Scotland - time to start with attacking backs v1.

Scotland team for Wales

15. Stuart Hogg - new cap
14. Max Evans
13. Nick De Luca
12. Matt Scott - new cap
11. Lee Jones
10. Greg Laidlaw or Weir
9. Blair

8. David Denton
7. Ross Rennie
6. Kelly Brown or Stroker
5. Jim Hamilton
4. Richie Gray
3. Geoff Cross
2. Ross Ford
1. Alan Jacobsen

bench barclay, cusiter, kalman, kellock, lamont, weir.

Can we have a 9 please? Otherwise OK - Laidlaw with weir on the bench

However I will bet its parks and Jackson

alive555 wrote:Scotland team for Wales

15. Stuart Hogg - new cap
14. Max Evans
13. Nick De Luca
12. Matt Scott - new cap
11. Lee Jones
10. Greg Laidlaw or Weir
9. Blair

8. David Denton
7. Ross Rennie
6. Kelly Brown or Stroker
5. Jim Hamilton
4. Richie Gray
3. Geoff Cross
2. Ross Ford
1. Alan Jacobsen

bench barclay, cusiter, kalman, kellock, lamont, weir.

+1 (plus a hooker on the bench, probably S Lawson)

and of course no Parks

Just out of curiosity which Lamont would you want on the bench?

Think it has to be Schlong, gowales, he simply covers more positions (a winger that has played 13 for Scarlets with some regularity a season or two back, and has played 12 and 15 at international level)

I will bet Robinson plays parks or jackson if fit.

Sean Lamont of course.

If Parks is even on the bench then god help us.

We need a radical new approcah which means bringing in players who appear to know where the tryline is.

I'd bench Jones and put Lamont on the wing - keep some kind of continuity. Lamont is good on the wing. Also use the advantage of Laidlaw:

15. Stuart Hogg - new cap
14. Max Evans
13. Nick De Luca
12. Matt Scott - new cap
11. Sean Lamont
10. Greig Laidlaw
9. Mike Blair

20. Jackson 21. R Lamont 22. Jones [or forget about Jones and have 5 forwards]

KickAndChase wrote:I'd bench Jones and put Lamont on the wing - keep some kind of continuity. Lamont is good on the wing. Also use the advantage of Laidlaw:

15. Stuart Hogg - new cap
14. Max Evans
13. Nick De Luca
12. Matt Scott - new cap
11. Sean Lamont
10. Greig Laidlaw
9. Mike Blair

20. Jackson 21. R Lamont 22. Jones [or forget about Jones and have 5 forwards]

That's a good selection, I'd go with something very similar but with Weir on the bench (Jackson has had no game time, I think Robinson said he'd be in consideration for the France game if he plays for Glasgow the next couple of weeks). I'd love it if Scott started, I don't care if he hasn't been training with the squad until now and I don't care if he has to train less this week to fit in his uni commitments. He'd still be infinitely more effective than any of our other options at 12. Unfortunately I can't see it happening.

I think Robinson will pick Laidlaw to start but ruin things with bad selections elsewhere. Continuing his obsession with negating the opposition's attack instead of giving them something to worry about with our own, he will select big, powerful but unimaginative backs to try to stop Roberts, North and Cuthbert. I can even see him responding to the A's outstanding win by calling up Danielli and claiming he's picking on form. So I'm predicting a back line selection of: 9. Blair, 10. Laidlaw, 11. S Lamont, 12. Morrison, 13. De Luca, 14. Danielli, 15. R Lamont. And when I read that, I'll throw my computer at the wall.

Few questions here

1. Did any of you posters go to the match?
2. Laidlaw came on around the 55 minute............. did Scotlands performance as a result go down or up
3. Did the amount of errors increase or decrease when Laidlaw was introduced

I am of an opinion that most of you actually had one thing in mind before and after the match "concentrate on Desperate",,,,,,,,,,,, rather than analyse what actually happened during the match

One player didnt make all those mistakes when in the offensive mode, if we can't pass, avoid knock ons, or retain the ball in set pieces, mauls or rucks we will never win the game

Strewth................ get a grip

FHF, you Robinson-apologist, you!!

