Re: The Official Scottish Rugby Thread
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2025 9:11 am
A place where escape goats go to play
https://notplanetrugby.com/
I completely agree with this. The same applies to offside in the back line. I'm getting increasingly fed up with 'rush' defences where the outside centre starts a couple of yards offside, the line sometimes doing a sort of 30 degree drift forwards from the ruck or maul, and it's just overlooked or ignored. I also think officials seem to look for individuals drifting forrwardrather than entire backlines. We so seldom see absolute right angle views of plays, but I do begin to wonder if Ireland have twigged that if their ENTIRE backline drifts forward a metre or two, it looks fine to the officials on the very cursory scrutiny they have time to give in a highly dynamic environment.dkm57 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:29 pm Ireland deserved winners and losing Russell, Graham and Zander is unhelpful.
What really hacks me off is that Ireland seem to have acquired Richie McCaw's cloak of invisibility where officials are concerned, it was so blatant and the officials kept letting them get away with being in the way and obstructing Scottish ball all day game if it wasn't bodies it was hands coming through the ruck. Video killed off McCaws game, I just don't understand why the same isn't applied to the Irish.
We will never be a top team whilst they continue to have these brain dead 20 to 30 minutes periods. Toonie and his team just haven't been able to coach that out of them.
Both teams were flying off their feet at the ruck but agree that Ireland seem to get away with all sorts of things at the breakdown, they did the same to England the previous week. Leinster have it down to a fine art as well.dkm57 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:29 pm Ireland deserved winners and losing Russell, Graham and Zander is unhelpful.
What really hacks me off is that Ireland seem to have acquired Richie McCaw's cloak of invisibility where officials are concerned, it was so blatant and the officials kept letting them get away with being in the way and obstructing Scottish ball all day game if it wasn't bodies it was hands coming through the ruck. Video killed off McCaws game, I just don't understand why the same isn't applied to the Irish.
I’m not allowing the ‘highly dynamic’ excuse. There are 4 officials watching the match at any one time. Given how important the offside line is to outcomes in the game one could be watching it permanently and calling to the ref when there is offside.BagfordViper wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 9:47 amI completely agree with this. The same applies to offside in the back line. I'm getting increasingly fed up with 'rush' defences where the outside centre starts a couple of yards offside, the line sometimes doing a sort of 30 degree drift forwards from the ruck or maul, and it's just overlooked or ignored. I also think officials seem to look for individuals drifting forrwardrather than entire backlines. We so seldom see absolute right angle views of plays, but I do begin to wonder if Ireland have twigged that if their ENTIRE backline drifts forward a metre or two, it looks fine to the officials on the very cursory scrutiny they have time to give in a highly dynamic environment.dkm57 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:29 pm Ireland deserved winners and losing Russell, Graham and Zander is unhelpful.
What really hacks me off is that Ireland seem to have acquired Richie McCaw's cloak of invisibility where officials are concerned, it was so blatant and the officials kept letting them get away with being in the way and obstructing Scottish ball all day game if it wasn't bodies it was hands coming through the ruck. Video killed off McCaws game, I just don't understand why the same isn't applied to the Irish.
It's easy to get paranoid about this and important to stress that Scotland simply weren't at the races yesterday. They were beaten thoroughlyby a better side.. But the quality of scrutiny and the 'which law shall we ignore this season?' approach by officials (think lineout throwers standing in the field of play, as a very basic and easily remediable example) does undermine confidence in the fairness of it all, and not by any means just as applied to Scotland.
Agree with some of this.Wylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 2:40 pm What a depressing day. But in retrospect was it going to be any different with that front 5? To my mind you can carry one or two journeymen in your front 5, but both locks? Has anyone got any stats for their carrying meters? We really need 3 or 4 of the lock prospects to come good as these two teddy bears need to be put out to pasture internationally.
The other issue is coaching. We simply look nowhere near as well drilled as the Irish team. They were like robots, nothing dramatic just relentless, percentage rugby and we seemed utterly clueless in response, despite the fact that it happens almost every time we play them. This was not a surprise, but yet the players seems entirely unprepared for it.
Then mentally. Last year in Dublin was the first time I felt the pack was "on it" and even then it was chiefly in the destructive sense rather than creating anything but boy did we miss Andy Christie, seeing Ritchie coming on summed it up. He has been ineffective against Ireland for years, totally the wrong sort of player that just gets manhandled by them.
