The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[Jock42]

VDW re-signs. "Meh"

Realistically not many sides would be after him. Hodge really needs to develop Chamberlain because on the face of it he is being mismanaged.

I'm not really sure what Hodge adds at all tbh.

[JM2K6]

Steele been in good form from what I have seen.

Fair enough - it's excellent to have options.

I know we've said it before on this and the old forum, but it's so great to be discussing who has been left out rather than who we've brought in to make up the numbers. Changed days from even only a few years ago.

The thistle podcast guys have him as the form 9 atm

Is this a podcast run by blind people or

Steele's not played that much recently and when he did, his first half was chock full of absolute howlers that really fucked us. Much improved in the second half, but jesus christ

[I like neeps]

Fair enough - it's excellent to have options.

I know we've said it before on this and the old forum, but it's so great to be discussing who has been left out rather than who we've brought in to make up the numbers. Changed days from even only a few years ago.

The thistle podcast guys have him as the form 9 atm

Is this a podcast run by blind people or

Steele's not played that much recently and when he did, his first half was chock full of absolute howlers that really fucked us. Much improved in the second half, but jesus christ

I watched Quins Irish and thought Steele was okay.

You have to remember JM we're comparing him not with other international 9s but SHC and Henry Pyrgos.

[Big D]

VDW re-signs. "Meh"

Realistically not many sides would be after him. Hodge really needs to develop Chamberlain because on the face of it he is being mismanaged.

That's something of a ridiculous statement (that he's being mismanaged).Chamberlain has only been there for 6 months in the middle of a pandemic.

He is the back up 10 who has been in the matchday squad for every game bar 1 since he arrived.

His game splits have been:
4 min with the 1st choice side,
80mins outside Shiel and Frostwick behind an underpowered pack.
Unused sub x3.
9 minutes with the 1sts.
3 full games during the internationals including the toughest fixture on the calendar.
Unused sub x5.

So in 9 of the games he has suited up in he has had 13 minutes of game time. Throwing him in for full games in international windows behind a pack shorn of big hitters having not played for weeks is putting him on a hiding to nothing. Playing 9 minutes in 4 weeks knowing (and they did know) he will have to start at home to Ulster and then away to Leinster isn't exactly any sort of preparation.

Assuming he plays on Saturday as VdW may be with Scotland, he wont have played a single minute of rugby since the 9th of November*. If VdW does play, looking at the way Edinburgh use him Chamberlain may not play until the 12th of February. That will be 3 full months without a minute of rugby and he'll be thrown in against Dragons away.

Basically, we have the last Scotland U20 stand off, who is still a little rough but has talent, knowing if he benches that the odds are the coaches don't trust him enough to put him on.

*According to the Beeb so it may be wrong.

[Jock42]

Fair enough - it's excellent to have options.

I know we've said it before on this and the old forum, but it's so great to be discussing who has been left out rather than who we've brought in to make up the numbers. Changed days from even only a few years ago.

The thistle podcast guys have him as the form 9 atm

Is this a podcast run by blind people or

Steele's not played that much recently and when he did, his first half was chock full of absolute howlers that really fucked us. Much improved in the second half, but jesus christ

Does that mean he's better or worse than Price and Pyrgos?

[JM2K6]

The thistle podcast guys have him as the form 9 atm

Is this a podcast run by blind people or

Steele's not played that much recently and when he did, his first half was chock full of absolute howlers that really fucked us. Much improved in the second half, but jesus christ

I watched Quins Irish and thought Steele was okay.

You have to remember JM we're comparing him not with other international 9s but SHC and Henry Pyrgos.

SHC's been steady for Exeter which is better than "playing okay but shits the bed too often", IMO. But okay, if your 9 stocks are that bad at the moment I can see why people are enthusiastic about him - I just remember his 4 shockers in that first half!

[KingBlairhorn]

Is this a podcast run by blind people or

Steele's not played that much recently and when he did, his first half was chock full of absolute howlers that really fucked us. Much improved in the second half, but jesus christ

I watched Quins Irish and thought Steele was okay.

You have to remember JM we're comparing him not with other international 9s but SHC and Henry Pyrgos.

SHC's been steady for Exeter which is better than "playing okay but shits the bed too often", IMO. But okay, if your 9 stocks are that bad at the moment I can see why people are enthusiastic about him - I just remember his 4 shockers in that first half!

