Scotland (17) v France (19), 8 March

by Nematode Wed 26 Feb 2014, 6:59 pm

First topic message reminder :

Scotland Yahoo

vs France

RBS 6 Nations
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Saturday 8th March, 2014
KO 1700

Referee: Chris Pollock

Scotland (17) v France (19), 8 March - Page 3 Chris+Pollock+Ireland+v+Scotland+RBS+Six+Nations+3oYNkE6sjFel

Scotland (17) v France (19), 8 March - Page 3 Chris+Pollock+Ireland+v+Scotland+RBS+Six+Nations+3oYNkE6sjFel

Assistant Referees: George Clancy, JP Doyle

A. Squads

Scotland Squad REVISED:

Forwards: Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (all Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant, Jonny Gray (both Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur (both Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Worcester Warriors), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors).

Backs: Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Cuthbert, Nick De Luca (both Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson (both Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors).

NO HARLEY, RENNIE or K LOW

French Squad:

Vincent Debaty, Thomas Domingo, Yannick Forestier, Brice Mach, Dimitri Szarzewski, Nicolas Mas, Rabah Slimani, Alexandre Flanquart, Yoann Maestri, Pascal Pape, Sebastien Vaahamahina, Virgile Bruni, Alexandre Lapandry, Wenceslas Lauret, Bernard le Roux, Damien Chouly, Antonie Claassen, Jean-Marc Doussain, Maxime Machenaud, Morgan Parra, Jules Plisson, Remi Tales, Mathieu Bastareaud, Gael Fickou, Remi Lamerat, Maxime Mermoz, Yoann Huget, Maxime Medard, Hugo Bonneval, Brice Dulin

B. Previous matches

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd7YAfmRSls 2013 L
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_7_quuZcsY 2012 L
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zpi55BQmRM 2011 L

C. Teams

France Team:
Scotland (17) v France (19), 8 March - Page 3 Bald-clown-cap-64403

Scotland (17) v France (19), 8 March - Page 3 Bald-clown-cap-64403

France team: B Dulin (Castres); Y Huget (Toulouse), M Bastareaud (Toulon), M Mermoz (Toulon), M Medard (Toulouse); J Plisson (Stade Francais), M Machenaud (Racing Metro); T Domingo (Clermont Auvergne), B Mach (Castres), N Mas (Montpellier), Y Maestri (Toulouse), P Pape (Stade Francais, capt), S Vahaamahina (Perpignan), A Lapandry (Clermont Auvergne), D Chouly (Clermont Auvergne).

Replacements: G Guirado (Perpignan), V Debaty (Clermont Auvergne), R Slimani (Stade Francais), A Flanquart (Stade Francais), A Claassen (Castres), J-M Doussain (Toulouse), R Tales (Castres), G Fickou (Toulouse).

Scotland Team:
Scotland (17) v France (19), 8 March - Page 3 AMY+MACDONALD+The+Dome+53+Pfq0eTjkknal

Scotland (17) v France (19), 8 March - Page 3 AMY+MACDONALD+The+Dome+53+Pfq0eTjkknal

Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh); Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Johnny Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens, capt), David Denton (Edinburgh).
Replacements: Ross Ford (Edinburgh), INJ OUT ~~Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh)~~ IN Moray Low, Euan Murray (Worcester Warriors), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Max Evans (Castres).

D. Watch out for...

Richie Gray https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSpiYWB-5Sk

Yoann Huget https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYWJyeLoUAs

PS Thanks to George Carlin for previous match threads. I've tried where possible to continue your style and structure.

by Majestic83 Tue 04 Mar 2014, 12:17 pm

I sometimes wonder if Johnson understands his own selections!
Really don't understand the back row selection. Yes all for Brown coming back in but at 6 which is obvious it is his best position!
Beattie is an 8 and is definitely the most effective 8 we have got. Why move him to 6 and put Denton at 8 when Denton is better suited to 6.
Beatties skills at the base of a scrum are 10 times better than Denton. Beattie has more explosion from an 8 pick up and far better ball handling skills.

Why drop Fusaro totally when he has played well in his 2 games! His back row selection the whole time he has been in charge just don't make any sense!

Having Wilson on the bench who has been ill and not trained is stupid. Back row is one of our strongest areas and we could easily bring Barclay, Hogg, Harley or Strokosh onto the bench.
Wilson to be honest has not been that effective at 6 anyway!

Still baffled why Cusiter isn't starting, way quicker service and much more of a threat than Laidlaw. Laidlaw has the one plus point that he kicks goals but his goal kicking hasn't been off the same standard this championship so give that role to Weir or Hogg!

by **RDW** Tue 04 Mar 2014, 12:18 pm

Just watched the interview with SJ and he seemed to drop a hint that Dickinson might be a doubt - who would come in if he was out? Low covering looshead? Both him and Welsh seem to be back to being tightheads now...

by nickj Tue 04 Mar 2014, 12:18 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:
SJ wrote:"I think Saturday is a game that will really suit Kelly. Unlike other sides in the competition, France play above the ground a bit and there will be a lot of mauling.