1. No, I'll only make Cardiff and Dublin this year, but several posters did, and actually you get a much better feel by watching the game on TV tbh
2. Up
3. Will check for you

In fact, I'll rewatch the game tonite for you and come back with a detailed analysis

flyhalffactory wrote:Few questions here

1. Did any of you posters go to the match?
2. Laidlaw came on around the 55 minute............. did Scotlands performance as a result go down or up
3. Did the amount of errors increase or decrease when Laidlaw was introduced

Strewth................ get a grip

1 - yes
2 - pace and intensity significantly increased. Plus one of his first touches was to do a superb chip and chase that was millimeters away from scoring
3 - increased, but I think if the team spent all week with Laidlaw at 10, learning the way he plays and what lines to run instead of practicing chasing Park's kicks, they will significantly decrease.

I like the look of the attacking backline mentioned but that will get absolutely steamrollered by the Welsh.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

flyhalffactory wrote:Few questions here

1. Did any of you posters go to the match?
2. Laidlaw came on around the 55 minute............. did Scotlands performance as a result go down or up
3. Did the amount of errors increase or decrease when Laidlaw was introduced

Strewth................ get a grip

1 - yes
2 - pace and intensity significantly increased. Plus one of his first touches was to do a superb chip and chase that was millimeters away from scoring
3 - increased, but I think if the team spent all week with Laidlaw at 10, learning the way he plays and what lines to run instead of practicing chasing Park's kicks, they will significantly decrease.

I like the look of the attacking backline mentioned but that will get absolutely steamrollered by the Welsh.

RDW, if that was the case, the fact that Scotland were chasing the game would have been a mitigating factor?

True, but I don't like flyhalffactory's attitude towards Laidlaw - in 20 minutes the guy was more attacking that Parks has been for 7 years.

Yes there were knock ons but as I said - give the team a week training together with an attacking 10 instead of running after Park's kicks and guaranteed you'll see a difference.

flyhalffactory wrote:Few questions here

1. Did any of you posters go to the match?
2. Laidlaw came on around the 55 minute............. did Scotlands performance as a result go down or up
3. Did the amount of errors increase or decrease when Laidlaw was introduced

1) No, but watchin bad kick after bad kick, then charge down, then bad kick on a large TV gives a very good indication Parks was terrible.
2) Yes. No concidence that the second half had us making more breaks and getting half chances than the first.
3) About the same, if you count a charge down, multiple kicks into the hands of Foden and aimless shoving the ball sideways as errors.

I would also point out I thought Cussiter was pants and was almost as slow a providor of the ball as Philips- he has to go re-find his drive and speed

Parks is, and has been, the worst 10 in 6 nations history - even when he had his purple patch in 2010, we still came second last due to not scoring enough tries. The fact he was selected against all evidence, form, common sense, magic picking octopuses, alien probes and mystic megs shows that AR is now on his final final FINAL warning -

If Parks features again in this 6 nation (unless every other person, their gran and dog get injured) then he should be sacked for gross misconduct

Strewth................ get a grip

methinks flyhalffactory is either Townsend or Parks the very man himself

My team for Wales:

1.Chunk 2.Ford (c) 3.Cross 4.Hamilton 5.Gray 6.Strokosch 7.Rennie 8.Denton 9.Blair 10.Laidlaw 11.L Jones 12.S Lamont 13.NDL 14.M Evans 15.S Hogg

16.Kalman 17.S Lawson 18.Kellock 19.Vernon (equally happy with S McInally) 20.Weir 21.M Scott 22.R Lamont

Done.

The only reason I'm using S Lamont at 12 rather than M Scott is the power Wales channel through the midfield with Roberts and North. McFadden was bulldozed several times and I don't want that to be Scott's first experience of international rugby. He can come off the bench. Sean Lamont didn't actually play that badly on Saturday, and with Laidlaw's sharper brain working inside him I actually think he'd be a far more effective ball carrier than with Parks.

Hogg should have started in the first place - by far and away the best fullback in Scotland this year, which in my book earns you the right to play for Scotland. His performance for Scotland A makes a complete mockery of Robinson selecting Rory Lamont, who has barely played this year. Once again "experience" ahead of form proved mistaken. Not that Rory Lamont was particularly poor on Saturday, just that Hogg is just a bit sharper and quicker. Hogg, Evans and Jones would be a very lively back three indeed, and we won't beat Wales by trying to run through them. Too good a side.

