The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[Biffer]

Didn't get to see it but from what I'm told a pretty good second half?

[dkm57]

Savala had a spell in the second half when he was red hot.

[Jock42]

Didn’t see any of it, how did Savala go this week?

Much like most in the 1st half, ie pretty hit and miss, his kicking was particularly bad. 2nd half was good, as was everyone else.

[Biffer]

That's Edinburgh in the knockout stages, right? Impossible for any of Lyon, Bordeaux, Gloucester or Castres to catch us.

[I like neeps]

Mike Blair changing a toxic culture then with a domestic knockout qualification in his first season and a European qualification in his second eh. Following Cockers tenure quite nicely.

[Jock42]

Mike Blair changing a toxic culture then with a domestic knockout qualification in his first season and a European qualification in his second eh. Following Cockers tenure quite nicely.

Yeah, hopefully over their wee shite spell. I don't know how good that Castres side was but plenty of embra players missing so certainly feels like a good win all in.

[Tichtheid]

Anyone know if BT repeat the games?

I was out and as it was behind the red button I couldn't set up to record the game.

[Jock42]

I think they do on their website but not 100%

[Tichtheid]

I think they do on their website but not 100%

Ach, I subscribe through virgin so I don't think I'll have access to that, though I've never tried tbh.

[Yr Alban]

That's Edinburgh in the knockout stages, right? Impossible for any of Lyon, Bordeaux, Gloucester or Castres to catch us.

The BBC report just said that they were now ‘well placed’ to qualify.

[Jock42]

That's Edinburgh in the knockout stages, right? Impossible for any of Lyon, Bordeaux, Gloucester or Castres to catch us.

The BBC report just said that they were now ‘well placed’ to qualify.

They've qualified.

Screenshot_20230115_162614_Chrome.jpg (295.57 KiB) Viewed 1322 times

[Tichtheid]

That's Edinburgh in the knockout stages, right? Impossible for any of Lyon, Bordeaux, Gloucester or Castres to catch us.

The BBC report just said that they were now ‘well placed’ to qualify.

They've qualified.

Screenshot_20230115_162614_Chrome.jpg

Yep, it would be better for us for Racing to beat Quins

[KingBlairhorn]

Qualified but will need to beat Sarries at home for a home last 16 tie it looks like?

[Tichtheid]

Qualified but will need to beat Sarries at home for a home last 16 tie it looks like?

Yeah, I think we need either a BP win or a 4 -0 points win, they have a 12 point differential on us which we need to over come.

[GrahamWa]

Anyone know if BT repeat the games?

I was out and as it was behind the red button I couldn't set up to record the game.

Full game here.
Worth subscribing to the channel IMO

[Tichtheid]

Anyone know if BT repeat the games?

I was out and as it was behind the red button I couldn't set up to record the game.

Full game here.
Worth subscribing to the channel IMO

Brilliant, thanks

[Yr Alban]

Qualified but will need to beat Sarries at home for a home last 16 tie it looks like?

Fair enough. I just had to go and check the tournament format. Not exactly intuitive.

[Slick]

Qualified but will need to beat Sarries at home for a home last 16 tie it looks like?

When is that? Might get me up to MM

[Jock42]

Qualified but will need to beat Sarries at home for a home last 16 tie it looks like?

When is that? Might get me up to MM

Sunday

[Slick]

Qualified but will need to beat Sarries at home for a home last 16 tie it looks like?

When is that? Might get me up to MM

Sunday

Oh! You making it down?

[Jock42]

When is that? Might get me up to MM

Sunday

Oh! You making it down?

Unfortunately not. I'm nights next weekend.

[Slick]

Sunday

Oh! You making it down?

Unfortunately not. I'm nights next weekend.

Good of you to go to work I guess

[Tichtheid]

Henry Immelman is leaving Edinburgh to join the Bulls, along with Jannes Kirsten from Exeter

Something had to give in terms of our back three. I hope this means we can keep Goosen on. After a bit of a slow start Immelman has been really good for Edinburgh.

[Tichtheid]

I finally finished watching the Castres Embra game. This season we haven't played much of the free-flowing rugby we saw last year, at least since the end of November, whether that is down to a dip in form from Kinghorn or a more general malaise I'm not sure.

