.

Yet there is still the "oh we'll pay for this" Presbyterian wishing for the dark clouds and rain

[Tichtheid]

. The Newcastle falcons D team did beat each super6 club handily right enough.

I'm pretty sure I remember that the Southern Knights* beat them

*It's not the name I'd have chosen for them, it just makes me sing the Glen Campbell song


edit

Southern Knights 23 Falcons 12

https://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news ... falcons-12

[Yr Alban]

Was already feeling depressed without all the negativity on here tonight…

Well exactly, I don't where the roarin' and greetin' is coming from.

We've got the best full international side we've had for a long time. Our U20s is always a work in progress. We have some real talent available right now and some incredible youngsters coming through (Darge, Boyle, Muncaster for example)

The SRU are making changes to improve the feed of players to the pro teams, the stated aim is to grow to another pro team and the club game has had steps taken to maintain long term stability.

Yet there is still the "oh we'll pay for this" Presbyterian wishing for the dark clouds and rain

Age group level rugby is always going to be tough for us with the small player pool we have. We’ll rarely have talent across a whole side.

We genuinely have more depth of talent available to us than at any time I can recall. If anything we are underperforming a bit. We should at least be good for the next 5 years or so, and who knows after that?

[Big D]

The problem is clubs and schools are not creating good players consistently. We've been the worst home nations under20s side for a good few years now.

The SRU for a long time have been offshoring development. The "scottishness" debate is a red herring. There is a clear problem in that the SRU are clearly using other countries to develop players for Scotland.

That's the problem. Bar a very small number of schools in the grand scheme of things, schools aren't interested in rugby unless the SRU or clubs are funding it. Most clubs can't afford it and the SRU can't fund it in schools to the extent that is required.

Clubs do an admirable job with youth sections but there is a drop off in numbers the older the kids get.

Councils aren't bothered about rugby but happy to subsidise football with 4g pitches because of participation numbers.

This isn't just an SRU problem in the sense that they alone can solve it, but it is very much a problem for the SRU.

True it's a problem. But surely we can take lessons from Ireland or Wales. I can't believe all of those countries with perhaps football teams that are more successful than Scotland internationally are doing it. I can't imagine governments are throwing money at the sport.

The failure of the national football team is a separate thing but for the grass roots resources and money they've been an abject failure over the last 25 years.

There are probably 2 stages:
1 - The issues on player development to an elite level which pretty much fall into three issues:
- playing numbers
- level of coaching
- money - we all know the issues with this.

On the first point, there are fewer schools playing rugby and fewer clubs with teams across all age groups. At a really young age there are now far greater opportunities for kids than 28/29 years ago when I was my eldests age (8). Every sport is competing for attention. Golf, tennis, cricket etc have never been as accessible as they are now.

On coaching, gone are the days of the random teachers taking school teams. I know of clubs paying for coaches for the school teams which isn't sustainable. The SRU have development officers but they can only do so much.

Fewer kids are playing rugby all the way through to a point where the national systems will get their hands on them.

2 - Getting the players that make it to national squads at u16/18 levels enough quality gametime and coaching. Which is probably easier to solve than point 1.

That being said, we are decent and getting 3-4 good players per age group.

[Tichtheid]

Was already feeling depressed without all the negativity on here tonight…

Well exactly, I don't where the roarin' and greetin' is coming from.

We've got the best full international side we've had for a long time. Our U20s is always a work in progress. We have some real talent available right now and some incredible youngsters coming through (Darge, Boyle, Muncaster for example)

The SRU are making changes to improve the feed of players to the pro teams, the stated aim is to grow to another pro team and the club game has had steps taken to maintain long term stability.

Yet there is still the "oh we'll pay for this" Presbyterian wishing for the dark clouds and rain

Age group level rugby is always going to be tough for us with the small player pool we have. We’ll rarely have talent across a whole side.

We genuinely have more depth of talent available to us than at any time I can recall. If anything we are underperforming a bit. We should at least be good for the next 5 years or so, and who knows after that?