Barclay should not be on the bench. Rennie played extremely well so should play again. Having a specialist 7 on the bench is a waste. We needed an impact sub to come on for Strokosch, and we lost something when Barclay came on at the unfamiliar role at 6. Less power and ball carrying when I thought we needed more. Laidlaw's strength is getting runners onto the ball at unpredictable angles - Vernon or McInally are far more useful options in that regard than Barclay, who is a far better player without the ball in his hand. If Rennie got injured I'd just slot Strokosch over to 7, he's played there before so can cover.

FES - you could actually drop Lawson from the bench, as Laidlaw could cover 9 and 10, therefore have an extra person on the bench for impact such as vernon

It was Scott Lawson on my bench, not Rory. I'm already using Laidlaw as cover at 9 to allow me both Matt Scott and Rory Lamont on the bench.

I'm not that bothered with either Rory Lawson or Chris Cusiter being on the bench. We don't need either.

My worry is that Robinson won't change anything to avoid having to basically admit he royally screwed up the initial selection. He should just admit the error and move on. Many very good coaches have made selection mistakes. In 1999, the last time we were any good, Telfer (a very good coach and shrewd selector) actually chose Duncan Hodge initially at 10, not Townsend. It was only when Hodge got injured did the trio of Townsend, Leslie and Tait form a combination. It wasn't planned. Unbelievable that the coaches at the time didn't spot that potential.

Hopefully Robinson can now man up to his horrible mistake and just dump Cusiter and Parks out of the matchday squad. If he can't then he's doomed.

funnyExiledScot wrote:It was Scott Lawson on my bench, not Rory. I'm already using Laidlaw as cover at 9 to allow me both Matt Scott and Rory Lamont on the bench.

I'm not that bothered with either Rory Lawson or Chris Cusiter being on the bench. We don't need either.

My worry is that Robinson won't change anything to avoid having to basically admit he royally screwed up the initial selection. He should just admit the error and move on. Many very good coaches have made selection mistakes. In 1999, the last time we were any good, Telfer (a very good coach and shrewd selector) actually chose Duncan Hodge initially at 10, not Townsend. It was only when Hodge got injured did the trio of Townsend, Leslie and Tait form a combination. It wasn't planned. Unbelievable that the coaches at the time didn't spot that potential.

Hopefully Robinson can now man up to his horrible mistake and just dump Cusiter and Parks out of the matchday squad. If he can't then he's doomed.

Sorry, fES, just don't see that trait in his character make-up

RDW_Scotland wrote:

flyhalffactory wrote:Few questions here

1. Did any of you posters go to the match?
2. Laidlaw came on around the 55 minute............. did Scotlands performance as a result go down or up
3. Did the amount of errors increase or decrease when Laidlaw was introduced

Strewth................ get a grip

1 - yes
2 - pace and intensity significantly increased. Plus one of his first touches was to do a superb chip and chase that was millimeters away from scoring
3 - increased, but I think if the team spent all week with Laidlaw at 10, learning the way he plays and what lines to run instead of practicing chasing Park's kicks, they will significantly decrease.

I like the look of the attacking backline mentioned but that will get absolutely steamrollered by the Welsh.

Looks very much a try from this angle
http://www.planetrugby.com/gallery/story/0,25928,9825_7485317,00.html

Laidlaw has to start the next game, as does Hogg.

9 Blair
10 Laidlaw
11 SLamont
12 Scott
13 De Luca/Evans
14 Ramont
15 Hogg

20 Cusiter
21 Weir
22 Jones

While Jones played well, I'd have the Lamonts on the wings for their physical presence. North and Cuthbert are both very physical players and having the Lamonts wide maintains the speed and offers more in defense. I’d possibly move Evans into 13.

The problem Scotland face now against Wales is that Wales are much more adept at playing an expansive open game and can force turnovers well as they showed against Ireland. If Scotland go in with the mindset that they want to open it up and play a loose game then Wales will tear them to pieces.

