Quadrangular Tournament: 8-23 June

First topic message reminder :

I have been "volunteered" () to start this thread, so here we go:

A. RULES

1. The hosts and Samoa will each play Italy and Scotland in a league format.
2. Italy will not play Scotland, nor Samoa the hosts, at this stage.
3. On June 22, the top two teams will face each other to determine first and second places in the tournament with the bottom two playing each other to determine third and fourth place in the tournament.
4. There is no point 4. This is simples.

B. FIXTURES

1. Round 1

Scotland v Samoa
10:30pm AEST Sat, 8th June
Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

South Africa v Italy
1:00am AEST Sun, 9th June
Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit

2. Round 2

Samoa v Italy
10:30pm AEST Sat, 15th June
Kings Park Stadium, Durban

South Africa v Scotland
1:00am AEST Sun, 16th June
Kings Park Stadium, Durban

3. Third Place Playoff

22 June 2013, 14:15 SAST (UTC+02)

3rd Placed team v 4th Placed team

Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)

4. Final

22 June 2013, 17:15 SAST (UTC+02)

1st Placed team v 2nd Placed team

Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

C. SQUADS

1. Scotland

Backs: Alex Dunbar* (Glasgow Warriors), Tom Heathcote (Bath Rugby), Peter Horne*, Ruaridh Jackson (both Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Lamont, Peter Murchie*, Henry Pyrgos (all Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour* (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor* (Saracens), Greig Tonks* and Tim Visser (both Edinburgh Rugby)

Forwards: John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens, captain), Geoff Cross, David Denton (both Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Dickinson (Sale Sharks), Ross Ford, Grant Gilchrist (both Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), Jim Hamilton (Gloucester Rugby), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Steven Lawrie* (Edinburgh Rugby), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur* (both Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Worcester Warriors), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson* and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors).

* = uncapped

2. South Africa

Forwards: Lourens Adriaanse, Willem Alberts, Arno Botha, Marcell Coetzee, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Juandre Kruger, Lappies Labuschange, Francois Louw, Tendai Mtawarara, Trevor Nyankane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Chilbioy Ralepelle, Pierre Spies, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe.

Backs: Gio Aplon, Bjorn Basson, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Zane Kirchener, Pat Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, Jan Serfontein, Morne Steyn, Jano Vermaak.

3. Italy

Piloni
Matias AGUERO (Zebre Rugby, 17 caps)
Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 95 caps)
Lorenzo CITTADINI (Benetton Treviso, 21 caps)
Alberto DE MARCHI (Benetton Treviso, 9 caps)
Michele RIZZO (Benetton Treviso, 7 caps)

Tallonatori
Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Benetton Treviso, 53 caps)
Davide GIAZZON (Zebre Rugby, 10 caps)
Andrea MANICI (Zebre Rugby, esordiente)*

Seconde linee
Valerio BERNABO' (Benetton Treviso, 19 caps)
Marco BORTOLAMI (Zebre Rugby, 94 caps)
Joshua FURNO (Narbonne, 8 caps)*
Antonio PAVANELLO (Benetton Treviso, 18 caps)

Terze linee
Robert BARBIERI (Benetton Treviso, 28 caps)
Mauro BERGAMASCO (Zebre Rugby, 93 caps)
Francesco MINTO (Benetton Treviso, 7 caps)
Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 95 caps) - capitano
Manoa VOSAWAI (Benetton Treviso, 11 caps)
Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Treviso, 74 caps)

Mediani di mischia
Tobias BOTES (Benetton Treviso, 13 caps)
Alberto CHILLON (Zebre Rugby, esordiente)*
Edoardo GORI (Benetton Treviso, 24 caps)*

Mediani d'apertura
Alberto DI BERNARDO (Benetton Treviso, esordiente)
Luciano ORQUERA (Zebre Rugby, 33 caps)

Centri
Gonzalo CANALE (Stade Rochelais, 82 caps)
Gonzalo GARCIA (Zebre Rugby, 28 caps)
Luca MORISI (Benetton Treviso, 2 caps)*
Alberto SGARBI (Benetton Treviso, 24 caps)

Ali/Estremi
Tommaso IANNONE (Benetton Treviso, 1 cap)*
Andrea MASI (London Wasps, 77 caps)
Luke MCLEAN (Benetton Treviso, 46 caps)
Leonardo SARTO (Zebre Rugby, esordiente)*
Giovanbattista VENDITTI (Zebre Rugby, 14 caps)*

4. Samoa

Hookers:
Ti'i Paulo – ASM Clermont France
Ole Avei – Bordeaux Begles
Manu Leiataua – North Harbour

Props:
Cencus Johnston – Toulouse
Logovi'i Mulipola – Leicester
Sakaria Taulafo – Wasps
James Johnston – Harlequins

