Re: The Official Scottish Rugby Thread
Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:11 pm
A place where escape goats go to play
https://notplanetrugby.com/
English and Beattie are full of shit. Very very few internationals are 60 point games and the overwhelming majority of those that are become 60 point games in the last quarter.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 6:46 pmI’m not able to watch right now as in the car. Beattie and English slating us on the BBC. Beattie in particular saying that Ireland or the ABs would have made this a 60-point game by now. Well, maybe, but to be fair, the Fijian resurgence has also been with 15 v 14.
KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:35 pm Is there any nation but Scotland that can make a 40 point win look shit?
Not sure I follow? We won that game by a massive margin, had 3? tries chopped off and still it feels like we were a bit shit. That’s not a comment on Fiji IMO.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:40 pmKingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:35 pm Is there any nation but Scotland that can make a 40 point win look shit?
That's a bit unfair on Fiji, they are no mugs, even without the big names
KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:45 pmNot sure I follow? We won that game by a massive margin, had 3? tries chopped off and still it feels like we were a bit shit. That’s not a comment on Fiji IMO.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:40 pmKingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:35 pm Is there any nation but Scotland that can make a 40 point win look shit?
That's a bit unfair on Fiji, they are no mugs, even without the big names
I’m still not with you. It’s a comment about the winning margin not reflecting the game. If anything it’s a compliment for Fiji. I think you’re seeing something that isn’t there.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:57 pmKingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:45 pmNot sure I follow? We won that game by a massive margin, had 3? tries chopped off and still it feels like we were a bit shit. That’s not a comment on Fiji IMO.
It wasn't one way due to the quality of the opposition. They forced the errors.
KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 8:24 pmI’m still not with you. It’s a comment about the winning margin not reflecting the game. If anything it’s a compliment for Fiji. I think you’re seeing something that isn’t there.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:57 pmKingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 7:45 pm
Not sure I follow? We won that game by a massive margin, had 3? tries chopped off and still it feels like we were a bit shit. That’s not a comment on Fiji IMO.
It wasn't one way due to the quality of the opposition. They forced the errors.
In a sense you can’t win with games like this. A thumping win is the minimum expectation. Scotland delivered the goods, after a poor spell, which was triggered by Ashman being in the bin, and are still getting criticism. Anything less than a thumping win and the knives would be out.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 8:35 pmIt's just that I don't agree with the statement that Scotland made a 40 point winning margin look "shit" or that "we were a bit shit".KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 8:24 pmI’m still not with you. It’s a comment about the winning margin not reflecting the game. If anything it’s a compliment for Fiji. I think you’re seeing something that isn’t there.
We were inaccurate at times and we didn't capitalise on early dominance. Fiji worked their way into the match on merit, but we were four tries and 28 points up by that point.
The difference always shows towards the end of any match and so it was today where we ran away from them.
It wasn't what I'd describe as a great Scottish performance, but neither would I call it "shit".
The Wiki page has already been updatedBiffer wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 9:11 pm Van der Merwe pulled his finger out when Darcy caught him up in total tries.
First twenty minutes we looked good, second we seemed to take our foot off the gas and then the stupid set in.
Second half was broadly decent if unexciting.
But overall, look at the score, a good win,a lot of players with valuable game time.
I think it would have been a harsh second yellow to be honest but at the same time he was lucky. His first was a team yellow really. Several players giving away penalties and advantages that never became full pens.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 9:02 pmIn a sense you can’t win with games like this. A thumping win is the minimum expectation. Scotland delivered the goods, after a poor spell, which was triggered by Ashman being in the bin, and are still getting criticism. Anything less than a thumping win and the knives would be out.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 8:35 pmIt's just that I don't agree with the statement that Scotland made a 40 point winning margin look "shit" or that "we were a bit shit".KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 8:24 pm
I’m still not with you. It’s a comment about the winning margin not reflecting the game. If anything it’s a compliment for Fiji. I think you’re seeing something that isn’t there.
