The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[KingBlairhorn]

Reads like an agent has spoken to a journo. "Here lad, the IRFU still aren't opening discussions with OOC players. Did you know he is SQ and I know Townsend has seen him play once?".

Oh it's definitely agent shit-stirring. He's still an academy player and this is just setting the stall out for a senior contract.

Can’t see it happening. It would be funny as fuck though.

Despite being reported as fact that Glasgow have made an offer, I find it pretty hard to believe. As far as I have heard, there is an SRU wide recruitment freeze in place, half the senior players are still taking wage cuts, the executive team are still on wage deferrals and no offers have been made to currently contracted SRU players.

The idea that amidst all of that Glasgow would be reaching out to an (admittedly very talented) 21 year old Irishman with half a dozen senior starts, SQ or not, is fairly fanciful.

[charltom]

I see we've got Australia, South Africa plus a probable tier 2 next autumn. So no NZ to replace this year's fixture.

Might we get a NZ summer tour to replace this year's instead? Would prefer it in 2022 TBH... not that we get to choose...

[Caley_Red]

I see we've got Australia, South Africa plus a probable tier 2 next autumn. So no NZ to replace this year's fixture.

Might we get a NZ summer tour to replace this year's instead? Would prefer it in 2022 TBH... not that we get to choose...

We should be looking to beat Aus there; was at the Aus-Arg game a couple of weeks back and the backs just look laboured (though they have some good young forwards coming through) and our front row is much better. Be interested to see how SA are after such a long break, worked out well for Argentina. .

[Yr Alban]

I see we've got Australia, South Africa plus a probable tier 2 next autumn. So no NZ to replace this year's fixture.

Might we get a NZ summer tour to replace this year's instead? Would prefer it in 2022 TBH... not that we get to choose...

Oh, I’m sure we’ll get to play NZ again as soon as they have sorted themselves out and stop looking beatable.

[KingBlairhorn]

Eddie Jones has been in the media talking about refereeing (specifically of the breakdown) and I have to say *spits* I agree:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/55146825

The breakdown is one of several parts of the game where refs are having an undue influence on games as the moment in my view, led by refs like Nigel Owens who seem to think they should get to pick and choose when an offence has occurred and when it hasn't and generally interpret the laws. For me this is having profound impacts on matches.

Take the Edinburgh Ulster game for instance. To be clear, Ulster would have won the game no matter what, but at a score of 14-19 the ref massively swung the game in Ulster's favour. Firstly he (correctly) ruled out an Edinburgh score for offside and gave a scrum at the point of the offside. Then he gave a penalty against Schoeman for I think stepping in. The scrum was never stable and it was a classic example of where a scrum should be reset, but the ref refused resets all game for the sake of match flow. Ulster then put the ball in touch just inside the Edinburgh half, from where Edinburgh were penalised for early engagement as the maul was set. Ulster put it in touch for a 5m scrum where again Edinburgh were penalised for an early engagement. This time during the advantage Ulster scored. The ref also yellow carded Mata. On each occasion the early engagement could also have been given as not lowering the player to the ground immediately when the ball is won, however the ref chose to ignore this infringement to promote continuity.

No single decision the ref made was wrong per se, I wouldn't have seen any problem had the situation been reversed and Edinburgh had had the advantage, however these decisions massively swung the game towards Ulster at a time Edinburgh were just coming back into it. This is the problem, three decisions, three 50/50 calls, all went to Ulster when on another day they could have gone to Edinburgh. The laws need to be clearer and more consistently applied so fewer game moments are decided by the specific whims of an individual.

[robmatic]

Eddie Jones has been in the media talking about refereeing (specifically of the breakdown) and I have to say *spits* I agree:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/55146825

The breakdown is one of several parts of the game where refs are having an undue influence on games as the moment in my view, led by refs like Nigel Owens who seem to think they should get to pick and choose when an offence has occurred and when it hasn't and generally interpret the laws. For me this is having profound impacts on matches.

Take the Edinburgh Ulster game for instance. To be clear, Ulster would have won the game no matter what, but at a score of 14-19 the ref massively swung the game in Ulster's favour. Firstly he (correctly) ruled out an Edinburgh score for offside and gave a scrum at the point of the offside. Then he gave a penalty against Schoeman for I think stepping in. The scrum was never stable and it was a classic example of where a scrum should be reset, but the ref refused resets all game for the sake of match flow. Ulster then put the ball in touch just inside the Edinburgh half, from where Edinburgh were penalised for early engagement as the maul was set. Ulster put it in touch for a 5m scrum where again Edinburgh were penalised for an early engagement. This time during the advantage Ulster scored. The ref also yellow carded Mata. On each occasion the early engagement could also have been given as not lowering the player to the ground immediately when the ball is won, however the ref chose to ignore this infringement to promote continuity.