The stats guy, Ross Hamilton(?), was very interesting, from his numbers we were a lot better than the game looked, we were scoring from a position of losing the territory and position battle, so we are doing something right.

I'd like to think we can dig ourselves out of the hole we are in and start playing like we did last year, we could do with some of those big names back - our season took a turn for the worse when Darcy Graham got nobbled against Munster and we're still trying to get back up.

[Slick]

I finally finished watching the Castres Embra game. This season we haven't played much of the free-flowing rugby we saw last year, at least since the end of November, whether that is down to a dip in form from Kinghorn or a more general malaise I'm not sure.

The stats guy, Ross Hamilton(?), was very interesting, from his numbers we were a lot better than the game looked, we were scoring from a position of losing the territory and position battle, so we are doing something right.

I'd like to think we can dig ourselves out of the hole we are in and start playing like we did last year, we could do with some of those big names back - our season took a turn for the worse when Darcy Graham got nobbled against Munster and we're still trying to get back up.

It does seem to be a pattern that any team that starts playing that free flowing rugby struggles to keep it going over a period of time, with the All Blacks being an exception. I guess teams find ways to disrupt it and it must be very difficult to change again and keep that type of rugby going. With BK, he pretty much came out of nowhere as a 10 and was playing a type of game that no one could have been expecting and couldn't deal with, but I imagine was then fairly simple to at least partially nullify, either by targeting him and the space he was using or just adapting the overall defensive system - that's a lot easier to do than adjust the whole attacking framework.

I also think there was a realisation from MB that they were losing games they really should win because of the all out attack and they needed to tighten up a bit and have a better forward platform and maybe this change is still bedding in. If they can get that right it will hopefully be very effective as there are certainly the players there.

[Slick]

I see Finn Smith has gone to the dark side

[Tichtheid]

I finally finished watching the Castres Embra game. This season we haven't played much of the free-flowing rugby we saw last year, at least since the end of November, whether that is down to a dip in form from Kinghorn or a more general malaise I'm not sure.

The stats guy, Ross Hamilton(?), was very interesting, from his numbers we were a lot better than the game looked, we were scoring from a position of losing the territory and position battle, so we are doing something right.

I'd like to think we can dig ourselves out of the hole we are in and start playing like we did last year, we could do with some of those big names back - our season took a turn for the worse when Darcy Graham got nobbled against Munster and we're still trying to get back up.

It does seem to be a pattern that any team that starts playing that free flowing rugby struggles to keep it going over a period of time, with the All Blacks being an exception. I guess teams find ways to disrupt it and it must be very difficult to change again and keep that type of rugby going. With BK, he pretty much came out of nowhere as a 10 and was playing a type of game that no one could have been expecting and couldn't deal with, but I imagine was then fairly simple to at least partially nullify, either by targeting him and the space he was using or just adapting the overall defensive system - that's a lot easier to do than adjust the whole attacking framework.

I also think there was a realisation from MB that they were losing games they really should win because of the all out attack and they needed to tighten up a bit and have a better forward platform and maybe this change is still bedding in. If they can get that right it will hopefully be very effective as there are certainly the players there.

I think losing Kitty MacRae made a big difference, for the worse, to our defence. If you have a strong defence you can shift the momentum of a game in your favour, if you are leaking acres of ground and tries it's a lot more difficult.

[Yr Alban]

I see Finn Smith has gone to the dark side

Disappointing, though not all that surprising. He’s unlikely to make a match 22 with Farrell and Marcus Smith in the squad though.

[Oxbow]

I see Finn Smith has gone to the dark side

I'd rather both England and Scotland leave him alone for now and let him hone his craft at Saints, but hey ho.

[S/Lt_Phillips]

I see Finn Smith has gone to the dark side

Disappointing, though not all that surprising. He’s unlikely to make a match 22 with Farrell and Marcus Smith in the squad though.

With Hastings injured, the BK-at-10 project maybe finished (?), and Fin Smith training with England, does that mean Healy gets a call up to the Scotland squad already?

[Tichtheid]

I see Finn Smith has gone to the dark side

Disappointing, though not all that surprising. He’s unlikely to make a match 22 with Farrell and Marcus Smith in the squad though.