We were inaccurate at times and we didn't capitalise on early dominance. Fiji worked their way into the match on merit, but we were four tries and 28 points up by that point.
The difference always shows towards the end of any match and so it was today where we ran away from them.
It wasn't what I'd describe as a great Scottish performance, but neither would I call it "shit".
It’s certainly true that we’ll need a better performance to get close to SA, but that was always going to be the case.
I gather Ashman should probably have been off for a head-on-head and somehow got away with it. I would drop him from the Test 23 for that. He’s a big talent, but as has been said, we can’t afford to carry players who leak penalties and cards. Zander seems to have sorted out that side of his game now. We had to put up with his poor discipline due to lack of cover in his position, but we have several options for hooker. Tell him he can come back in once he has cleaned up his act.
Is VdM not on 30 now?Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 9:30 pmThe Wiki page has already been updatedBiffer wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 9:11 pm Van der Merwe pulled his finger out when Darcy caught him up in total tries.
First twenty minutes we looked good, second we seemed to take our foot off the gas and then the stupid set in.
Second half was broadly decent if unexciting.
But overall, look at the score, a good win,a lot of players with valuable game time.
Duhan 29
Darcy 28
Hogg 27
Smith and Stanger on 24
Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 9:52 pmIs VdM not on 30 now?Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 9:30 pmThe Wiki page has already been updatedBiffer wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 9:11 pm Van der Merwe pulled his finger out when Darcy caught him up in total tries.
First twenty minutes we looked good, second we seemed to take our foot off the gas and then the stupid set in.
Second half was broadly decent if unexciting.
But overall, look at the score, a good win,a lot of players with valuable game time.
Duhan 29
Darcy 28
Hogg 27
Smith and Stanger on 24
I was also confused by this. In days past, Uruguay might not have been a cap international, but I’m pretty certain it would be now. So is he on 29 or 30?
I figured it out. One of his international tries was for the Lions in the warm-up game v Japan. So it’s 29 for Scotland.
Well done to Tom for an excellent debut.weegie01 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 9:30 am Tom Jordan is a close friend of one of my sons and we spoke after the game. He had already said how surprised he was at the gap in intensity between Glasgow and Scotland training. He had been told, but it had not registered until he went through it.
The same with the game. He was blowing after 20 mins, and was just about done by the end. You'd never have guessed from the way he played but obviously we kept an eye on him throughout and you could see he was finding the pace challenging.
His Dad and his partner made it over from New Zealand. I'm delighted that he got ot see his son's debut live, and also for Tom that his Dad was there.
What a journey.
He came to Scotland to play rugby and have some fun. He had no pretensions about doing more than that, but has just kept on getting better over the years as he has worked on his game relentlessly. He has improved the things he was always good at, but especially improved his weaknesses. He may be New Zealand born and bred, the foundations of his game were laid in New Zealand, but he developed into the player he is today in Scotland and I personally don't see how anyone can argue against him playing for Scotland.
Great debut from Tom!Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 9:44 amWell done to Tom for an excellent debut.weegie01 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 9:30 am Tom Jordan is a close friend of one of my sons and we spoke after the game. He had already said how surprised he was at the gap in intensity between Glasgow and Scotland training. He had been told, but it had not registered until he went through it.
The same with the game. He was blowing after 20 mins, and was just about done by the end. You'd never have guessed from the way he played but obviously we kept an eye on him throughout and you could see he was finding the pace challenging.
His Dad and his partner made it over from New Zealand. I'm delighted that he got ot see his son's debut live, and also for Tom that his Dad was there.
What a journey.
He came to Scotland to play rugby and have some fun. He had no pretensions about doing more than that, but has just kept on getting better over the years as he has worked on his game relentlessly. He has improved the things he was always good at, but especially improved his weaknesses. He may be New Zealand born and bred, the foundations of his game were laid in New Zealand, but he developed into the player he is today in Scotland and I personally don't see how anyone can argue against him playing for Scotland.
