Rugby Union

[Snobot]

1 minute ago, GordonS said:

Since the start of 2020 who's been better for Scotland, Russell or Hastings?

It's so hard not to pick Finn but he needs to show us more. He went into this tournament as arguably a Lions test player and now I would rank him fourth for the shirt.

For the purposes of Gatlandball I wouldn’t be surprised if Gatland will pick Biggar, Sexton and Farrell- it depends if he thinks Finn is worth the risk as the wild card back. I hope Finn lights up the game next week. 
 

It’s like the 97 lions realising that Townsend was the key - but even then after that Scotland only won the 99 five nations after Hodge, who was starting, got injured in the first game and Townsend went to 10 and had a stellar tournament, so even we didn’t trust him most of the time despite his lions tour.
 

The BBC Scotland Rugby podcast with Rob Wainwright is interesting - he says he came back from the Hong Kong Sevens on a flight with Gatland and they talked about the last lions tour - he wants game breakers, which is why someone like Ian Henderson was picked ahead of Johnny Gray, on the basis of, yeah you can tackle all day long but what else are you bringing.

 

[Jaggy Snake]

20 minutes ago, Snobot said:

Skinner brought go forward and physicality and should definitely play v France.  Looking forward to it, with Finn back too.

Finn will only be back if Racing agree to release him which I've not seen confirmed yet,  unless I've missed it? It was only the players based in England that were confirmed today.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Jaggy Snake

[Genuine Hibs Fan]

Completely misread @GordonS' post as finn being 4th choice for Scotland rather than the Lions, woops! Yeah hype aside it was never really that likely given Warren, and tbh who can blame him he has multiple grand slams with Wales and no series defeats from 2 with the Lions playing a pretty set way

[TheScarf]

When was the last time Scotland finished above England in the 5/6 nations? 1999?

With a game to spare too. Some going.

[Genuine Hibs Fan]

Just now, Jaggy Snake said:

Finn will only be back if Racing agree to release him which I've not seen confirmed yet,  unless I've missed it? It was only the players based in England that were confirmed today.

He was confirmed as being released yesterday. 

[Genuine Hibs Fan]

Just now, TheScarf said:

When was the last time Scotland finished above England in the 5/6 nations? 1999?

With a game to spare too. Some going.

Not quite it was 2018 

[Jaggy Snake]

Just now, Genuine Hibs Fan said:

He was confirmed as being released yesterday. 

Ah right, never saw that. Smashing.

[SteveThePirate]

21 minutes ago, Snobot said:

And today’s score line probably puts some perspective on the Ireland game.

In my opinion, Steel is exactly what we need at 9 - smooth quick service, does the simple things really effectively and at pace. Price was always more effective coming into a game when the opposition was tiring and the game breaking up.

Obviously Huw Jones lost form for whatever reason over the last 2 years but you see today and last week he is an absolute Rolls Royce of a player. Johnson was excellent today but I’d love to see Redpath and Jones together.  
 

Skinner brought go forward and physicality and should definitely play v France.  Looking forward to it, with Finn back too.

Price is better than Steele IMO. Steele is a solid option but if Price could sort out the few shite decisions he makes a game he’d have a good shout at being the starting Lions scrum half. Jones is a class act on form, good to see him getting back to something like a few years ago.
 

In terms of Scottish Lions I fancy Hogg, Watson, Sutherland, Russell (offers something different, may be a bench option) and VDM (again, I think they’d be mad not to take him given what he offers compared to other wingers). May be a struggle to get anyone else.

[TheScarf]

1 minute ago, Genuine Hibs Fan said:

Not quite it was 2018 

 Christ. It’s just so rare it feels like a generation ago. Totally forgot about 2018.

[Diamonds are Forever]

38 minutes ago, peasy23 said:

The more I see the Adams try the more mystified I become that the ref was sure it was touched down.

The more I see the French red card the more sure I am that Willemse is fucking stupid.

 

He didn't even ask the TMO to check it, he asked them to check a couple of things earlier in the move but it was only when 'Barnesy' raised the grounding issue that it was checked.

There were at least 3 other times that potential tries were held up and were checked, yet he didn't check this one, despite it not looking like it was grounded in first viewing. Really weird.

[peasy23]

 
He didn't even ask the TMO to check it, he asked them to check a couple of things earlier in the move but it was only when 'Barnesy' raised the grounding issue that it was checked.
There were at least 3 other times that potential tries were held up and were checked, yet he didn't check this one, despite it not looking like it was grounded in first viewing. Really weird.

And from his position there was no way he could see clearly if it was grounded or not.

[Acastus]

2 hours ago, Acastus said:

Wales want it more. Grand slam guarenteed! Get your money on it while it's still decent. 

 

[ajwffc]

The more I see the Adams try the more mystified I become that the ref was sure it was touched down.

