The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[robmatic]

He was 27 when he left Exeter so close to his ceiling and coming into a poorly coached team so it was never likely.

Good player for Scotland, injuries are his limiting factor not ability.

He's only started 32 games for Edinburgh in 3 seasons, and a chunk of those starts have been in the Challenge Cup, which is a second-rate competition. It's no wonder he hasn't really kicked on.

If fit I’d have had him starting before J Gray in this years 6N

Me too, actually, and he was fit enough to play for Edinburgh.

[westport]

Scotland’s summer tour plans for 2025 have been confirmed where they will take on the Māori All Blacks, followed by Fiji and Samoa.

The tour kicks off with a match against the Māori All Blacks on Saturday 5 July, and will be the first time the sides have met since 2000, when the hosts edged a narrow encounter 18-15 in New Plymouth.

It will be just the third match between the Māori and Scotland with the other game coming at Murrayfield in Edinburgh in 1998.

As per World Rugby’s San Francisco calendar agreement which was decided in 2017, Scotland will then take on Fiji and Samoa.

Scotland’s 2025 Summer Tour Fixtures

Māori All Blacks v Scotland: Saturday 5 July 2025, Semenoff Stadium – Whangārei, kick-off 3.35pm local time (Saturday 5 July, kick-off 4.35am UK time)
Tickets are available now from AllBlacks.com

Fiji v Scotland: Saturday 12 July 2025, HFC Bank Stadium, Suva, kick-off 3pm local time (Saturday 12 July 2025, kick-off 4am UK time)

Samoa v Scotland: Friday 18 July 2025, Eden Park, Auckland, kick-off 8.05pm local time (Friday 18 July 2025, kick-off 9.05am UK time)

Broadcast arrangements are still to be confirmed.

[Tichtheid]

Scotland’s summer tour plans for 2025 have been confirmed where they will take on the Māori All Blacks, followed by Fiji and Samoa.

The tour kicks off with a match against the Māori All Blacks on Saturday 5 July, and will be the first time the sides have met since 2000, when the hosts edged a narrow encounter 18-15 in New Plymouth.

It will be just the third match between the Māori and Scotland with the other game coming at Murrayfield in Edinburgh in 1998.

As per World Rugby’s San Francisco calendar agreement which was decided in 2017, Scotland will then take on Fiji and Samoa.

Scotland’s 2025 Summer Tour Fixtures

Māori All Blacks v Scotland: Saturday 5 July 2025, Semenoff Stadium – Whangārei, kick-off 3.35pm local time (Saturday 5 July, kick-off 4.35am UK time)
Tickets are available now from AllBlacks.com

Fiji v Scotland: Saturday 12 July 2025, HFC Bank Stadium, Suva, kick-off 3pm local time (Saturday 12 July 2025, kick-off 4am UK time)

Samoa v Scotland: Friday 18 July 2025, Eden Park, Auckland, kick-off 8.05pm local time (Friday 18 July 2025, kick-off 9.05am UK time)

Broadcast arrangements are still to be confirmed.

Presumably the NZ M game doesn’t count towards world rankings but the other two games will.
We’ll need to go as fully loaded as we can

[Tichtheid]

Paul Hill crocked.

He's been very good for us, it's a big loss. Sebastian to start, Angus Williams on the pine as Rae is also out.

[Jock42]

That's a blow

[Jock42]

Gleaming start

[KingBlairhorn]

Prop crisis incoming, Venter off injured.

[KingBlairhorn]

Prop crisis incoming, Venter off injured.

That must have been Hill, never mind me!

[KingBlairhorn]

Edinburgh playing ok but they’ve also butchered 3 easy scores IMO.

[Jock42]

Edinburgh playing ok but they’ve also butchered 3 easy scores IMO.

2 definitely. Is the 3rd Grahams?

[Big D]

Edinburgh playing ok but they’ve also butchered 3 easy scores IMO.

I think the one on Graham was good D from the 15 but there should have been at least two tries from the 3 busts and subsequent plays and there was 0.

[Big D]

That's good reffing imo.

[Slick]

Well done ref and shame on the Lions for making a big deal out of it. Hate that shit

[Slick]

Jesus Edinburgh, just put this to bed, it’s bloody painful

[Big D]

Douglas on for two min and already has been more effective than Watson at the break down. Really should be Edinburghs 7 going forward especially with Ritchie playing son well on the other flank helping.

[Slick]

Do you think Freddie Douglas insists thst Henry Pollock wears make up when they meet?

[Jock42]

Douglas on for two min and already has been more effective than Watson at the break down. Really should be Edinburghs 7 going forward especially with Ritchie playing son well on the other flank helping.

Agreed. If he's such a talent just let the lad play some proper minutes

[Jock42]

Not sure what those 12 belters are booing. It's a fucking try.

[Tichtheid]

I missed the game due to a mild emergency but on catching up and flicking through it, one might be mistaken in thinking Edinburgh have been developing an attacking shape these last few weeks.
I'm not going to get ahead of myself on this, but there was some good stuff on display tonight.

The Douglas thing already mentioned was outrageous, a soo-poib turnover followed by a carry through half the Lions pack at the lineout, releasing Currie and Price to combine for the try.

I think we are still short at ten but the others are starting to turn up.

[dkm57]

Definitely 2 Edinburgh teams - the usual shite and the one that turned up last night. Butchered tries early on due to hanging on to the ball instead of giving the pass. Douglas needs and deserves more time. Thought Thomson did well not playing like a normal 10 almost more like a back row.