Sadly plenty of people will argue against his playing for us. Not as an individual - they don’t single players out (probably because most of them aren’t the mercenaries they’re made out to be). They just like to to talk about the number of ‘foreign born’ players or call us ‘South Africa B’.
As I’ve said before, Scotland is hampered by rugby being a very middle class pursuit (except in the Borders). Middle class families are economically mobile and will often move to where the work is - which, within the UK, almost always means London and surrounding counties. Which leads to a lot of Scottish rugby-playing families having their kids in England. At best, we then get criticised for fielding them. At worst, they get snapped up by England (as we’ve seen with Fraser Dingwall and Fin Smith).
We haven’t capped a lot of players on residence, and those we have, have generally been like TJ and done a lot of their developing in Scotland. Not a surprise really - no player is coming to Scotland for the cash on offer, so we’re not going to attract any big names.
But how many players have been signed as project players, with the obvious intention of qualifying them for Scotland?I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 12:34 pm To be fair there weren't many Edinburgh players playing. 7 out of 23, Glasgow had more than double. Edinburgh coaches should be embarrassed by that.
I think people begrudge the policy rather the individuals. It's not really in the spirit of international sport to have project players. Tom Jordan isn't a project player so I doubt anyone who bothers to look into his journey to a Scotland cap would mind too much. A testament to a very good player who has worked hard. Great try saver too - what was Dempsey doing?!
Playing the Fijians without their European based players is a bit of a training run really as you're playing a club side in the Drua. Hastings had a few moments of real class it has to be said. Darcy looked like Darcy again too.
I also really like Max Williamson as a player.
Oli Kebble, Cornell du Preez, Boan Venter will be capped, Rousseau du Klerk (before he decided to be a pervert), Jordan Venter, I presume Luan de Bruin was signed to qualify too but he was absolutely mince. And the SRU have openly discussed the strategy when signing WP Nel:Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 2:34 pmBut how many players have been signed as project players, with the obvious intention of qualifying them for Scotland?I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 12:34 pm To be fair there weren't many Edinburgh players playing. 7 out of 23, Glasgow had more than double. Edinburgh coaches should be embarrassed by that.
I think people begrudge the policy rather the individuals. It's not really in the spirit of international sport to have project players. Tom Jordan isn't a project player so I doubt anyone who bothers to look into his journey to a Scotland cap would mind too much. A testament to a very good player who has worked hard. Great try saver too - what was Dempsey doing?!
Playing the Fijians without their European based players is a bit of a training run really as you're playing a club side in the Drua. Hastings had a few moments of real class it has to be said. Darcy looked like Darcy again too.
I also really like Max Williamson as a player.
Tim Visser, WP Nel, Josh Strauss, Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman. I think that may be it. I’m not even sure about Strauss. Yes, we’ve capped a few other players on residency, but I think they were signed as squad players, not as projects.
As I was saying above, we don’t have the resources to attract lots of top players to come and play in Scotland for 5 years.
The vast, vast majority of Scotland players who were ‘foreign born’ have been Scotland qualified since birth by a parent or grandparent. Yes, we’ve made full use of our diaspora, but Scotland has been an exporter of people for centuries, and we’re using the same rules as everyone else.
Edit: I’m not even sure that Duhan qualifies as a real project player. Edinburgh signed him as a gamble, not an investment. He hadn’t made much of an impact at Montpellier and failed his medical due to an injury that made him miss half a season. I’m not sure anyone could have confidently predicted he would make the impact he has.
Strausswas a late signing after Masoe changed his mind to be fair. Agree of Duhan. Languishing in Montpellier before Cockerill tool a punt.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 2:34 pmBut how many players have been signed as project players, with the obvious intention of qualifying them for Scotland?I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 12:34 pm To be fair there weren't many Edinburgh players playing. 7 out of 23, Glasgow had more than double. Edinburgh coaches should be embarrassed by that.
I think people begrudge the policy rather the individuals. It's not really in the spirit of international sport to have project players. Tom Jordan isn't a project player so I doubt anyone who bothers to look into his journey to a Scotland cap would mind too much. A testament to a very good player who has worked hard. Great try saver too - what was Dempsey doing?!