No single decision the ref made was wrong per se, I wouldn't have seen any problem had the situation been reversed and Edinburgh had had the advantage, however these decisions massively swung the game towards Ulster at a time Edinburgh were just coming back into it. This is the problem, three decisions, three 50/50 calls, all went to Ulster when on another day they could have gone to Edinburgh. The laws need to be clearer and more consistently applied so fewer game moments are decided by the specific whims of an individual.

He's right about the early season strictness about the breakdown being quickly forgotten about. Players have gone back to flying in from the side and off their feet and there is no consistency about holding on.

[Slick]

Interesting point from Eddie Jones on that saying that refs would normally spend the week together discussing and refining their approach but they can't at the moment so gaps are opening.

[Yr Alban]

Eddie Jones has been in the media talking about refereeing (specifically of the breakdown) and I have to say *spits* I agree:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/55146825

The breakdown is one of several parts of the game where refs are having an undue influence on games as the moment in my view, led by refs like Nigel Owens who seem to think they should get to pick and choose when an offence has occurred and when it hasn't and generally interpret the laws. For me this is having profound impacts on matches.

Take the Edinburgh Ulster game for instance. To be clear, Ulster would have won the game no matter what, but at a score of 14-19 the ref massively swung the game in Ulster's favour. Firstly he (correctly) ruled out an Edinburgh score for offside and gave a scrum at the point of the offside. Then he gave a penalty against Schoeman for I think stepping in. The scrum was never stable and it was a classic example of where a scrum should be reset, but the ref refused resets all game for the sake of match flow. Ulster then put the ball in touch just inside the Edinburgh half, from where Edinburgh were penalised for early engagement as the maul was set. Ulster put it in touch for a 5m scrum where again Edinburgh were penalised for an early engagement. This time during the advantage Ulster scored. The ref also yellow carded Mata. On each occasion the early engagement could also have been given as not lowering the player to the ground immediately when the ball is won, however the ref chose to ignore this infringement to promote continuity.

No single decision the ref made was wrong per se, I wouldn't have seen any problem had the situation been reversed and Edinburgh had had the advantage, however these decisions massively swung the game towards Ulster at a time Edinburgh were just coming back into it. This is the problem, three decisions, three 50/50 calls, all went to Ulster when on another day they could have gone to Edinburgh. The laws need to be clearer and more consistently applied so fewer game moments are decided by the specific whims of an individual.

He's right about the early season strictness about the breakdown being quickly forgotten about. Players have gone back to flying in from the side and off their feet and there is no consistency about holding on.

It’s like when they cracked down on squint scrum feeds for about 3 games, and then went back to the SH being able to feed into the second row.

[KingBlairhorn]

Dunc Taylor has been in the press today saying he doesn't know if and when he will get any more game time prior to the 6N as there has been no announcement on when the Championship will be played, if at all.

If I were the SRU I'd be on the blower to Sarries offering to take two players off their wage bill on loan on a month by month basis until such time as a restart is agreed (on the basis that Sarries still pay a percentage of their wage ). Taylor to Edinburgh and Maitland to Glasgow? Yes please.

[SaintK]

Dunc Taylor has been in the press today saying he doesn't know if and when he will get any more game time prior to the 6N as there has been no announcement on when the Championship will be played, if at all.

If I were the SRU I'd be on the blower to Sarries offering to take two players off their wage bill on loan on a month by month basis until such time as a restart is agreed (on the basis that Sarries still pay a percentage of their wage ). Taylor to Edinburgh and Maitland to Glasgow? Yes please.

Given that most players were well aware of the possibility that the Championship would not start in January
I am amazed that neither of those two pushed for a loan out or full time move to ensure they would get game time and be available to Scotland

[KingBlairhorn]

Dunc Taylor has been in the press today saying he doesn't know if and when he will get any more game time prior to the 6N as there has been no announcement on when the Championship will be played, if at all.

If I were the SRU I'd be on the blower to Sarries offering to take two players off their wage bill on loan on a month by month basis until such time as a restart is agreed (on the basis that Sarries still pay a percentage of their wage ). Taylor to Edinburgh and Maitland to Glasgow? Yes please.

Given that most players were well aware of the possibility that the Championship would not start in January
I am amazed that neither of those two pushed for a loan out or full time move to ensure they would get game time and be available to Scotland

I believe both were touted to the SRU at the point of Sarries relegation but the SRU were gobsmacked at their wages / wage demands. Maitland would have been the highest salary ever paid by the SRU by a considerable distance. From memory Maitland was nearly £500k, and Taylor was around £300k

[SaintK]

Dunc Taylor has been in the press today saying he doesn't know if and when he will get any more game time prior to the 6N as there has been no announcement on when the Championship will be played, if at all.