[KingBlairhorn]

The first try after 90 seconds was a beautifully planned and executed strike move. More of that please.

[dpedin]

Not sure about anyone else but for about 30mins after the Lions scored I was waiting nervously for the inevitable collapse and the old Edinburgh to reappear. We looked a bit shaky for a while and if it wasnt for the Lions attack being too toothless then we might have been punished. Not sure why we decided to go back into our shell having ran them ragged for the first 30mins.

I'm still not convinced that Thomson is the 10 for us, he can often sit too deep under pressure and can be slow in decision making and caught with ball in hand. His kicking was good from hand however but we knew that. I thought Currie and Lang looked good together and solid in defence giving us more stability in midfield and tried to get the wide players into space.

It was a game we had to win and should have won and we did. Next round might be a bit more interesting though!

[Big D]

It was a game we had to win and should have won and we did. Next round might be a bit more interesting though!

I think this is the main point. Playing two of the three worst URC teams (by league position amd especially away from home) in the last two weeks and done the job they had to. Done it well in spells too.

Will be interesting to see if Bayonne or the Bulls send their ones for the QF. The Bulls will be over for Munster and Glasgow games but they might send their 1s home for a wee rest.

[KingBlairhorn]

I'm still not convinced that Thomson is the 10 for us, he can often sit too deep under pressure and can be slow in decision making and caught with ball in hand. His kicking was good from hand however but we knew that.

Me neither, however credit where it’s due, I thought he played pretty flat at times last night and was making the kind of nice late passes that make gaps in a defence.

[Biffer]

The first try after 90 seconds was a beautifully planned and executed strike move. More of that please.

Oddly enough, involved the players in the back line who always play with confidence and ambition, Graham and Goossens.

[Biffer]

Definitely 2 Edinburgh teams - the usual shite and the one that turned up last night. Butchered tries early on due to hanging on to the ball instead of giving the pass. Douglas needs and deserves more time. Thought Thomson did well not playing like a normal 10 almost more like a back row.

Kind of in line with what I just said, I think there's a confidence thing there. Vellacott for example should have just gunned it for the corner, he's bloody rapid so would likely have made it. Coming back inside reflects a lack of confidence imo.

[Biffer]

I'm still not convinced that Thomson is the 10 for us, he can often sit too deep under pressure and can be slow in decision making and caught with ball in hand. His kicking was good from hand however but we knew that.

Me neither, however credit where it’s due, I thought he played pretty flat at times last night and was making the kind of nice late passes that make gaps in a defence.

I like him but he needs better coaching in the areas he's being criticised for. He's 25 so he has to kick on in the next year or two. Young enough to still be very good but too old for too many more chances if he doesn't step up at Embra

[Biffer]

Not sure about anyone else but for about 30mins after the Lions scored I was waiting nervously for the inevitable collapse and the old Edinburgh to reappear. We looked a bit shaky for a while and if it wasnt for the Lions attack being too toothless then we might have been punished. Not sure why we decided to go back into our shell having ran them ragged for the first 30mins.

I'm still not convinced that Thomson is the 10 for us, he can often sit too deep under pressure and can be slow in decision making and caught with ball in hand. His kicking was good from hand however but we knew that. I thought Currie and Lang looked good together and solid in defence giving us more stability in midfield and tried to get the wide players into space.

It was a game we had to win and should have won and we did. Next round might be a bit more interesting though!

Yeah, I was waiting for it the previous week v Dragons as well.

No idea what the fuck Everitt is saying at half time but you'd think he might figure out it isn't fuxking working

[Biffer]

Definitely 2 Edinburgh teams - the usual shite and the one that turned up last night. Butchered tries early on due to hanging on to the ball instead of giving the pass. Douglas needs and deserves more time. Thought Thomson did well not playing like a normal 10 almost more like a back row.

The one that turned up last night often turns up for twenty minutes but then the shit the bed version rolls up

[KingBlairhorn]

Were Glasgow into the wind or with the wind that half?

[Slick]

Were Glasgow into the wind or with the wind that half?

Dunno, but they should have been about 25 points up, hope they don’t regret that

[Yr Alban]

Glasgow really should be leading by more. The aimless pass from Dobie should have been a run-in.

[KingBlairhorn]

Were Glasgow into the wind or with the wind that half?

Dunno, but they should have been about 25 points up, hope they don’t regret that

That’s what I was thinking about. They haven’t put the points on the board they should have. When I turned it on the commentary team seemed to be suggesting there is a significant wind. It didn’t look too bad to me but sometimes these things are deceptive.

[westport]

Huw saying Sione and he should be back in a few weeks, that is great news

[Slick]

Steyn seems to have come back from his injury completely super chantages, he has been brilliant the last couple of games

[Slick]

Said it before and I’ll say it again, Scottish teams should NEVER start showboating

[Slick]

Said it before and I’ll say it again, Scottish teams should NEVER start showboating

On this, not sure about those subs on 50 mins…

[I like neeps]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

[Yr Alban]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

TBH he should get it anyway. Toony’s race has to be run at this point. Scotland are standing still, at best. My main worry is that he goes to Wales and makes them better and Glasgow poorer.

Good win from Glasgow tonight though. Should have been a bigger win, but good all the same.

[Slick]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

TBH he should get it anyway. Toony’s race has to be run at this point. Scotland are standing still, at best. My main worry is that he goes to Wales and makes them better and Glasgow poorer.

Good win from Glasgow tonight though. Should have been a bigger win, but good all the same.

Yup, totally agree. If a deal hasn’t already been done behind the scenes we march