The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[SomersetJock]

Zander has been outstanding this season. Seems to have learned the art of winning the ref over.

On that subject I thought Captain Steyn played a blinder with the ref in Saturday. His comment after Matt F’s yellow definitely seemed to make a difference in how the ref treated us for the rest of the game. Constant whining at a ref doesn’t work as we have seen over the years, but the right word at the right time can be a match winner !

[Tichtheid]

Zander has been outstanding this season. Seems to have learned the art of winning the ref over.

On that subject I thought Captain Steyn played a blinder with the ref in Saturday. His comment after Matt F’s yellow definitely seemed to make a difference in how the ref treated us for the rest of the game. Constant whining at a ref doesn’t work as we have seen over the years, but the right word at the right time can be a match winner !

The bit that always grinds my gears is that some players like Sexton or Biggar can get away with shouting piss and wind in the ref's ear all game long and they were never penalised for it, whereas others turn the ref against them for the same thing or less.

[SomersetJock]

It’s just as well he got the ref on side, we have him again for the final on Saturday !

[Yr Alban]

Zander has been outstanding this season. Seems to have learned the art of winning the ref over.

On that subject I thought Captain Steyn played a blinder with the ref in Saturday. His comment after Matt F’s yellow definitely seemed to make a difference in how the ref treated us for the rest of the game. Constant whining at a ref doesn’t work as we have seen over the years, but the right word at the right time can be a match winner !

The bit that always grinds my gears is that some players like Sexton or Biggar can get away with shouting piss and wind in the ref's ear all game long and they were never penalised for it, whereas others turn the ref against them for the same thing or less.

Exactly. Jamie Ritchie always seems to get on the wrong side of refs for doing what looks, from what we can tell anyway, exactly the same as what Biggar and Sexton always did.

[Tichtheid]

Hogg to Montpellier seemingly confirmed

[dpedin]

Hogg to Montpellier seemingly confirmed

Best thing for him to get out of the country for a couple of years. However I cant help but feel sorry for his kids who won't see their Dad for long periods.

[SomersetJock]

Logistical nightmare, wonder how much this costs overall

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 77knz7765o

[Dogbert]

It sort of reads "Oh Crap lads , we actually beat Munster , and we have to play the Bulls in Pretoria."

Surely knowing that there was a distinct possibility that this would be the outcome , some planning / contingency plans were put in place to facilitate the travel to RSA

Its almost unbelievable that ""I got on the laptop at home at 01:00 on Sunday and until 04:00 we were booking flights,"

[KingBlairhorn]

It sort of reads "Oh Crap lads , we actually beat Munster , and we have to play the Bulls in Pretoria."

Surely knowing that there was a distinct possibility that this would be the outcome , some planning / contingency plans were put in place to facilitate the travel to RSA

Its almost unbelievable that ""I got on the laptop at home at 01:00 on Sunday and until 04:00 we were booking flights,"

On the basis it says he made the bookings alongside a sports travel company, and it would be somewhat unusual for such a company to answer a phonecall in the middle of the night, I would say they had done plenty preparation and are just enjoying the hyperbole. I'm sure they had some form of reservation in place and they were working to convert those into actual bookings.

[Jock42]

U20 matches on Alba or iplayer

[topofthemoon]

Bit of analysis on the penalty count from Munster v Glasgow (including the total turnaround between 1st half and 2nd half) and significant areas for Saturday's final:

https://www.scotlandrugbynews.com/analy ... nster-win/

[Dogbert]

So an ex Glasgow Warrior (323) just won the Super Rugby Cup Final with the Blues.

Disappointed we couldn't keep Cole at Scotstoun , but great to see him winning Trophies.

He came to us pretty raw from the Bay of Plenty - Improved greatly at Glasgow , now has a medal to his name.

Hope this is a good omen for this afternoon

[Big D]

Best achievement of the pro era for a Scottish side. Two massive away wins to seal the deal.

[Tichtheid]

Best achievement of the pro era for a Scottish side. Two massive away wins to seal the deal.

Yup, this beats the win in Belfast

[Jock42]

Best achievement of the pro era for a Scottish side. Two massive away wins to seal the deal.

Totally agree.

[I like neeps]

What's so pleasing about it is that we don't see Scottish teams winning through defence and fronting up. Feels good to have a team of hard bastards just dominating.

[KingBlairhorn]

That was unreal. Gritty, tough, hard rugby. Not often you can say that about a Scottish team.

[SomersetJock]

That really was a special performance, that team has a lot of rugby ability and physicality. Also a few very good rugby brains making decisions on the pitch, and somehow seem have shaken off the Scottish way of not turning great performances into glorious losses !

[Slick]

What's so pleasing about it is that we don't see Scottish teams winning through defence and fronting up. Feels good to have a team of hard bastards just dominating.

