NPR

Jock42 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 21, 2022 8:42 pm

Jock42 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 20, 2022 5:48 pm Owsley gets his competitive debut and VDW dropped completely (again), how long does he have on his contract?

Nice turn of pace for the 5th

Decent football skills as well.

Edinburgh playing with the wind next half.

Not the most challenging of opponents so far but seen worse half's of rugby.

Brive have the edge in the scrum but they are dropping off so many tackles.

Not a bad night's work.

Jock42 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:53 pm Not a bad night's work.

It wasn't as close as the scores suggest.

weegie01 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:55 pm

Jock42 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:53 pm Not a bad night's work.

It wasn't as close as the scores suggest.

aye Brive never really turned up but the guys can only play what's there and plenty if guys put their hands up.

Highlights, or rather the tries from the game tonight.

Probably best ignore the attempt at commentary

Owsley is proper rapid. The try where he kicked ahead and just left people behind, I got the impression he wasn’t in top gear.

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:36 am Owsley is proper rapid. The try where he kicked ahead and just left people behind, I got the impression he wasn’t in top gear.

Tom Brown was the one who made me think, "WTF, he is quick" when I saw him play for real as opposed to on tv.

Owsley looks quicker than Brown did on tv.

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:41 am

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:36 am Owsley is proper rapid. The try where he kicked ahead and just left people behind, I got the impression he wasn’t in top gear.

Tom Brown was the one who made me think, "WTF, he is quick" when I saw him play for real as opposed to on tv.

Owsley looks quicker than Brown did on tv.

God yes. I think he’s faster than Graham, or MacLean

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 7:09 am

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:41 am

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:36 am Owsley is proper rapid. The try where he kicked ahead and just left people behind, I got the impression he wasn’t in top gear.

Tom Brown was the one who made me think, "WTF, he is quick" when I saw him play for real as opposed to on tv.

Owsley looks quicker than Brown did on tv.

God yes. I think he’s faster than Graham, or MacLean

Whatever times they might claim, ex athletes are far, far more rapid that quick rugby players in my experience.

Played against Derek Redmond once who did nothing all game then last minute got the ball in his own 22 in broken play and just took off, never seen anything like it. As an aside, Sharon Davies was great fun in the bar after!

Also used to play touch on the Meadows with Dougy Walker and his mate (ex Scotland hurdler) and the difference in pace was incredible

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:19 am Highlights, or rather the tries from the game tonight.

Probably best ignore the attempt at commentary

Just watched that.

Was Kinghorn as influential as he looked in those highlights? Looked like he was controlling things really well.

Also, Owsley, not just quick! Looked like a proper rugby player

The more impressive of Owsleys two, watching in the ground, was the second one. Don’t think the tag coverage demonstrates just how fast he went through. Totally did the FB for speed, who wasn’t really out of position.

Good result for Edinburgh. Was that You g with the charge down? He needs a bit of S&C work, he looked like a lineman after a 30 yard touchdown.

Also, the Muncaster (?) finish where he was shoulder charged was amazingly powerful, he looks a beast.

KingBlairhorn wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 8:26 am Good result for Edinburgh. Was that You g with the charge down? He needs a bit of S&C work, he looked like a lineman after a 30 yard touchdown.

Also, the Muncaster (?) finish where he was shoulder charged was amazingly powerful, he looks a beast.

There was a moment earlier when he went through several Brive forwards. I know Brive were not exactly putting their bodies on the line, but they were big lads and if you ran at them they'd stop you, and he made about 10m dragging several with him.

Brive beat Pau 33-25 at Brive, and apart from a 29-0 Pau don't seem to be taking this seriously.

No chickens being counted, but hopefully another 5 points next game.

You'd not expect LI to get 5 points out of Saracens, so even if they win hopefully that'll top the group on points difference (even though EPCR have updated the table with last nights result but not the PD).

Either way 15 points should be enough for top 6 and a home game next round.

Rowe, White and Christie all starting in that Sarries v LI game tomorrow.

Sarries have actually named the stronger squad, so I'd make them pretty clear favourites for that one.

