The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[clydecloggie]

Oh, now that looks fun!

Nice schedule. All weekend matches, Ireland last as, most likely, a QF decider. I'll definitely pencil in the SA and Ireland games, and will keep an eye on who gets Europe 2.

Tickets will no doubt be extortionate, though.

[charltom]

We get to visit Marseille, Nice, Lille and Paris. Whoopee. I was hoping for Bordeaux and Nantes.

Scotland start against SA (eek) then get a fortnight to recover before playing the relative minnows and then finishing against Ireland. Nice.

[Big D]

As 3rd seeds that really is as good as we could have hoped for in terms of a split.

[clydecloggie]

As 3rd seeds that really is as good as we could have hoped for in terms of a split.

Ireland get the two minnows first, then SA and Scotland back to back. They'll be happy with that.

Although, of course, one of the minnows will be Tonga or Samoa so not exactly a walkover.

[Jock42]

As 3rd seeds that really is as good as we could have hoped for in terms of a split.

Ireland get the two minnows first, then SA and Scotland back to back. They'll be happy with that.

Although, of course, one of the minnows will be Tonga or Samoa so not exactly a walkover.

I think Scotland's fixtures are better. Potentially more chance of injuries against SA, certainly where Scotland is concerned.

[KingBlairhorn]

The Glasgow backs away at the RDS

Dobie, Hastings, Forbes, Johnson, Jones, McClean, Smith.

4 guys 21 or under, 2 debuts (I think this is Smith's first game), Jones at 13. Best of luck lads.

[Biffer]

The Glasgow backs away at the RDS

Dobie, Hastings, Forbes, Johnson, Jones, McClean, Smith.

4 guys 21 or under, 2 debuts (I think this is Smith's first game), Jones at 13. Best of luck lads.

Who says we never give the young guys a chance

[Big D]

As 3rd seeds that really is as good as we could have hoped for in terms of a split.

Ireland get the two minnows first, then SA and Scotland back to back. They'll be happy with that.

Although, of course, one of the minnows will be Tonga or Samoa so not exactly a walkover.

I think I prefer our way. There is no reason for us to need to rotate as there is plenty of rest days. I think we would rest players v Europe 2 but we shouldn't need to.

[KingBlairhorn]

As 3rd seeds that really is as good as we could have hoped for in terms of a split.

Ireland get the two minnows first, then SA and Scotland back to back. They'll be happy with that.

Although, of course, one of the minnows will be Tonga or Samoa so not exactly a walkover.

I think I prefer our way. There is no reason for us to need to rotate as there is plenty of rest days. I think we would rest players v Europe 2 but we shouldn't need to.

With around 2 and a half years to go, you could be looking at Scotland's starting backline for Europe 2 playing for Glasgow on Sunday!

[TheNatalShark]

I'm so terrible with faces, for the life of me can't figure out who the top right face is and it's bugging me. Just want to say it's Cusiter, but doesn't make sense for the picture?!?

[Jock42]

Hamish Watson

[TheNatalShark]

Hamish Watson

That was the other option but can't remember him without a mop for a while?!?

Unless I'm really not paying attention

[Jock42]

Hamish Watson

That was the other option but can't remember him without a mop for a while?!?

Unless I'm really not paying attention

Aye he's still got a mullet type thing going on.

[Begbie]

Cockerill tells the Scarlets coach to "do one"

“I did read with amusement that Mr Delaney was saying that we were a set-piece and kick-chase team. When I looked at the stats the Scarlets kicked the ball 27 times on average per game, the second highest in the comp. We kicked the ball 22 times per game - we’re the lowest in the comp. So he can do one!"

[Jock42]

[Jock42]

Scottish teams are always on the wrong end of those calls.

[Begbie]

Scottish teams are always on the wrong end of those calls.

Forward pass?

[Jock42]

Scottish teams are always on the wrong end of those calls.

Forward pass?

Aye

[dkm57]

FFS GROOM!!! stop pissing around and pass the bloody ball

[Begbie]

Man, we are pish.

[Jock42]

FFS GROOM!!! stop pissing around and pass the bloody ball

I'm not saying he's the complete player but it's extremely frustrating watching Groom do very little, slowly, whilst Shiel watches on.

[dkm57]

period of insane play there

[Begbie]

Snidey knee drop on Jaco from that fud Dan Jones. He's always a chippy little cunt.

[stemoc]

Edinburgh entertaining for once,... love that try.. i think every player touched that ball lol

[Tichtheid]

FFS GROOM!!! stop pissing around and pass the bloody ball

I'm not saying he's the complete player but it's extremely frustrating watching Groom do very little, slowly, whilst Shiel watches on.

This, so much this.

Shiel was one of the most promising players in Scottish rugby, he is wasted at Edinburgh, they are my team but I’d rather he moved on if this game plan and ten minutes at the arse end of the odd game is all that he is going to get.

[Jock42]

FFS GROOM!!! stop pissing around and pass the bloody ball

I'm not saying he's the complete player but it's extremely frustrating watching Groom do very little, slowly, whilst Shiel watches on.

This, so much this.

Shiel was one of the most promising players in Scottish rugby, he is wasted at Edinburgh, they are my team but I’d rather he moved on if this game plan and ten minutes at the arse end of the odd game is all that he is going to get.

