NPR

Fagersons ban being appealed.

KingBlairhorn wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 10:03 pm

I like neeps wrote: Sat Feb 20, 2021 9:40 pm I have wasted too much of my life watching Grant Gilchrist play rugby. He's an ineffective lump.

He really was poor.

Not sure what has happened to Schoeman this year, nowhere near the level he was at last year where he was consistently dominant even in the second string games.

Willemse can’t be better than our youth players.

Turgid stuff made all the more frustrating by the fact that Edinburgh actually have a really good squad.

Schoeman is close to being SQ now they have delayed the rule change. So he was due a complete loss of form. The alternative would have been if he had come in, looked amazing for his first few games, and then had a complete loss of form.

Jock42 wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:02 pm

Dogbert wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 8:58 pm

Jock42 wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 8:36 pm

That sums up my views more articulately than I would have.

All of which he showed against Ulster on Friday night...... but he is probably the next best option , hopefully Thomson or Chamberlain can make the step up

Undoubtedly and he's had some really good games when on form, not consistent with it though.

He's still young. I think he's great when he's behind a pack that is going forward, not so much when they're under the cosh. You would hope that would improve with experience..

I like neeps wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 6:59 pm

KingBlairhorn wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 6:55 pm

Begbie wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 6:04 pm

Nice. Sounds promising.

Good that he’s in, but Richie, Crosbie, Bradbury, Graham all probably best at 6. Darge and Boyle coming through from what I hear are similar. My kingdom for a big abrasive lad who’s favoured position is 8.

Crosbie, Bradbury and Gary Graham could all be massively improved upon. Boyle is a 7 and Darge has played 8 for Melrose and the under20s.

Crosbie and Bradbury both have the potential to be and perhaps already are excellent players. Crosbie is the same age, has played the same number of senior games and is both bigger and heavier as well as also being exceptionally abrasive. Bradbury is a couple of years older but has almost three times the senior games, has 14 caps and has been a standout on occasion at the very highest level (i.e. England at Twickenham). He is also substantially bigger and heavier. I wouldn't write either off yet.

I haven't ever seen Bayliss so I can't judge if he will displace any of those mentioned, but my point was that no matter how good he is, I still wish he was an 8 as we are very well stocked at 6.

robmatic wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:59 am
He's still young. I think he's great when he's behind a pack that is going forward, not so much when they're under the cosh. You would hope that would improve with experience..

Hopefully he'll mature and develop at Gloucester but he's got a lot to improve to be a first choice 10 in the Premiership. Hastings style is more suited to France where the 9 runs the game and shoulders more of the decision-making.

Jock42 wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:45 pm Fagersons ban being appealed.

Completely pointless exercise.

Slick wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:11 pm

Jock42 wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:02 pm

Dogbert wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 8:58 pm

All of which he showed against Ulster on Friday night...... but he is probably the next best option , hopefully Thomson or Chamberlain can make the step up

Undoubtedly and he's had some really good games when on form, not consistent with it though.

I think all that is all outrageously harsh. He’s a young guy with much more pressure on him than anyone else because of his dad. He’s not perfect but he is a bloody good player and came in after the Finn huff and played really well at international level. He certainly has the odd brain fart but is a very good all round 10.

I’m very close to preferring him over Finn at the moment.

I think the original post was harsh but I think you have gone too far the other way now, the joys of message boards :D

Have been reading some rumblings about our game v France being postponed to the fallow week, when (in theory anyway) we could not insist that our players in England and France be released.

The way things have gone for us recently, it actually wouldn’t even surprise me if they found a ‘solution’ that would result in France being full strength and Scotland significantly weakened.

Big D wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:38 am

Jock42 wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:45 pm Fagersons ban being appealed.

Completely pointless exercise.

Yep! Four red cards in the premiership for exactly the same offence this weekend. Reckon the authorities are going to go hard on this everywhere including appeals panels.