True. And to see players like the Fagersons, Darge, Cummings and hell, even Bhatti, be the hard uncompromising players we know they can be was great

[Yr Alban]

I am hugely impressed. To go to Pretoria and win, after Leinster came unstuck there, is an amazing result. Add that to beating Munster away in the SF, and it’s quite the end to the season. I wish Edinburgh could develop this sort
of harder edge, but fair play to Glasgow, I’m absolutely delighted for you.

[Tichtheid]

I am hugely impressed. To go to Pretoria and win, after Leinster came unstuck there, is an amazing result. Add that to beating Munster away in the SF, and it’s quite the end to the season. I wish Edinburgh could develop this sort
of harder edge, but fair play to Glasgow, I’m absolutely delighted for you.

I honestly don't think the raw materials are any better at Glasgow*, but they have gotten a lot more out of their players than Edinburgh have, that much is obvious and has been for a long time

*the centres are much better at Glasgow

[Uncle fester]

Well done lads. Enjoy the win. Delighted to see you do it.

[Begbie]

That was incredible. Fuckin huge performance from everyone.

[GrahamWa]

Fucking enorme as was once said. What a win.

[dpedin]

Superb display from every player involved. They made the Bulls look very ordinary and coped well with their big pack and power game. This must be a huge confidence lift for all the Weegie players and hopefully they will bring this hard edge into the Scotland set up too. Lastly Franco has been a gem, a real character and a brilliant coach.

[Yr Alban]

I think the reason we are all so delighted is that Glasgow completely ripped up the script for what Scottish teams are supposed to do.

They didn’t choke at the business end of a tournament (twice).
They didn’t fold like a cheap deckchair in a tough away game (twice).
They kept the head despite going 13-0 down.
They fronted up to a good South African side playing the sort of power game we usually struggle with.

All of this despite the most Scottish of results at the end of the regular season (the no-BP loss to the Lions).

I hope the football team learn from this.

[KingBlairhorn]

My biggest hope now is that Glasgow can turn this into a bit of a dynasty. I remember watching them swashbuckle to the title in 2015 and thinking they would win 2 or 3 more before that team was done. Ultimately, although they went deep in the competition and were consistently one of the better teams they never quite hit the same levels again.

I really want to see this team win more but also have a real run in the champions cup. They have it in them, I hope they believe that now.

[topofthemoon]

Taking a look at some of the key areas in Glasgow’s incredible win over the Bulls:

https://www.scotlandrugbynews.com/analy ... urc-final/

[Slick]

I'm still buzzing from this, it becomes even more incredible as time goes by.

[Tichtheid]

I'm still buzzing from this, it becomes even more incredible as time goes by.

Me too, of course I hoped they’d win but I certainly didn’t expect it, not after their recent trip to South Africa and reversals against the Bulls and Lions, even through the first half hour of the final it looked to be going one way.

It was all scripted like a film the way they fought back, they all but had their Rocky trunks on, shouting “Adrian” at the end as the Bulls lay blooded on the canvas

Brilliant stuff

[Slick]

I'm still buzzing from this, it becomes even more incredible as time goes by.

Me too, of course I hoped they’d win but I certainly didn’t expect it, not after their recent trip to South Africa and reversals against the Bulls and Lions, even through the first half hour of the final it looked to be going one way.

It was all scripted like a film the way they fought back, they all but had their Rocky trunks on, shouting “Adrian” at the end as the Bulls lay blooded on the canvas

Brilliant stuff

Totally agree, I really didn't think they had a chance. Just hope this can permeate through all of Scottish rugby.

[clydecloggie]

I'm still buzzing from this, it becomes even more incredible as time goes by.

Me too, of course I hoped they’d win but I certainly didn’t expect it, not after their recent trip to South Africa and reversals against the Bulls and Lions, even through the first half hour of the final it looked to be going one way.

It was all scripted like a film the way they fought back, they all but had their Rocky trunks on, shouting “Adrian” at the end as the Bulls lay blooded on the canvas

Brilliant stuff

Totally agree, I really didn't think they had a chance. Just hope this can permeate through all of Scottish rugby.

You'd think that the steel they've shown in those play-offs, with Kinghorn being a key player in Europe's best club team, Finn as a fully matured playmaker and an added sprinkling of the best that Edinburgh has to offer - Scotland should kick on from here and lose that soft underbelly.

Somehow I'm not convinced that will actually happen and with the Warriors doing this sort of thing - I'm starting to care less about the national team as well. They'll always collect a few famous wins but I can't see them collecting silverware. As opposed to Glasgow - I'm really looking forward already to the next URC season and the 24/25 Champions Cup which they will enter as a top seed (so should get a relatively doable route into the knock outs). And well, they sure know how to play knock out rugby these days.