To a certain degree Scotland are a bit stuck with a more pragmatic gameplan. That is unless Robinson just writes this championship off as an experiment and chucks caution to the wind which, incidentally I think he should do.

mckay1402 wrote:The problem Scotland face now against Wales is that Wales are much more adept at playing an expansive open game and can force turnovers well as they showed against Ireland. If Scotland go in with the mindset that they want to open it up and play a loose game then Wales will tear them to pieces.

To a certain degree Scotland are a bit stuck with a more pragmatic gameplan. That is unless Robinson just writes this championship off as an experiment and chucks caution to the wind which, incidentally I think he should do.

If that's what it takes (and I don't necessarily agree that it is), let's get on with it

I am gutted. I saw us beating the English and I remain convinced they were there for the taking.

I knew Robbo would pick Parks, but I was disappointed that he did. However I will not be calling for his head over that decision, as I can see the attraction of playing Parks over a new guy (however talented the new guy is).

Laidlaw must play against Wales, but equally he must be given a run of games. The same goes for Mike Blair. I like Cusiter but I can see that Blair offers better service.

Sean Lamont is not a great 12, but I'd be inclined to keep some beef in the backline to counter the Welsh. I think the Welsh would be licking their lips if we played Scott at 12. Scott's time will come.

I thought it was very interesting to see Big Jim Hamilton call for some stability in team selection in the Herald today.

Herald

I thought the pack did ok. Rosco and Denton were great, but I think we missed some experience. I'm not sure who would offer that apart from Kellock (and I want Hamilton to form a partnership with Gray).

BTW I also thought the English defended like we used to.

15. R Lamont
14. M Evans
13. N De Luca
12. S Lamont
11. L Jones
10. G Laidlaw
9. M Blair
8. D Denton
7. R Rennie
6. A Strokosh
5. R Gray
4. J Hamilton
3. G Cross
2. R Ford
1. A Jacobsen

S Lawson
J Welsh
A Kellock
R Vernon
D Weir
G Morrison
S Hogg

I have to say I did think Scotland might have turned a corner but the same old problems occured. Scotlands speed of support is just not good enough and they don't get men to the breakdown quickly enough. It doesn't matter who you put in if the mentality to follow the man with the ball isn't there.

I hate to say it but I don't think AR is hard enough on them. With the forwards on display on Saturday we should have dominated England but we allowed them parity and that gave them confidence.

We also need a captain who can make decisions on the pitch to change things up a bit if the game plan isn't working. We needed the big chaps to take it up the middle and create the space out wide instead of trying off first or second phase ball.

The breaks are there it's just the following up that is lacking. If AR can get that into his players thick heads then we might be dangerous but until he does it doesn't matter if we play Parks or Laidlaw or whoever at 10 we still won't be able to win these games.

In conclusion, Scotland should have been 15 point winners yesterday but as ever...Like Scotland I can't finish this post

R Lamont has to flown up my list of dead wood and has to go. He offers pretty much nothing anymore.

There are more natural runners available i.e. Hogg

All this utter BS about needing more experienced players..

How do you get experience then?

Blair and Laidlaw to start with Hogg in at FB. These three changes will make a world of difference. Yeah we might lose, but I'd write this championship off now and give the future players game time at international level.

Just watched the 2 man overlap with Rennie delaying the pass about 5 times just then.

I could pretty much cry at that.

nickj wrote: I think the Welsh would be licking their lips if we played Scott at 12. Scott's time will come.

Why? Scotts more than able to stand up against Roberts. Hes also a big guy. We need to stop worrying about what he opposition think of our selections, and put out our best team.

nickj wrote:I am gutted. I saw us beating the English and I remain convinced they were there for the taking.

I knew Robbo would pick Parks, but I was disappointed that he did. However I will not be calling for his head over that decision, as I can see the attraction of playing Parks over a new guy (however talented the new guy is).

Laidlaw must play against Wales, but equally he must be given a run of games. The same goes for Mike Blair. I like Cusiter but I can see that Blair offers better service.

Sean Lamont is not a great 12, but I'd be inclined to keep some beef in the backline to counter the Welsh. I think the Welsh would be licking their lips if we played Scott at 12. Scott's time will come.