Technically that Muncaster try could have been a penalty try as he would have scored in a more advantageous position.

Big D wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 10:56 am Technically that Muncaster try could have been a penalty try as he would have scored in a more advantageous position.

And Boffelli nailed the conversion anyway which was fantastic

mos_eisely_ wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:46 am

Big D wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 10:56 am Technically that Muncaster try could have been a penalty try as he would have scored in a more advantageous position.

And Boffelli nailed the conversion anyway which was fantastic

His kicking was outstanding given the conditions and where he was kicking some of them from.

mos_eisely_ wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:46 am

Big D wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 10:56 am Technically that Muncaster try could have been a penalty try as he would have scored in a more advantageous position.

And Boffelli nailed the conversion anyway which was fantastic

Absolutely.

But it is still.a part of the rule book that is consistently overlooked. It took a fantastic finish because of foul play.

I've just been watching the highlights again, the panic in the Brive winger's face when he sees Owsley accelerate past him is quite funny. Owsley also did well for Muncaster's try.
I'd like to see how he goes against a good team who get a two on two against him and maybe try to turn him with a kicking game, but from that little snap shot he adds real depth to that left wing position with Damo and Moyano there. Jack Blain needs to pull his socks up.

Kunavula is a superb player, he fought hard to keep the ball alive and pop it out to Ritchie to dot down. He'd be starting every week in other circumstances, but if we don't get players back during the 6N period he is a brilliant guy to have to step in.
We've got Munster and Connacht during the 6N and I can't see any Scotland players making the trip to South Africa immediately after the tournament, we have Sharks and Lions over there.

Big D wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:22 pm

mos_eisely_ wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:46 am

Big D wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 10:56 am Technically that Muncaster try could have been a penalty try as he would have scored in a more advantageous position.

And Boffelli nailed the conversion anyway which was fantastic

Absolutely.

But it is still.a part of the rule book that is consistently overlooked. It took a fantastic finish because of foul play.

The refs tend to ignore foul play if a try is scored if a player isn't injured, but that was a pretty reckless shoulder barge.

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:27 pm I've just been watching the highlights again, the panic in the Brive winger's face when he sees Owsley accelerate past him is quite funny. Owsley also did well for Muncaster's try.
I'd like to see how he goes against a good team who get a two on two against him and maybe try to turn him with a kicking game, but from that little snap shot he adds real depth to that left wing position with Damo and Moyano there. Jack Blain needs to pull his socks up.

Kunavula is a superb player, he fought hard to keep the ball alive and pop it out to Ritchie to dot down. He'd be starting every week in other circumstances, but if we don't get players back during the 6N period he is a brilliant guy to have to step in.
We've got Munster and Connacht during the 6N and I can't see any Scotland players making the trip to South Africa immediately after the tournament, we have Sharks and Lions over there.

Owsley looks like a sprinter playing rugby though, his defence was pretty hopeless. I'm not sure anything will come of him as good teams will target him. Lethal in space so might work with Blair's game planning as he's been exceptional at getting players into space but I think Owsley gets exposed Vs a team who are putting in effort.

I think Scotland players will go to SA apart from maybe the weekly starters like Ritchie and Watson.

Redpath has had a very tough 10 minutes. He's not really fit enough to play at Leinster's intensity.

Difference between Edinburgh and Leinster being demonstrated here. Edinburgh we’re cruising in the second half last night. Leinster are still going at full power.

Bath v Leinster: Bath lose [tick]
Sale v Ospreys: Ospreys lose
Racing v Northampton: Northampton lose [tick]
Montpellier v Exeter: Montpellier lose with no BPs

Half way there

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 2:29 pm Difference between Edinburgh and Leinster being demonstrated here. Edinburgh we’re cruising in the second half last night. Leinster are still going at full power.

I think there are a few other differences as well.

Blackmac wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 3:08 pm

Biffer wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 2:29 pm Difference between Edinburgh and Leinster being demonstrated here. Edinburgh we’re cruising in the second half last night. Leinster are still going at full power.

I think there are a few other differences as well.

