The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[Begbie]

It pains me a bit, but I hope it's true. I just have visions of Fagerson getting rag dolled constantly, might be unfair.

I'm with you there, I don't really rate Fagerson. I'd be more than happy for him to ram humble pie down my throat though.

To be fair to Fagerson he is only 22 still. I think he'll be good, he's very useful at changing the point of contact. But at 22 he's maybe a bit lightweight for international rugby. Would rather him at 6 than Thomson if Ritchie is out though.

True, and I am being harsh on the kid. I'd take a fat middle aged bloke from the stands over Thomson.

[Slick]

It pains me a bit, but I hope it's true. I just have visions of Fagerson getting rag dolled constantly, might be unfair.

I'm with you there, I don't really rate Fagerson. I'd be more than happy for him to ram humble pie down my throat though.

To be fair to Fagerson he is only 22 still. I think he'll be good, he's very useful at changing the point of contact. But at 22 he's maybe a bit lightweight for international rugby. Would rather him at 6 than Thomson if Ritchie is out though.

Completely agree, it's only him being a bit lightweight that worries me, not his game.

[robmatic]

It pains me a bit, but I hope it's true. I just have visions of Fagerson getting rag dolled constantly, might be unfair.

I'm with you there, I don't really rate Fagerson. I'd be more than happy for him to ram humble pie down my throat though.

To be fair to Fagerson he is only 22 still. I think he'll be good, he's very useful at changing the point of contact. But at 22 he's maybe a bit lightweight for international rugby. Would rather him at 6 than Thomson if Ritchie is out though.

I don't think he really stood out as an 8 during the autumn games, even if he did quite well in heavy traffic at times, so probably worth trying somebody else.

[westport]

Ritchie, Watson and Graham could be an interesting back row

I know it is bad form to quote oneself, but I still think it looks quite good for the weekend.

[westport]

Edinburgh v Glasgow A team fixture on Thursday afternoon at Scotstoun

[Jock42]

Any coverage?

[westport]

Any coverage?

It popped up on faceache and doesn't say anything about any coverage yet

[Biffer]

I'm with you there, I don't really rate Fagerson. I'd be more than happy for him to ram humble pie down my throat though.

To be fair to Fagerson he is only 22 still. I think he'll be good, he's very useful at changing the point of contact. But at 22 he's maybe a bit lightweight for international rugby. Would rather him at 6 than Thomson if Ritchie is out though.

True, and I am being harsh on the kid. I'd take a fat middle aged bloke from the stands over Thomson.

I'll look out my boots

[Slick]

To be fair to Fagerson he is only 22 still. I think he'll be good, he's very useful at changing the point of contact. But at 22 he's maybe a bit lightweight for international rugby. Would rather him at 6 than Thomson if Ritchie is out though.

True, and I am being harsh on the kid. I'd take a fat middle aged bloke from the stands over Thomson.

I'll look out my boots

I had similar thoughts. Unfortunately, I finally gave up on my Scotland ambitions last year.

[Slick]

I presume the team is being named today?

Hopefully that will get the juices flowing because I'm not feeling it as yet.

[dpedin]

Excitement and expectations are low for Scotland and the 6Ns. It will be difficult for teams as the lock downs means many players and teams are undercooked - match fitness levels are low, preparations have been disrupted by social distancing, many players have hardly played any games and there will be no crowds and no atmosphere. We might as well use it to try some new combinations and field some younger guys in a managed way. I am not saying we should treat these games as practice/pre season matches by any measure, rather we should just temper expectations and look for progress and new guys getting a chance. Who knows these factors may help us?

[Tichtheid]

ASMO's props behaving badly thread made me think of this, but it isn't really suitable for that thread, this is more yer day job stuff, a fan favourite, our very own Chunk

[clydecloggie]

I presume the team is being named today?

Hopefully that will get the juices flowing because I'm not feeling it as yet.

Aye, team reveal party today!

