NPR

Slick wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:33 pm Just listened to the BBC podcast, they were an awful lot happier with Saturday than us miserable gits

I was a lot happier on Sunday once I watched it again without the pressure of us losing it.

Finn definitely had a poor game but was still heavily involved in most things we did well. His bread and butter flat accurate passing that he delivers phase after phase is a massive weapon.

Forwards fronted up well, lineout was good and the scrum didn’t seem quite as bad the second time around. And our backs really are as good as a unit as they are as individuals.

Definitely room for improvement but had we won at a canter it would just have been dismissed as “only Italy” by many.

SomersetJock wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 4:39 am

Slick wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:33 pm Just listened to the BBC podcast, they were an awful lot happier with Saturday than us miserable gits

I was a lot happier on Sunday once I watched it again without the pressure of us losing it.

Finn definitely had a poor game but was still heavily involved in most things we did well. His bread and butter flat accurate passing that he delivers phase after phase is a massive weapon.

Forwards fronted up well, lineout was good and the scrum didn’t seem quite as bad the second time around. And our backs really are as good as a unit as they are as individuals.

Definitely room for improvement but had we won at a canter it would just have been dismissed as “only Italy” by many.

We literally gifted Italy all their points - three stupid penalties and then Finns beautiful pass putting the Brex away in space for a canter to the line! If we weren't so generous it would have been a fairly solid win.

Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

Big club though. Good move for him rugby wise I reckon, brave move with a young family.

Slick wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:18 am

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

Big club though. Good move for him rugby wise I reckon, brave move with a young family.

Yeah, you'd have thought he'd get a better move than one with a risk of playing ProD2 next year.

But as you say, big club and maybe they're throwing a bit of cash around atm.

Best of luck to Jamie.

Interestingly, ToL mention backrow players who will still be at Edinburgh next season, but they don't mention Watson - could just be a slip of the pen/laptop key right enough.

I hope McConnell and Currie get their chance to step up, Douglas will for sure, I'll be surprised if he isn't first choice 7 next season, with Muncaster and Crosbie taking the other back row slots.

It's rugby heartland and all, but Perpignan haven't been involved at the business end since 2010.

As with these things it's double edged losing a big player like him but he'll have been on a good wage and there's a few younger lads needing game time that look like they'll be proper players.

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

He's not exactly been tearing up trees over the last few years despite the recent uptick in form.

Good age for a move and fair play to him for not taking the easy route that others have. Time for the younger guys to step up and make a name for themselves.

Seeing Kinghorn leave and improve as a player may have opened a few of the players eyes.

Big D wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 12:06 pm

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

He's not exactly been tearing up trees over the last few years despite the recent uptick in form.

Good age for a move and fair play to him for not taking the easy route that others have. Time for the younger guys to step up and make a name for themselves.

Seeing Kinghorn leave and improve as a player may have opened a few of the players eyes.

Good for everyone involved. I hope he and his family have a great time in Franc, he will do well. This also frees up budget and spaces for our young guys to come through, back row has always been a strength for us and I am sure the young guys will step up to the plate.

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

Toonie is picking D2 players so a bit less of a risk than it might be and hey if the money is good...

I like neeps wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 12:27 pm

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

Toonie is picking D2 players so a bit less of a risk than it might be and hey if the money is good...

Yeah, but you're not getting the same level of rugby every week.

Good luck to Jamie. Although Perpignan are not challenging the top they are a good club and he is following in some names that have been there previously, Strokes and Wagga who thoroughly enjoyed the club, and I am sure Strokes has told Jamie all about it.

Chris Hoy is delivering the match ball again this weekend.

That could get emotional.

The man is a stone cold legend.

Big D wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 12:06 pm

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

He's not exactly been tearing up trees over the last few years despite the recent uptick in form.

Good age for a move and fair play to him for not taking the easy route that others have. Time for the younger guys to step up and make a name for themselves.

Seeing Kinghorn leave and improve as a player may have opened a few of the players eyes.