Oh yeah. Kind of mean 'a' difference was being highlighted

Nice afternoon at Accies v Selkirk, some really good rugby and reffing

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:28 pm

Big D wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:22 pm

mos_eisely_ wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:46 am

And Boffelli nailed the conversion anyway which was fantastic

Absolutely.

But it is still.a part of the rule book that is consistently overlooked. It took a fantastic finish because of foul play.

The refs tend to ignore foul play if a try is scored if a player isn't injured, but that was a pretty reckless shoulder barge.

Agreed. And if not a PT should be a restart with a penalty for us

mos_eisely_ wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:25 pm

Tichtheid wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:28 pm

Big D wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:22 pm

Absolutely.

But it is still.a part of the rule book that is consistently overlooked. It took a fantastic finish because of foul play.

The refs tend to ignore foul play if a try is scored if a player isn't injured, but that was a pretty reckless shoulder barge.

Agreed. And if not a PT should be a restart with a penalty for us

I can't remember the last time I saw that given.

Is it still in the laws?

Josh MacKay really should have straightened and put his man in after that break

20 minutes of decent stuff and 60 minutes of rubbish from Glasgow. Ollie Smith probably the only one quietly happy about tonight.

Rory Darge should have a few nightmares about his turnstile effort at a tackle for one of the La Rochelle tries - very un-flankerlike. Others also not performing to the level we've got used to. Ali Price with some really bad mistakes, Dempsey anonymous, McKay with a few howlers, Brown with another yellow card. It all adds up.

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:55 pm 20 minutes of decent stuff and 60 minutes of rubbish from Glasgow. Ollie Smith probably the only one quietly happy about tonight.

Rory Darge should have a few nightmares about his turnstile effort at a tackle for one of the La Rochelle tries - very un-flankerlike. Others also not performing to the level we've got used to. Ali Price with some really bad mistakes, Dempsey anonymous, McKay with a few howlers, Brown with another yellow card. It all adds up.

Agreed on those, and I don't particularly like singling out players, but Tuipolotu seems to be a bit of a flat track bully, when it comes to decent opposition he retreats into his shell.
He's a young guy and new to this level of rugby, but if he really wants to be in the running for a Scotland shirt he should be making more of an impact than he did tonight

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:55 pm 20 minutes of decent stuff and 60 minutes of rubbish from Glasgow. Ollie Smith probably the only one quietly happy about tonight.

Rory Darge should have a few nightmares about his turnstile effort at a tackle for one of the La Rochelle tries - very un-flankerlike. Others also not performing to the level we've got used to. Ali Price with some really bad mistakes, Dempsey anonymous, McKay with a few howlers, Brown with another yellow card. It all adds up.

Which one? I thought he missed a tackle on one but it was Fagerson and Brown letting him get in behind and Darge isn't making that tackle.

Nice article here on Kyle Rowe. Was working full time in an Amazon warehouse a year ago.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/i-had-to ... and-squad/

Margin__Walker wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 11:35 am Nice article here on Kyle Rowe. Was working full time in an Amazon warehouse a year ago.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/i-had-to ... and-squad/

It's a really good story. The balance between pro club competitiveness and playing young guys is probably impossible to catch everyone. .

You do have to question what they were doing at Edinburgh to have both Darge and Rowe there not playing at all and a year later being the form players in the Scotland squad. I guess in training with rules on contact you barely play any rugby but it's still crazy to me they were missed. It's disappointing to have plodders like Immelman take up a spot and really good players like Rowe leave. It does annoy me the SRU signs up mediocre NSQs when we know spots are limited.

I think Blair would've played Rowe but then you have Jacob Henry who was one of the best players in the super 6 and he's been given to the sevens whilst Immelman is playing 15 so maybe not. I am intrigued by Owsley but if you're giving him a go you surely give Henry a chance too.

Certainly an issue with only two pro clubs, but I don't think it's a problem unique to Scotland. With covid especially, lots of younger players have been starved of any sort of opportunity as the 2nd tier comps have been completely absent.

Edit - Rowe's actually just been withdrawn from the team today along with two others.