I thought it was very interesting to see Big Jim Hamilton call for some stability in team selection in the Herald today.

Herald

I thought the pack did ok. Rosco and Denton were great, but I think we missed some experience. I'm not sure who would offer that apart from Kellock (and I want Hamilton to form a partnership with Gray).

BTW I also thought the English defended like we used to.

15. R Lamont
14. M Evans
13. N De Luca
12. S Lamont
11. L Jones
10. G Laidlaw
9. M Blair
8. D Denton
7. R Rennie
6. A Strokosh
5. R Gray
4. J Hamilton
3. G Cross
2. R Ford
1. A Jacobsen

S Lawson
J Welsh
A Kellock
R Vernon
D Weir
G Morrison
S Hogg

Think Matt Scott and NdL did just fine against Roberts and Cuthbert for Edinburgh vs Cardiff? Ireland seemed to hang off in defence and give the bug Welsh strike runners ample time to get some head up - we can deal with that tactically rather than playing big, less able players imo

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:FHF, you Robinson-apologist, you!!

1. No, I'll only make Cardiff and Dublin this year, but several posters did, and actually you get a much better feel by watching the game on TV tbh
2. Up
3. Will check for you

In fact, I'll rewatch the game tonite for you and come back with a detailed analysis

Like it mate............... not alot

Simple I want Rennie in starting every time but that delayed pass grrrrrrrr.................. was it Parks fault?.............. was it ARs fault
Simple I want Laidlaw in starting every time but was it ARs fault he run around like a bl00dy headless chicken

And what Scot is playing week in week out with the likes of North, Jon Davies, Priestland i.e. the key guys on form and he knows them inside out............ yet half the posters on here want him dropped to the bench and replaced with (a fantastic but inexperiences young centre) someone who is 2 inches shorter and over a stone lighter....... WTF is all that about??

Strewth

Anyone know is Ansbro is likely to be fit for next week?

If so I'd like to see

9. Blair
10. Laidlaw
11. S.Lamont
12. De luca
13. Ansbro
14. Evans
15. R.Lamont (Never seen Hogg play)

RDW_Scotland wrote:True, but I don't like flyhalffactory's attitude towards Laidlaw - in 20 minutes the guy was more attacking that Parks has been for 7 years.

Yes there were knock ons but as I said - give the team a week training together with an attacking 10 instead of running after Park's kicks and guaranteed you'll see a difference.

Attitude!!

What do you mean exactly??

Greig Laidlaw is my man............... I wanted him to start with Blair. I find that quite offensive moderator

You sweeping statement of the 20 mins of the man is so far off the mark........ as much as I hate to say it, there was very little structure in our attacking impetus, more errors in the last 25 mins, the distribution from half back to centre was so poor, that time and time again we were in no mans land and the ball was lost, Laidlaw was like a headless for the most part

Yes we have to start our guys, and Hogg, Rennie and the such like,,,,,,,,,,, but lets not blame one or two men for such an abysmal performance

Anyone else think His Holiness has played his last for Scotland? He was crap on Saturday against an even crapper opponent. He cannot be relies upon so get rid of him. Bet you it goes better with Cross -would rather see John Welsh on the other side too.

FHF, were you watching the same game as the rest of us ? That dic* Parks had just gifted them a try and easy conversion then proceeded to not find touch with a penalty minutes later. He was woeful and that Grade A Idiot Robinson took 58 minutes to replace him. Truly astonishing. We could not believe it when we saw the wretch come out for the 2nd half. Is it true, are you indeed Desperate Dan ?

21 ...yes we have all read your eloquent comments up to now,,,, pinch of salt and all that

I didnt say he wasn't poor, just that we didnt improve when he went off

and....... of course when you say "we" what you really mean is ME ME ME

Sorry, not sure what you are getting at? Do you mean I was the only one who thought he should not have re-appeared for the 2nd half ? If so then I seriously doubt you were there ! Anyway have one of these and do you want my France tickets as I aint bloody going to watch more crap.

flyhalffactory wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:True, but I don't like flyhalffactory's attitude towards Laidlaw - in 20 minutes the guy was more attacking that Parks has been for 7 years.