My non-educated guess is 1 Sutherland 2 Turner 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 Cummings 6 M Fagerson 7 Watson 8 G Graham 9 Price 10 Russell 11 McMerwe 12 Taylor 13 Harris 14 Maitland 15 Hogg

16 Cherry 17 Kebble 18 Nel 19 R Gray 20 Thomson 21 Steele 22 McWalt 23 Jones

Assuming Ritchie not fit. If he is, plays at 6 with M Fagerson dropping to the bench and Thomson dropping out.
Perhaps question marks around 12 (could be Redpath) and 14 (could be wee Mr D'Arcy).

[clydecloggie]

Excitement and expectations are low for Scotland and the 6Ns. It will be difficult for teams as the lock downs means many players and teams are undercooked - match fitness levels are low, preparations have been disrupted by social distancing, many players have hardly played any games and there will be no crowds and no atmosphere. We might as well use it to try some new combinations and field some younger guys in a managed way. I am not saying we should treat these games as practice/pre season matches by any measure, rather we should just temper expectations and look for progress and new guys getting a chance. Who knows these factors may help us?

It's been about progress and learning and developing every single fucking year since I've started watching rugby - which is just scramble speak for being bad at rugby. This is the best chance ever to win the bloody thing - an empty Twickenham and SdF, home games against a rank rotten Wales and transitioning Ireland, and pretty much all the key players fit at the start of the tournament.

Grand Slam or failure, those are the two options. Winning it without a GS will count as a score draw.

[Slick]

I presume the team is being named today?

Hopefully that will get the juices flowing because I'm not feeling it as yet.

Aye, team reveal party today!

My non-educated guess is 1 Sutherland 2 Turner 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 Cummings 6 M Fagerson 7 Watson 8 G Graham 9 Price 10 Russell 11 McMerwe 12 Taylor 13 Harris 14 Maitland 15 Hogg

16 Cherry 17 Kebble 18 Nel 19 R Gray 20 Thomson 21 Steele 22 McWalt 23 Jones

Assuming Ritchie not fit. If he is, plays at 6 with M Fagerson dropping to the bench and Thomson dropping out.
Perhaps question marks around 12 (could be Redpath) and 14 (could be wee Mr D'Arcy).

I think we will be capping Redpath sharpish.

[I like neeps]

I presume the team is being named today?

Hopefully that will get the juices flowing because I'm not feeling it as yet.

Aye, team reveal party today!

My non-educated guess is 1 Sutherland 2 Turner 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 Cummings 6 M Fagerson 7 Watson 8 G Graham 9 Price 10 Russell 11 McMerwe 12 Taylor 13 Harris 14 Maitland 15 Hogg

16 Cherry 17 Kebble 18 Nel 19 R Gray 20 Thomson 21 Steele 22 McWalt 23 Jones

Assuming Ritchie not fit. If he is, plays at 6 with M Fagerson dropping to the bench and Thomson dropping out.
Perhaps question marks around 12 (could be Redpath) and 14 (could be wee Mr D'Arcy).

I think we will be capping Redpath sharpish.

Redpath is the form 12 in the squad. Wouldn't want Maitland or Taylor to play. I don't see how training with Sarries and a preseason game Vs Ealing is good prep for international rugby.

[Tichtheid]

I presume the team is being named today?

Hopefully that will get the juices flowing because I'm not feeling it as yet.

Aye, team reveal party today!

My non-educated guess is 1 Sutherland 2 Turner 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 Cummings 6 M Fagerson 7 Watson 8 G Graham 9 Price 10 Russell 11 McMerwe 12 Taylor 13 Harris 14 Maitland 15 Hogg

16 Cherry 17 Kebble 18 Nel 19 R Gray 20 Thomson 21 Steele 22 McWalt 23 Jones

Assuming Ritchie not fit. If he is, plays at 6 with M Fagerson dropping to the bench and Thomson dropping out.
Perhaps question marks around 12 (could be Redpath) and 14 (could be wee Mr D'Arcy).

We need a third lineout option, so if Ritchie isn't fit I think we'll see Thomson in the backrow with Graham and Watson.

[Big D]

I presume the team is being named today?

Hopefully that will get the juices flowing because I'm not feeling it as yet.

Aye, team reveal party today!