As ever with Scottish rugby, the drop off can be severe only one or two players into the depth chart.

Price is a good international quality 9, Horne is alright but wouldn't bench for any other Tier 1 nation (sorry but it's true), everyone else is average nothing more (and sometimes substantially less).

On the plus side, the best U20 9 in the UK (in my opinion) plays for Glasgow, so there's more depth coming.

[C T]

I watched Quins Irish and thought Steele was okay.

You have to remember JM we're comparing him not with other international 9s but SHC and Henry Pyrgos.

SHC's been steady for Exeter which is better than "playing okay but shits the bed too often", IMO. But okay, if your 9 stocks are that bad at the moment I can see why people are enthusiastic about him - I just remember his 4 shockers in that first half!

As ever with Scottish rugby, the drop off can be severe only one or two players into the depth chart.

Price is a good international quality 9, Horne is alright but wouldn't bench for any other Tier 1 nation (sorry but it's true), everyone else is average nothing more (and sometimes substantially less).

On the plus side, the best U20 9 in the UK (in my opinion) plays for Glasgow, so there's more depth coming.

I tend to agree, and I say that as a big fan of his.

His support play is great, always seems to be there when someone to offload too is needed but there just too many holes in his game the really gets exposed at international level.

I'm also a bit shocked to see he's 25, I would have hoped he would have developed more by now.

[Tichtheid]

I've watched a fair bit of SH-C in recent months and I've been impressed with the improvement - he is very quick and can be lethal off a break, but I don't think I've seen him do that once in the games I've been watching.

Where he used to fall down was in the very specifics Exeter want in a scrum half where your are making hunners of passes per ten minutes from pick and goes. He used to always start flinging them all over the shop, the receiver would risk doing their back in from leaping like a salmon on one pass, to picking it off his boots the next, or it would be behind or three metres in front.
Not now, his passing is crisp, accurate and consistent.

He still has the break, you don't lose the pace that quickly, but he is being asked to play in a way that has changed his game for the better. I thought he looked in much better form than Price if I'm being honest.

[Jock42]

On the subject of 9s Dobie re-signs. Hes definitely got the potential to be the next Scotland sh

[Slick]

SHC's been steady for Exeter which is better than "playing okay but shits the bed too often", IMO. But okay, if your 9 stocks are that bad at the moment I can see why people are enthusiastic about him - I just remember his 4 shockers in that first half!

As ever with Scottish rugby, the drop off can be severe only one or two players into the depth chart.

Price is a good international quality 9, Horne is alright but wouldn't bench for any other Tier 1 nation (sorry but it's true), everyone else is average nothing more (and sometimes substantially less).

On the plus side, the best U20 9 in the UK (in my opinion) plays for Glasgow, so there's more depth coming.

I tend to agree, and I say that as a big fan of his.

His support play is great, always seems to be there when someone to offload too is needed but there just too many holes in his game the really gets exposed at international level.

I'm also a bit shocked to see he's 25, I would have hoped he would have developed more by now.

So am I! I thought he was 20/21.

[Yr Alban]

What are the holes in Hornito’s game? Genuine question. Whenever I’ve seen him play (for Glasgow and his brief appearances for Scotland) he seems to be all-action with snappy service from
the breakdown and a real eye for a break. Is it his defence? His box kicking?

[Dogbert]

What are the holes in Hornito’s game? Genuine question. Whenever I’ve seen him play (for Glasgow and his brief appearances for Scotland) he seems to be all-action with snappy service from
the breakdown and a real eye for a break. Is it his defence? His box kicking?

I think its his game management, rather than anything else , The trouble is the amount of game time he gets , If Price is fit he tends to be the number one choice for Glasgow, so Horne Jnr is relegated to the last 10/15 minutes much like for Scotland.

He also tends to be in the Scotland squad along with Price , so he doesn't get time to play for Glasgow , when Price is on international duties , and along with trying to get Dobie game time as well, it would probably be better if either Horne , or Price moved, if Horne want to play more regularly for a club

[robmatic]

He still has the break, you don't lose the pace that quickly, but he is being asked to play in a way that has changed his game for the better. I thought he looked in much better form than Price if I'm being honest.

That's interesting. I've not seen SHC play this season but I've been impressed by Price recently. He seems to have matured and developed the game management aspect that he was maybe lacking before.

