NPR

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:50 am

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:33 am Yep, can’t argue with any of that. Apart from Paterson not being that good. He was an electric attacking FB in his prime, and should have been our 10 for years. Unfortunately, people now remember him at the end of his career, when he was shunted on to the wing in order to keep him in the side for his place kicking.

Yes, agree with JMK's post and this. Paterson was an excellent player who spent a large part of his career playing in very average Scotland teams and being shunted about to cover for the lack of strength in other areas. Had he been playing in this squad he would be remebered as one of our best IMO.

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:59 am
Our defence was sound, our attack scares the shit out of teams and even the games we lost we were within a score right at the end, that is progress without a doubt. Are we still frustrating? without a doubt. But we are not brittle like we have been for years. My only concern is that, rightly or wrongly, it feels as if time is slightly running out for this squad and we need to win something big over the next couple of years for it to be a truely succesful period.

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:54 am

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:59 am
Our defence was sound, our attack scares the shit out of teams and even the games we lost we were within a score right at the end, that is progress without a doubt. Are we still frustrating? without a doubt. But we are not brittle like we have been for years. My only concern is that, rightly or wrongly, it feels as if time is slightly running out for this squad and we need to win something big over the next couple of years for it to be a truely succesful period.

Hoggy and Finn are both 28, Sutherland is the same. I won't go through the whole team but there aren't many on the wrong side of 30.

There is some serious talent coming up behind them, the likes of Dobie and Shiel, McLean, Thompson, Chamberlain etc all look the part. Ritchie is still only 24, Mat Fagerson is 22 Zander is a prop baby at 25, there are some young locks that are showing promise, Hunter-Hill, Hodgeson, Glasgow have a couple coming through.

I may be remembering it wrong, but I'm sure Ireland became successful after BOD retired and he was one of the great, there was a good group of players with him and they laid the foundations for future success.

dkm57 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:43 am What has consistently struck me this season (frustrating as it's been) is the number of promising youngsters emerging and getting a decent crack at Pro14 rugby and generally making a good showing. I'm really quite optimistic for the future. I see the likes of IrnDu and others heading off to Top14 and Premiership clubs as a good thing, it lets them develop further and makes room for the youngsters to emerge and get serious game time.

S/Lt_Phillips wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:50 am Does anyone know who the MOTM was on Friday? I can't remember seeing the usual thing they do a couple of minutes from time, or the post-match presentation. Did I miss it? There was quite a lot going on...

robmatic wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:53 am

S/Lt_Phillips wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:50 am Does anyone know who the MOTM was on Friday? I can't remember seeing the usual thing they do a couple of minutes from time, or the post-match presentation. Did I miss it? There was quite a lot going on...

Gael Fickou.

robmatic wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:53 am

S/Lt_Phillips wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:50 am Does anyone know who the MOTM was on Friday? I can't remember seeing the usual thing they do a couple of minutes from time, or the post-match presentation. Did I miss it? There was quite a lot going on...

Gael Fickou.

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:57 am

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:54 am

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:59 am
Our defence was sound, our attack scares the shit out of teams and even the games we lost we were within a score right at the end, that is progress without a doubt. Are we still frustrating? without a doubt. But we are not brittle like we have been for years. My only concern is that, rightly or wrongly, it feels as if time is slightly running out for this squad and we need to win something big over the next couple of years for it to be a truely succesful period.

Hoggy and Finn are both 28, Sutherland is the same. I won't go through the whole team but there aren't many on the wrong side of 30.

There is some serious talent coming up behind them, the likes of Dobie and Shiel, McLean, Thompson, Chamberlain etc all look the part. Ritchie is still only 24, Mat Fagerson is 22 Zander is a prop baby at 25, there are some young locks that are showing promise, Hunter-Hill, Hodgeson, Glasgow have a couple coming through.

I may be remembering it wrong, but I'm sure Ireland became successful after BOD retired and he was one of the great, there was a good group of players with him and they laid the foundations for future success.

Good post. I think it's almost more a feeling that we have the momentum and the belief and that doesn't always come with a Scotland team even if the talent is there. Good point about BOD, let's hope this is just the start.

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:37 pm

robmatic wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:53 am

S/Lt_Phillips wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:50 am Does anyone know who the MOTM was on Friday? I can't remember seeing the usual thing they do a couple of minutes from time, or the post-match presentation. Did I miss it? There was quite a lot going on...

Gael Fickou.

Are you being serious?

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:48 pm

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:37 pm

robmatic wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:53 am

Gael Fickou.

Are you being serious?

He is. The MoM was selected by French TV with 5 minutes to go...

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:48 pm

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:57 am

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:54 am


Hoggy and Finn are both 28, Sutherland is the same. I won't go through the whole team but there aren't many on the wrong side of 30.

There is some serious talent coming up behind them, the likes of Dobie and Shiel, McLean, Thompson, Chamberlain etc all look the part. Ritchie is still only 24, Mat Fagerson is 22 Zander is a prop baby at 25, there are some young locks that are showing promise, Hunter-Hill, Hodgeson, Glasgow have a couple coming through.

I may be remembering it wrong, but I'm sure Ireland became successful after BOD retired and he was one of the great, there was a good group of players with him and they laid the foundations for future success.

Good post. I think it's almost more a feeling that we have the momentum and the belief and that doesn't always come with a Scotland team even if the talent is there. Good point about BOD, let's hope this is just the start.

Interesting about BOD. Ireland won a GS in 2009 and a title in 2014 with him in the team, but his retirement clearly didn’t hamper things given Ireland won another title in 2015 and another GS in 2018. However, it would have to be pointed out that Ireland have 4 pro teams and a conveyor belt of talent we can’t get anywhere near. We do seem to have good players coming through though, so the big test will be when the likes of Hogg retire in a few years. He won’t be 30 until next year though, so it might be a wee while yet.