Playing the Fijians without their European based players is a bit of a training run really as you're playing a club side in the Drua. Hastings had a few moments of real class it has to be said. Darcy looked like Darcy again too.
I also really like Max Williamson as a player.
Tim Visser, WP Nel, Josh Strauss, Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman. I think that may be it. I’m not even sure about Strauss. Yes, we’ve capped a few other players on residency, but I think they were signed as squad players, not as projects.
As I was saying above, we don’t have the resources to attract lots of top players to come and play in Scotland for 5 years.
The vast, vast majority of Scotland players who were ‘foreign born’ have been Scotland qualified since birth by a parent or grandparent. Yes, we’ve made full use of our diaspora, but Scotland has been an exporter of people for centuries, and we’re using the same rules as everyone else.
Edit: I’m not even sure that Duhan qualifies as a real project player. Edinburgh signed him as a gamble, not an investment. He hadn’t made much of an impact at Montpellier and failed his medical due to an injury that made him miss half a season. I’m not sure anyone could have confidently predicted he would make the impact he has.
Yep, props are the issue. We don’t have any way to give them 20+ games a season when they’re 18 - 22. The A games we’ve had this year in Edinburgh (did Glasgow do the same?) are welcome, but we need at least as many again in the second half of the season, preferably a few more. We have no games for our pro teams in the autumn international period, and only one during the six nations so the idea that these times provide some kind of opportunity for younger players is just wrong. So for 18-20, got to rely on five u 20 six nations game plus four or five in the U20 World Cup, plus whatever we organise at pro ‘A’ team level (the premiership just isn’t good enough before anyone suggests that). So, I’d say four vs Glasgow, if we can then get four or five v English prem A teams, a couple v Championship teams, one or two each v Welsh / Irish / Italian, even maybe against Georgian club sides? So about a dozen A games with age grade internationals gives 20 or so. For the guys 21\22 you’ve got to think they’ll get bench spots when injuries and rest periods come in for the pro team first and second choices.Big D wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 4:40 pmStrausswas a late signing after Masoe changed his mind to be fair. Agree of Duhan. Languishing in Montpellier before Cockerill tool a punt.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 2:34 pmBut how many players have been signed as project players, with the obvious intention of qualifying them for Scotland?I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 12:34 pm To be fair there weren't many Edinburgh players playing. 7 out of 23, Glasgow had more than double. Edinburgh coaches should be embarrassed by that.
I think people begrudge the policy rather the individuals. It's not really in the spirit of international sport to have project players. Tom Jordan isn't a project player so I doubt anyone who bothers to look into his journey to a Scotland cap would mind too much. A testament to a very good player who has worked hard. Great try saver too - what was Dempsey doing?!
Playing the Fijians without their European based players is a bit of a training run really as you're playing a club side in the Drua. Hastings had a few moments of real class it has to be said. Darcy looked like Darcy again too.
I also really like Max Williamson as a player.
Tim Visser, WP Nel, Josh Strauss, Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman. I think that may be it. I’m not even sure about Strauss. Yes, we’ve capped a few other players on residency, but I think they were signed as squad players, not as projects.
As I was saying above, we don’t have the resources to attract lots of top players to come and play in Scotland for 5 years.
The vast, vast majority of Scotland players who were ‘foreign born’ have been Scotland qualified since birth by a parent or grandparent. Yes, we’ve made full use of our diaspora, but Scotland has been an exporter of people for centuries, and we’re using the same rules as everyone else.
Edit: I’m not even sure that Duhan qualifies as a real project player. Edinburgh signed him as a gamble, not an investment. He hadn’t made much of an impact at Montpellier and failed his medical due to an injury that made him miss half a season. I’m not sure anyone could have confidently predicted he would make the impact he has.