Agree. I think that's part of the problem for some of these players, they grow up in the Edinburgh school system, play for an Edinburgh club then play for Edinburgh and are looked after comfortably most of the way with lots of people blowing smoke up their arses. It's good to get them out of the environment

Slick wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 4:07 pm

Big D wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 12:06 pm

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

He's not exactly been tearing up trees over the last few years despite the recent uptick in form.

Good age for a move and fair play to him for not taking the easy route that others have. Time for the younger guys to step up and make a name for themselves.

Seeing Kinghorn leave and improve as a player may have opened a few of the players eyes.

Agree. I think that's part of the problem for some of these players, they grow up in the Edinburgh school system, play for an Edinburgh club then play for Edinburgh and are looked after comfortably most of the way with lots of people blowing smoke up their arses. It's good to get them out of the environment

Getting to go ply your trade for a presumably decent wedge in front of decent crowds in that part of France is probably one of the better changes in environment, I reckon.

Slick wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:18 am

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

Big club though. Good move for him rugby wise I reckon, brave move with a young family.

As long as the Mrs. is happy, all will be well. The kids will love it and becoming bilingual is a great opportunity.

charltom wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 9:21 am

Slick wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:18 am

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:15 am Jamie Ritchie off to Perpignan.

Slightly odd destination for him, I must say - they're not exactly high fliers. You'd hope he would be aiming for the top end of the Top 14 rather than a team fighting to not end up in Pro D2.

Big club though. Good move for him rugby wise I reckon, brave move with a young family.

As long as the Mrs. is happy, all will be well. The kids will love it and becoming bilingual is a great opportunity.

Agree, I do it at the drop of a hat. Still waiting.

Slick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 9:47 am

charltom wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 9:21 am

Slick wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:18 am

Big club though. Good move for him rugby wise I reckon, brave move with a young family.

As long as the Mrs. is happy, all will be well. The kids will love it and becoming bilingual is a great opportunity.

Agree, I do it at the drop of a hat. Still waiting.

I know that area quite well, my boss lived in a gorgeous little town called Céret, it really is a different way of life, the lovely plane trees that offer shade, the Saturday market in the town square with fresh food hot and cold, the light is the main difference, it's so strong.
Lots of artists flock to that area because of the light, the little coastal towns of Banyuls and Coullioure almost have people tripping over the easels

Ceret is gorgeous, one of those childhood holidays that has always stuck with me

Tom Jordan in at 12! This is going to be good.

Sutherland
Cherry
ZFagerson
Gilchrist
Gray
MFagerson
Darge
Dempsey
White
Russell
VdMerwe
Jordan
Jones
Graham
Kinghorn

Bench:
Ashman
Schoeman
Hurd
Skinner
Brown
Ritchie
Dobie
Macdowall

Interesting play with the planned locks change.

Probably the changes we all wanted to see - Jordan in for McDowall, Dempsey to start, Ritchie to bench. 6/2 split on the bench a surprise.

I can’t get past the feeling that we’re going to see yet another game where Ireland turn us over without ever really getting out of third gear. I really hope I’m wrong as I am so tired of losing to this mob, but here we are.

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 2:19 pm I can’t get past the feeling that we’re going to see yet another game where Ireland turn us over without ever really getting out of third gear. I really hope I’m wrong as I am so tired of losing to this mob, but here we are.

With you on that!

My concern is that our experience is that our front 5 and in particular our locks are passive compared to their Irish counterparts, that we will get turned over up front and won't get into the game until it is too late. I'd have preferred starting Brown or Henderson over Gray for more dynamism and physical presence even just to give the Irish something different to deal with. As it is I expect that the Irish will fancy their chances of stopping us getting on the front foot and suffocating our attack.

Unfortunately, the years of trials and tribulations mean I can't approach any Scotland game (especially against Wales!) without an ingrained dread that it is all going to go pear-shaped. Private Fraser mode prevails, I'm afraid. Maybe one day I'll get the optimism back.

Still it will be brilliant if we can get the win on Sunday. Come on Scotland!

Not sure I'd have gone 6/2 but can't really argue with any of those choices. McDowell and Ritchie unlucky to drop to the bench (and Horne out) but looking forward to seeing Jordan at 12.

