NPR

Well done to the U20's finally getting a win after a few years in the wilderness

I like neeps wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 6:42 pm

dpedin wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 5:17 pm

Slick wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 4:55 pm

Cheers, Ovals. Have a lovely 6N weekend!

Must say I’m a little calmer than earlier in the week

The Welsh will make the game a street fight and set out to slow down the game and create a mess of the breakdown. It might not be pretty and to be honest it will be more difficult than the game against England.

How come it will be more difficult? Wales don't have as good players as England and we're at home?

Because our biggest problem for the last five years has been mental barriers. We've got past them already with England,last Saturday was the cherry on that. We're not past the mental barriers with Wales.

For various reasons, I haven't actually been to 6 nations match in 8 years. Just got a free ticket to this afternoons match and the excitement levels are going through the roof

Biffer wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 12:37 am

I like neeps wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 6:42 pm

dpedin wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 5:17 pm

The Welsh will make the game a street fight and set out to slow down the game and create a mess of the breakdown. It might not be pretty and to be honest it will be more difficult than the game against England.

How come it will be more difficult? Wales don't have as good players as England and we're at home?

Because our biggest problem for the last five years has been mental barriers. We've got past them already with England,last Saturday was the cherry on that. We're not past the mental barriers with Wales.

You can have a team packed of the best 15 players but still that team can play shite if no-one knows what they are doing! As the first match in charge Borthwick chose a simple game plan and a team he thought could implement it. They struggled for a variety of reasons, a lot of his better players looked a bit lost, and in his second match Borthwick has changed the team and probably his tactics, significantly. Love him or hate him Gatland will set up his team to frustrate us and pick away at our weaknesses. We struggle against them particularly when they play Gatlandball. We struggle to break down their defence, they make the rucks a mess and we end up losing our discipline and concede penalties. They have picked a back row to spoil the breakdown and slow down our quick ball. It will be tight but I suspect we will win.

frodder wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 7:13 pm You guys doing a match thread?

Well, are there any of you lazy sweaties that can be bothered to put up a match thread?
Or do we unleash Derwyn?

The Druid wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 12:19 pm

frodder wrote: Fri Feb 10, 2023 7:13 pm You guys doing a match thread?

Well, are there any of you lazy sweaties that can be bothered to put up a match thread?
Or do we unleash Derwyn?

We've all been pished since breakfast. I'm fully expecting us to shit the bed, as usual.

Oh God, The Fear. It’s the hope that kills you.

Yr Alban wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 2:08 pm Oh God, The Fear. It’s the hope that kills you.

Just hoping for a mature performance.

No rush of blood to the head red cards, Finn playing his new(ish) mix of maturity and magic, Hoggy realising he doesn't need to do it all himself.

I reckon we win if we keep the heed... which we might well not.

This is exactly the game we didn’t want. That was scrappy and filled with aggro and to be honest pretty shite. The boys just need to stay out of the pish and play their game.

I'm pretty concerned about Steyn. Even if having to check to.take the pass.but he has to score that.

He's also been defensively poor. Missed 6 tackles across 120min and that last passage he came up hard yet got nowhere near the defender.

Edit: hea obviously scored twice but I think the above points stand.

Finn starting to get the space he needs now.

I’d love Gregor to say “I told the lads I thought they’d batter them” in his post-match interview.

Superb!!!

Finally, this was class.

Kinghorn really good again.

Thank F#ck. Finally and long overdue.

Very happy.

Great 2nd half.

Was it Finn's left cheek that was smashed when he got that bad injury? Belting scar he has.

KingBlairhorn wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 6:11 pm Finn starting to get the space he needs now.

Fair play to Dalziel. Forwards have been good the last two weeks.

Played Scotland great win

Gray made a couple.of phenomenal tackles deep in our 22 on backs. He had a great game.

Big D wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 6:51 pm Gray made a couple.of phenomenal tackles deep in our 22 on backs. He had a great game.

I have to admit I thought the big man was done last year but the graynaissance has been a joy to watch

Well done Scotland a thoroughly deserved win by a considerably better team.
Enjoy the rest of the night.

KingBlairhorn wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:02 pm

Big D wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 6:51 pm Gray made a couple.of phenomenal tackles deep in our 22 on backs. He had a great game.

I have to admit I thought the big man was done last year but the graynaissance has been a joy to watch

His return to the starting line-up has shown us that he is exactly what we’ve been missing.

Yr Alban wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:21 pm

KingBlairhorn wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:02 pm

Big D wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 6:51 pm Gray made a couple.of phenomenal tackles deep in our 22 on backs. He had a great game.

I have to admit I thought the big man was done last year but the graynaissance has been a joy to watch

His return to the starting line-up has shown us that he is exactly what we’ve been missing.

It's as if he and Finn have been helping GT with some sandbagging until the year of the RWC...

charltom wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:38 pm

Yr Alban wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:21 pm

KingBlairhorn wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:02 pm

I have to admit I thought the big man was done last year but the graynaissance has been a joy to watch

His return to the starting line-up has shown us that he is exactly what we’ve been missing.

It's as if he and Finn have been helping GT with some sandbagging until the year of the RWC...

So, Toony’s contract is up after the RWC. And only now are Scotland turning into the side he wants us to be.

FFS.. I post on online rugby forums for 20 years and now all of a sudden, once I decided to stop posting, Scotland decide all of a suddenly to stop being shit. It’s fucking outrageous. Good to see Finn is still living in Torqs head rent free.