My non-educated guess is 1 Sutherland 2 Turner 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 Cummings 6 M Fagerson 7 Watson 8 G Graham 9 Price 10 Russell 11 McMerwe 12 Taylor 13 Harris 14 Maitland 15 Hogg

16 Cherry 17 Kebble 18 Nel 19 R Gray 20 Thomson 21 Steele 22 McWalt 23 Jones

Assuming Ritchie not fit. If he is, plays at 6 with M Fagerson dropping to the bench and Thomson dropping out.
Perhaps question marks around 12 (could be Redpath) and 14 (could be wee Mr D'Arcy).

We need a third lineout option, so if Ritchie isn't fit I think we'll see Thomson in the backrow with Graham and Watson.

Craig may be a wild card option for 6. He has played there for Gloucs.

[Tattie]

Excitement and expectations are low for Scotland and the 6Ns. It will be difficult for teams as the lock downs means many players and teams are undercooked - match fitness levels are low, preparations have been disrupted by social distancing, many players have hardly played any games and there will be no crowds and no atmosphere. We might as well use it to try some new combinations and field some younger guys in a managed way. I am not saying we should treat these games as practice/pre season matches by any measure, rather we should just temper expectations and look for progress and new guys getting a chance. Who knows these factors may help us?

It's been about progress and learning and developing every single fucking year since I've started watching rugby - which is just scramble speak for being bad at rugby. This is the best chance ever to win the bloody thing - an empty Twickenham and SdF, home games against a rank rotten Wales and transitioning Ireland, and pretty much all the key players fit at the start of the tournament.

Grand Slam or failure, those are the two options. Winning it without a GS will count as a score draw.

Totally agree, when are we going to stop this learning and developing excuses crap and actually start playing as if ever game is winnable. It reminds me a little of a friend of mine who, when we played golf, if he missed a short putt he wouldn't count it as he "would have got it if he'd been concentrating" - what are you waiting for? a wildcard for the Open? This is as good as it's going to get!

[Slick]

England have picked Farrell at 10.

A few newbies as well. That team looks beatable.

[clydecloggie]

The Orcs have been named. And after Squidge anointed George Ford as the best 10 in the world, Owen 'T Rex' Farrell starts at fly half for the oppressors.

[Slick]

Excitement and expectations are low for Scotland and the 6Ns. It will be difficult for teams as the lock downs means many players and teams are undercooked - match fitness levels are low, preparations have been disrupted by social distancing, many players have hardly played any games and there will be no crowds and no atmosphere. We might as well use it to try some new combinations and field some younger guys in a managed way. I am not saying we should treat these games as practice/pre season matches by any measure, rather we should just temper expectations and look for progress and new guys getting a chance. Who knows these factors may help us?

It's been about progress and learning and developing every single fucking year since I've started watching rugby - which is just scramble speak for being bad at rugby. This is the best chance ever to win the bloody thing - an empty Twickenham and SdF, home games against a rank rotten Wales and transitioning Ireland, and pretty much all the key players fit at the start of the tournament.

Grand Slam or failure, those are the two options. Winning it without a GS will count as a score draw.

Totally agree, when are we going to stop this learning and developing excuses crap and actually start playing as if ever game is winnable. It reminds me a little of a friend of mine who, when we played golf, if he missed a short putt he wouldn't count it as he "would have got it if he'd been concentrating" - what are you waiting for? a wildcard for the Open? This is as good as it's going to get!

enjoyed that post

[Biffer]

England have picked Farrell at 10.

A few newbies as well. That team looks beatable.

For those who, like me, have an aversion on clicking on a link to the RFU

Daly; Watson, Slade, Lawrence, May; Farrell (capt), Youngs; Genge, George, Stuart, Itoje, Hill, Wilson, Curry, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Obano, Williams, Lawes, Earl, Robson, Ford, Malins.

Farrell hasn't played a game of rugby since November. Same for Daly, George and Itoje. Vunipola had a run out v Ealing. Plus newcomers there must be a chance to get after them.

[Yr Alban]

You’ve got to think that a team built around a Sarries cohort whose recent match experience was a loss to Ealing would be there for the taking. Still, it’s Scotland playing at Twickenham and my expectations will always be zero.

