A place where escape goats go to play
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“We wish him the very best in his next steps and thank him for his commitment to the jersey.”Was worth a punt, the sheer speed was astonishing. Hope he gets the opportunity somewhere else.
I saw that Ashman rumour. Bit of an odd one, Rambo is 32, surely too early to retire but too late to get a move abroad...
Rambo has been having an absolutely torrid time with injuries, I wonder if that's an issue.KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 7:29 amI saw that Ashman rumour. Bit of an odd one, Rambo is 32, surely too early to retire but too late to get a move abroad...
Nel will never retire
Was definitely worth a punt and maybe moving down a level will help him develop and make a return. It was hard enough for a guy like him learning on the job at amateur level back in the day, never mind in a pro environment.
I didn't spot Healy's name in here when you posted this. Does anyone have a firm view on how is he going these days? He seems to play a lot for Munster, but Munster aren't the Munster of old. How does he compare to Ross Thompson for instance.
Healy has been getting pelters from Munster supporters for his recent performances.KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 10:08 amI didn't spot Healy's name in here when you posted this. Does anyone have a firm view on how is he going these days? He seems to play a lot for Munster, but Munster aren't the Munster of old. How does he compare to Ross Thompson for instance.
On one hand it would be great to have another option, and to have Thompson, Healy, Kinghorn, Hastings and potentially Fin Smith all competing for Scotland starts would be exceptional when compared with the early noughties. On the other hand, I do get more uncomfortable with the selections as ever more of our squad are connected to Scotland somewhat tenuously. As far as I know Healy has no real affinity to Scotland, presumably one grandparent being the qualification route (information on how he qualifies seems sparse) - at least the likes of Smith is of Scottish rugby lineage...
I don't know, it's not my place to judge the decisions an individual player makes on their nationality of course but it just feels kind of increasingly grubby.
Sadly, it seems that our women’s football and rugby teams are every bit as capable of snatching glorious defeat from the jaws of victory as their male counterparts.TheNatalShark wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 4:48 am Another late loss for the women, 12-14 conceded try 75th min
Could have been in position to qualify for quarters, very harsh
KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 6:48 pm
No idea where Bofelli’s reputation as an amazing kicker comes from. Two weeks in a row he’s been utter bobbins. I think he missed 5 tonight, possibly 3 last week?
I was being flippant, obviously he was very good in the rugby championship and presumably in other competitions before that.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 7:22 pmKingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 6:48 pm
No idea where Bofelli’s reputation as an amazing kicker comes from. Two weeks in a row he’s been utter bobbins. I think he missed 5 tonight, possibly 3 last week?
from previous kicking stats.
to be fair most of his kicks were from the touchline tonight
Someone said to me last night that there’s just no room and budget left to help him at Edinburgh. He will get something soon, I’m certain - injuries will have clubs looking for short term contracts before long. A wee stint in ProD2 would be great, then back to Edinburgh for next season.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 9:39 pm Murray McCallum
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/gallaghe ... v8qWxt43mc
I'd hope Edinburgh will push the boat out for him, not in a sentimental way, but because he is the real deal now
I’ll buy a Euro lotto ticket this weekBiffer wrote: ↑Sun Oct 16, 2022 8:17 amSomeone said to me last night that there’s just no room and budget left to help him at Edinburgh. He will get something soon, I’m certain - injuries will have clubs looking for short term contracts before long. A wee stint in ProD2 would be great, then back to Edinburgh for next season.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 9:39 pm Murray McCallum
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/gallaghe ... v8qWxt43mc
I'd hope Edinburgh will push the boat out for him, not in a sentimental way, but because he is the real deal now
Bit confused by this one to be honest old boy. We have people like Mish and Skinner who were born in England who only ever wanted to play for Scotland and there are plenty of guys born in Scotland who grew up in England, some want to play for England, some for Scotland. I don’t really get what the issue is that you’re highlightingYr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:51 am Thistle rugby pod saying on Twitter they understand Toony has approached Tom Roebuck about throwing his lot in with us. Now, I have no idea what his decision will be, but this is why people who bang on about the importance of your birthplace annoy me. This is a guy who has been in and around England squads at pretty much every age group level, and one would suspect has always supported England. But he happens to have been born in Scotland, which for some people makes him more Scottish than I am. And if he signs up to play for us, come the RWC he will reduce the proportion of our squad born outside Scotland (the same stick we get beaten with every time).