“I think the pitch suits Kelly too and I’ve picked a side that can win the game and that’s most important.

I know. What does he mean exactly? What does 'France play above the ground a bit' mean? I think Laurent will be rubbing his hands with glee hearing that.

Does 'I’ve picked a side that can win the game and that’s most important' mean 'Sod what Vern wants, I've had enough of expanding our playing pool. I'm picking the best players at my disposal for Saturday just in case the SRU start questioning my suitability for DOR?

by R!skysports Tue 04 Mar 2014, 12:21 pm

Actaul selection aside - the chopping and changing, dropping and undropping, must have an impact on the team - they can not really trust a thing that is said by the baffoon

by R!skysports Tue 04 Mar 2014, 12:22 pm

And even worst

Just went to buy a packet of Prawn Cocktail crisps - only to find that Smoky Bacon is almost the same colour package - I am now depressed

#lackingaclue

by TheMildlyFranticLlama Tue 04 Mar 2014, 12:31 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:
SJ wrote:"I think Saturday is a game that will really suit Kelly. Unlike other sides in the competition, France play above the ground a bit and there will be a lot of mauling.

“I think the pitch suits Kelly too and I’ve picked a side that can win the game and that’s most important.

This also goes completely against what he was saying at the start of the tournament - e.g. I could pick a team that I feel could win but that won't help us build for the future. What happened to that? Surely if you're going to make a bold call like that (albeit executed terribly) you need to stick by it? Too much fear over the safety of his DOR job? (Lets hope his fears are founded eh)

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Tue 04 Mar 2014, 12:47 pm

Sorry, can't accept the line of thought that as this is Johnson's 'least insane' selection to date, we should all be doing feicin cartwheels - it's still got far too many duff decisions in it, so still comes under the category 'Generally sh1te'

by **RDW** Tue 04 Mar 2014, 12:52 pm

I'm sure no one is saying they are happy with it, but like it or not we are stuck with SJ for the next two games and have to take whatever positives we can:

KB is back, not in his best position, but he is going to be a man on a mission for this game.

We have a massive back 5 with great ball carrying capability. The backrow may not be balanced, but Denton and Beattie are a pretty destructive combo.

Geoff Cross played well last week and has been rewarded with a start - Murray hasn't been rushed back in with limited gametime.

Lawson is also rewarded for his storng performance.

The back division is unchanged, meaning the Weir-Scott-Dunbar axis can grow in experience. Worth remembering that both tries last week came from the backs.

So yes there are still some strange calls in there, but it is definitely better than previous sslections.

by funnyExiledScot Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:14 pm

Bizarre comments from Scott Johnson, but at least he's pinned his colours to the mast this time. In his opinion, this is the 23 picked to win the game, which is his stated number one priority. If we get humped, I don't want to hear any nonsense about building for the future, and that there are better players which he deliberately didn't pick. With Lawson, Hamilton and Brown included in the pack, and the Rev Murray on the bench, this is not a side that's building.

Big chance this. France are not firing on all cylinders, and we're coming off the back of a win. It's also good to know that France play above the ground. Pleased we've got that clear. At least Nematode should be safe....

by RuggerRadge2611 Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:15 pm

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Sorry, can't accept the line of thought that as this is Johnson's 'least insane' selection to date, we should all be doing feicin cartwheels - it's still got far too many duff decisions in it, so still comes under the category 'Generally sh1te'

I agree, to say this is a "better" selection, is similar to saying it's "better" to lose your arm at the elbow rather than the shoulder.

by SecretFly Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:20 pm

Johnson picked a side that can win???

Now he's beginning to show his coaching credentials!!! I knew he'd get there eventually. And all you critics can start the apology thread!

I'm personally looking forward to this new Helicopter rugby game. It's probably what European rugby is looking most for now "in all fairness" - along with power and greed.

by **Notch** Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:27 pm

Scott Johnsons selection policy...

This weekend is a great occasion, with the two most opaque coaches in the Six Nations going head to head. Who will win the day and the title of second worst prepared side?

At least Scott Johnson is now selecting a side with the aim of winning games- this is apparently a major change of policy in the Scottish camp and could prove decisive.

by funnyExiledScot Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:33 pm

Notch wrote: Scott Johnsons selection policy...

This weekend is a great occasion, with the two most opaque coaches in the Six Nations going head to head. Who will win the day and the title of second worst prepared side?

At least Scott Johnson is now selecting a side with the aim of winning games- this is apparently a major change of policy in the Scottish camp and could prove decisive.

.......... Crying or Very sad

by **BigGee** Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:34 pm

I tend to think the changes are reasonable as well. While we beat Italy it was by no means a perfect performance. When we get to the point when we have won several games on the trot then I would question why he is making some changes?

Low had a poor game so it is no surprise that he goes and like everyone else I am pleased to see Cross start. He did a decent shift when he came on and looked pretty good against Leinster at the weekend. Murray back on the bench is good as well, he is going to be around till the next world cup and needs to be part of our squad. On his day he is still our best TH and he will be a reassuring presence on the bench if we struggle in the scrum.