Props are the issue really.
de Bruin was tied to South Africa by a game for their u20s.I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 4:22 pmOli Kebble, Cornell du Preez, Boan Venter will be capped, Rousseau du Klerk (before he decided to be a pervert), Jordan Venter, I presume Luan de Bruin was signed to qualify too but he was absolutely mince. And the SRU have openly discussed the strategy when signing WP Nel:Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 2:34 pmBut how many players have been signed as project players, with the obvious intention of qualifying them for Scotland?I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 12:34 pm To be fair there weren't many Edinburgh players playing. 7 out of 23, Glasgow had more than double. Edinburgh coaches should be embarrassed by that.
I think people begrudge the policy rather the individuals. It's not really in the spirit of international sport to have project players. Tom Jordan isn't a project player so I doubt anyone who bothers to look into his journey to a Scotland cap would mind too much. A testament to a very good player who has worked hard. Great try saver too - what was Dempsey doing?!
Playing the Fijians without their European based players is a bit of a training run really as you're playing a club side in the Drua. Hastings had a few moments of real class it has to be said. Darcy looked like Darcy again too.
I also really like Max Williamson as a player.
Tim Visser, WP Nel, Josh Strauss, Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman. I think that may be it. I’m not even sure about Strauss. Yes, we’ve capped a few other players on residency, but I think they were signed as squad players, not as projects.
As I was saying above, we don’t have the resources to attract lots of top players to come and play in Scotland for 5 years.
The vast, vast majority of Scotland players who were ‘foreign born’ have been Scotland qualified since birth by a parent or grandparent. Yes, we’ve made full use of our diaspora, but Scotland has been an exporter of people for centuries, and we’re using the same rules as everyone else.
Edit: I’m not even sure that Duhan qualifies as a real project player. Edinburgh signed him as a gamble, not an investment. He hadn’t made much of an impact at Montpellier and failed his medical due to an injury that made him miss half a season. I’m not sure anyone could have confidently predicted he would make the impact he has.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/18307303
As said I have no issue with any of the individuals who qualify on residency. The issue is the Scottish rugby union have decided to develop props for the national team they'll sign young South Africans and wait for them to qualify. It's within the rules but, for me, not within the spirit of international sport. If we do cap guys like Duhan signed because Cockers wanted to take the risk, or guys come in quite unfancied - Tom Jordan, Phil Burleigh etc and work really hard and get a cap that's great. But signing players for Scotland and seasoning them at pro sides leaves a bit of a sour taste imo - and I like Schoeman, Nel and company as players and individuals from interviews and such.
I forgot Kebble (what happened to him? He vanished off the radar). Du Preez and Venter I think were signed as NSQ squad filler. Not entirely sure about the others, but my point stands - very few of these guys are actual ‘project’ players, signed with the intention of getting them SQ. Yes, some of the squad players have ended up playing for Scotland, but I think that was a bonus (well, that’s arguable in the case of du Preez)I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 4:22 pmOli Kebble, Cornell du Preez, Boan Venter will be capped, Rousseau du Klerk (before he decided to be a pervert), Jordan Venter, I presume Luan de Bruin was signed to qualify too but he was absolutely mince. And the SRU have openly discussed the strategy when signing WP Nel:Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 2:34 pmBut how many players have been signed as project players, with the obvious intention of qualifying them for Scotland?I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 12:34 pm To be fair there weren't many Edinburgh players playing. 7 out of 23, Glasgow had more than double. Edinburgh coaches should be embarrassed by that.
I think people begrudge the policy rather the individuals. It's not really in the spirit of international sport to have project players. Tom Jordan isn't a project player so I doubt anyone who bothers to look into his journey to a Scotland cap would mind too much. A testament to a very good player who has worked hard. Great try saver too - what was Dempsey doing?!
Playing the Fijians without their European based players is a bit of a training run really as you're playing a club side in the Drua. Hastings had a few moments of real class it has to be said. Darcy looked like Darcy again too.
I also really like Max Williamson as a player.
Tim Visser, WP Nel, Josh Strauss, Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman. I think that may be it. I’m not even sure about Strauss. Yes, we’ve capped a few other players on residency, but I think they were signed as squad players, not as projects.