HKCJ wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:49 pm FFS.. I post on online rugby forums for 20 years and now all of a sudden, once I decided to stop posting, Scotland decide all of a suddenly to stop being shit. It’s fucking outrageous. Good to see Finn is still living in Torqs head rent free.

Welcome back!

Have to say this Scotland outfit look well coached all round - a happy bunch of pilgrims

Just dropping by to congratulations. Now go and win the slam

I missed the match live so I'm catching up.

Turner has just scored.

charltom wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:38 pm

Yr Alban wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:21 pm

KingBlairhorn wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:02 pm

I have to admit I thought the big man was done last year but the graynaissance has been a joy to watch

His return to the starting line-up has shown us that he is exactly what we’ve been missing.

It's as if he and Finn have been helping GT with some sandbagging until the year of the RWC...

and Shug for that matter. Catch the world by surprise!

This playing BK at 10 and on the wing now and then has certainly improved his game.

Just watching the game on TV for the first time. Zander Fagerson, as usual, is a bloody penalty magnet. 4 so far in the first half and getting involved in the niggle at every opportunity. He really needs to sort it out.

westport wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 8:50 pm This playing BK at 10 and on the wing now and then has certainly improved his game.

Yes. You were all right that GT named Hogg at fullback and not Kinghorn, but would anyone complain now if Kinghorn were picked at 15 vs France?

westport wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 8:50 pm This playing BK at 10 and on the wing now and then has certainly improved his game.

It's almost like he's a very talented rugby player with pace, vision and hand skills


I know I've been banging on about him for ages, but I don't think he is the finished article by a long shot. I'm happy for him to be the back up ten and fifteen, and 11 and 14 if necessary.

imo, the best thing that can happen for BK, and Edinburgh, is that the injury crisis abates at Edinburgh and Blair gets back to playing ten

HKCJ wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:49 pm FFS.. I post on online rugby forums for 20 years and now all of a sudden, once I decided to stop posting, Scotland decide all of a suddenly to stop being shit. It’s fucking outrageous. Good to see Finn is still living in Torqs head rent free.

Good lord, you're alive!

Blackmac wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 11:30 pm Just watching the game on TV for the first time. Zander Fagerson, as usual, is a bloody penalty magnet. 4 so far in the first half and getting involved in the niggle at every opportunity. He really needs to sort it out.

This was my main worry when he was named in the starting XV. He's a good player, but we can't afford for him to get pinged constantly.

Yr Alban wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 1:00 am

Blackmac wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 11:30 pm Just watching the game on TV for the first time. Zander Fagerson, as usual, is a bloody penalty magnet. 4 so far in the first half and getting involved in the niggle at every opportunity. He really needs to sort it out.

This was my main worry when he was named in the starting XV. He's a good player, but we can't afford for him to get pinged constantly.

To be fair he was better in the second half but there was less opportunity for him to fuck up due to the change in the nature of the game. I fear he will be a disaster against France and Ireland.

What's everyone's thoughts on the Turner yellow. I wonder what more he could have done to avoid it when North fell to his knees at the point of the tackle. Turner was low enough to hit a standing man around the waist

Yr Alban wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 1:00 am

Blackmac wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 11:30 pm Just watching the game on TV for the first time. Zander Fagerson, as usual, is a bloody penalty magnet. 4 so far in the first half and getting involved in the niggle at every opportunity. He really needs to sort it out.

This was my main worry when he was named in the starting XV. He's a good player, but we can't afford for him to get pinged constantly.

What choice do we have though? Play Zander or else play a 37 year old Nel for 80 minutes or involve journeyman Berghan? He is the only Tier 1 tighthead we have that isn’t going to retire this year.

Blackmac wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:04 am

Yr Alban wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 1:00 am

Blackmac wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 11:30 pm Just watching the game on TV for the first time. Zander Fagerson, as usual, is a bloody penalty magnet. 4 so far in the first half and getting involved in the niggle at every opportunity. He really needs to sort it out.

This was my main worry when he was named in the starting XV. He's a good player, but we can't afford for him to get pinged constantly.

To be fair he was better in the second half but there was less opportunity for him to fuck up due to the change in the nature of the game. I fear he will be a disaster against France and Ireland.

What's everyone's thoughts on the Turner yellow. I wonder what more he could have done to avoid it when North fell to his knees at the point of the tackle. Turner was low enough to hit a standing man around the waist

Yeah it was never a yellow, North suddenly dropped to his knee, had he not Turner makes a legal tackle. A total nonsense what could Turner have done differently? Nothing.

Fagerson has to play as noted above as the depth is so poor. I don't really understand his scrum penalties, the Welsh clearly tried and succeeded in winding him up.

Tichtheid wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 12:25 am

westport wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 8:50 pm This playing BK at 10 and on the wing now and then has certainly improved his game.

It's almost like he's a very talented rugby player with pace, vision and hand skills


I know I've been banging on about him for ages, but I don't think he is the finished article by a long shot. I'm happy for him to be the back up ten and fifteen, and 11 and 14 if necessary.

imo, the best thing that can happen for BK, and Edinburgh, is that the injury crisis abates at Edinburgh and Blair gets back to playing ten

I agree with getting him back to 10 for Edinburgh.

It was good to see him making those rapier runs again from fullback, I remember his first year when he did about 2 per match. He worked well with Duhan.

I can't wait for Graham to get back, Steyn had a very solid game - great under the high ball. But Graham has even more xfactor.