My hope is that we use the Super 6 and the U20s and the 7s to bring on players, I said elsewhere that I was looking at the U20s squad from 2020, that group included Ollie Smith, Rufus MacLean, Nathan Chamberlain, Matt Currie, Jack Blain, Rory Darge, Dan Gamble, Conor Boyle and Ewan Ashman.

The year before was the one where we got relegated from the main U20s world comp and no doubt had the roarers and greeters at full tilt.

[Yr Alban]

Scotland U20s got a big win in Colwyn Bay 2 years ago. Unfortunately that was the year that they didn’t let any fans in.

[Biffer]

There’s a desperation amongst some of the clubs to scream the super 6 into failure.

[Tichtheid]

On coaching, gone are the days of the random teachers taking school teams. I know of clubs paying for coaches for the school teams which isn't sustainable. The SRU have development officers but they can only do so much.

Are clubs allowed to pay for coaches still?

I thought this went out with the player payment regs, but I'm open to correction

[Tichtheid]

There’s a desperation amongst some of the clubs to scream the super 6 into failure.

There is, because that will allow them to be the big fishes that fill the pond in Inverleith Park for a while,

but it would mean the death of rugby in the long run in Scotland, with only the public schools playing against each other and one or two hingers oan

[Biffer]

There’s a desperation amongst some of the clubs to scream the super 6 into failure.

There is, because that will allow them to be the big fishes that fill the pond in Inverleith Park for a while,

but it would mean the death of rugby in the long run in Scotland, with only the public schools playing against each other and one or two hingers oan

Yeah, like much of the last twenty years.

[Big D]

On coaching, gone are the days of the random teachers taking school teams. I know of clubs paying for coaches for the school teams which isn't sustainable. The SRU have development officers but they can only do so much.

Are clubs allowed to pay for coaches still?

I thought this went out with the player payment regs, but I'm open to correction

Not sure in coaches for schools specifically but "development officers" are definitely paid positions.

[Slick]

The problem is clubs and schools are not creating good players consistently. We've been the worst home nations under20s side for a good few years now.

The SRU for a long time have been offshoring development. The "scottishness" debate is a red herring. There is a clear problem in that the SRU are clearly using other countries to develop players for Scotland.

That's the problem. Bar a very small number of schools in the grand scheme of things, schools aren't interested in rugby unless the SRU or clubs are funding it. Most clubs can't afford it and the SRU can't fund it in schools to the extent that is required.

Clubs do an admirable job with youth sections but there is a drop off in numbers the older the kids get.

Councils aren't bothered about rugby but happy to subsidise football with 4g pitches because of participation numbers.

This isn't just an SRU problem in the sense that they alone can solve it, but it is very much a problem for the SRU.

It’s not just rugby. My sons primary school has literally no sport. None. What tiny funding they had to bring in outside coaches (which was used to run a couple of football classes) has been taken away by the council. Im trying to get on the parent council to specifically fight this but the council seem adamant.

In North Edinburgh we have the BATS rugby club which is a coming together of Broughton RC, Accies and Trinity to take some kind of coaching into schools and encourage kids to the clubs on Sundays. It’s a great initiative but has of course been badly hit by Covid and receives no funding outside the clubs.

It upsets me a lot to hear my boy say they play “tig” every week in their 30 minute PE lesson then we drive past the Academy grounds on a Sunday and see hundreds of kids playing different sports. How any government or council cannot see the benefit of organised sport in schools is utterly beyond me and has fired me up to get involved in it.

[weegie01]

Here is a small example of something being done right to counter the doom and gloom.

I grew up in Highland Perthshire. Rugby was only played in the private schools, and until Crieff rugby club started there were no clubs other than Perthshire.

Crieff Rugby Club started up just as I left school, and now Crieff High School has rugby pitches and plays regularly. Breadalbane (Aberfeldy) has no rugby pitch, but there is now a rugby club in Aberfeldy with its own pitch which is doing its best for youngsters. They were looking for a DO recently. There is now enough rugby players at school in the area for a composite team from a number of schools to enter the schools cup.

These are baby steps. But some kids who were never exposed to rugby before now are getting opportunities their predecessor generations never had.