The more I see the French red card the more sure I am that Willemse is fucking stupid.

It was really poor from the ref as he decided it was a try (even though when he got to it the ball was nowear near the ground) that meant that the TMO was look for definite proof that a try had not been scored. But to me the fact there was a shadow under the ball and the French players hand did not move the ball when he put it under it showed that there was no grounding.

[John Lambies Doos]

It was really poor from the ref as he decided it was a try (even though when he got to it the ball was nowear near the ground) that meant that the TMO was look for definite proof that a try had not been scored. But to me the fact there was a shadow under the ball and the French players hand did not move the ball when he put it under it showed that there was no grounding.

Look I hit the roof in celebration more than anyone when jammy Wales got beat at end, but to say that ball didn't touch a blade of grass is extraordinary. It was a try and if Scotland hadn't been given that id be raging.

[Left Back]

1 hour ago, John Lambies Doos said:

1 hour ago, ajwffc said:

It was really poor from the ref as he decided it was a try (even though when he got to it the ball was nowear near the ground) that meant that the TMO was look for definite proof that a try had not been scored. But to me the fact there was a shadow under the ball and the French players hand did not move the ball when he put it under it showed that there was no grounding.

Look I hit the roof in celebration more than anyone when jammy Wales got beat at end, but to say that ball didn't touch a blade of grass is extraordinary. It was a try and if Scotland hadn't been given that id be raging.

Touching a blade of grass isn’t grounding.  The laws don’t say you have to touch a blade of grass to score a try.

I believe the officials got that call completely wrong.  The defender had his hand under the end of the ball so there’s no way it was grounded.  If that had been denied against us I’d be pissed off we didn’t score but entirely happy with the decision.

[Gianfranco]

Personally I give zero fucks about the lions and won’t be watching.

[GAD]

For the Lions I think he'll take a big squad, especially in the forwards. I think Sutherland and Fagerson will go as he'll take 8 props, and Scotland have scrummed well this 6 nations. Both bring a fair bit in the loose as well. I think hooker will be difficult. George is nailed on, but neither of Scotland's two contenders have played, and Herring is shite. He'll probably take LCD, but he's been pretty poor for England. Owens will be another, but I expect he will take 4 and the 4th spot is wide open.

2nd/back row, think Watson will definitely make it this time. He, Tipuric, Falateu and Beirne been the best 4 by miles this season for me, and Beirne can cover second row as well. AWJ, Itoje (despite being pretty shite this season) and Ryan will be picked, so I reckon Gray is fighting with the rest for one of 2 spots in the second row, and I wouldn't completely write off Ritchie either. He's hard as nails and not afraid to give it out a bit. Think they will need a bit of that.

In the backs, I think Price still has a shout simply due to the lack of options. Expect when it come down to it, hell pick Young's, Murray and Davies though, as unappealing as that sounds. I still think Russel will make the squad at 10. None of our centres will make it and in the back 3 Hogg will be there. I also think Gatland will take DVM just because there is nobody else like him right now.

[Mark Connolly]

I know some people don't like the Lions, but the possibility of a back row of Tom Curry, Hamish Watson and Taulupe Faletau, with a back 3 of Louis Rees-Zammit, Anthony Watson and Stuart Hogg is something I definitely want to see.

[GAD]

19 minutes ago, Mark Connolly said:

I know some people don't like the Lions, but the possibility of a back row of Tom Curry, Hamish Watson and Taulupe Faletau, with a back 3 of Louis Rees-Zammit, Anthony Watson and Stuart Hogg is something I definitely want to see.

Do you think May and Daly might have played themselves out? I think they've  been crap this 6 nations and been outshone by LRZ, DVM, Williams, Watson and even Maitland, Adams and Earls. Considering they were expected to be competing for a start it would be a shock if they didn't even tour, but if Gatland has any baws he will surely drop them.

[Mark Connolly]

May is fantastic in attack, but an absolute shambles in defence, and pretty poor against the high ball. Not exactly traits Gatland likes in general, but especially not heading to face South Africa. He got exposed badly by Kolbe in the RWC, and his defence hasn't improved. Josh Adams is a similar flashy in attack player, who's try scoring record masks the fact he's a bombscare in defence. He gets away with it because he usually has Jonathan Davies or George North inside him, and Halfpenny or Liam Williams covering.

Daly isn't a full back, hates playing there, and yet England still try to shoehorn him in for some reason. I actually like him as a player, but he's not that standard in that position.

Maitland is the most underrated back 3 player in the NH. There is a reason he was a starter in that dominant Sarries team over the last few years. His defence is excellent, he's great under the high ball, and he's a very good finisher. The fact that he's reasonably quick as opposed to electric is his only real weakness.

Keith Earls is an absolute c**t of a human being. I'd like him in my team though. Ireland and Munster are both different animals when he plays. He has that nastiness that you see in a great back row player