Yes there were knock ons but as I said - give the team a week training together with an attacking 10 instead of running after Park's kicks and guaranteed you'll see a difference.

Attitude!!

What do you mean exactly??

Greig Laidlaw is my man............... I wanted him to start with Blair. I find that quite offensive moderator

You sweeping statement of the 20 mins of the man is so far off the mark........ as much as I hate to say it, there was very little structure in our attacking impetus, more errors in the last 25 mins, the distribution from half back to centre was so poor, that time and time again we were in no mans land and the ball was lost, Laidlaw was like a headless for the most part

Yes we have to start our guys, and Hogg, Rennie and the such like,,,,,,,,,,, but lets not blame one or two men for such an abysmal performance

How did you find any of that offensive? I apologise if you did, but all I said was I didn't like your negative attitude towards Laidlaw. I don't understand how he can be your man then absolutely slate him. I'm not sure what else you're proposing happens but he really is our best chance now so you can allow us to be optimistic.

Yes he was irratic but look how many more opportunities we had when he came on. Yes it wasn't all down to him, but you can hardly say his chip and chase wasn't a fantastic effort?

Also, I raised a point in a thread before the England game that we shouldn't put too much expectation on Laidlaw - he is extremely inexperienced and won't be an immediate fix at 10. However he really is the best chance we've got just now!

And finally - I am a poster first, mod 2nd.

RDW ............ his chip was absolutely awesome I spilt my drink over the missus when he did that.

I really can't see where I have been negative about Greig , I kinda have said all along I would have chosen our half backs before Desperate and Cussie. However alot of posters seem to like to blam Dan Parks for all that was bad, yet nothing changed when Laidlaw came on........ so does that mean Laidlaw was to blame for that OF COURSE NOT. However posters seemed to think our attacking (not headless chicken running mind you) seemed to increase when he came on............ well sorry guys that just didnt happen, apart from the first 3 mins and that chip, it was all too erratic.

And I totally agree with you (peace brother ) Laidlaw has got all the potential and I would have started him against England with Blair, and deffo for the Welsh game.

So in reality we agree on that score............ lets smoke the peace pipe and be united in our support of the whole Scottish set-up

RDW 1 TRY FHF NO TRIES

flyhalffactory wrote:RDW ............ his chip was absolutely awesome I spilt my drink over the missus when he did that.

I really can't see where I have been negative about Greig , I kinda have said all along I would have chosen our half backs before Desperate and Cussie. However alot of posters seem to like to blam Dan Parks for all that was bad, yet nothing changed when Laidlaw came on........ so does that mean Laidlaw was to blame for that OF COURSE NOT. However posters seemed to think our attacking (not headless chicken running mind you) seemed to increase when he came on............ well sorry guys that just didnt happen, apart from the first 3 mins and that chip, it was all too erratic.

And I totally agree with you (peace brother ) Laidlaw has got all the potential and I would have started him against England with Blair, and deffo for the Welsh game.

So in reality we agree on that score............ lets smoke the peace pipe and be united in our support of the whole Scottish set-up