If I were the SRU I'd be on the blower to Sarries offering to take two players off their wage bill on loan on a month by month basis until such time as a restart is agreed (on the basis that Sarries still pay a percentage of their wage ). Taylor to Edinburgh and Maitland to Glasgow? Yes please.

Given that most players were well aware of the possibility that the Championship would not start in January
I am amazed that neither of those two pushed for a loan out or full time move to ensure they would get game time and be available to Scotland

I believe both were touted to the SRU at the point of Sarries relegation but the SRU were gobsmacked at their wages / wage demands. Maitland would have been the highest salary ever paid by the SRU by a considerable distance. From memory Maitland was nearly £500k, and Taylor was around £300k

Bloody hell!!! No wonder there were no takers!

[Slick]

Dunc Taylor has been in the press today saying he doesn't know if and when he will get any more game time prior to the 6N as there has been no announcement on when the Championship will be played, if at all.

If I were the SRU I'd be on the blower to Sarries offering to take two players off their wage bill on loan on a month by month basis until such time as a restart is agreed (on the basis that Sarries still pay a percentage of their wage ). Taylor to Edinburgh and Maitland to Glasgow? Yes please.

Given that most players were well aware of the possibility that the Championship would not start in January
I am amazed that neither of those two pushed for a loan out or full time move to ensure they would get game time and be available to Scotland

I believe both were touted to the SRU at the point of Sarries relegation but the SRU were gobsmacked at their wages / wage demands. Maitland would have been the highest salary ever paid by the SRU by a considerable distance. From memory Maitland was nearly £500k, and Taylor was around £300k

salary cap!

Edit: apologies, that was a bit Bimbo

[Caley_Red]

Dunc Taylor has been in the press today saying he doesn't know if and when he will get any more game time prior to the 6N as there has been no announcement on when the Championship will be played, if at all.

If I were the SRU I'd be on the blower to Sarries offering to take two players off their wage bill on loan on a month by month basis until such time as a restart is agreed (on the basis that Sarries still pay a percentage of their wage ). Taylor to Edinburgh and Maitland to Glasgow? Yes please.

I wished the two of them had left that Sarries ship, the money kept them maybe?

[Biffer]

Dunc Taylor has been in the press today saying he doesn't know if and when he will get any more game time prior to the 6N as there has been no announcement on when the Championship will be played, if at all.

If I were the SRU I'd be on the blower to Sarries offering to take two players off their wage bill on loan on a month by month basis until such time as a restart is agreed (on the basis that Sarries still pay a percentage of their wage ). Taylor to Edinburgh and Maitland to Glasgow? Yes please.

I wished the two of them had left that Sarries ship, the money kept them maybe?

Yeah, no way either of them would get that money on the open market, even before the pandemic.

[Yr Alban]

Dunc Taylor has been in the press today saying he doesn't know if and when he will get any more game time prior to the 6N as there has been no announcement on when the Championship will be played, if at all.

If I were the SRU I'd be on the blower to Sarries offering to take two players off their wage bill on loan on a month by month basis until such time as a restart is agreed (on the basis that Sarries still pay a percentage of their wage ). Taylor to Edinburgh and Maitland to Glasgow? Yes please.

I wished the two of them had left that Sarries ship, the money kept them maybe?

Yeah, no way either of them would get that money on the open market, even before the pandemic.

And both are the wrong side of 30, so don’t have all that many years left to earn the big bucks.

You’d think Sarries might see the value in loaning them out though. It would keep them in shape and fund at least some of their salaries while they wait to see what happens with the Championship.

[clydecloggie]

[Jock42]

Is Weir injured? That's a big fuck right off if he's not.

[robmatic]

Bit of Tooney tombola. Think that pack would have gone better against France.

[robmatic]

Is Weir injured? That's a big fuck right off if he's not.

I probably rate Jaco higher than others around here but even I'm surprised to see him starting.

[Begbie]

Interesting...

[Biffer]

Is Weir injured? That's a big fuck right off if he's not.

They want to get vdw capped - pretty sure the plan would have been for him to play v Fiji. Presume it's because of that.

[clydecloggie]

Is Weir injured? That's a big fuck right off if he's not.

Scotland offered nothing in attack against France, but from 3 years of Jaco McWalt at Edinburgh it's hard to imagine him being the solution to that.

Pinball injured as well, or has Toonie finally had enough of endless bouncing around up or around the gain line? Thomson was very good in the line out the last few matches, that may have played a part too.

The return of Huw Jones! Please please please play a blinder. All I want for Christmas is a length-of-the-pitch Jones/Hogg interplay try. <cue him getting on in the 79th minute while we're 3 scores down and facing an Irish scrum-5>

[westport]

Is Hamish injured

[Jock42]

Is Weir injured? That's a big fuck right off if he's not.