It's a what-if of course, but I do wonder what that team with Andy Christie for M Fagerson, Max Williamson for Johnny Gray, Dylan Richardson for Dave Cherry and Tuipolotu would have performed. We needed to up the physciality to even compete and far too many of that team are so passive.
At least we'll got into the Calcutta Cup match as massive, massive underdogs.
To be fair to Townsend, everyone always knows how Ireland and Leinster will play. But the only ones who come close to stopping them are the bigger teams who can beat them up a bit...Wylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 2:40 pm What a depressing day. But in retrospect was it going to be any different with that front 5? To my mind you can carry one or two journeymen in your front 5, but both locks? Has anyone got any stats for their carrying meters? We really need 3 or 4 of the lock prospects to come good as these two teddy bears need to be put out to pasture internationally.
The other issue is coaching. We simply look nowhere near as well drilled as the Irish team. They were like robots, nothing dramatic just relentless, percentage rugby and we seemed utterly clueless in response, despite the fact that it happens almost every time we play them. This was not a surprise, but yet the players seems entirely unprepared for it.
Then mentally. Last year in Dublin was the first time I felt the pack was "on it" and even then it was chiefly in the destructive sense rather than creating anything but boy did we miss Andy Christie, seeing Ritchie coming on summed it up. He has been ineffective against Ireland for years, totally the wrong sort of player that just gets manhandled by them.
It's a what-if of course, but I do wonder what that team with Andy Christie for M Fagerson, Max Williamson for Johnny Gray, Dylan Richardson for Dave Cherry and Tuipolotu would have performed. We needed to up the physciality to even compete and far too many of that team are so passive.
At least we'll got into the Calcutta Cup match as massive, massive underdogs.
Yep - agreed. Stopping them is a big ask for any team. The problem is that we hardly ever vary our game plan. We know they will bully us up front and deny our backs oxygen, but we play as if we don’t. Last year was a welcome exception, but now we’ve reverted to type and made it all too easy for them again. I’m so tired of watching the same game and the same inevitable defeat.I like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:30 pmTo be fair to Townsend, everyone always knows how Ireland and Leinster will play. But the only ones who come close to stopping them are the bigger teams who can beat them up a bit...Wylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 2:40 pm What a depressing day. But in retrospect was it going to be any different with that front 5? To my mind you can carry one or two journeymen in your front 5, but both locks? Has anyone got any stats for their carrying meters? We really need 3 or 4 of the lock prospects to come good as these two teddy bears need to be put out to pasture internationally.
The other issue is coaching. We simply look nowhere near as well drilled as the Irish team. They were like robots, nothing dramatic just relentless, percentage rugby and we seemed utterly clueless in response, despite the fact that it happens almost every time we play them. This was not a surprise, but yet the players seems entirely unprepared for it.
Then mentally. Last year in Dublin was the first time I felt the pack was "on it" and even then it was chiefly in the destructive sense rather than creating anything but boy did we miss Andy Christie, seeing Ritchie coming on summed it up. He has been ineffective against Ireland for years, totally the wrong sort of player that just gets manhandled by them.
It's a what-if of course, but I do wonder what that team with Andy Christie for M Fagerson, Max Williamson for Johnny Gray, Dylan Richardson for Dave Cherry and Tuipolotu would have performed. We needed to up the physciality to even compete and far too many of that team are so passive.
At least we'll got into the Calcutta Cup match as massive, massive underdogs.
Ireland will likely win the six nations, they're just a good bit better than we are. Bigger, stronger, faster, more accurate. And when you're bigger, stronger, faster, and better you get the referee giving you the 60/40s... It's been that way for a while.
I hate PoM as much as everyone, talking of refereeing decisions when he injured Hogg with a late nasty hit and got off with it still annoys me... But it's a fair enough post? He's not punching down? He wants to the villain.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:43 pmYep - agreed. Stopping them is a big ask for any team. The problem is that we hardly ever vary our game plan. We know they will bully us up front and deny our backs oxygen, but we play as if we don’t. Last year was a welcome exception, but now we’ve reverted to type and made it all too easy for them again. I’m so tired of watching the same game and the same inevitable defeat.I like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:30 pmTo be fair to Townsend, everyone always knows how Ireland and Leinster will play. But the only ones who come close to stopping them are the bigger teams who can beat them up a bit...Wylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 2:40 pm What a depressing day. But in retrospect was it going to be any different with that front 5? To my mind you can carry one or two journeymen in your front 5, but both locks? Has anyone got any stats for their carrying meters? We really need 3 or 4 of the lock prospects to come good as these two teddy bears need to be put out to pasture internationally.