I think it is more the other place than here, but certain posters bang on about the proportion of Scottish players born outside the country. They can't seem to get their head round the UK being a single country, so people move for work reasons, and indeed move out of the UK, and their kids are born there. A perfect recent example is Rufus McLean, born in Boston where his father was working, came back here as a baby and was brought up here. But still counts in the non-Scots born numbers.Slick wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:19 pmBit confused by this one to be honest old boy. We have people like Mish and Skinner who were born in England who only ever wanted to play for Scotland and there are plenty of guys born in Scotland who grew up in England, some want to play for England, some for Scotland. I don’t really get what the issue is that you’re highlighting.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:51 am Thistle rugby pod saying on Twitter they understand Toony has approached Tom Roebuck about throwing his lot in with us. Now, I have no idea what his decision will be, but this is why people who bang on about the importance of your birthplace annoy me. This is a guy who has been in and around England squads at pretty much every age group level, and one would suspect has always supported England. But he happens to have been born in Scotland, which for some people makes him more Scottish than I am. And if he signs up to play for us, come the RWC he will reduce the proportion of our squad born outside Scotland (the same stick we get beaten with every time).
weegie01 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 7:56 pmI think it is more the other place than here, but certain posters bang on about the proportion of Scottish players born outside the country. They can't seem to get their head round the UK being a single country, so people move for work reasons, and indeed move out of the UK, and their kids are born there. A perfect recent example is Rufus McLean, born in Boston where his father was working, came back here as a baby and was brought up here. But still counts in the non-Scots born numbers.Slick wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:19 pmBit confused by this one to be honest old boy. We have people like Mish and Skinner who were born in England who only ever wanted to play for Scotland and there are plenty of guys born in Scotland who grew up in England, some want to play for England, some for Scotland. I don’t really get what the issue is that you’re highlighting.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:51 am Thistle rugby pod saying on Twitter they understand Toony has approached Tom Roebuck about throwing his lot in with us. Now, I have no idea what his decision will be, but this is why people who bang on about the importance of your birthplace annoy me. This is a guy who has been in and around England squads at pretty much every age group level, and one would suspect has always supported England. But he happens to have been born in Scotland, which for some people makes him more Scottish than I am. And if he signs up to play for us, come the RWC he will reduce the proportion of our squad born outside Scotland (the same stick we get beaten with every time).
I probably expressed it poorly. It basically comes down to ‘if we can persuade this guy who probably feels English to play for us, it makes the team more Scottish in the eyes of certain observers.’’Slick wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:19 pmBit confused by this one to be honest old boy. We have people like Mish and Skinner who were born in England who only ever wanted to play for Scotland and there are plenty of guys born in Scotland who grew up in England, some want to play for England, some for Scotland. I don’t really get what the issue is that you’re highlightingYr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:51 am Thistle rugby pod saying on Twitter they understand Toony has approached Tom Roebuck about throwing his lot in with us. Now, I have no idea what his decision will be, but this is why people who bang on about the importance of your birthplace annoy me. This is a guy who has been in and around England squads at pretty much every age group level, and one would suspect has always supported England. But he happens to have been born in Scotland, which for some people makes him more Scottish than I am. And if he signs up to play for us, come the RWC he will reduce the proportion of our squad born outside Scotland (the same stick we get beaten with every time).
Without knowing too much about the guy, he does seem particularly non-Scottish and it's arguably more mercenary a decision than some of the residency caps who are pretty committed to living in Scotland.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 11:47 pmI probably expressed it poorly. It basically comes down to ‘if we can persuade this guy who probably feels English to play for us, it makes the team more Scottish in the eyes of certain observers.’’Slick wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:19 pmBit confused by this one to be honest old boy. We have people like Mish and Skinner who were born in England who only ever wanted to play for Scotland and there are plenty of guys born in Scotland who grew up in England, some want to play for England, some for Scotland. I don’t really get what the issue is that you’re highlightingYr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:51 am Thistle rugby pod saying on Twitter they understand Toony has approached Tom Roebuck about throwing his lot in with us. Now, I have no idea what his decision will be, but this is why people who bang on about the importance of your birthplace annoy me. This is a guy who has been in and around England squads at pretty much every age group level, and one would suspect has always supported England. But he happens to have been born in Scotland, which for some people makes him more Scottish than I am. And if he signs up to play for us, come the RWC he will reduce the proportion of our squad born outside Scotland (the same stick we get beaten with every time).