SaintK wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:49 pm

Big D wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:38 am

Jock42 wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:45 pm Fagersons ban being appealed.

Completely pointless exercise.

Yep! Four red cards in the premiership for exactly the same offence this weekend. Reckon the authorities are going to go hard on this everywhere including appeals panels.

First time in a while I have heard the phrase "was always illegal so there is no mitigation".

The Tigers red was inexcusable. There was no need to go that high.

Yr Alban wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:34 pm Have been reading some rumblings about our game v France being postponed to the fallow week, when (in theory anyway) we could not insist that our players in England and France be released.

The way things have gone for us recently, it actually wouldn’t even surprise me if they found a ‘solution’ that would result in France being full strength and Scotland significantly weakened.

There's definitely an information vacuum on the issue. Surely we cannot have gone into this tournament without consideration of the potential that this might happen? I wonder how many players it would take getting it before the SRU would claim it unsafe to play? The weird thing is that everyone seems to think the players will be ready to go by the following weekend. Take Dupont for instance, he was reported as testing positive on Friday 19th. With two weeks quarantine he won't be able to even train until 5th March which would be the weekend of the match in any case. Is there not a two week standard quarantine for players that test positive?

I think serious questions should be asked of France also - why were they training with their sevens squad?

I've tried to post something twice in the last week in relation to this and respecting the bubble, but each time it has timed out and not published so I'm going to take that as a sign.

Meanwhile, if there are 15 men of any kind in France who don't test positive, they should play this test. It's not as if this sort of thing can't be avoided, hard though it might be.

A meeting of the Six Nations Testing Oversight Group (TOG) took place today to review the situation in France in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak in the French team.
The TOG was advised by the French Rugby Union representative that all players who returned to the National Training Centre yesterday were tested on arrival and put in isolation pending results.
All five players who tested positive have now left the training base.
The rest of the squad, all of whom tested negative are training with restricted movement and no close contact for the next 48 hours. All players and staff will be tested every 24 hours.
The TOG will reconvene on Wednesday 24 February in the evening to review the situation.
A decision on whether the France v Scotland fixture can go ahead will be made at that stage
Ensuring the health and safety of all players and staff is the number one priority. Should the decision be that the fixture cannot go ahead, the match will be rescheduled for the earliest possible date.

It's a fair statement.

Jock42 wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 7:57 pm

It's a fair statement.

Just wait for the outrage

It is a fair statement. If rescheduling means both teams have a full complement of players to select from, then that’s entirely reasonable. If it means France will and Scotland won’t, then that isn’t reasonable at all, given that the outbreak is in the French camp rather than the Scotland camp.

Completely fair statement, precedent was set in Autumn Nations Cup with Fiji; we either play this weekend or 28-0.

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:54 pm Completely fair statement, precedent was set in Autumn Nations Cup with Fiji; we either play this weekend or 28-0.

Apart from the 6N tournament rules which all teams agreed to was that games would be rescheduled rather than cancelled.

mos_eisely_ wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:23 pm

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:54 pm Completely fair statement, precedent was set in Autumn Nations Cup with Fiji; we either play this weekend or 28-0.

Apart from the 6N tournament rules which all teams agreed to was that games would be rescheduled rather than cancelled.

Is that confirmed? It’s rumoured that ‘the preference’ is for games to be rescheduled (presumably for broadcast contract reasons more than anything else), but as far as I know it hasn’t been confirmed that it’s in the tournament rules. I’d be surprised if they would be daft enough to put something so strict in the rules, it will be at the discretion of the tournament organisers you would think.

mos_eisely_ wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:23 pm

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:54 pm Completely fair statement, precedent was set in Autumn Nations Cup with Fiji; we either play this weekend or 28-0.

Apart from the 6N tournament rules which all teams agreed to was that games would be rescheduled rather than cancelled.

