The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[KingBlairhorn]

This is a fair point and obviously they are not going to be dictating the game. But ideally you want a 10 who can take some of the pressure with their kicking and decision making and I reckon Hastings is more likely to keep it on with a run down a blind alley.

I’d be much more concerned if he didn’t have the skills to execute on a more tactical game than I am about sometimes making poor decisions. One develops with experience and can be taught, at this stage the other is pretty much unobtainable. I think Hastings has all the tools and will prove to be an excellent international FH in time. He certainly suffers in that for Scotland he is being compared with one of the top players in the world, compared with Weir or WdV he is a far superior player.

Agree about learning with experience but I'd say Hastings can execute a kicking game as he managed it all six nations.

Rennie didn't play that way, he wanted attack from everywhere. Hastings' variety of kicking is very good. Not as good but up there with Russell - he just doesn't have Vakatawa, Zebo, Thomas, Imhoff and crew running onto them.

I think we are saying the same thing - he definitely CAN do it, he maybe just needs to learn a bit more about WHEN to do it.

[Big D]

From Rob Robertson's twitter

@SDM_Robertson
Looks like France v Scotland will quite rightly go ahead in Paris on Sunday according to reports in France. Not confirmed yet.

Yas, we are getting fucked by the France D team!

That's rubbish though, isn't it? Having 10 players unavailable (not all of whom are first choice) is no worse a position than Scotland often found themselves in a couple of years ago. It's just more obvious from the press.

I wasn't being entirely serious.

[charltom]

I'm glad. But French fans are calling it a C team, and it's not. They'll have half their starters. It'll be a strong team. And we need to persuade our boys that they, not France, are underdogs so that they will have a chance!

[westport]

Edinburgh Rugby have qualified for the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup as EPCR today announced revised tournament formats to conclude the 2020-21 European season.

Both tournaments will resume with Rounds of 16 matches on the weekend of 2/3/4 April, with the knockout stages continuing as Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and the scheduled Marseille Finals on EPCR's allocated weekends in April and May.

The Rounds of 16 and Quarter-Final matches in both tournaments will now, however, be decided by draws that will take place on Tuesday 9 March.

[KingBlairhorn]

Edinburgh Rugby have qualified for the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup as EPCR today announced revised tournament formats to conclude the 2020-21 European season.

Both tournaments will resume with Rounds of 16 matches on the weekend of 2/3/4 April, with the knockout stages continuing as Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and the scheduled Marseille Finals on EPCR's allocated weekends in April and May.

The Rounds of 16 and Quarter-Final matches in both tournaments will now, however, be decided by draws that will take place on Tuesday 9 March.

WTF? So 16 teams 'go-through' but then they draw lots to reduce that down to 4?

[westport]

Scottish Rugby saying the game is ON

[robmatic]

Edinburgh Rugby have qualified for the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup as EPCR today announced revised tournament formats to conclude the 2020-21 European season.

Both tournaments will resume with Rounds of 16 matches on the weekend of 2/3/4 April, with the knockout stages continuing as Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and the scheduled Marseille Finals on EPCR's allocated weekends in April and May.

The Rounds of 16 and Quarter-Final matches in both tournaments will now, however, be decided by draws that will take place on Tuesday 9 March.

WTF? So 16 teams 'go-through' but then they draw lots to reduce that down to 4?

Think they mean who will be playing who.

[KingBlairhorn]

Edinburgh Rugby have qualified for the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup as EPCR today announced revised tournament formats to conclude the 2020-21 European season.

Both tournaments will resume with Rounds of 16 matches on the weekend of 2/3/4 April, with the knockout stages continuing as Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and the scheduled Marseille Finals on EPCR's allocated weekends in April and May.

The Rounds of 16 and Quarter-Final matches in both tournaments will now, however, be decided by draws that will take place on Tuesday 9 March.

WTF? So 16 teams 'go-through' but then they draw lots to reduce that down to 4?

Think they mean who will be playing who.

Ah, that makes more sense!

[KingBlairhorn]

Has there been an appeal hearing?

Are they going with "didn't hit his head at all - can't have, or there'd have been an HIA"?

I saw some chatter on twitter, absolutely nothing but supposition but the most sensible I have seen, suggesting that the route the SRU will go for is to use the appeal to admit culpability. Zander goes all-in on the apology, admits it was justifiably a red card and ban, and hope to have the 4 games reduced to 3.

[robmatic]

Has there been an appeal hearing?

Are they going with "didn't hit his head at all - can't have, or there'd have been an HIA"?

I saw some chatter on twitter, absolutely nothing but supposition but the most sensible I have seen, suggesting that the route the SRU will go for is to use the appeal to admit culpability. Zander goes all-in on the apology, admits it was justifiably a red card and ban, and hope to have the 4 games reduced to 3.