As far a Super 6 is concerned, my son and his pals had a season in the clubs before Super 6 came along. My son broke and his career is over, but he has pals (including his flat mate) playing Super 6, pro and for Scotland.

I only ever watched Currie club games, so a small sample, but as a spectator I am in no doubt Super 6 is a higher standard. The players are very strongly of this opinion and believe that it gives a foundation to step up. Having said that, COVID scuppered the fixtures and the lads are training away and are bored stiff.

I was doubtful of it at first, but what I hear from the players, and the ambition to go to 8 clubs, makes me think the Super 6 is already beneficial and will be more so if and when a more meaningful fixture list is sorted out.

[KingBlairhorn]

The SRU could do worse than looking at what the SFA have done in football. In 2012 they established what are called ‘Performance Schools’, regular state high schools where the best young footballers go where they combine their football training with schooling. There is one in each big metropolitan area (I.e Glasgow, South Lanarkshire, Edinburgh, Dundee etc.). The aim was always for the first kids to emerge from the programme in 2020. So far the graduates are a who’s who of top young Scottish footballers (Gilmour, Patterson, Kerr Smith, etc.). Kids from the programme are breaking into SPFL teams at around 16/17 now and look to have all the tools to be top professionals. The programme is the kind of long term thinking required to create long term success. The SFA thought of the programme in the late 2000s, established it in 2012 and won’t see the full success until maybe the mid/late 2020s. That’s and 15+ year horizon. I expect Scottish football to go through a serious purple patch, so long as the programme isn’t cancelled or changed.

The same is needed in rugby. The private schools do a great job of producing players already, if the best non private kids around Scotland could be developed too through a coherent schools programme it could be a complete sea change for our development pathways.

[Yr Alban]

Looking at the U20s match with a slightly more jaundiced eye, I think what it probably shows is that the first XV is decent but the bench isn’t. Against England the team did really well for 60
mins and collapsed at the end. Against Wales, they were in complete control in the first half, but they had to use the bench early due to a number of injuries, and it all went wrong after that. The fact that last week’s best player was absent probably didn’t help either.

[Biffer]

Here is a small example of something being done right to counter the doom and gloom.

I grew up in Highland Perthshire. Rugby was only played in the private schools, and until Crieff rugby club started there were no clubs other than Perthshire.

Crieff Rugby Club started up just as I left school, and now Crieff High School has rugby pitches and plays regularly. Breadalbane (Aberfeldy) has no rugby pitch, but there is now a rugby club in Aberfeldy with its own pitch which is doing its best for youngsters. They were looking for a DO recently. There is now enough rugby players at school in the area for a composite team from a number of schools to enter the schools cup.

These are baby steps. But some kids who were never exposed to rugby before now are getting opportunities their predecessor generations never had.

As far a Super 6 is concerned, my son and his pals had a season in the clubs before Super 6 came along. My son broke and his career is over, but he has pals (including his flat mate) playing Super 6, pro and for Scotland.

I only ever watched Currie club games, so a small sample, but as a spectator I am in no doubt Super 6 is a higher standard. The players are very strongly of this opinion and believe that it gives a foundation to step up. Having said that, COVID scuppered the fixtures and the lads are training away and are bored stiff.

I was doubtful of it at first, but what I hear from the players, and the ambition to go to 8 clubs, makes me think the Super 6 is already beneficial and will be more so if and when a more meaningful fixture list is sorted out.

I grew up in Aberfeldy, and I wish there had been a rugby club around when I was there. Farming communities and rugby go together very well!

Have you seen the pitch in Aberfeldy? What a setting! Right by the river next to Wades Bridge looking straight up the Glen. Hard to imagine a better setting to play in.

[Tichtheid]

Here is a small example of something being done right to counter the doom and gloom.

I grew up in Highland Perthshire. Rugby was only played in the private schools, and until Crieff rugby club started there were no clubs other than Perthshire.