Uh huh. And that’s fine if it isn’t to anyone’s detriment. But to ask Scotland to agree to reschedule so that all the French players can play is ridiculous if, as a result, we have to field a team without Hogg, Russell, Maitland or Jonny Gray.

mos_eisely_ wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:23 pm

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:54 pm Completely fair statement, precedent was set in Autumn Nations Cup with Fiji; we either play this weekend or 28-0.

Apart from the 6N tournament rules which all teams agreed to was that games would be rescheduled rather than cancelled.

Be a good lad and post them for us, specifically the part that deals with teams who did not protect their own bubble and subsequently have to drop several top names but want to reschedule it to another time where the opposition- who have done no wrong- will have a large number of players unavailable due to no wrongdoing of their own.

I'm sure that exact contingency is fully catered for rather than mentioned in an endeavors-type clause which doesn't go much beyond the most vague scenarios. Surprise me though.

Slick wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:22 pm

Jock42 wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 7:57 pm

It's a fair statement.

Just wait for the outrage

There hasn't been as much as I expected. I've seen a few "yOu tRiEd tO sUe jApAn" comments, but most appear to think the SRU are being reasonable here.

robmatic wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:59 am

Jock42 wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:02 pm

Dogbert wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 8:58 pm

All of which he showed against Ulster on Friday night...... but he is probably the next best option , hopefully Thomson or Chamberlain can make the step up

Undoubtedly and he's had some really good games when on form, not consistent with it though.

He's still young. I think he's great when he's behind a pack that is going forward, not so much when they're under the cosh. You would hope that would improve with experience..

Is any 10 good behind a pack that goes backwards?

Genuine question. Finn Russell is so good for Racing as they have a pack of top quality ogres and a backline that's all razzle dazzle. So good one Teddy Thomas isn't a regular starter.

Hastings is very good, we'll all see how good when he leaves Glasgow. With Weir and VdW Scotland got very little going in autumn.

Nick Haining has penned a new deal to extend his stay

westport wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 11:02 am Nick Haining has penned a new deal to extend his stay

He's been a decent addition to the squad actually, he's a good carrying and ball-handling 8 and has a bit of niggle about him.

Surely there will be some departures from the back row though, Embra have probably been more successful at keeping the star players than they anticipated.

Glasgow Warriors assistant coach Kelly Brown will leave the club at the end of the month to return to London for family reasons.

robmatic wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 11:15 am

westport wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 11:02 am Nick Haining has penned a new deal to extend his stay

He's been a decent addition to the squad actually, he's a good carrying and ball-handling 8 and has a bit of niggle about him.

Surely there will be some departures from the back row though, Embra have probably been more successful at keeping the star players than they anticipated.

Edinburgh aren't really improving their squad with the additions and leavers so far. Haining could have went.

I wonder why there’s been no press on the Fagerson appeal. I can’t see how it can possibly be shortened, nor can I see how they might lengthen it, so my guess is appeal failed, no change.

Has there been an appeal hearing?

Are they going with "didn't hit his head at all - can't have, or there'd have been an HIA"?

Announcement tomorrow according to Mark Palmer.

Anyone know the skinny on the France game? I read that we would have a decision today, postpone, cancel or go ahead?

I like neeps wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:11 am

robmatic wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:59 am

Jock42 wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:02 pm

Undoubtedly and he's had some really good games when on form, not consistent with it though.

He's still young. I think he's great when he's behind a pack that is going forward, not so much when they're under the cosh. You would hope that would improve with experience..

Is any 10 good behind a pack that goes backwards?

Genuine question. Finn Russell is so good for Racing as they have a pack of top quality ogres and a backline that's all razzle dazzle. So good one Teddy Thomas isn't a regular starter.

Hastings is very good, we'll all see how good when he leaves Glasgow. With Weir and VdW Scotland got very little going in autumn.

This is a fair point and obviously they are not going to be dictating the game. But ideally you want a 10 who can take some of the pressure with their kicking and decision making and I reckon Hastings is more likely to keep it on with a run down a blind alley.