The other issue is coaching. We simply look nowhere near as well drilled as the Irish team. They were like robots, nothing dramatic just relentless, percentage rugby and we seemed utterly clueless in response, despite the fact that it happens almost every time we play them. This was not a surprise, but yet the players seems entirely unprepared for it.
Then mentally. Last year in Dublin was the first time I felt the pack was "on it" and even then it was chiefly in the destructive sense rather than creating anything but boy did we miss Andy Christie, seeing Ritchie coming on summed it up. He has been ineffective against Ireland for years, totally the wrong sort of player that just gets manhandled by them.
It's a what-if of course, but I do wonder what that team with Andy Christie for M Fagerson, Max Williamson for Johnny Gray, Dylan Richardson for Dave Cherry and Tuipolotu would have performed. We needed to up the physciality to even compete and far too many of that team are so passive.
At least we'll got into the Calcutta Cup match as massive, massive underdogs.
Ireland will likely win the six nations, they're just a good bit better than we are. Bigger, stronger, faster, more accurate. And when you're bigger, stronger, faster, and better you get the referee giving you the 60/40s... It's been that way for a while.
As for POM - if punching down makes him feel like a big man, let him. It makes him look like a graceless twat.
I know stopping them is a challenge, my issue is that we rarely even compete with them. I feel like many other lesser teams push them much harder than we seem to. It is entirely predictable what they will come to do, there is no need for us to be predictable - we needed to show something different. The Ireland game has become an annual barometer for our progression - or rather lack of progression. In 2024 we at least showed some fight, this year normal service was resumed. Of course we wanted to win, but even staying in touch would be something. At least in the RWC they played well, this time they just pitched up.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:43 pmYep - agreed. Stopping them is a big ask for any team. The problem is that we hardly ever vary our game plan. We know they will bully us up front and deny our backs oxygen, but we play as if we don’t. Last year was a welcome exception, but now we’ve reverted to type and made it all too easy for them again. I’m so tired of watching the same game and the same inevitable defeat.I like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:30 pmTo be fair to Townsend, everyone always knows how Ireland and Leinster will play. But the only ones who come close to stopping them are the bigger teams who can beat them up a bit...Wylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 2:40 pm What a depressing day. But in retrospect was it going to be any different with that front 5? To my mind you can carry one or two journeymen in your front 5, but both locks? Has anyone got any stats for their carrying meters? We really need 3 or 4 of the lock prospects to come good as these two teddy bears need to be put out to pasture internationally.
The other issue is coaching. We simply look nowhere near as well drilled as the Irish team. They were like robots, nothing dramatic just relentless, percentage rugby and we seemed utterly clueless in response, despite the fact that it happens almost every time we play them. This was not a surprise, but yet the players seems entirely unprepared for it.
Then mentally. Last year in Dublin was the first time I felt the pack was "on it" and even then it was chiefly in the destructive sense rather than creating anything but boy did we miss Andy Christie, seeing Ritchie coming on summed it up. He has been ineffective against Ireland for years, totally the wrong sort of player that just gets manhandled by them.
It's a what-if of course, but I do wonder what that team with Andy Christie for M Fagerson, Max Williamson for Johnny Gray, Dylan Richardson for Dave Cherry and Tuipolotu would have performed. We needed to up the physciality to even compete and far too many of that team are so passive.
At least we'll got into the Calcutta Cup match as massive, massive underdogs.
Ireland will likely win the six nations, they're just a good bit better than we are. Bigger, stronger, faster, more accurate. And when you're bigger, stronger, faster, and better you get the referee giving you the 60/40s... It's been that way for a while.
As for POM - if punching down makes him feel like a big man, let him. It makes him look like a graceless twat.
I don't actually remember any particular booing of him eitherI like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 4:00 pmI hate PoM as much as everyone, talking of refereeing decisions when he injured Hogg with a late nasty hit and got off with it still annoys me... But it's a fair enough post? He's not punching down? He wants to the villain.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:43 pmYep - agreed. Stopping them is a big ask for any team. The problem is that we hardly ever vary our game plan. We know they will bully us up front and deny our backs oxygen, but we play as if we don’t. Last year was a welcome exception, but now we’ve reverted to type and made it all too easy for them again. I’m so tired of watching the same game and the same inevitable defeat.I like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:30 pm
To be fair to Townsend, everyone always knows how Ireland and Leinster will play. But the only ones who come close to stopping them are the bigger teams who can beat them up a bit...
