Scotland post match discussion thread

[RDW]

First topic message reminder :

1 Grant - 7

Good in the scrum, solid game

2 Ford - 6

Lots of work in the tight but still questionmarks on his throwing

3 Murray - 8

Good in the scrum and top tackle count in the game

4 Gray - 8

Very strong game with massive amount of physicallity - he's not running in from 40m but he's throwing his considerable size about the pitch, which is what we need him to do

5 Hamilton - 7

Much, much better. Looked puggled when he was subbed off having given everything. More of the same please!

6 Harley - 8

Great first start - the missing link in the back row recently. Allowed the rest of the forwards to do their thing with his tackling and ruck work

7 Brown - 7

Great workrate and good captain's performance

8 Beattie - 6

Looked like he took a bang before half time and thought he should have gone off. Quiet game and was AWOL for their try

9 Laidlaw - 8

Flawless kicking and a much better game at 9, dictating play

10 Jackson - 7

Much better and a lovely bit of play for Visser's try

11 Visser - 7

Fantastic individual try, needs to work on the rest of his game

12 Scott - 8

Best game for Scotland. Strong in defence, good in attack, excellent try and could have had 3

13 Lamont - 7

Much better game and well taken try. Still not a 13!

14 Maitland - 7

Such a skillful player - so glad he's playing for us

15 Hogg - 8

The Lions will be calling if he keeps this up

[funnyExiledScot]

Call it what you like, but the Italy match on Saturday was the find time I think I recall Scotland getting away with anything at the breakdown.

I think expectations may have got a wee bit high after the Italy game. We will be rank outsiders against Ireland.

[George Carlin]

For all of the hyperbole about ROG being the second step-son of Satan at the moment for not being able dig his team out of a smooth sided hole yesterday, what is correct is that he genuinely is not the force that he was. You only have to look at his Munster form, which has been patchy at best. Keatley rules the roost now and it won't be long before JJ is moved from 12 to 10.

I agree that their front row won't be any less weakened than ours with Murray missing. The back row will always be a battle and it will be interesting to see whether POM or Henry starts. We will need Harley to give us another game exactly the same. The good thing is that he's shown every indication that he will be able to do that.

We will certainly be able to give them a game, at least. At least Johnson and Ryan won't let them talk about being world beaters. They've both been very clear that unless we can kick on, we have achieved precisely hee-haw.

[dragonbreath]

Have to say I would take at least 1 off all players {except Hogg}

We had almost no ball and just a good defensive shift is not enough

We were still quite poor with ball although positive we took our breakaway tries well and make some

But in reality it was not a good performance

Ahh the voice of reason. I thought the score was flattering. Hogg did brilliantly for his try, if he had not intercepted Italy were under the posts and we have a different game. This one passage of play was a 14 point turnaround which is significant in any game. Scotland created two nice tried but it was one of those days when things went your way. Nothing wrong with that but everyone is getting a bit carried away IMO

[funnyExiledScot]

I realise that he's not the player he once was, but I still can't get excited about Jackson taking on ROG, or expect that we'll get a lot of change from that contest.

Sure, Sexton is the best 10 on the circuit and we'll do well not to face him, but Ireland have a strong pack and behind that (rather than in the face of an England enslaught) ROG will be a force to be reckoned with. Our back three's positioning will certainly be tested, and in that regard Visser isn't the best.

I think we have a chance, but having watched both Ireland games I really don't think there's an awful lot of cause for doom and gloom at their end. They were extremely competitive in both games. They caused England a whole bunch more problems than we did, and I worry about the running styles of both Beattie and Gray against their much vaunted choke tackle.

[UlstermaninGlasgow]

I realise that he's not the player he once was, but I still can't get excited about Jackson taking on ROG, or expect that we'll get a lot of change from that contest.

Sure, Sexton is the best 10 on the circuit and we'll do well not to face him, but Ireland have a strong pack and behind that (rather than in the face of an England enslaught) ROG will be a force to be reckoned with. Our back three's positioning will certainly be tested, and in that regard Visser isn't the best.

I think we have a chance, but having watched both Ireland games I really don't think there's an awful lot of cause for doom and gloom at their end. They were extremely competitive in both games. They caused England a whole bunch more problems than we did, and I worry about the running styles of both Beattie and Gray against their much vaunted choke tackle.

FES, ROG is no longer a force. Not even a gentle breeze. He was woeful on Sunday. From hand, where his famed kicking fell apart. Passing, where he sold BOD down the river and cost us possession in our own 22. With the ball, he tried to run from his own 22 and again coughed it up. And no need to mention his tackling.

If JB Jr gets a chance at him, he'll be on his *rse faster than Hoggy down the pitch. Not saying we don't have guys to front up, but we'll struggle without Sexton, and struggle even more with Radge at the helm...