The saviour is on. Earlier than I'd have expected

[Big D]

That last set was laughably bad. Do we seriously not have a set play to set up a drop goal from that scrum?

[Jock42]

Don't know what to say to that. No excuse for not attempting the drop goal

[Big D]

Don't know what to say to that. No excuse for not attempting the drop goal

Embarrassingly bad.

[KingBlairhorn]

That last set was laughably bad. Do we seriously not have a set play to set up a drop goal from that scrum?

To be fair to Edinburgh, I counted four clear offside penalties, and then I am pretty sure the ball was played on the floor for the turnover at the end. They played smart rugby at the end, they just didn’t get the luck they deserved.

[Big D]

That last set was laughably bad. Do we seriously not have a set play to set up a drop goal from that scrum?

To be fair to Edinburgh, I counted four clear offside penalties, and then I am pretty sure the ball was played on the floor for the turnover at the end. They played smart rugby at the end, they just didn’t get the luck they deserved.

Both teams were at it the whole game. Even allowing for offsides it was disorganised and rudderless.

[KingBlairhorn]

That last set was laughably bad. Do we seriously not have a set play to set up a drop goal from that scrum?

To be fair to Edinburgh, I counted four clear offside penalties, and then I am pretty sure the ball was played on the floor for the turnover at the end. They played smart rugby at the end, they just didn’t get the luck they deserved.

Both teams were at it the whole game. Even allowing for offsides it was disorganised and rudderless.

Sure, but how often have we seen a Scottish side try to force it rather than go through the phases and milk a penalty. I think they played smart rugby, and it was the right type of rugby. If they had had an advantage, that was when the drop goal was on, otherwise keep playing tight and earn the penalty. They were very unfortunate not to see it pay off.

[Jock42]

That last set was laughably bad. Do we seriously not have a set play to set up a drop goal from that scrum?

To be fair to Edinburgh, I counted four clear offside penalties, and then I am pretty sure the ball was played on the floor for the turnover at the end. They played smart rugby at the end, they just didn’t get the luck they deserved.

You have to make your own luck. I completely get playing it conservatively and waiting for Scarlets to infringe but at some point someone has to step up and make a decision that will win the game (or not).

[world class phil]

Think embra would have had more change in just going for pick and gos when some of the forwards had half breaks when the clock was in the red. Sure you can't play the same way as when you pass it out for frowards to hit it up but a lot of the ground they were gaining was immediately negated by the next runner being met metres behind the gainline. Multiple times they went from being close to the 22 to being driven back to the 40. Also compresses the defence and can set up for the DG easier.

Disallowed try was a pain but as Mossy said Chris Dean should have run at the space not the ref. He has to blow up in that situation. Shiel should definitely be starting over Groom, service was both slow, ponderous and inaccurate

[Big D]

To be fair to Edinburgh, I counted four clear offside penalties, and then I am pretty sure the ball was played on the floor for the turnover at the end. They played smart rugby at the end, they just didn’t get the luck they deserved.

Both teams were at it the whole game. Even allowing for offsides it was disorganised and rudderless.

Sure, but how often have we seen a Scottish side try to force it rather than go through the phases and milk a penalty. I think they played smart rugby, and it was the right type of rugby. If they had had an advantage, that was when the drop goal was on, otherwise keep playing tight and earn the penalty. They were very unfortunate not to see it pay off.

How often have we seen Scottish side lose by not grabbing the win and hoping our opponents make an error at the end?

No one is suggesting anything other than tight play. Hit off twelve, forwards round the corner and back to 10 for a dg attempt, or a variation of that.

Hoping the opponent makes a mistake rarely goes we'll there unless you are a top side with control and a well drilled pack. Especially when VdW is an 80% kicker for penalties, so it is hardly a fool proof plan.

If Graham hadn't made that break we'd have ended up in our own 22 given the direction we were going.

[Yr Alban]

Anyone else feeling despondent that we can’t get anywhere close to a trophy no matter what, and Wales have basically won a Triple Crown by accident?

[And 1 guest]

Aye. We coughed up blood to beat England then Wales put 40 points on them without doing anything special. And then we play Ireland who can strangle everything we try to do.

[Tichtheid]

Anyone else feeling despondent that we can’t get anywhere close to a trophy no matter what, and Wales have basically won a Triple Crown by accident?

Wales will get battered in Paris. I think we are a better side than they are just now, but we are used to losing and they have had a good run of success over the last 20 years.

Our best players are not in the over 30s bracket and we have some serious talent coming up in the 20 year old sort of age group. So overall I'm not despondent, not yet

[Yr Alban]

Aye. We coughed up blood to beat England then Wales put 40 points on them without doing anything special. And then we play Ireland who can strangle everything we try to do.

We did play England away, where we are renowned for choking. Ireland and Wales haven’t had the same mental block about it in recent years. I’m still marvelling slightly that when we play at Twickenham in 2023, it will be a full six years since England beat us there!

[Tichtheid]

Aye. We coughed up blood to beat England then Wales put 40 points on them without doing anything special. And then we play Ireland who can strangle everything we try to do.

We did play England away, where we are renowned for choking. Ireland and Wales haven’t had the same mental block about it in recent years. I’m still marvelling slightly that when we play at Twickenham in 2023, it will be a full six years since England beat us there!

There is a stat I like!