[Slick]

Me too, of course I hoped they’d win but I certainly didn’t expect it, not after their recent trip to South Africa and reversals against the Bulls and Lions, even through the first half hour of the final it looked to be going one way.

It was all scripted like a film the way they fought back, they all but had their Rocky trunks on, shouting “Adrian” at the end as the Bulls lay blooded on the canvas

Brilliant stuff

Totally agree, I really didn't think they had a chance. Just hope this can permeate through all of Scottish rugby.

You'd think that the steel they've shown in those play-offs, with Kinghorn being a key player in Europe's best club team, Finn as a fully matured playmaker and an added sprinkling of the best that Edinburgh has to offer - Scotland should kick on from here and lose that soft underbelly.

Somehow I'm not convinced that will actually happen and with the Warriors doing this sort of thing - I'm starting to care less about the national team as well. They'll always collect a few famous wins but I can't see them collecting silverware. As opposed to Glasgow - I'm really looking forward already to the next URC season and the 24/25 Champions Cup which they will enter as a top seed (so should get a relatively doable route into the knock outs). And well, they sure know how to play knock out rugby these days.

I'm going to remain optimistic, for all the reasons you say above.

The Fagersons have just grown so much this season, they both just look like they have realised they can mix it with the best.

[Soapy]

I'm still buzzing from this, it becomes even more incredible as time goes by.

Me too, of course I hoped they’d win but I certainly didn’t expect it, not after their recent trip to South Africa and reversals against the Bulls and Lions, even through the first half hour of the final it looked to be going one way.

It was all scripted like a film the way they fought back, they all but had their Rocky trunks on, shouting “Adrian” at the end as the Bulls lay blooded on the canvas

Brilliant stuff

Totally agree, I really didn't think they had a chance. Just hope this can permeate through all of Scottish rugby.

As we are stuck with GT I really hope he can build this steel and focus into the national team but we've seen nothing to suggest that he has the coaching and man-management skills to do that.

[charltom]

Did I read here a while back that Franco was likely to be given a Performance Director role with Scottish Rugby and that they were saving it until the end of the season to announce it? Or have I gone mad?

While I'm sure he would do great with that, I increasingly think he should stick with Warriors and, as others have said, Scotland might benefit from being Glasgow-plus, i.e. play their way. May be hard to achieve...

[robmatic]

Totally agree, I really didn't think they had a chance. Just hope this can permeate through all of Scottish rugby.

You'd think that the steel they've shown in those play-offs, with Kinghorn being a key player in Europe's best club team, Finn as a fully matured playmaker and an added sprinkling of the best that Edinburgh has to offer - Scotland should kick on from here and lose that soft underbelly.

Somehow I'm not convinced that will actually happen and with the Warriors doing this sort of thing - I'm starting to care less about the national team as well. They'll always collect a few famous wins but I can't see them collecting silverware. As opposed to Glasgow - I'm really looking forward already to the next URC season and the 24/25 Champions Cup which they will enter as a top seed (so should get a relatively doable route into the knock outs). And well, they sure know how to play knock out rugby these days.

I'm going to remain optimistic, for all the reasons you say above.

The Fagersons have just grown so much this season, they both just look like they have realised they can mix it with the best.

Fagerson senior has matured a lot, I think. I can't remember the last time he gave away a dumb penalty.

[I like neeps]

Fagerson snr is maybe the best tighthead prop in world rugby currently.

I think the answer for Scotland is just play fewer Edinburgh players. Why should Ashman be picked over Matthews? I really can't see at this point why Cummings and RGray wouldn't be an easy selection ahead of Gilchrist and Skinner. Ritchie had a good season no doubt but maybe sitting on the bench as Darge and MFagerson might motivate him a bit to smash some skulls together (for want or a better phrase) in the Edinburgh camp and make him realise being a leader in a low performance group isn't acceptable when there's other options.

Don't need to mention the backs. Ruariadh Jackson on twitter saying Steyn should start over Duhan for Scotland I don't agree with as Duhan has won Scotland more than enough games and Steyn has never really excelled for Scotland.

[robmatic]

Steyn's defence hasn't been great when he's played for Scotland either.

[GrahamWa]

Steyn's defence hasn't been great when he's played for Scotland either.

It's been better than the upright positioning tag or being totally out of position that DVDM plays.

[Slick]

Before this run in it wasn't even a conversation but Steyn has been really, really good as both a player and captain and I was actually thinking about this very question last night.

I don't think he has been anywhere near as good for Scotland as he has been for Glasgow and when he first came on the scene looked really average at that level. But he did a really good job covering for Duhan when he had a bit of a run last year. Duhan still has enough in the bank and that x-factor to keep his place but I think it could turn really quickly if we get too many head in the clouds Duhan performances.