With Hastings injured, the BK-at-10 project maybe finished (?), and Fin Smith training with England, does that mean Healy gets a call up to the Scotland squad already?

I think Kinghorn will start at ten for Edinburgh the next time we can put out a back three that doesn't dip into the academy too much. I also expect him to start on the wing v England if Graham isn't fit, though Ollie Smith could well be an option there.

Healy will be in the 6N squad, he might well make the bench for the Calcutta Cup, though if Smith starts Kinghorn will probably be on the pine.

[sockwithaticket]

I see Finn Smith has gone to the dark side

You mean stayed on the dark side. You guys might have been flirting with him, but his representative rugby has been England.

[S/Lt_Phillips]

Disappointing, though not all that surprising. He’s unlikely to make a match 22 with Farrell and Marcus Smith in the squad though.

With Hastings injured, the BK-at-10 project maybe finished (?), and Fin Smith training with England, does that mean Healy gets a call up to the Scotland squad already?

I think Kinghorn will start at ten for Edinburgh the next time we can put out a back three that doesn't dip into the academy too much. I also expect him to start on the wing v England if Graham isn't fit, though Ollie Smith could well be an option there.

Healy will be in the 6N squad, he might well make the bench for the Calcutta Cup, though if Smith starts Kinghorn will probably be on the pine.

Excellent - more BK arguments then!

Does anyone know when the squad is announced?

[dpedin]

With Hastings injured, the BK-at-10 project maybe finished (?), and Fin Smith training with England, does that mean Healy gets a call up to the Scotland squad already?

I think Kinghorn will start at ten for Edinburgh the next time we can put out a back three that doesn't dip into the academy too much. I also expect him to start on the wing v England if Graham isn't fit, though Ollie Smith could well be an option there.

Healy will be in the 6N squad, he might well make the bench for the Calcutta Cup, though if Smith starts Kinghorn will probably be on the pine.

Excellent - more BK arguments then!

Does anyone know when the squad is announced?

I can see Steyn on the wing for the England game - right in form, fully fit and full of confidence - with VdM on the other. BK will be on the bench covering 10 and back 3 positions.

I don't think the BK playing at 10 is over, I suspect that is his longer term position now, he has been on wing for Embra because of the injuries to Graham, Boff, Goosen, Hoyland and VdW out of the picture for whatever reason. If anything our current predicament shows we need at least 3 10s in the squad and we could conceivable be without both NK and Healy during the RWC?

[Jock42]

How has Rowe been playing? I don't think Steyn has the pa e as an int winger, would rather Smith started if its not Kinghorn, possibly even instead of him.

[Tichtheid]

How has Rowe been playing? I don't think Steyn has the pa e as an int winger, would rather Smith started if its not Kinghorn, possibly even instead of him.

I don't think he's back playing yet is he?

[I like neeps]

How has Rowe been playing? I don't think Steyn has the pa e as an int winger, would rather Smith started if its not Kinghorn, possibly even instead of him.

I don't think he's back playing yet is he?

He suffered a severe ACL injury on Scotland debut. No luck that lad.

I think Kinghorn will play on the wing Vs England, I just don't think Steyn is international class. Alex Sanderson mentioned we are after Arron Reed and he's Graham-like so wouldn't be surprised. We were also monitoring Roebuck who I'm sure is being kept in the loop by Toonie.

[Big D]

Squad announced today apparently.

[Tichtheid]

Squad announced today apparently.

Any bolters, do we think?

I suppose Healy wouldn't really count as one now that there has been the big fanfare.

Cooney would be a surprise.

[I like neeps]

Squad announced today apparently.

Any bolters, do we think?

I suppose Healy wouldn't really count as one now that there has been the big fanfare.

Cooney would be a surprise.

Arron Reed at Sale, Gus Warr at Sale who went to Dollar but unsure if he's SQ.

I firmly believe Cam Henderson is the future of Scottish locks and he's fit and firing again for Leicester.

Would be a good time to find an sq prop somewhere. McCallum who in their infinite wisdom the SRU decided to not bother with and recently allow go to the ProD2 whilst continuing with nonSQ plodders will be in.