That just gets him available for one Glasgow game though, right?

[SaintK]

Has there been an appeal hearing?

Are they going with "didn't hit his head at all - can't have, or there'd have been an HIA"?

I saw some chatter on twitter, absolutely nothing but supposition but the most sensible I have seen, suggesting that the route the SRU will go for is to use the appeal to admit culpability. Zander goes all-in on the apology, admits it was justifiably a red card and ban, and hope to have the 4 games reduced to 3.

That just gets him available for one Glasgow game though, right?

Hardly worth the SRU legal fees I'd have thought?

[KingBlairhorn]

I saw some chatter on twitter, absolutely nothing but supposition but the most sensible I have seen, suggesting that the route the SRU will go for is to use the appeal to admit culpability. Zander goes all-in on the apology, admits it was justifiably a red card and ban, and hope to have the 4 games reduced to 3.

That just gets him available for one Glasgow game though, right?

Hardly worth the SRU legal fees I'd have thought?

Surely to christ the SRU have legal on retention at this point!

[KingBlairhorn]

Has there been an appeal hearing?

Are they going with "didn't hit his head at all - can't have, or there'd have been an HIA"?

I saw some chatter on twitter, absolutely nothing but supposition but the most sensible I have seen, suggesting that the route the SRU will go for is to use the appeal to admit culpability. Zander goes all-in on the apology, admits it was justifiably a red card and ban, and hope to have the 4 games reduced to 3.

That just gets him available for one Glasgow game though, right?

Yeah, still out for the tournament.

[Yr Alban]

I'm glad. But French fans are calling it a C team, and it's not. They'll have half their starters. It'll be a strong team. And we need to persuade our boys that they, not France, are underdogs so that they will have a chance!

Depth of resources should be considered as well. The likes of England and France could select a 2nd XV that would be almost as strong as their 1st XV - indeed on another day it might even be their 1st XV. Scotland can be hamstrung by the loss of 2 or 3 players, if they’re the wrong ones. (THP is where we’re most vulnerable at the moment, followed by 10).

[SaintK]

That just gets him available for one Glasgow game though, right?

Hardly worth the SRU legal fees I'd have thought?

Surely to christ the SRU have legal on retention at this point!

That’s true.........you’d hope!

[Caley_Red]

Edinburgh in QFs and Sunday on, not bad at all.

[robmatic]

Still no news on the Fagerson appeal, right? How complicated can it be?

[Begbie]

Another positive result from the French camp this morning Really can't see the game going ahead on Sunday.

[Slick]

Another positive result from the French camp this morning Really can't see the game going ahead on Sunday.

A new one within the new squad? If so, that's it done you would think

[Begbie]

Another positive result from the French camp this morning Really can't see the game going ahead on Sunday.

A new one within the new squad? If so, that's it done you would think

Yeah, positive result within the playing squad but no one named yet. Training has been suspended.

[KingBlairhorn]

Another positive result from the French camp this morning Really can't see the game going ahead on Sunday.

A new one within the new squad? If so, that's it done you would think

Yeah, positive result within the playing squad but no one named yet. Training has been suspended.

Ah shit, that is probably that then. That's very disappointing, I really hoped the match would go ahead.

[robmatic]

A new one within the new squad? If so, that's it done you would think

Yeah, positive result within the playing squad but no one named yet. Training has been suspended.

Ah shit, that is probably that then. That's very disappointing, I really hoped the match would go ahead.

28-0 will have to do.

[Tichtheid]

Still no word on Zander's appeal.

[Yr Alban]

GW confirming they have signed Cole Forbes (the other NZ U20 they had on trial). Unlike Josh McKay, the rumour is he is SQ.

[robmatic]

GW confirming they have signed Cole Forbes (the other NZ U20 they had on trial). Unlike Josh McKay, the rumour is he is SQ.

Will have to see how he turns out but I would say this is another promising signing.

[KingBlairhorn]

GW confirming they have signed Cole Forbes (the other NZ U20 they had on trial). Unlike Josh McKay, the rumour is he is SQ.

Will have to see how he turns out but I would say this is another promising signing.

Never heard of him. I see he has played Mitre10 but no SuperRugby. He was also an U20 All Black. He could be good but I wouldn't be getting too excited about him just yet despite the usual twitter happy clappies are calling it a 'great signing'.

Can also play at flyhalf so a depth signing too, which is a positive if he turns out to be decent.

[Dogbert]

GW confirming they have signed Cole Forbes (the other NZ U20 they had on trial). Unlike Josh McKay, the rumour is he is SQ.

Will have to see how he turns out but I would say this is another promising signing.