I’d dearly love them to win this game. Only because it would stop all of the ‘Scotland haven’t won here since 1983’ stories we get every year. Much as we used to get endless repeats of Jim Telfer’s try every time we played in Paris, with ‘Scotland have never won at Parc des Princes’. Fortunately we won first time out at the SdF.

[sockwithaticket]

You’ve got to think that a team built around a Sarries cohort whose recent match experience was a loss to Ealing would be there for the taking. Still, it’s Scotland playing at Twickenham and my expectations will always be zero.

I’d dearly love them to win this game. Only because it would stop all of the ‘Scotland haven’t won here since 1983’ stories we get every year. Much as we used to get endless repeats of Jim Telfer’s try every time we played in Paris, with ‘Scotland have never won at Parc des Princes’. Fortunately we won first time out at the SdF.

Of the Sarries' England contingent, only Billy Vunipola played in that game. Whether that's better or worse I have no idea.

[Biffer]

I presume the team is being named today?

Hopefully that will get the juices flowing because I'm not feeling it as yet.

Aye, team reveal party today!

My non-educated guess is 1 Sutherland 2 Turner 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 Cummings 6 M Fagerson 7 Watson 8 G Graham 9 Price 10 Russell 11 McMerwe 12 Taylor 13 Harris 14 Maitland 15 Hogg

16 Cherry 17 Kebble 18 Nel 19 R Gray 20 Thomson 21 Steele 22 McWalt 23 Jones

Assuming Ritchie not fit. If he is, plays at 6 with M Fagerson dropping to the bench and Thomson dropping out.
Perhaps question marks around 12 (could be Redpath) and 14 (could be wee Mr D'Arcy).

Pretty much as here, except Redpath at 12 and Ritchie is fit.

15. Stuart Hogg CAPTAIN (Exeter Chiefs) – 80 caps

14. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 50 caps
13. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 23 caps
12. Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) – 0 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh) – 5 caps

10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) – 51 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 37 caps

1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh) – 11 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 34 caps
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) – 61 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie VICE CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 23 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh – 36 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps

Substitutes:
16. David Cherry (Edinburgh) – 0 caps
17. Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps
18. WP Nel (Edinburgh) – 40 caps
19. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 65 caps
20. Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons) – 2 caps
21. Scott Steele (Harlequins) – 1 cap
22. Jaco van der Walt (Edinburgh) – 1 cap
23. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 26 caps

[Yr Alban]

Can’t argue with the forwards apart from Matt Fagerson - we should pick on form and I’d have put Graham in to start, just for the snarl. Would have liked Richie to start as well, but who to drop?

Backs: starting Redpath over Taylor is a bold call but the right one, IMHO. Harris always happening at 13, though I’d have preferred Jones. The one selection I entirely disagree with is Maitland. He will be very lacking in match practice, and England have had real trouble dealing with Darcy before.

[Biffer]

Can’t argue with the forwards apart from Matt Fagerson - we should pick on form and I’d have put Graham in to start, just for the snarl. Would have liked Richie to start as well, but who to drop?

Backs: starting Redpath over Taylor is a bold call but the right one, IMHO. Harris always happening at 13, though I’d have preferred Jones. The one selection I entirely disagree with is Maitland. He will be very lacking in match practice, and England have had real trouble dealing with Darcy before.

Same here re Maitland. He's on the wrong side of his peak, hasn't played since November, difficult to justify tbh. And given Graham's performance last time at Twickenham, it's hard to see why you wouldn't put him in again.

[Big D]

I presume the team is being named today?

Hopefully that will get the juices flowing because I'm not feeling it as yet.

Aye, team reveal party today!

My non-educated guess is 1 Sutherland 2 Turner 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 Cummings 6 M Fagerson 7 Watson 8 G Graham 9 Price 10 Russell 11 McMerwe 12 Taylor 13 Harris 14 Maitland 15 Hogg

16 Cherry 17 Kebble 18 Nel 19 R Gray 20 Thomson 21 Steele 22 McWalt 23 Jones

Assuming Ritchie not fit. If he is, plays at 6 with M Fagerson dropping to the bench and Thomson dropping out.
Perhaps question marks around 12 (could be Redpath) and 14 (could be wee Mr D'Arcy).