This! Everyone is at it, it's within the laws so let's get on with it. I would prefer the laws were different but they aren't so we, like every other country, just need to get on with it.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 7:16 am I can't honestly put my hairshirt on over qualification for international rugby teams, as long as the rules laid down by WR are followed then, really, this was always going to happen under professionalism - I don't have any problem with people moving about for other work, so I couldn't give a toss about this.
I know some work themselves into lather online about it, but in the scheme of things, it really is small potatoes.
I very much agree with this. Everyone is taking advantage of the system in different ways. As I recall, at the last RWC France had the highest number of residency caps by miles. Pretty much the only country that isn’t doing it seems to be Argentina.dpedin wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:46 amThis! Everyone is at it, it's within the laws so let's get on with it. I would prefer the laws were different but they aren't so we, like every other country, just need to get on with it.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 7:16 am I can't honestly put my hairshirt on over qualification for international rugby teams, as long as the rules laid down by WR are followed then, really, this was always going to happen under professionalism - I don't have any problem with people moving about for other work, so I couldn't give a toss about this.
I know some work themselves into lather online about it, but in the scheme of things, it really is small potatoes.
I genuinely know absolutely nothing about this guy, never heard of him. What makes him particularly non-Scottish?robmatic wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 7:01 amWithout knowing too much about the guy, he does seem particularly non-Scottish and it's arguably more mercenary a decision than some of the residency caps who are pretty committed to living in Scotland.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 11:47 pmI probably expressed it poorly. It basically comes down to ‘if we can persuade this guy who probably feels English to play for us, it makes the team more Scottish in the eyes of certain observers.’’Slick wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:19 pm
Bit confused by this one to be honest old boy. We have people like Mish and Skinner who were born in England who only ever wanted to play for Scotland and there are plenty of guys born in Scotland who grew up in England, some want to play for England, some for Scotland. I don’t really get what the issue is that you’re highlighting
He’s been involved with every England age group from U16 up. Doesn’t necessarily mean anything, as if that’s where you’re playing then that’s the system you’ll feed into, but our scouting network is pretty good at identifying those with a bloodline, so it’s a safe bet that he’ll have been on the SRU’s radar and most likely approached at some point.Slick wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 3:21 pmI genuinely know absolutely nothing about this guy, never heard of him. What makes him particularly non-Scottish?
I’m always very wary of these things being a person born in Scotland but brought up in England who couldn’t imagine even having a thought of playing for anyone but Scotland
It is indeed!Yr Alban wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 6:38 pmHe’s been involved with every England age group from U16 up. Doesn’t necessarily mean anything, as if that’s where you’re playing then that’s the system you’ll feed into, but our scouting network is pretty good at identifying those with a bloodline, so it’s a safe bet that he’ll have been on the SRU’s radar and most likely approached at some point.Slick wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 3:21 pmI genuinely know absolutely nothing about this guy, never heard of him. What makes him particularly non-Scottish?
I’m always very wary of these things being a person born in Scotland but brought up in England who couldn’t imagine even having a thought of playing for anyone but Scotland
I was born in England and brought up in both England and Scotland. I would never have represented anyone but Scotland either (not that that was ever happening!) My kids were both born in England (I tried to do a John Leslie and drive my wife from Newcastle to the Borders, but she wasn’t having it) and have been brought up almost entirely in Wales, but both identify as Scottish. We have a number of friends here whose kids feel Welsh despite neither parent being Welsh. One of my best friends is fiercely Welsh despite never having lived anywhere except London. It’s a complex business.
Like I said, don't know much about him other than he was brought up in England and went through the age grades, and according to his Q&A on the Sale website his sporting hero is Peter Crouch, which is an interesting choice for a Scot. I have no idea about his family circumstances or feelings though, so I could be being unfair.Slick wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 3:21 pmI genuinely know absolutely nothing about this guy, never heard of him. What makes him particularly non-Scottish?