Ireland will likely win the six nations, they're just a good bit better than we are. Bigger, stronger, faster, more accurate. And when you're bigger, stronger, faster, and better you get the referee giving you the 60/40s... It's been that way for a while.
As for POM - if punching down makes him feel like a big man, let him. It makes him look like a graceless twat.
Wylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 2:40 pm What a depressing day. But in retrospect was it going to be any different with that front 5? To my mind you can carry one or two journeymen in your front 5, but both locks? Has anyone got any stats for their carrying meters? We really need 3 or 4 of the lock prospects to come good as these two teddy bears need to be put out to pasture internationally.
The other issue is coaching. We simply look nowhere near as well drilled as the Irish team. They were like robots, nothing dramatic just relentless, percentage rugby and we seemed utterly clueless in response, despite the fact that it happens almost every time we play them. This was not a surprise, but yet the players seems entirely unprepared for it.
Then mentally. Last year in Dublin was the first time I felt the pack was "on it" and even then it was chiefly in the destructive sense rather than creating anything but boy did we miss Andy Christie, seeing Ritchie coming on summed it up. He has been ineffective against Ireland for years, totally the wrong sort of player that just gets manhandled by them.
It's a what-if of course, but I do wonder what that team with Andy Christie for M Fagerson, Max Williamson for Johnny Gray, Dylan Richardson for Dave Cherry and Tuipolotu would have performed. We needed to up the physciality to even compete and far too many of that team are so passive.
At least we'll got into the Calcutta Cup match as massive, massive underdogs.
It does. But he sounded surprisingly self deprecating at one point!S/Lt_Phillips wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 8:32 amYeah (re ROG), during his half-time and post-match punditry, I was thinking he has absolutely no respect for Scottish rugby. Would be very hard to convince him to consider the job if offered. Also, he has a surprisingly annoying voice (I've never heard him speak before). Up there with Sean Kelly (cycling on Eurosport). Makes your ears bleed.I like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 7:56 amRoG also wouldn't take the job..
We said the same about Townsend when he took the Scotland job and Glasgow hired Dave Rennie one of the better coaches going.
We don't have the players to beat Ireland, they are too big, too powerful, too accurate and too clinical. Leinster vs Glasgow in a big game would be a similar result sadly.
No idea mate, haven't been countingSaintK wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 4:09 pmWylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 2:40 pm What a depressing day. But in retrospect was it going to be any different with that front 5? To my mind you can carry one or two journeymen in your front 5, but both locks? Has anyone got any stats for their carrying meters? We really need 3 or 4 of the lock prospects to come good as these two teddy bears need to be put out to pasture internationally.
The other issue is coaching. We simply look nowhere near as well drilled as the Irish team. They were like robots, nothing dramatic just relentless, percentage rugby and we seemed utterly clueless in response, despite the fact that it happens almost every time we play them. This was not a surprise, but yet the players seems entirely unprepared for it.
Then mentally. Last year in Dublin was the first time I felt the pack was "on it" and even then it was chiefly in the destructive sense rather than creating anything but boy did we miss Andy Christie, seeing Ritchie coming on summed it up. He has been ineffective against Ireland for years, totally the wrong sort of player that just gets manhandled by them.
It's a what-if of course, but I do wonder what that team with Andy Christie for M Fagerson, Max Williamson for Johnny Gray, Dylan Richardson for Dave Cherry and Tuipolotu would have performed. We needed to up the physciality to even compete and far too many of that team are so passive.
At least we'll got into the Calcutta Cup match as massive, massive underdogs.![]()
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How many matches in a row is it now that you've beaten England
I think that you have to place Scotland in the Australia, Argentina, England, Italy camp and Ireland usually see them off without too much challenge. I know England beat them a few times but that's because England do have a lot of big boys and just don't put it together as they really should.Wylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 4:00 pmI know stopping them is a challenge, my issue is that we rarely even compete with them. I feel like many other lesser teams push them much harder than we seem to. It is entirely predictable what they will come to do, there is no need for us to be predictable - we needed to show something different. The Ireland game has become an annual barometer for our progression - or rather lack of progression. In 2024 we at least showed some fight, this year normal service was resumed. Of course we wanted to win, but even staying in touch would be something. At least in the RWC they played well, this time they just pitched up.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:43 pmYep - agreed. Stopping them is a big ask for any team. The problem is that we hardly ever vary our game plan. We know they will bully us up front and deny our backs oxygen, but we play as if we don’t. Last year was a welcome exception, but now we’ve reverted to type and made it all too easy for them again. I’m so tired of watching the same game and the same inevitable defeat.I like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:30 pm
To be fair to Townsend, everyone always knows how Ireland and Leinster will play. But the only ones who come close to stopping them are the bigger teams who can beat them up a bit...