[funnyExiledScot]

Well, I hope you're right!

[EWT Spoons]

I think I am in the same camp as FES on this one. I'm delighted that Sexton could be out, but RoG has caused us enough problems over the years that no matter how patchy his form, I'm always going to remain cautious. Was it last year or the year before he kept us pegged back in our half with excellent kick after excellent kick? Either way I'm not going to get ahead of myself, we had a good result against Italy, but it could have been different if Hogg hadn't made that interception.

I suspect the game against Ireland will be very different and we'll be underdogs for that match. We really need to win though to show that we have indeed turned a corner (which a lot of media are claiming) which is massively premature at this point in time.

[George Carlin]

Isn't the key point that none of our managment team feel we have turned the corner? I think if we go on to lose this next match, it won't be because we assumed that we were awesome going in to it.

[George Carlin]

Call it what you like, but the Italy match on Saturday was the find time I think I recall Scotland getting away with anything at the breakdown.

I think expectations may have got a wee bit high after the Italy game. We will be rank outsiders against Ireland.

Agreed. But we're still in a better position than we were when we started the tournament.

Wish I was in Edinburgh for this. I do love the Irish lassies. They'll talk the @rse off you, mind.

[EWT Spoons]

Absoultly GC and it's refreshing to hear the management team come out and make that very point. It would however be nice to actually push on for a change rather than some kind of false dawn. All I was saying is that I still class RoG as a threat and I don't think we can expect to win against Ireland which seems to be what a few folk are hinting at (not the players or management team).

[Solid8]

Isn't the key point that none of our managment team feel we have turned the corner? I think if we go on to lose this next match, it won't be because we assumed that we were awesome going in to it.

Are you sure about this, have you read the interview in the Scotsman with Johnson today?

“Ireland will be here in two weeks and they will be ready to play because they will want to win this championship, too. And, for us, beating Italy will count for nothing if we don’t get the next part right. But, instead of worrying about the woes of last week [a 38-18 defeat to England], we can worry about winning the tournament.”

I hope that this is a Journalist getting over excited and taking things out of context the rest of the article appears to support this, still I find it worrying and am back to worrying that this is another false dawn.

Full article:

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/top-rugby-stories/six-nations-scott-johnson-we-can-win-the-title-1-2784251

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

But if ROG plays will Ross Ford not cack himself ? Sorry guys could not resist that historical reference. I sincerely think Ford has turned the corner and was back to his rumbustious best on Saturday

[RuggerRadge2611]

But if ROG plays will Ross Ford not cack himself ? Sorry guys could not resist that historical reference. I sincerely think Ford has turned the corner and was back to his rumbustious best on Saturday

1st Herald of the Apocalypse : Scotland win convincingly at Murrayfield
2nd Herald : We have a potent back 3 playing for Scotland
3rd Herald : The pope retires
4th Herald : Schiz praises Ross Ford.

We're all DOOOOOOOOMED!

[RDW]

5th Herald: If the Messiah plays 80 minutes of professional rugby!

[George Carlin]

Isn't the key point that none of our managment team feel we have turned the corner? I think if we go on to lose this next match, it won't be because we assumed that we were awesome going in to it.

Are you sure about this, have you read the interview in the Scotsman with Johnson today?

“Ireland will be here in two weeks and they will be ready to play because they will want to win this championship, too. And, for us, beating Italy will count for nothing if we don’t get the next part right. But, instead of worrying about the woes of last week [a 38-18 defeat to England], we can worry about winning the tournament.”

I hope that this is a Journalist getting over excited and taking things out of context the rest of the article appears to support this, still I find it worrying and am back to worrying that this is another false dawn.

Full article:

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/top-rugby-stories/six-nations-scott-johnson-we-can-win-the-title-1-2784251

I think that this is just sensational headlining, Solid.

If you look at some of the other quotes:

"Johnson was quick to put his comments into context by insisting that his side had not suddenly turned from wooden spoon favourites to champions-elect. But he insisted that Scotland have enough talent to compete with remaining opponents, Ireland, Wales and France.

“The game has changed and the tackle area is now a huge part of how teams succeed,” he said. “We showed some potency against Italy but I keep saying that we, as a country, need to get this part of the game right.

“We’re not deluding ourselves [after one Six Nations win] because we watch the pro teams. And the autumn – we weren’t good at it there and we came up against two formidable sides and got toasted.

“That [beating Italy] was a good start, but we are still a long way from where we need to be.”

[funnyExiledScot]

5th Herald: If the Messiah plays 80 minutes of professional rugby!

I've heard he's heading to conclave to be considered as the next Pope. I don't think it'll clash with his professional rugby commitments.