Biffer wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:13 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:48 pm

Slick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:57 am

Good post. I think it's almost more a feeling that we have the momentum and the belief and that doesn't always come with a Scotland team even if the talent is there. Good point about BOD, let's hope this is just the start.

Interesting about BOD. Ireland won a GS in 2009 and a title in 2014 with him in the team, but his retirement clearly didn’t hamper things given Ireland won another title in 2015 and another GS in 2018. However, it would have to be pointed out that Ireland have 4 pro teams and a conveyor belt of talent we can’t get anywhere near. We do seem to have good players coming through though, so the big test will be when the likes of Hogg retire in a few years. He won’t be 30 until next year though, so it might be a wee while yet.

Yeah, I've often thought that the BOD/Hogg comparison for Ireland and Scotland is worthwhile. They both made their debut for the national team at 19/20, O'Driscoll was 30 when he first won the championship after a decade of 'this is the year' and disappointment. He only won the 6Ns one more time, in his last year as an international. It took a long time to turn Ireland into what they are today, it didn't happen in five years, they went through a whole generation of players to change the losing mindset and get used to winning, and then longer to expect to. I think Scotland are only 7 years down that road, starting when Cotter came in.

So buckle up, we've got years of unfulfilled hope still to drink our way through.

So buckle up, we've got years of unfulfilled hope still to drink our way through.

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:26 pm

Biffer wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:13 pm

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:48 pm

Interesting about BOD. Ireland won a GS in 2009 and a title in 2014 with him in the team, but his retirement clearly didn’t hamper things given Ireland won another title in 2015 and another GS in 2018. However, it would have to be pointed out that Ireland have 4 pro teams and a conveyor belt of talent we can’t get anywhere near. We do seem to have good players coming through though, so the big test will be when the likes of Hogg retire in a few years. He won’t be 30 until next year though, so it might be a wee while yet.

Yeah, I've often thought that the BOD/Hogg comparison for Ireland and Scotland is worthwhile. They both made their debut for the national team at 19/20, O'Driscoll was 30 when he first won the championship after a decade of 'this is the year' and disappointment. He only won the 6Ns one more time, in his last year as an international. It took a long time to turn Ireland into what they are today, it didn't happen in five years, they went through a whole generation of players to change the losing mindset and get used to winning, and then longer to expect to. I think Scotland are only 7 years down that road, starting when Cotter came in.

So buckle up, we've got years of unfulfilled hope still to drink our way through.

Yes, we are on that journey. We’re heading in the right direction, but there are plenty of twists and turns on the way...

It would be a dreadful shame if Hogg were to go his whole career without winning a 6N title, but you’d have to say that his time may be running out.

Jock42 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:09 pm Russell out for the Embra match, 3 week ban.

Begbie wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:49 am Shiel and Hank have re-signed with Edinburgh. With Vellacott coming in it looks like Groom will be away.

robmatic wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:34 am

Begbie wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:49 am Shiel and Hank have re-signed with Edinburgh. With Vellacott coming in it looks like Groom will be away.

I think it was going to be one of Pyrgos or Groom, so yes he will be away.

I wouldn't be surprised if Pyrgos starts winding down a bit, so could be a decent amount of time for Vellacott and Shiel on the pitch.

robmatic wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:34 am

Begbie wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:49 am Shiel and Hank have re-signed with Edinburgh. With Vellacott coming in it looks like Groom will be away.

I think it was going to be one of Pyrgos or Groom, so yes he will be away.

I wouldn't be surprised if Pyrgos starts winding down a bit, so could be a decent amount of time for Vellacott and Shiel on the pitch.

Begbie wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:08 am Edinburgh have been awarded 4 points for the postponed game v Benetton. There's been a covid outbreak in their camp so no chance of playing the rearranged fixture.

Yr Alban wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:50 am

Begbie wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:08 am Edinburgh have been awarded 4 points for the postponed game v Benetton. There's been a covid outbreak in their camp so no chance of playing the rearranged fixture.

Apparently rugby can actually get it right, at least some of the time!

Seriously, we’re all delighted to get a win in Paris for the first time since nineteen oatcake, but that doesn’t change the fact that the game should never have taken place.

Begbie wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:08 am Edinburgh have been awarded 4 points for the postponed game v Benetton. There's been a covid outbreak in their camp so no chance of playing the rearranged fixture.

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:59 pm

As absurd an April fools as it is, there is a bitter undercurrent of truth in there...

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:24 pm No idea how credible the source is but claims on Twitter that Romania will play against Scotland in July.

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:41 pm

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:24 pm No idea how credible the source is but claims on Twitter that Romania will play against Scotland in July.

Aye, we're supposedly playing an "A" international against England in the USA and, I suppose, a full capped international against Romania in Bucharest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_July ... nion_tests

SomersetJock wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 7:41 am Brilliant effort from the lads last night. The composure to protect the ball in the build up to the try at the end was outstanding. We seemed to have found a bit of savvy from somewhere. Still laughing about the French trying for one more play.

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:24 pm No idea how credible the source is but claims on Twitter that Romania will play against Scotland in July.

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:41 pm

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:24 pm No idea how credible the source is but claims on Twitter that Romania will play against Scotland in July.

Aye, we're supposedly playing an "A" international against England in the USA and, I suppose, a full capped international against Romania in Bucharest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_July ... nion_tests

Big D wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 8:20 am

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:41 pm

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:24 pm No idea how credible the source is but claims on Twitter that Romania will play against Scotland in July.

Aye, we're supposedly playing an "A" international against England in the USA and, I suppose, a full capped international against Romania in Bucharest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_July ... nion_tests

They should just make the whole thing an A team set of games.