They want to get vdw capped - pretty sure the plan would have been for him to play v Fiji. Presume it's because of that.

Theres only 1 fh in that team. Whether its to get him capped, as a starter or from the bench, not to include Weir is bad craic.

[Northern Lights]

So Huw and Cowan on the bench, bit of a surprise. What the feck is Jaco doing at 10? Wasnt impressed with Weir back in the shirt but cant see this being a step up.

Oh and backrow? Watson injured?

Oh and Skinner ahead of Blade every fucking day of the week on the blind

[Biffer]

Is Weir injured? That's a big fuck right off if he's not.

They want to get vdw capped - pretty sure the plan would have been for him to play v Fiji. Presume it's because of that.

Theres only 1 fh in that team. Whether its to get him capped, as a starter or from the bench, not to include Weir is bad craic.

Yeah it's odd that there's no FH cover but 6 guys who can cover fullback.

[KingBlairhorn]

What happened to the whole squad bubble thing? Skinner, SHC and Cowan have all been back and playing for their clubs. Very odd to have them back but not release the Glasgow and Edinburgh players not involved.

I'm equally surprised at the Weir no-show, presumably Hogg is the reserve 10?

[Slick]

Hmm.

Would have liked to have seen Skinner start, preferably at 5 but looking at that back row, 6. The back row suddenly looks a bit weak.

Really pleased to see Taylor back. I’ll be fair and see what Jaco actually does rather than judge him on what I’ve seen, but....

Edit: and YES, please let Huw have some decent minutes and be on fire. Please

[Yr Alban]

Is Weir injured? That's a big fuck right off if he's not.

His non-appearance on the bench makes me think he must have an injury. Tombola or no tombola, having no recognised backup 10 is downright weird.

Mish must either be injured as well, or else Toony is using what is effectively a dead rubber match to experiment a wee bit. Happy for Fagerson to get another start at 8. The balance of the outside backs looks better with Taylor in there and Darcy back on the wing, and delighted that Jones makes the bench.

There’s a bit of the tried and trusted and a bit of the experimental about this team. Will be an interesting watch, though I suspect our best bet v Ireland in Dublin would have been to pick the same team as we did v France and try to strangle them to death.

[Begbie]

I get why people are calling for Skinner at 6, but the lad said himself that he wants to focus on one position and that's lock.

[Slick]

I get why people are calling for Skinner at 6, but the lad said himself that he wants to focus on one position and that's lock.

Didn't know that actually. I'd have him over Jonny at the moment.

[clydecloggie]

Here's the leprechaun army, including chief git POM at openside. I'm sure they only play him against Scotland because they know he will rile us up in a good way for them.

The geriatrics at half back, so should be an easy win. Right? Right, lads? Lads?

[Slick]

Here's the leprechaun army, including chief git POM at openside. I'm sure they only play him against Scotland because they know he will rile us up in a good way for them.

The geriatrics at half back, so should be an easy win. Right? Right, lads? Lads?

RIGHT!

Yeah.

Maybe

[Yr Alban]

Just out of curiosity, is Brandon Thomson SQ? Not suggesting he’s in any way ready for a cap, just wondering who the next cab off the rank actually is in that position. Chamberlain has only just made his debut in a team getting tanked every week. We can’t be thinking of going back to Pete Horne. Literally the only other candidate I can think of is Tom Heathcote, and even if I thought that were a good idea (which I don’t) I slightly doubt he would even take a call from the SRU.

[Biffer]

Just out of curiosity, is Brandon Thomson SQ? Not suggesting he’s in any way ready for a cap, just wondering who the next cab off the rank actually is in that position. Chamberlain has only just made his debut in a team getting tanked every week. We can’t be thinking of going back to Pete Horne. Literally the only other candidate I can think of is Tom Heathcote, and even if I thought that were a good idea (which I don’t) I slightly doubt he would even take a call from the SRU.

Rory Hutton







I'll get my coat

[Yr Alban]

Just realised I forgot about Lang. As, by the look of the squad, has Toony.

[clydecloggie]

Thomson played for SA U20 - which, by the looks of this squad, means he's automatically SQ

But seriously, I've heard that because of the matches he played for SA U20 he's tied in for SA, although others dispute that.

[Begbie]

I get why people are calling for Skinner at 6, but the lad said himself that he wants to focus on one position and that's lock.

Didn't know that actually. I'd have him over Jonny at the moment.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... th-rather/

I can't find the other article, but he said something similar a month or so back but that interview was in relation to Exeter.

I'd also have him over JG.

[Blackmac]

Someone please explain the point of Blair Cowan being on the bench.