[George Carlin]

The (ex-) pope is 65 years older than The Messiah.

That's a whole grandad from a respectable middle class family.

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

Apologies Radge but I would love to see Ford blooter RoG out of the ground after the YKW a few years ago !

[jimbopip]

Boys, boys have just booked tickets for the Wales game. I will be taking No. one son to his first 6Nations game, and introducing James the fat ex rugby league prop to Scottish hospitality. On which note can anyone recommend likely hostelries as its a few years since I last caroused in Edinburgh.

[123456789]

Apologies Radge but I would love to see Ford blooter RoG out of the ground after the YKW a few years ago !

Can we not get Sean Cox in to have a chat with him before the game.

I would be happy if any of our players smashed Ronan O'Gara, the man is immature and petty. Things like kicking Sean Cox, as well as a long line of others, make me really dislike him. That and the fact he made the effort to travel to see the Queen and then refuse to shake her hand, shows what a hard man he is, deliberately disrespecting an old lady for no reason whatsoever. Also there's the fact he's a cowardly and arrogant rugby player, arguably the worst combination of characteristics, who's lived off the talent of the likes of O'Driscoll, D'Arcy and O'Connell for years, he's no better than Dan Parks yet acts like he's Dan Carter. The fact that he's past his best is hilarious, as well as true, considering he was never any good in the first place. His pathetic attempts at tackling are comical as well as the fact that he travelled to South Africa as an experienced international rugby player with the Lions and thought it would be appropriate to take somebody out in the air thus ruining years of preparation and wiping the countless players', who put their body's on the line and ended up with serious injuries, faces in the mud.

[jimbopip]

Numbers, I think you're going a little easy on him. Next time don't hold back. By the way I think Dan Parks had a better kicking game than ROG and possibly just shaded the tackling duties. How often do get to say that?

[Imperialbigdave]

Im just going to shamelessly plug thi here seeing as the munster edinburgh threads gone quiet

http://c866942.wix.com/bradleycount

[RDW]

Brilliant.

[UlstermaninGlasgow]

Im just going to shamelessly plug thi here seeing as the munster edinburgh threads gone quiet

http://c866942.wix.com/bradleycount

Someone's obviously seen this

http://www.kidneyclock.net

[Imperialbigdave]

Im just going to shamelessly plug thi here seeing as the munster edinburgh threads gone quiet

http://c866942.wix.com/bradleycount

Someone's obviously seen this

http://www.kidneyclock.net

it may have been inspired by that... and the procrastination brought on by an approaching deadline.

[funnyExiledScot]

Im just going to shamelessly plug thi here seeing as the munster edinburgh threads gone quiet

http://c866942.wix.com/bradleycount

Love it! Shame it's so long!

[UlstermaninGlasgow]

Im just going to shamelessly plug thi here seeing as the munster edinburgh threads gone quiet

http://c866942.wix.com/bradleycount

Someone's obviously seen this

http://www.kidneyclock.net

it may have been inspired by that... and the procrastination brought on by an approaching deadline.

Oh trust me, procrastination is a glorious thing on this place... I've my final exams for medical school in 2 days and here I am on here!

[Redrage]

Apologies Radge but I would love to see Ford blooter RoG out of the ground after the YKW a few years ago !

What was the YKW incident, I don't remember it?

[funnyExiledScot]

A couple of seasons back ROG, that mountain of a man, burst through a Ross Ford tackle at Murrayfield to score a try.

[Redrage]

A couple of seasons back ROG, that mountain of a man, burst through a Ross Ford tackle at Murrayfield to score a try.

Ah right, and YKW stands for?

[funnyExiledScot]

You Know What I suspect.

We don't like talking about it.

[George Carlin]

Im just going to shamelessly plug thi here seeing as the munster edinburgh threads gone quiet

http://c866942.wix.com/bradleycount

Love it! Shame it's so long!

There's an actress and bishop joke there somewhere.

[funnyExiledScot]

I don't think Bradley has one.

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

Euan Murray for Pope !

[jimbopip]

Schiz, if the Rev became Pope would that not require him to work Sundays?
Just remember the old Spanish saying, "All the children in the village call the priest Father, except his own. They call him uncle."
The Rev is a prop such convoluted thought processes would only cause him severe huffiness. He's better off where he is I think.

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

Schiz, if the Rev became Pope would that not require him to work Sundays?
Just remember the old Spanish saying, "All the children in the village call the priest Father, except his own. They call him uncle."
The Rev is a prop such convoluted thought processes would only cause him severe huffiness. He's better off where he is I think.

Jimbo,

you got any 'refreshment' advice yet for a week on Sunday ? if not PM me and I can hopefully steer you away from the MFL shacks !

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