Never heard of him. I see he has played Mitre10 but no SuperRugby. He was also an U20 All Black. He could be good but I wouldn't be getting too excited about him just yet despite the usual twitter happy clappies are calling it a 'great signing'.

Can also play at flyhalf so a depth signing too, which is a positive if he turns out to be decent.

Much happier to see us targeting youngsters , rather than someone who is at the end of their career/ half broken just looking for a decent paycheck ( especially if they are SQ) - sure it may not work out , but he seems to have a decent enough pedigree

[I like neeps]

Will have to see how he turns out but I would say this is another promising signing.

Never heard of him. I see he has played Mitre10 but no SuperRugby. He was also an U20 All Black. He could be good but I wouldn't be getting too excited about him just yet despite the usual twitter happy clappies are calling it a 'great signing'.

Can also play at flyhalf so a depth signing too, which is a positive if he turns out to be decent.

Much happier to see us targeting youngsters , rather than someone who is at the end of their career/ half broken just looking for a decent paycheck ( especially if they are SQ) - sure it may not work out , but he seems to have a decent enough pedigree

He's 21 so still very young. Great pedigree. Mind you Grayson Hart kept Aaron Smith out of their under21s and he was crap. As was Brandon Thomson who was a junior springbok.

[Caley_Red]

Potential nasty outcone- from our perspective- on this France game.

[clydecloggie]

Bayonne... Not exactly the top end of the Top14.

[Slick]

By the looks of things over the last month we are going to have most or our top players playing away from Scotland and our teams here are going to be stuffed with overseas players.

[C T]

Fagerson appeal appears to have stood with the 4 week ban, but is taking into account different matches. GW vs Ulster (19th Feb) & Zebra (6th March) now included. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56181318

[Yr Alban]

Potential nasty outcone- from our perspective- on this France game.

One way or another, we’re going to get shafted.

A few years ago I was convinced we were getting a raw deal from referees, particularly at scrum time, because we were seen as the ‘weaker’ team and it was assumed we were infringing. I think we’ve mostly recovered from that now, but the result of this fiasco is going to make it clear that we’re still considered second-tier in world terms.

[SaintK]

Bayonne... Not exactly the top end of the Top14.

Lovely part of France
Bayonne consistently near the bottom of the T14
Must have bagged a substantial increase in earnings to move there!

[KingBlairhorn]

By the looks of things over the last month we are going to have most or our top players playing away from Scotland and our teams here are going to be stuffed with overseas players.

Define stuffed? Edinburgh have 2 players who I would consider to be in the top 23 who are not Scottish qualified (Schoeman and Mata), Glasgow I would say have four (Pieretto, Seiuli, Nakarawa, Ioane). Out of those 6 players one becomes Scottish this summer and only one is a guaranteed starter (Mata). Nakarawa leaves next year and Ioane probably loses his place in the 23.

I wouldn't say that is terrible, unless you mean we are stuffing our teams full of Scottish qualified (i.e. non-academy) overseas players in which case I wouldn't totally disagree. The number of homegrown players is still pretty good though given our player pool and resources - I'm not sure they can do much better whilst remaining competitive.

[Slick]

By the looks of things over the last month we are going to have most or our top players playing away from Scotland and our teams here are going to be stuffed with overseas players.

Define stuffed? Edinburgh have 2 players who I would consider to be in the top 23 who are not Scottish qualified (Schoeman and Mata), Glasgow I would say have four (Pieretto, Seiuli, Nakarawa, Ioane). Out of those 6 players one becomes Scottish this summer and only one is a guaranteed starter (Mata). Nakarawa leaves next year and Ioane probably loses his place in the 23.

I wouldn't say that is terrible, unless you mean we are stuffing our teams full of Scottish qualified (i.e. non-academy) overseas players in which case I wouldn't totally disagree. The number of homegrown players is still pretty good though given our player pool and resources - I'm not sure they can do much better whilst remaining competitive.

To be honest I'm not sure exactly what I mean... It just seems a lot of the news over the last few weeks has been top players moving away and young guns from around the world joining. Just the impression I have had, but your final sentence makes a lot of sense.

[I like neeps]

Bayonne... Not exactly the top end of the Top14.

Lovely part of France
Bayonne consistently near the bottom of the T14
Must have bagged a substantial increase in earnings to move there!

Or he's just not got a good market value these days?

Let's be honest, he's been a bad signing for Glasgow as other than move to fullback which has been a qualified success he was third choice 13 for a lot of the time and he's not had a good game for Scotland since 2018.

What are teams signing? A third pick 13 from Glasgow with a good international rep from a few years past.

[clydecloggie]

[Slick]

Oh, now that looks fun!

[Jock42]

Decent spread between the matches there.