As I was saying above, we don’t have the resources to attract lots of top players to come and play in Scotland for 5 years.
The vast, vast majority of Scotland players who were ‘foreign born’ have been Scotland qualified since birth by a parent or grandparent. Yes, we’ve made full use of our diaspora, but Scotland has been an exporter of people for centuries, and we’re using the same rules as everyone else.
Edit: I’m not even sure that Duhan qualifies as a real project player. Edinburgh signed him as a gamble, not an investment. He hadn’t made much of an impact at Montpellier and failed his medical due to an injury that made him miss half a season. I’m not sure anyone could have confidently predicted he would make the impact he has.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/18307303
As said I have no issue with any of the individuals who qualify on residency. The issue is the Scottish rugby union have decided to develop props for the national team they'll sign young South Africans and wait for them to qualify. It's within the rules but, for me, not within the spirit of international sport. If we do cap guys like Duhan signed because Cockers wanted to take the risk, or guys come in quite unfancied - Tom Jordan, Phil Burleigh etc and work really hard and get a cap that's great. But signing players for Scotland and seasoning them at pro sides leaves a bit of a sour taste imo - and I like Schoeman, Nel and company as players and individuals from interviews and such.
No we aren't but we probably are the only tier1 nation at least who have a strategy to prioritise them for a position at international level because we cannot develop our own.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 6:10 pmI forgot Kebble (what happened to him? He vanished off the radar). Du Preez and Venter I think were signed as NSQ squad filler. Not entirely sure about the others, but my point stands - very few of these guys are actual ‘project’ players, signed with the intention of getting them SQ. Yes, some of the squad players have ended up playing for Scotland, but I think that was a bonus (well, that’s arguable in the case of du Preez)I like neeps wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 4:22 pmOli Kebble, Cornell du Preez, Boan Venter will be capped, Rousseau du Klerk (before he decided to be a pervert), Jordan Venter, I presume Luan de Bruin was signed to qualify too but he was absolutely mince. And the SRU have openly discussed the strategy when signing WP Nel:Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sun Nov 03, 2024 2:34 pm
But how many players have been signed as project players, with the obvious intention of qualifying them for Scotland?
Tim Visser, WP Nel, Josh Strauss, Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman. I think that may be it. I’m not even sure about Strauss. Yes, we’ve capped a few other players on residency, but I think they were signed as squad players, not as projects.
As I was saying above, we don’t have the resources to attract lots of top players to come and play in Scotland for 5 years.
The vast, vast majority of Scotland players who were ‘foreign born’ have been Scotland qualified since birth by a parent or grandparent. Yes, we’ve made full use of our diaspora, but Scotland has been an exporter of people for centuries, and we’re using the same rules as everyone else.
Edit: I’m not even sure that Duhan qualifies as a real project player. Edinburgh signed him as a gamble, not an investment. He hadn’t made much of an impact at Montpellier and failed his medical due to an injury that made him miss half a season. I’m not sure anyone could have confidently predicted he would make the impact he has.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/18307303
As said I have no issue with any of the individuals who qualify on residency. The issue is the Scottish rugby union have decided to develop props for the national team they'll sign young South Africans and wait for them to qualify. It's within the rules but, for me, not within the spirit of international sport. If we do cap guys like Duhan signed because Cockers wanted to take the risk, or guys come in quite unfancied - Tom Jordan, Phil Burleigh etc and work really hard and get a cap that's great. But signing players for Scotland and seasoning them at pro sides leaves a bit of a sour taste imo - and I like Schoeman, Nel and company as players and individuals from interviews and such.
Venter was definitely a project, the problem being the rules changed but he's a good player I'll be very surprised if the SRU let him go. I stand corrected on Du Bruin, makes his continued selection even more maddening.Watson said he knew that Du Preez aspired to build towards playing for Scotland, and did not feel that he would be given the opportunity to play for the Springboks, because of the current depth of loose forwards, if he remained in South Africa