Ireland will likely win the six nations, they're just a good bit better than we are. Bigger, stronger, faster, more accurate. And when you're bigger, stronger, faster, and better you get the referee giving you the 60/40s... It's been that way for a while.
As for POM - if punching down makes him feel like a big man, let him. It makes him look like a graceless twat.
I like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 5:53 pmI think that you have to place Scotland in the Australia, Argentina, England, Italy camp and Ireland usually see them off without too much challenge. I know England beat them a few times but that's because England do have a lot of big boys and just don't put it together as they really should.Wylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 4:00 pmI know stopping them is a challenge, my issue is that we rarely even compete with them. I feel like many other lesser teams push them much harder than we seem to. It is entirely predictable what they will come to do, there is no need for us to be predictable - we needed to show something different. The Ireland game has become an annual barometer for our progression - or rather lack of progression. In 2024 we at least showed some fight, this year normal service was resumed. Of course we wanted to win, but even staying in touch would be something. At least in the RWC they played well, this time they just pitched up.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 3:43 pm
Yep - agreed. Stopping them is a big ask for any team. The problem is that we hardly ever vary our game plan. We know they will bully us up front and deny our backs oxygen, but we play as if we don’t. Last year was a welcome exception, but now we’ve reverted to type and made it all too easy for them again. I’m so tired of watching the same game and the same inevitable defeat.
As for POM - if punching down makes him feel like a big man, let him. It makes him look like a graceless twat.
Ireland are just significantly better than Scotland. I don't think that firing a new coach would change much. I wouldn't mind firing Toonie and putting Smith, Cheika, Schmidt in but won't change a huge amount. Being a Scotland fan will always mean losing more often than not in big games.
You are being too kind to the cheats here, and to those who coach them 5o cheat.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 12:41 pm I’m not going to say that the most successful teams are successful because they are the best at cheating. That would be unfair, as they also have lots of great players and are very well coached. But there is a correlation there. If your forwards can effectively slow the ball at every breakdown, and your backs can start their rush defence a yard or two offside, and they consistently get away with it, then it’s going to give you an edge in every game, and we know that Test rugby is a game of fine margins.
For the benefit of any interlopers, Scotland lost yesterday because we didn’t turn up, not because of the ref. But how well you play the ref really shouldn’t be a part of the game.
And yet they hate us and think we don’t respect them. Eejits.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 4:32 pm It’s hardly surprising if ROG doesn’t respect us. In the 6N era, we have faced Ireland 33 times. We have won 6 times and they have won all the rest. In most of those games we have gone down without firing a shot, which is why we’re all so pissed off. Sexton was supposed to have never lost to a Scottish team at either club or international level in his whole career. It wasn’t quite true - he lost a club match very early on - but it was pretty close. Ireland think we’re a joke, and little wonder. We roll over meekly time and again.
Maybe I am, but I want to be clear that Scotland would still have lost yesterday if the ref had been prepared to penalise Ireland’s discretions more.charltom wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 7:01 pmYou are being too kind to the cheats here, and to those who coach them 5o cheat.Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 12:41 pm I’m not going to say that the most successful teams are successful because they are the best at cheating. That would be unfair, as they also have lots of great players and are very well coached. But there is a correlation there. If your forwards can effectively slow the ball at every breakdown, and your backs can start their rush defence a yard or two offside, and they consistently get away with it, then it’s going to give you an edge in every game, and we know that Test rugby is a game of fine margins.
For the benefit of any interlopers, Scotland lost yesterday because we didn’t turn up, not because of the ref. But how well you play the ref really shouldn’t be a part of the game.
Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knockout game. Johnny Sexton won his last 25 matches in a row against Scottish teams from October 2011 to October 2023 so realistically, any regular season league wins Glasgow (or Edinburgh) had in that time weren't against a full strength Leinster.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 6:06 pmI like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 5:53 pmI think that you have to place Scotland in the Australia, Argentina, England, Italy camp and Ireland usually see them off without too much challenge. I know England beat them a few times but that's because England do have a lot of big boys and just don't put it together as they really should.Wylie Coyote wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 4:00 pm
I know stopping them is a challenge, my issue is that we rarely even compete with them. I feel like many other lesser teams push them much harder than we seem to. It is entirely predictable what they will come to do, there is no need for us to be predictable - we needed to show something different. The Ireland game has become an annual barometer for our progression - or rather lack of progression. In 2024 we at least showed some fight, this year normal service was resumed. Of course we wanted to win, but even staying in touch would be something. At least in the RWC they played well, this time they just pitched up.