Caley_Red wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:40 am Anyone know the skinny on the France game? I read that we would have a decision today, postpone, cancel or go ahead?

Decision is being made this evening

westport wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 7:18 am

Caley_Red wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:40 am Anyone know the skinny on the France game? I read that we would have a decision today, postpone, cancel or go ahead?

Decision is being made this evening

Thanks, Westport.

Had a few schnifters and completely forgot the time diff.

robmatic wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:53 am

I like neeps wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:11 am

robmatic wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:59 am

He's still young. I think he's great when he's behind a pack that is going forward, not so much when they're under the cosh. You would hope that would improve with experience..

Is any 10 good behind a pack that goes backwards?

Genuine question. Finn Russell is so good for Racing as they have a pack of top quality ogres and a backline that's all razzle dazzle. So good one Teddy Thomas isn't a regular starter.

Hastings is very good, we'll all see how good when he leaves Glasgow. With Weir and VdW Scotland got very little going in autumn.

This is a fair point and obviously they are not going to be dictating the game. But ideally you want a 10 who can take some of the pressure with their kicking and decision making and I reckon Hastings is more likely to keep it on with a run down a blind alley.

I’d be much more concerned if he didn’t have the skills to execute on a more tactical game than I am about sometimes making poor decisions. One develops with experience and can be taught, at this stage the other is pretty much unobtainable. I think Hastings has all the tools and will prove to be an excellent international FH in time. He certainly suffers in that for Scotland he is being compared with one of the top players in the world, compared with Weir or WdV he is a far superior player.

I have just noticed that Josh Bayliss uses the Twitter @joshbayliss8. Sadly I think that means the other handles were already taken, rather than that being his preferred position!

From Rob Robertson's twitter

@SDM_Robertson
Looks like France v Scotland will quite rightly go ahead in Paris on Sunday according to reports in France. Not confirmed yet.

Begbie wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:33 am From Rob Robertson's twitter

@SDM_Robertson
Looks like France v Scotland will quite rightly go ahead in Paris on Sunday according to reports in France. Not confirmed yet.

Yas, we are getting fucked by the France D team!

KingBlairhorn wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:30 am

robmatic wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:53 am

I like neeps wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:11 am

Is any 10 good behind a pack that goes backwards?

Genuine question. Finn Russell is so good for Racing as they have a pack of top quality ogres and a backline that's all razzle dazzle. So good one Teddy Thomas isn't a regular starter.

Hastings is very good, we'll all see how good when he leaves Glasgow. With Weir and VdW Scotland got very little going in autumn.

This is a fair point and obviously they are not going to be dictating the game. But ideally you want a 10 who can take some of the pressure with their kicking and decision making and I reckon Hastings is more likely to keep it on with a run down a blind alley.

I’d be much more concerned if he didn’t have the skills to execute on a more tactical game than I am about sometimes making poor decisions. One develops with experience and can be taught, at this stage the other is pretty much unobtainable. I think Hastings has all the tools and will prove to be an excellent international FH in time. He certainly suffers in that for Scotland he is being compared with one of the top players in the world, compared with Weir or WdV he is a far superior player.

Agree about learning with experience but I'd say Hastings can execute a kicking game as he managed it all six nations.

Rennie didn't play that way, he wanted attack from everywhere. Hastings' variety of kicking is very good. Not as good but up there with Russell - he just doesn't have Vakatawa, Zebo, Thomas, Imhoff and crew running onto them.

Big D wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:37 am

Begbie wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:33 am From Rob Robertson's twitter

@SDM_Robertson
Looks like France v Scotland will quite rightly go ahead in Paris on Sunday according to reports in France. Not confirmed yet.

Yas, we are getting fucked by the France D team!

That's rubbish though, isn't it? Having 10 players unavailable (not all of whom are first choice) is no worse a position than Scotland often found themselves in a couple of years ago. It's just more obvious from the press.