[Big D]

What are the holes in Hornito’s game? Genuine question. Whenever I’ve seen him play (for Glasgow and his brief appearances for Scotland) he seems to be all-action with snappy service from
the breakdown and a real eye for a break. Is it his defence? His box kicking?

I think its his game management, rather than anything else , The trouble is the amount of game time he gets , If Price is fit he tends to be the number one choice for Glasgow, so Horne Jnr is relegated to the last 10/15 minutes much like for Scotland.

He also tends to be in the Scotland squad along with Price , so he doesn't get time to play for Glasgow , when Price is on international duties , and along with trying to get Dobie game time as well, it would probably be better if either Horne , or Price moved, if Horne want to play more regularly for a club

I am convinced that is part of the reason SHC dropped off. He spent a lot of the 2015/16 season not playing much with Scotland when at 22 he needed to be playing nearly every week.

[Slick]

He still has the break, you don't lose the pace that quickly, but he is being asked to play in a way that has changed his game for the better. I thought he looked in much better form than Price if I'm being honest.

That's interesting. I've not seen SHC play this season but I've been impressed by Price recently. He seems to have matured and developed the game management aspect that he was maybe lacking before.

Really? I’ve thought Price has been a bit dull and slow of late.

[I like neeps]

He still has the break, you don't lose the pace that quickly, but he is being asked to play in a way that has changed his game for the better. I thought he looked in much better form than Price if I'm being honest.

That's interesting. I've not seen SHC play this season but I've been impressed by Price recently. He seems to have matured and developed the game management aspect that he was maybe lacking before.

Really? I’ve thought Price has been a bit dull and slow of late.

I thought he was quite good in the games Vs Edinburgh. Managed the last game well and guided Thompson through. Never really been sold on Price.

[Slick]

That's interesting. I've not seen SHC play this season but I've been impressed by Price recently. He seems to have matured and developed the game management aspect that he was maybe lacking before.

Really? I’ve thought Price has been a bit dull and slow of late.

I thought he was quite good in the games Vs Edinburgh. Managed the last game well and guided Thompson through. Never really been sold on Price.

Yes, to be fair, he did a great job with Thompson in the 2nd game.

I was actually going to mention that but I couldn’t remember his name

[Caley_Red]

That's interesting. I've not seen SHC play this season but I've been impressed by Price recently. He seems to have matured and developed the game management aspect that he was maybe lacking before.

Really? I’ve thought Price has been a bit dull and slow of late.

I thought he was quite good in the games Vs Edinburgh. Managed the last game well and guided Thompson through. Never really been sold on Price.

Same- was decent when he arrived on scene in 2017 but has been pretty mediocre since then (although 2020 was an improvement on the previous two years).

[dpedin]

Really? I’ve thought Price has been a bit dull and slow of late.

I thought he was quite good in the games Vs Edinburgh. Managed the last game well and guided Thompson through. Never really been sold on Price.

Same- was decent when he arrived on scene in 2017 but has been pretty mediocre since then (although 2020 was an improvement on the previous two years).

Price is one of these players who we don't appreciate when we have them but will miss badly when/if he is no longer available. He is a pretty solid performer and, apart from the odd obvious brainfart, has been reliable and a good 9. He comes alive when playing with his mate Finn and when together they really threaten oppo defences. He does struggle though when playing with a 10 who sits too deep. He is easily the best 9 we have at the moment. However high hopes for Dobbie and Shiel.

[Slick]

I thought he was quite good in the games Vs Edinburgh. Managed the last game well and guided Thompson through. Never really been sold on Price.

Same- was decent when he arrived on scene in 2017 but has been pretty mediocre since then (although 2020 was an improvement on the previous two years).

Price is one of these players who we don't appreciate when we have them but will miss badly when/if he is no longer available. He is a pretty solid performer and, apart from the odd obvious brainfart, has been reliable and a good 9. He comes alive when playing with his mate Finn and when together they really threaten oppo defences. He does struggle though when playing with a 10 who sits too deep. He is easily the best 9 we have at the moment. However high hopes for Dobbie and Shiel.

This is probably about right. I think also that the really dynamic Price we remember was when he was coming on at the end of games and we were playing a very different style that really suited him - probably the same reason that Horne was getting such rave reviews at the time. In saying that I think he has gone off the boil a little lately.