Ireland are just significantly better than Scotland. I don't think that firing a new coach would change much. I wouldn't mind firing Toonie and putting Smith, Cheika, Schmidt in but won't change a huge amount. Being a Scotland fan will always mean losing more often than not in big games.
I agree with neeps here, I don’t remember a time when we ever could realistically be confident against the top two sides in the world.
It probably grates with Ireland because we grew up pumping them home and away but they have really got the swing of professional rugby, we are still playing catch up.
Someone with a better memory than me will be able to tell me, our best team is Glasgow, when was the last time they beat Leinster in a proper knock out game where both sides fielded first choice 23s?
I’ll settle for thattopofthemoon wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 9:02 pm Maybe useful to take the history with a particular nation out of it. Would the expectation be the same against South Africa? Or New Zealand of a few years ago?
Ireland currently have over 90 points in the world rankings. Across the 22 years that the rankings have existed for, Scotland have only twice beaten a team that has > 90 points.
Once was last summer when France sent a B team to Murrayfield for an RWC warm-up. The other was the Calcutta Cup match against England in 2018.
It's a nice idea but I think you neatly answered your own question with your closing paragraph.BagfordViper wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 1:08 pm I don't remotely mean to suggest the dynamic environment is any sort of excuse. When it comes to backlines going offside, that's something the useless lot running the touchlines should police. I also completely agree with you re the 'keeping the game flowing' garbage. That's definitely where much of the unfairness stems from, not least because it too often seems to boil down to indulging the side that appears to have the ascendancy. I was nonetheless struck by how often on Sunday I noted that when mayhem and blatant cheating was going on at and around White's feet, the referee was actually looking away from it for some other possible infarction of the laws.
Y Alban is also correct in both respects. A side pushing things and getting away with it will have an advantage. And yes, Scotland lost because we didn't show, not because of any chicanery by Ireland.
Personally I think it would be nice, possibly as a trial, just once, to see a referee just whistle this sort of thing into oblivion and see what happens.
On the other hand, I can already hear Nigel bloviating about keeping the game flowing and the kiwis pressing for law changes to legalise whatever dark arts might under scrutiny. Best just suck it up I suppose, and look ahead to two weeks' time.
topofthemoon wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 8:54 pmGlasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knockout game. Johnny Sexton won his last 25 matches in a row against Scottish teams from October 2011 to October 2023 so realistically, any regular season league wins Glasgow (or Edinburgh) had in that time weren't against a full strength Leinster.Tichtheid wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 6:06 pmI like neeps wrote: ↑Mon Feb 10, 2025 5:53 pm
I think that you have to place Scotland in the Australia, Argentina, England, Italy camp and Ireland usually see them off without too much challenge. I know England beat them a few times but that's because England do have a lot of big boys and just don't put it together as they really should.
Ireland are just significantly better than Scotland. I don't think that firing a new coach would change much. I wouldn't mind firing Toonie and putting Smith, Cheika, Schmidt in but won't change a huge amount. Being a Scotland fan will always mean losing more often than not in big games.
I agree with neeps here, I don’t remember a time when we ever could realistically be confident against the top two sides in the world.
It probably grates with Ireland because we grew up pumping them home and away but they have really got the swing of professional rugby, we are still playing catch up.
Someone with a better memory than me will be able to tell me, our best team is Glasgow, when was the last time they beat Leinster in a proper knock out game where both sides fielded first choice 23s?
He’s a coward, he won’t ever post something like that about England because a) the media would tear him a new one and he’s really a delicate little flower and b) he doesn’t want to jeopardise his chance at getting the English punditry pound when he retires. He’s a pantomime villain, nothing more.
He's more than a panto villain, he goes past the line of playing on the edge and is dirty, and a cheat.KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Tue Feb 11, 2025 11:16 amHe’s a coward, he won’t ever post something like that about England because a) the media would tear him a new one and he’s really a delicate little flower and b) he doesn’t want to jeopardise his chance at getting the English punditry pound when he retires. He’s a pantomime villain, nothing more.
If they are both on RTP protocols, its a bit early given the game is not for another 11 days. Accumulated concussions maybe?