I’m always very wary of these things being a person born in Scotland but brought up in England who couldn’t imagine even having a thought of playing for anyone but Scotland
I might have got away with it, it I hadn’t married a paediatrician. Some nonsense about not having a level 3 neonatal unit.Slick wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 7:12 pmIt is indeed!Yr Alban wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 6:38 pmHe’s been involved with every England age group from U16 up. Doesn’t necessarily mean anything, as if that’s where you’re playing then that’s the system you’ll feed into, but our scouting network is pretty good at identifying those with a bloodline, so it’s a safe bet that he’ll have been on the SRU’s radar and most likely approached at some point.Slick wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 3:21 pm
I genuinely know absolutely nothing about this guy, never heard of him. What makes him particularly non-Scottish?
I’m always very wary of these things being a person born in Scotland but brought up in England who couldn’t imagine even having a thought of playing for anyone but Scotland
I was born in England and brought up in both England and Scotland. I would never have represented anyone but Scotland either (not that that was ever happening!) My kids were both born in England (I tried to do a John Leslie and drive my wife from Newcastle to the Borders, but she wasn’t having it) and have been brought up almost entirely in Wales, but both identify as Scottish. We have a number of friends here whose kids feel Welsh despite neither parent being Welsh. One of my best friends is fiercely Welsh despite never having lived anywhere except London. It’s a complex business.
My parents were those parents that drove to Scotland, from near London, so my youngest sister could be born there!
Big D wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:20 pm Very easy for us to say we wouldn't play for x or y, but the professionals who tie themselves to Scotland potentially cause themselves great harm when it comes to contracts and match fees.
For example, Redpath only committed to Scotland after signing a long term (5 years) club deal.
If they are good enough, qualify and willing to fight for places then they should be picked.
It is a gamble though as Redpath’s club will no longer get a lump of money from the RFU due to him no longer being eligible for England. Whether he will command a higher wage when contract renewal comes around is also unsure, who knows what model will be in place in English clubs then, he might not meet a ‘criteria’ for franchises.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 6:57 amBig D wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:20 pm Very easy for us to say we wouldn't play for x or y, but the professionals who tie themselves to Scotland potentially cause themselves great harm when it comes to contracts and match fees.
For example, Redpath only committed to Scotland after signing a long term (5 years) club deal.
If they are good enough, qualify and willing to fight for places then they should be picked.
It's a difficult position for the younger guys starting out in the careers, I've heard tales of pressure being put on some of them to not commit to Scotland (I assume that goes for other countries too).
Once they are capped they can command a better wage, but it's not a easy decision, as you say.
In other news, I hadn't realised that Bill Mata has played 99 times for Edinburgh, assuming he is selected this weekend he will be the first player from another national team to become a club centurion.
That came around quickly, he's been immense for us.
Goosen is fit, Ritchie has been training with Scotland earlier this week, TOL has Mike Blair saying he's not sure yet who he'll get back for the trip to Zebre - I feel this is a must-win game for us in order to get our season back on track.
Sam Johnson sustained a broken jaw, so I imagine Lang or Dean are in the frame for the Oz match, at least for the 23, I expect Tuipulotu and Bennett will start.
shaggy wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:11 amIt is a gamble though as Redpath’s club will no longer get a lump of money from the RFU due to him no longer being eligible for England. Whether he will command a higher wage when contract renewal comes around is also unsure, who knows what model will be in place in English clubs then, he might not meet a ‘criteria’ for franchises.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 6:57 amBig D wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:20 pm Very easy for us to say we wouldn't play for x or y, but the professionals who tie themselves to Scotland potentially cause themselves great harm when it comes to contracts and match fees.
For example, Redpath only committed to Scotland after signing a long term (5 years) club deal.
If they are good enough, qualify and willing to fight for places then they should be picked.
It's a difficult position for the younger guys starting out in the careers, I've heard tales of pressure being put on some of them to not commit to Scotland (I assume that goes for other countries too).
Once they are capped they can command a better wage, but it's not a easy decision, as you say.
In other news, I hadn't realised that Bill Mata has played 99 times for Edinburgh, assuming he is selected this weekend he will be the first player from another national team to become a club centurion.
That came around quickly, he's been immense for us.
Goosen is fit, Ritchie has been training with Scotland earlier this week, TOL has Mike Blair saying he's not sure yet who he'll get back for the trip to Zebre - I feel this is a must-win game for us in order to get our season back on track.
Sam Johnson sustained a broken jaw, so I imagine Lang or Dean are in the frame for the Oz match, at least for the 23, I expect Tuipulotu and Bennett will start.
He has done the best for himself financially, but let’s not pretend this was some kind of disadvantage to him, he gets his cake and is eating it.