Pretty much as here, except Redpath at 12 and Ritchie is fit.

15. Stuart Hogg CAPTAIN (Exeter Chiefs) – 80 caps

14. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 50 caps
13. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 23 caps
12. Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) – 0 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh) – 5 caps

10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) – 51 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 37 caps

1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh) – 11 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 34 caps
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) – 61 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie VICE CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 23 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh – 36 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps

Substitutes:
16. David Cherry (Edinburgh) – 0 caps
17. Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps
18. WP Nel (Edinburgh) – 40 caps
19. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 65 caps
20. Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons) – 2 caps
21. Scott Steele (Harlequins) – 1 cap
22. Jaco van der Walt (Edinburgh) – 1 cap
23. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 26 caps

Three in the tight 5 with less than 20 cap, five in the pack with less than 25. No issue with it, just something I noticed.

[Big D]

Can’t argue with the forwards apart from Matt Fagerson - we should pick on form and I’d have put Graham in to start, just for the snarl. Would have liked Richie to start as well, but who to drop?

Backs: starting Redpath over Taylor is a bold call but the right one, IMHO. Harris always happening at 13, though I’d have preferred Jones. The one selection I entirely disagree with is Maitland. He will be very lacking in match practice, and England have had real trouble dealing with Darcy before.

Same here re Maitland. He's on the wrong side of his peak, hasn't played since November, difficult to justify tbh. And given Graham's performance last time at Twickenham, it's hard to see why you wouldn't put him in again.

Was he not injured?

[Slick]

Can’t argue with the forwards apart from Matt Fagerson - we should pick on form and I’d have put Graham in to start, just for the snarl. Would have liked Richie to start as well, but who to drop?

Backs: starting Redpath over Taylor is a bold call but the right one, IMHO. Harris always happening at 13, though I’d have preferred Jones. The one selection I entirely disagree with is Maitland. He will be very lacking in match practice, and England have had real trouble dealing with Darcy before.

Same here re Maitland. He's on the wrong side of his peak, hasn't played since November, difficult to justify tbh. And given Graham's performance last time at Twickenham, it's hard to see why you wouldn't put him in again.

Not sure I agree. I think he had been playing well for Scotland over the last couple of years and with Finn, Hogg, VdM and Redpath in the back line brings a bit of stability to complement the attack. With him there I might have been tempted to go with Jones but I can see why not, at least he is back in the 23.

My only slight disappointments are Fagerson at 8 and wee Dunc getting booted for a very average import

[Yr Alban]

Aye, team reveal party today!

My non-educated guess is 1 Sutherland 2 Turner 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 Cummings 6 M Fagerson 7 Watson 8 G Graham 9 Price 10 Russell 11 McMerwe 12 Taylor 13 Harris 14 Maitland 15 Hogg

16 Cherry 17 Kebble 18 Nel 19 R Gray 20 Thomson 21 Steele 22 McWalt 23 Jones

Assuming Ritchie not fit. If he is, plays at 6 with M Fagerson dropping to the bench and Thomson dropping out.
Perhaps question marks around 12 (could be Redpath) and 14 (could be wee Mr D'Arcy).

Pretty much as here, except Redpath at 12 and Ritchie is fit.

15. Stuart Hogg CAPTAIN (Exeter Chiefs) – 80 caps

14. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 50 caps
13. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 23 caps
12. Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) – 0 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh) – 5 caps

10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) – 51 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 37 caps

1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh) – 11 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 34 caps
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) – 61 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie VICE CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 23 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh – 36 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps

Substitutes:
16. David Cherry (Edinburgh) – 0 caps
17. Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps
18. WP Nel (Edinburgh) – 40 caps
19. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 65 caps
20. Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons) – 2 caps
21. Scott Steele (Harlequins) – 1 cap
22. Jaco van der Walt (Edinburgh) – 1 cap
23. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 26 caps

Three in the tight 5 with less than 20 cap, five in the pack with less than 25. No issue with it, just something I noticed.