Crieff Rugby Club started up just as I left school, and now Crieff High School has rugby pitches and plays regularly. Breadalbane (Aberfeldy) has no rugby pitch, but there is now a rugby club in Aberfeldy with its own pitch which is doing its best for youngsters. They were looking for a DO recently. There is now enough rugby players at school in the area for a composite team from a number of schools to enter the schools cup.

These are baby steps. But some kids who were never exposed to rugby before now are getting opportunities their predecessor generations never had.

As far a Super 6 is concerned, my son and his pals had a season in the clubs before Super 6 came along. My son broke and his career is over, but he has pals (including his flat mate) playing Super 6, pro and for Scotland.

I only ever watched Currie club games, so a small sample, but as a spectator I am in no doubt Super 6 is a higher standard. The players are very strongly of this opinion and believe that it gives a foundation to step up. Having said that, COVID scuppered the fixtures and the lads are training away and are bored stiff.

I was doubtful of it at first, but what I hear from the players, and the ambition to go to 8 clubs, makes me think the Super 6 is already beneficial and will be more so if and when a more meaningful fixture list is sorted out.

I grew up in Aberfeldy, and I wish there had been a rugby club around when I was there. Farming communities and rugby go together very well!

Have you seen the pitch in Aberfeldy? What a setting! Right by the river next to Wades Bridge looking straight up the Glen. Hard to imagine a better setting to play in.

I've just had a look at Aberfeldy's website, the pics of the ground look stunning.

I was born in Bo'ness West Lothian, there was no rugby club there (well there was in the very early 1900s but it folded), there is now, founded in 2011.
I was brought up in East Lothian, there are only six towns in the county but each school had a team in every year and the towns all have clubs which, whilst they don't run as many teams as they did, they still play in the league system at varying levels.

[weegie01]

Have you seen the pitch in Aberfeldy? What a setting! Right by the river next to Wades Bridge looking straight up the Glen. Hard to imagine a better setting to play in.

I pass it often. They used to play on Kenmore Sportsground where there was a clubhouse and a nice pitch. I am unsure why they moved for this season but the showground is a lovely location.

[Yr Alban]

Argh, this bloody game. I am a bag of nerves and I don’t even intend to watch it live. Scotland are playing well with a settled side. Wales are a mess. But we just don’t turn up in Cardiff, ever, and you just know that the Welsh will play out of their skins in front of a home crowd, because they are desperate to get a result and see us as a soft target.

I just can’t bear yet another story of Wales defying the form book to see off Scotland. But I’ve read it too many times before to believe it will end differently this time.

[dkm57]

Argh, this bloody game. I am a bag of nerves and I don’t even intend to watch it live. Scotland are playing well with a settled side. Wales are a mess. But we just don’t turn up in Cardiff, ever, and you just know that the Welsh will play out of their skins in front of a home crowd, because they are desperate to get a result and see us as a soft target.

I just can’t bear yet another story of Wales defying the form book to see off Scotland. But I’ve read it too many times before to believe it will end differently this time.

Feeling the same

[Biffer]

Have you seen the pitch in Aberfeldy? What a setting! Right by the river next to Wades Bridge looking straight up the Glen. Hard to imagine a better setting to play in.

I pass it often. They used to play on Kenmore Sportsground where there was a clubhouse and a nice pitch. I am unsure why they moved for this season but the showground is a lovely location.

I think it’s because they’re Aberfeldy rugby club not Kenmore, for a start! And they might have had to pay for the showground, it was shared use so others played there, couldn’t access it from the school without transport, etc, etc.

The showground has changing rooms but from memory it’s a push describing it as a clubhouse - no bar or food facilities for example. I believe they have plans to put some facilities at the new pitch, but quite what is difficult as that will flood most years.

[Slick]

Argh, this bloody game. I am a bag of nerves and I don’t even intend to watch it live. Scotland are playing well with a settled side. Wales are a mess. But we just don’t turn up in Cardiff, ever, and you just know that the Welsh will play out of their skins in front of a home crowd, because they are desperate to get a result and see us as a soft target.

I just can’t bear yet another story of Wales defying the form book to see off Scotland. But I’ve read it too many times before to believe it will end differently this time.

Feeling the same

Me too, struggling to get any excitement up, just feeling