[Caley_Red]

I thought he was quite good in the games Vs Edinburgh. Managed the last game well and guided Thompson through. Never really been sold on Price.

Same- was decent when he arrived on scene in 2017 but has been pretty mediocre since then (although 2020 was an improvement on the previous two years).

Price is one of these players who we don't appreciate when we have them but will miss badly when/if he is no longer available. He is a pretty solid performer and, apart from the odd obvious brainfart, has been reliable and a good 9. He comes alive when playing with his mate Finn and when together they really threaten oppo defences. He does struggle though when playing with a 10 who sits too deep. He is easily the best 9 we have at the moment. However high hopes for Dobbie and Shiel.

Don't disagree with that at all: best 9 we have. Was just picking at the relative (hoped for) progression versus the reality.

[KingBlairhorn]

Same- was decent when he arrived on scene in 2017 but has been pretty mediocre since then (although 2020 was an improvement on the previous two years).

Price is one of these players who we don't appreciate when we have them but will miss badly when/if he is no longer available. He is a pretty solid performer and, apart from the odd obvious brainfart, has been reliable and a good 9. He comes alive when playing with his mate Finn and when together they really threaten oppo defences. He does struggle though when playing with a 10 who sits too deep. He is easily the best 9 we have at the moment. However high hopes for Dobbie and Shiel.

Don't disagree with that at all: best 9 we have. Was just picking at the relative (hoped for) progression versus the reality.

I also agree with this. With 9s there is a tendency to view any that doesn't play like Dupont as a bit rubbish. The reality is that generally a 9 playing slowly or box kicking every 5 minutes is following coaching instruction. I think more than any other position on the pitch they are impacted by coaching direction and style. A 9 that can follow that direction and execute well should be seen as an effective player.

If they can do that whilst also chucking in the odd searing linebreak then they are likely an exceptional player - there aren't actually too many of those around. Faf, Dupont, maybe Aaron Smith although I think he is declining, Davies maybe, Murray is declining and probably not doing it any longer. Price isn't one of those, but that doesn't mean he isn't an excellent international quality 9 IMO.

[Soapy]

Price is one of these players who we don't appreciate when we have them but will miss badly when/if he is no longer available. He is a pretty solid performer and, apart from the odd obvious brainfart, has been reliable and a good 9. He comes alive when playing with his mate Finn and when together they really threaten oppo defences. He does struggle though when playing with a 10 who sits too deep. He is easily the best 9 we have at the moment. However high hopes for Dobbie and Shiel.

Price does play best in tandem with Russell but he is at a point in his career when he should be much more consistent in his game management. He still too frequently gets into excited puppy mode.

Witness the end of the Edinburgh game. With 5 mins to go, up on the scoreboard and pressing in the Ed 22, he had threw a needless, wild double miss pass into touch which commenced the march back into Glasgow's 22 and ultimately the Sau try. A composed, top-class 9 just doesn't make these sorts of error.

[Biffer]

Price is one of these players who we don't appreciate when we have them but will miss badly when/if he is no longer available. He is a pretty solid performer and, apart from the odd obvious brainfart, has been reliable and a good 9. He comes alive when playing with his mate Finn and when together they really threaten oppo defences. He does struggle though when playing with a 10 who sits too deep. He is easily the best 9 we have at the moment. However high hopes for Dobbie and Shiel.

Price does play best in tandem with Russell but he is at a point in his career when he should be much more consistent in his game management. He still too frequently gets into excited puppy mode.

Witness the end of the Edinburgh game. With 5 mins to go, up on the scoreboard and pressing in the Ed 22, he had threw a needless, wild double miss pass into touch which commenced the march back into Glasgow's 22 and ultimately the Sau try. A composed, top-class 9 just doesn't make these sorts of error.

This is the thing about his brain farts. People say, well every player has them, but he seems to have his at critical moments far too often, and they can be game turning.

[Begbie]

Bhatti on his way back to Glasgow next season...

https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/gl ... for-bhatti

[KingBlairhorn]

With the England squad announced this afternoon, I hope Toonie is on the phone to Fraser Dingwall as we speak

[KingBlairhorn]

Bhatti on his way back to Glasgow next season...

https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/gl ... for-bhatti

He should never have left. From an SRU/Glasgow perspective, I wonder if he’s ended up considerably cheaper than if they had recontracted him at Glasgow last time around. You’d think he might be.