FHF, just so that you know I fulfil my promises, I've analysed Scotland's play up until the charge down (apologies for the length of this to neutrals and those otherwise not interested)
- DP kick-off to blindside, good length, nearly recovered
- Pass: cut-out to Schlong
- Pass: short to big Jim
- Pass: to Chunk for fwd rumble
- Pass: to DP, up&under across half-way line, Evans nearly recovers
- Pass: to DP, on to NdL
- Pass: to Rennie
- Pass: to Chunk
- Pass: to DP on to Jones way behind gain-line
- Pass: to DP, clears line up to 10m line
- Cusiter: poor clearnace kick fails to find touch
- broken play, R Lamont break a couple of tackles
- Cus picks and goes from base, ball lost fwd
- Pass: to DP, kick striaght down Foden's throat => penalty T/OVER (Robshaw acutally pulls Denton back inside ruck, clever)
- Quickly taken DG restart
- Pass: to DP, pop pass to SLamont
- Pass: to DP, aimless kick to Strettle, too long T/OVER
- Pass: to Denton
- Box-kixk Cus
- Pass: to DP, down line to SLamont, tackled behind gain line
- Pass: to Euge
- Pass: to DP, kicks too long to Foden T/OVER
- Pass: to Jones off wing, no yards made, sticks to set move rather than use simple overlap
- England up&under spilled by R Lamont => penalty T/OVER
- DP's DK restart too long, but England kcokc it on
- Pass: to DP, passes to space, overlap lost
- Pass: to Stroks
- Pass: to Rennie
- Pass: to DP, on to Stroks
- Pass: to DP, on to NdL. solid defence, but England offside
- DP penalty 3-3
[the next 4 sequences all take place in our 22]
- Pass: to DP, on to Stroks
- Pass: to DP, on to Gray on inside
- Pass: to DP, on to SLamont, makes ground
- Pass: to DP, aimless kick right to Foden T/OVER
- Evans returns Eng kick w/ interest
- Pass: to Evans off his wing
- Pass: to Rennie
- Pass: to DP, tackled behind gainline
- Pass: to Jones, makes ground
- Pass: to Rennie, switching to blindside
- Pass: to Ford
- Pass: to DP, on to Stroks behind gain line
- Pass: to DP, on to Rennie, knock-on
- DP penlaty after Cus scrags Ashton 6-3
- Cus box-kick too long
- Evans retunrs w/ interest
- Cus blindside sneak
- Ford pick&go drive
- Pass: pop to Gray
- Pass: to Dp, quality up&under, man and ball taken
- Gray pick&drive
- Pass: short to Ford
- Pass: poor to Denton
- Pass: to DP, caught behind line, manages to offload to Rennie
- Pass: to Ford
- Pass: to DP, mis pass along line
- Pass: to DP, on to Euge
- Pass: to DP, salvaged by Rennie
- Pass: to Evans
- Pass: to DP, delays and passes to Stroks who gets smashed
- Pass: to Ford under pressure
- Pass: to Hamilton
- Pass: to DP in pocket for DG, but fwds get in way
- Pass: to Chunk
- Pass: to Murray
- Pass: to Ford, standing still
- Pass: to SLamont, makes ground
- Pass: to DP, on to big Jim
- Pass: to Stroks
- Pass: to Ford
- Pass: to DP, short to Rennie
- Pass: to Ford, knocked on be Eng
END OF HALF
- Pass: to DP, on to Rennie way behind gain line in our 22
- Pass: to DP, kick charged down, try England T/OVER 6-8

It was an interesting exercise for me, if only to show that it wasn't all Parks' fault, but there's no question that a number of his kicks were poor (gave possession to England with no gain in territory) and that his general decision-making is off at the moment (running in our 22 when its not on, missing overlaps) - he simply doesn't have a distributing game in his bag if the kicking isn't working. If we want to play the territorial game, then it must be Weir, if we want to play more expansively, then Laidlaw must get the nod. More pleasingly, it showed me that we've obviously done some work on receiving restarts which largely went like clockwork

flyhalffactory wrote:RDW ............ his chip was absolutely awesome I spilt my drink over the missus when he did that.

I really can't see where I have been negative about Greig , I kinda have said all along I would have chosen our half backs before Desperate and Cussie. However alot of posters seem to like to blam Dan Parks for all that was bad, yet nothing changed when Laidlaw came on........ so does that mean Laidlaw was to blame for that OF COURSE NOT. However posters seemed to think our attacking (not headless chicken running mind you) seemed to increase when he came on............ well sorry guys that just didnt happen, apart from the first 3 mins and that chip, it was all too erratic.

And I totally agree with you (peace brother ) Laidlaw has got all the potential and I would have started him against England with Blair, and deffo for the Welsh game.

So in reality we agree on that score............ lets smoke the peace pipe and be united in our support of the whole Scottish set-up

Top man

Apologies for picking you up wrong. I knew we both ultimately agreed on Laidlaw, I just think he offered more when he came on than you do! Happy to have different opinions though.

Let's hope he gets selected now so we can see what he can really do!

Lads, it's ok - I've spoken to Robinson and he's watched the A game footage over and over and been rightly impressed. So he's going to pick ...