True, but two of those are Ritchie and Cummings, who must be among the first names on the team sheet now. Also Sutherland’s cap figure is mostly due to injury.

[robmatic]

Can’t argue with the forwards apart from Matt Fagerson - we should pick on form and I’d have put Graham in to start, just for the snarl. Would have liked Richie to start as well, but who to drop?

Backs: starting Redpath over Taylor is a bold call but the right one, IMHO. Harris always happening at 13, though I’d have preferred Jones. The one selection I entirely disagree with is Maitland. He will be very lacking in match practice, and England have had real trouble dealing with Darcy before.

Same here re Maitland. He's on the wrong side of his peak, hasn't played since November, difficult to justify tbh. And given Graham's performance last time at Twickenham, it's hard to see why you wouldn't put him in again.

Is Darcy actually available yet though? He's been not selected for Edinburgh's recent games for undisclosed personal reasons, so perhaps that isn't resolved yet, whatever it is.

[Slick]

OK, I’m excited now

[Tichtheid]

All in all there isn't much to quibble about in that selection but if I have to... I echo the feelings on Wee Darcy, but I assume he isn't ready to play yet. Maitland is Mr Reliable, he rarely puts a foot wrong, well, he could have pinned his ears back a few times rather than looking for back up, but that is the only quibble I have with him, he is a classy player who really knows how to play the game. If it wasn't for the ridiculous talent at the Crusaders plus the likes of Peak Savea and Bin Smuth, he would have been a 20+ cap All Black.

I'm still not convinced by Fagerson the younger, but I'll be delighted if he does the biz on Saturday. I've seen him have mighty games for Glasgow, but not at this level.

I worry when there is a Curry about, they tend to destroy your ruck ball, I hope we can tie him up and offer him no chances for a pilfer. He's one of those players, a bit like Pocock was, where you plan around nullifying his impact on the game.
Our support and cleanouts have got to be on point or he is going to be the wasp in the picnic basket.

[SaintK]

You’ve got to think that a team built around a Sarries cohort whose recent match experience was a loss to Ealing would be there for the taking. Still, it’s Scotland playing at Twickenham and my expectations will always be zero.

I’d dearly love them to win this game. Only because it would stop all of the ‘Scotland haven’t won here since 1983’ stories we get every year. Much as we used to get endless repeats of Jim Telfer’s try every time we played in Paris, with ‘Scotland have never won at Parc des Princes’. Fortunately we won first time out at the SdF.

Of the Sarries' England contingent, only Billy Vunipola played in that game. Whether that's better or worse I have no idea.

......and he was shockingly shite!!!

[Yr Alban]

So we’re playing against a side who have a number of significant injuries, a third of them play for a club who haven’t played a competitive fixture since November, and there will be no crowd at the game. Scotland are still going to find a way to lose this, aren’t we?

[clydecloggie]

To commemorate 150 years of Scotland v England. Nice one. Hoping for the same result (though preferably with a different scoreline)!

[JM2K6]

So we’re playing against a side who have a number of significant injuries, a third of them play for a club who haven’t played a competitive fixture since November, and there will be no crowd at the game. Scotland are still going to find a way to lose this, aren’t we?

I don't think we have a number of significant injuries, we're missing a couple of players in areas of strength. Certainly can't be used as an excuse. Having said that, the Sarries gametime is a real problem and our performances in the autumn weren't exactly earth-shattering. I think Scottish players and fans are right to be extremely confident, and it's great to see it.

[clydecloggie]

So we’re playing against a side who have a number of significant injuries, a third of them play for a club who haven’t played a competitive fixture since November, and there will be no crowd at the game. Scotland are still going to find a way to lose this, aren’t we?

I don't think we have a number of significant injuries, we're missing a couple of players in areas of strength. Certainly can't be used as an excuse. Having said that, the Sarries gametime is a real problem and our performances in the autumn weren't exactly earth-shattering. I think Scottish players and fans are right to be extremely confident, and it's great to see it.

A confident Scot? We're no having that!

I'm optimistic though - I'm estimating our chances of winning this at about 20%, way higher than usual.