Fingers crossed he can ‘do a Sutherland’ and usurp Kebble to be first choice. Four international quality loosies would be the stuff of dreams for a Scotland fan!

[Yr Alban]

Call me paranoid, but I heaved a genuine sigh of relief when I saw the England squad and Redpath wasn’t in it. I wouldn’t entirely have put it past Eddie Jones to try naming him just to troll us.

[Yr Alban]

With the England squad announced this afternoon, I hope Toonie is on the phone to Fraser Dingwall as we speak

Hadn’t even thought of that!

[KingBlairhorn]

A gritty win from Edinburgh. Ref was a wee bit of a homer (the red was deserved though) but they dug in and got it done. As long as the season has another 11 games I’d expect Edinburgh to be okay. A solid 3rd place would be my prediction.

[Biffer]

A gritty win from Edinburgh. Ref was a wee bit of a homer (the red was deserved though) but they dug in and got it done. As long as the season has another 11 games I’d expect Edinburgh to be okay. A solid 3rd place would be my prediction.

It's only got another 6.

Good win that. If we win the other game in hand vs Dragons we're right u with Connacht, Scarlets and Cardiff. Do better than one of them and we're fourth, which would get us the playoff for the format as it normally is.

[KingBlairhorn]

A gritty win from Edinburgh. Ref was a wee bit of a homer (the red was deserved though) but they dug in and got it done. As long as the season has another 11 games I’d expect Edinburgh to be okay. A solid 3rd place would be my prediction.

It's only got another 6.

Good win that. If we win the other game in hand vs Dragons we're right u with Connacht, Scarlets and Cardiff. Do better than one of them and we're fourth, which would get us the playoff for the format as it normally is.

Is that confirmed? I thought with the Rainbow cup almost certainly dead in the water they would re-evaluate?

In other news, strong rumours of George Horne to Bristol, which would be a slightly odd move. Can’t see him taking the starting spot there, although he would be something to see in their attacking style.

[Jock42]

A gritty win from Edinburgh. Ref was a wee bit of a homer (the red was deserved though) but they dug in and got it done. As long as the season has another 11 games I’d expect Edinburgh to be okay. A solid 3rd place would be my prediction.

Effectively the same but I thought a yellow. Italian was about on his knees

[Slick]

Call me paranoid, but I heaved a genuine sigh of relief when I saw the England squad and Redpath wasn’t in it. I wouldn’t entirely have put it past Eddie Jones to try naming him just to troll us.

Decent enough interview with him in the Times today (I’ll post tomorrow) where he says he wanted to be an established player, playing well before he made a decision. I think that probably means a decent contract without the need to be EQ which seems fair enough really.

The hint is he always wanted to be playing for Scotland and I’ll be happy to take that on face value. Mum and dad chuffed apparently

[Biffer]

Happy Burns night gents.

Had a zoom Burns Supper on Saturday. Still feeling a bit rough from it tbh.

[Tichtheid]

*smugly notes lack of hangovers since Ne'er's Day*

[Yr Alban]

*smugly notes lack of hangovers since Ne'er's Day*

I haven’t had a drink this year either. I’d love to say that I felt SO much better for it, but I don’t feel that different TBH, aside from being crabbit and wanting a drink a lot. OK, my reflux symptoms are a fair bit better, which I guess is progress. I have also run 70k so far this month, though I was going to do that anyway (target for this year is 1000k).

[Slick]

*smugly notes lack of hangovers since Ne'er's Day*

I haven’t had a drink this year either. I’d love to say that I felt SO much better for it, but I don’t feel that different TBH, aside from being crabbit and wanting a drink a lot. OK, my reflux symptoms are a fair bit better, which I guess is progress. I have also run 70k so far this month, though I was going to do that anyway (target for this year is 1000k).

Takes me about a month before I really start feeling much better and not so tired. In saying that, the smug feeling in the morning without a hangover is lovely.

[Slick]

Happy Burns night gents.

Had a zoom Burns Supper on Saturday. Still feeling a bit rough from it tbh.

And to you, mate.

Planning a little doo for the kids tonight. All getting dressed up, have the haggis being piped in and I'll address the haggis.

Kids absolutely no idea whats going on.