... Simon Danielli, and bring Morrison back in to the centres with Schlong out on the other wing, with Dewey to the bench - that should counter those nasty big and fast Welshies.

You wait and see, you heard it here first!

Aslongas - I've always liked you as a poster but you've over stepped the mark there!

If that happened I'd give up supporting Scotland and choose Romania or Georgia or something.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Lads, it's ok - I've spoken to Robinson and he's watched the A game footage over and over and been rightly impressed. So he's going to pick ...


... Simon Danielli, and bring Morrison back in to the centres with Schlong out on the other wing, with Dewey to the bench - that should counter those nasty big and fast Welshies.

You wait and see, you heard it here first!

Also, expect to see Chris Paterson make a surprise appearance at tighthead for his 1,467th cap.

If nothing else it's good to see Scotland supporters angry rather than fatalistic about it

Laidlaw is confident he can get Scotland scoring tries

http://www.espnscrum.com/six-nations-2012/rugby/story/159070.html

He'll only be able to do that if he's picked to start, and not with Cusiter firing the ball over his head from 9.

Cusiter's play with ball in hand wasn't too bad, but his passing seems to have regressed horribly. You can't have an international 9 throwing the ball at people's feet one minute and over their shoulders the next.

If Blair and Laidlaw start, then I think we'll cross the line. I certainly won't predict a Scotland victory, the Welsh backs are frankly in a different league, but Ireland exposed a few chinks with quick ball and counter-attack and we must do the same.

If we spend the week planning on how to negate Wales rather than attack Wales then the only question left is the margin of defeat.

For the second time in a week, I'm filled with dread as to what Andy Robinson's teamsheet will look like.

I really hope he surprises me.

Maybe it is mental more than anything?

Rennie should have put away....was it Blair? Sadly a lack of the basics in drawing the last man let him down. Laidlaw’s effort, I thought, was a try but it was such a marginal call. So there are two examples of where Scotland should have crossed the line.

As a Kiwi I’m used to seeing my side score tries and we have an abundance of world class players. Up until recently I would not watch a Scotland game unless NZ were playing them, purely because I thought the players were useless and the game would be boring – although I admit this is harsh. Nowadays, even though Scotland haven’t scored for 6 hrs of play, I can see the promise in the team. I watched the game on Saturday and I laughed when Jonathan Davies said Scotland don’t look like scoring. They were the only team to create try scoring opportunities!

Scotland have unearthed a gem in Denton – I don’t say that lightly. Ross Rennie looks good and there is depth in the backrow with Barclay, Brown etc. Max Evans is a creator and a class winger, he doesn’t get opportunities on the end of the line but makes the most of what he gets. I would like to see him move in to 13, although slightly small I could see him and Lamont forming a good partnership. Scotland have to play Blair and Laidlaw – these two look pretty promising.

Let’s look at the wider picture. Scotland are developing an awesome back row trio (whatever the mix), the locks are good and don’t shirk so Scotland should be able to retain possession playing a wider game. Blair and Laidlaw can get the backline moving a lot more than Cusiter and Parks and outside of that there is a promising threequarter line starved of space and possession. I think its time for Robinson to grow a pair and try another game plan...

funnyExiledScot wrote:He'll only be able to do that if he's picked to start, and not with Cusiter firing the ball over his head from 9.

Cusiter's play with ball in hand wasn't too bad, but his passing seems to have regressed horribly. You can't have an international 9 throwing the ball at people's feet one minute and over their shoulders the next.

If Blair and Laidlaw start, then I think we'll cross the line. I certainly won't predict a Scotland victory, the Welsh backs are frankly in a different league, but Ireland exposed a few chinks with quick ball and counter-attack and we must do the same.

If we spend the week planning on how to negate Wales rather than attack Wales then the only question left is the margin of defeat.

I dont think the welsh backs are in a different league TBH.............. at club level we have shown we can score tries in trawlerfuls..........

As long as we realise we have to spike Norths milky cocoa the night before

Seriously tho we have the players to hurt Wales up front and our backs can score tries............. we need to retain ball tho and cut out the mistakes

alive555 wrote:RDW 1 TRY FHF NO TRIES

Back to school laddy

This is a forum for grown-ups