Not sure I'd have gone 6/2 but can't really argue with any of those choices. McDowell and Ritchie unlucky to drop to the bench (and Horne out) but looking forward to seeing Jordan at 12.

Jocks by 8

I have said this before but we don't really have the personnel to go 6/2. I just thought it was inevitable when Skinner and Henderson were called up.

For a 6/2 to work you either need:
- 2 quality second rows on the bench where the fall off isn't huge. Or
- A quality second row/back row who you would be comfortable playing in either role.

But fuck it, lets be optimistic... Ireland by 3.

Unlucky for Horne, but with Dobie covering wing as well , it works better for a 6-2 split

The issue will be defence , can we keep Ireland to under 20 points.

We need to make our tackles , and be 100% accurate on positioning & under the high ball , of which we will see a lot.

Will the Glasgow defence turn up , or the Edinburgh defence , hope for the former, but fear the latter.

Dogbert wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 6:16 pm Unlucky for Horne, but with Dobie covering wing as well , it works better for a 6-2 split

The issue will be defence , can we keep Ireland to under 20 points.

We need to make our tackles , and be 100% accurate on positioning & under the high ball , of which we will see a lot.

Will the Glasgow defence turn up , or the Edinburgh defence , hope for the former, but fear the latter.

What’s makes you say that? Defence hasn’t been much of an issue for a while and certainly wasn’t last week

Slick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 7:21 pm

Dogbert wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 6:16 pm Unlucky for Horne, but with Dobie covering wing as well , it works better for a 6-2 split

The issue will be defence , can we keep Ireland to under 20 points.

We need to make our tackles , and be 100% accurate on positioning & under the high ball , of which we will see a lot.

Will the Glasgow defence turn up , or the Edinburgh defence , hope for the former, but fear the latter.

What’s makes you say that? Defence hasn’t been much of an issue for a while and certainly wasn’t last week

Italy are a very different team to what Ireland bring to the table.

Attack wins games , defence win championships, we will see on Sunday ......

Dogbert wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 8:56 pm

Slick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 7:21 pm

Dogbert wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 6:16 pm Unlucky for Horne, but with Dobie covering wing as well , it works better for a 6-2 split

The issue will be defence , can we keep Ireland to under 20 points.

We need to make our tackles , and be 100% accurate on positioning & under the high ball , of which we will see a lot.

Will the Glasgow defence turn up , or the Edinburgh defence , hope for the former, but fear the latter.

What’s makes you say that? Defence hasn’t been much of an issue for a while and certainly wasn’t last week

Italy are a very different team to what Ireland bring to the table.

Attack wins games , defence win championships, we will see on Sunday ......

OK. Still a bit of an odd take

It was both funny and sad, earlier, to hear Fin Smith talking of "half of Scotland" coming down to see him in his first Twickenham start.

ie his family

I guess the preference for the day is the unlikely England to win to have a better shot at the championship.

It's a tough look at the Ireland pack, in particular second row.

Cam Redpath is back playing for Bath today, unfortunately it doesn’t look like it’s on tv

charltom wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 11:34 pm It was both funny and sad, earlier, to hear Fin Smith talking of "half of Scotland" coming down to see him in his first Twickenham start.

ie his family

Yeah, shame he didn’t fancy the light side, but good luck to him all the same.

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2025 9:50 am

charltom wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 11:34 pm It was both funny and sad, earlier, to hear Fin Smith talking of "half of Scotland" coming down to see him in his first Twickenham start.

ie his family

Yeah, shame he didn’t fancy the light side, but good luck to him all the same.

Obviously it’s his choice and nobody else’s. But does this not bother him even a wee bit?

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2025 11:32 am

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2025 9:50 am

charltom wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2025 11:34 pm It was both funny and sad, earlier, to hear Fin Smith talking of "half of Scotland" coming down to see him in his first Twickenham start.

ie his family

Yeah, shame he didn’t fancy the light side, but good luck to him all the same.

Obviously it’s his choice and nobody else’s. But does this not bother him even a wee bit?

Would you expect people born and raised in Scotland with non-Scottish parents to feel guilty about playing for Scotland? Why should he be bothered about playing for the country he grew up in?