Locks:
Kane Thompson – Canon Eagles
Iosefa Tekori – Castres
Daniel Leo – Perpignan
Filo Paulo – Cardiff Blues

Loose Forwards:
Taiasina Tu'ifua – Newcastle
Alafoti Fa'osiliva – Bristol
Ofisa Treviranus – London Irish
Jack Lam – Hurricanes
Maurie Fa'asavalu – Harlequins
Fa'alemiga Selesele – Moata’a
** (one to be added) **

Halfback:
Kahn Fotuali'i – Ospreys
Jeremy Su'a – Crusaders
Auvasa Faleali'i – Auckland

First Fives:
Tusi Pisi – Hurricanes
Ki Anufe – Auckland

Midfields:
George Pisi – Northampton
Johnny Leota – Sale
Isaia Tuifua – Vigo Rugby Club
Brandon Vaaulu – Tokyo Gas

Wings:
Alesana Tuilagi – NTT Shining Arcs
Alapati Leiua – Hurricanes
Robert Lilomaiava – Vaiala
**(one more to be added)**

Fullbacks:
Paul Williams – Stade Francais
James So'oialo – Wellington

Pat_Mustard wrote:Speaking of which, does someone who can be bothered want to start a thread on Scotland's JWC campaign? The team for the Argentina game is up on twitter

Fine then, I'll do it myself!

https://www.606v2.com/t44813-scotland-junior-world-championship-campaign-2013#2097256

Ah see you made the mistake of suggesting it Pat!

Delighted for the new caps (Tonks, Dunbar and MacArthur) and the potential new caps (Lawrie, Horne and Taylor)

Some good interviews here

http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/13/06/04/three-new-caps-scotlands-test-samoa

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:Biltong..

If you could also send me a link mate, that would be much appreciated.

Cheers

PM mate.

I think the reason Hamilton is benched is probably because of his delayed arrival from Hong Kong. He arrived a couple of days later and probably sweated about 2 stones jogging around in Hong Kong.

Against the Boks I'd prefer Hamiton be involved. I'd use Swinson as well, but it seems that Scott Johnson doesn't rate Swinson as highly as us lot. I'd have him ahead of both Kellock and Gilchrist, particularly with a slow(ish) back row.

Still, it's a good team, and a particularly good backline. Really looking forward to seeing Scott and Dunbar play together, and Tonks making his debut.

Slight concern about the 1 dimensional make up of our backline - apart from Tonks they are all big strong, straight running kind of guys, lacking a little pace too. Tonks is a classy runner but Hogg and Maitland are good becuase they add something different to the backline dynamic.

We're not going to run through Samoa and SA with much success!

I'm not so sure. Heathcote and Scott are both good distributors, and Dunbar offloads well in contact. In terms of pace I'd agree that neither centre sets the heather on fire, similarly Sean Lamont, but Tonks and Visser are no slouches.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Slight concern about the 1 dimensional make up of our backline - apart from Tonks they are all big strong, straight running kind of guys, lacking a little pace too. Tonks is a classy runner but Hogg and Maitland are good becuase they add something different to the backline dynamic.

We're not going to run through Samoa and SA with much success!

Visser isn't slow, RDW! He's big and strong but elusive too. Scott is a good distributer, and Dunbar can run hard but also passes well and loves an offload. Crucially, he's also a very good defender. Given the guys missing, this is the best backline we've selected in ages.

I did say slightly...

I suppose I mean there's no one with a good step who can stand up a defender - i.e. Hogg

I've there's one position where we could have perhaps added some pace it was probably on the right wing. I'm not sure Lamont has the gas to play wing anymore, and no doubt Samoa and South Africa will have serious pace out wide. Tommy Seymour might have been a decent bet on the right wing, but Lamont has additional experience and is better on the crash.

RDW_Scotland wrote:I did say slightly...

I suppose I mean there's no one with a good step who can stand up a defender - i.e. Hogg

Well that's what happens when you leave Lee Jones behind. Short sighted.

RDW_Scotland wrote:I did say slightly...

I suppose I mean there's no one with a good step who can stand up a defender - i.e. Hogg

Hogg's a rare breed. We can always have Max Evans flown out if you like...

Lamont will definitely be in there for his experience - Matt Scott would be the most experienced outside back if he wasn't there!

Alex Dunbar used to play winger and is one of the quickest in the squad.

Cannot believe we are still wheeling out the Schlong. As it were.

Dunbar still isn't that quick though, his strength is his offloads. Visser, Tonks and Lamont need to be tracking him closely looking to pick up the ball, Dunbar is excellent at freeing his hands in the tackle.