Lawson starts again as a reward for a good game. I think we will see the bench used a bit more this game though and I do expect Ford to get on this time. He played well against Leinster as well and hopefully will come back hungry.

Second row was never going to change and it seems that some of the back row changes have been forced by illness. I think I, like everyone else would like to have seen Beattie and Dents the other way around but it will be interesting to see how they actually line in the match, they certainly have the potential to mix and match a bit. This goes for the flankers as well, Fusaro is unlucky to miss out but at least he is capped now and knows what international rugby is all about. The jury is still out on whether he has the ability to make it at that level or not. KB on the other hand needs to show us what we have been missing, it is a big opportunity for him as well.

An unchanged backline is a little surprising when most would have wanted Cusiter to come in. His kicking is probably most of what is keeping Laidlaw in place but you would have hopped that he has been told in no uncertain terms that he has to get the ball out quicker. He could be in the last chance saloon now and Weir is perfectly capable of stepping up to take the kicks. He should grow into that role as his confidence increases and it should have come on leaps and bounds after the last game.

Seymour I guess could be considered a little bit lucky as well, but he is relatively new and probably worth persevering with. Maxy has played well when he has come on but he is hardly the future and has had plenty chances of his own in the past. Still he looks hungry and will keep the pressure on the incumbents. If he keeps coming on and impressing then he will get another chance.

All in all I am not to down about this team. It is certainly a team that could beat France. The pitch is playing a bit better apparently which I think will help us as well. They owe the fans a home win this year and I really hope they turn up on Saturday!

by Totalflanker Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:36 pm

To be fair, Johnson's selection must be keeping the French on their toes, St. Andrew must be wondering what the feic is going on.

Wouldn't mind too much if there was a discernable strategy for pack selection for the future, but there seems to be no rhyme nor reason other than enie menie mine mo

by **George Carlin** Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:45 pm

funnyExiledScot wrote:
Notch wrote: Scott Johnsons selection policy...

This weekend is a great occasion, with the two most opaque coaches in the Six Nations going head to head. Who will win the day and the title of second worst prepared side?

At least Scott Johnson is now selecting a side with the aim of winning games- this is apparently a major change of policy in the Scottish camp and could prove decisive.

..........

.......

by **RDW** Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:52 pm

Highlights from the last game at Murrayfield

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17173380

We actually played pretty well that game from memory, and were punished by missed tackels from Laidlaw and Lee Jones in particular.

by R!skysports Tue 04 Mar 2014, 1:58 pm

This site sucks -

No sympathy for my crisp drama....

Sad

by cakeordeath Tue 04 Mar 2014, 2:20 pm

Riskysports wrote:This site sucks -

No sympathy for my crisp drama....

If it makes you feel any better, I bought a can of diet coke* from the vending machine, and it got stuck. In the process of "teasing" it out, I ended up with 2

*Got to look after my figure.

by EWT Spoons Tue 04 Mar 2014, 2:37 pm

Sorry Risky, no sympathy here.

My office doesn’t have luxuries such as crisps and fizzy drinks, best I can rustle up is a little cup of vending machine ‘tea’ that can only be described as brown.

However, if it makes you feel any better I once pressed the wrong button and got ‘coffee’ but as it tastes almost exactly the same as the tea it really wasn’t a big deal. I don’t even look at what button I’m pressing now, its the same regardless.

by R!skysports Tue 04 Mar 2014, 2:49 pm

EWT Spoons wrote:Sorry Risky, no sympathy here.

My office doesn’t have luxuries such as crisps and fizzy drinks, best I can rustle up is a little cup of vending machine ‘tea’ that can only be described as brown.

However, if it makes you feel any better I once pressed the wrong button and got ‘coffee’ but as it tastes almost exactly the same as the tea it really wasn’t a big deal. I don’t even look at what button I’m pressing now, its the same regardless.

This was an official paid for bag of crisps from a shop, not the free bees from offices that ASBO frequents, where money is used to wipe up spills and the dreams of the poor are used as filler in the walls angel

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Tue 04 Mar 2014, 2:53 pm

Riskysports wrote:
EWT Spoons wrote:Sorry Risky, no sympathy here.

My office doesn’t have luxuries such as crisps and fizzy drinks, best I can rustle up is a little cup of vending machine ‘tea’ that can only be described as brown.

However, if it makes you feel any better I once pressed the wrong button and got ‘coffee’ but as it tastes almost exactly the same as the tea it really wasn’t a big deal. I don’t even look at what button I’m pressing now, its the same regardless.

This was an official paid for bag of crisps from a shop, not the free bees from offices that ASBO frequents, where money is used to wipe up spills and the dreams of the poor are used as filler in the walls

What you mean the open roads as I'm on another painting mission? Ungrateful bar-steward

by funnyExiledScot Tue 04 Mar 2014, 3:39 pm

Which council is ASBO working for these days? Sounds like Kensington and Chelsea to me!

by R!skysports Tue 04 Mar 2014, 4:09 pm

funnyExiledScot wrote:Which council is ASBO working for these days? Sounds like Kensington and Chelsea to me!

Sometimes I think ASBO gets too hard a time on here?

Most of the time - I don't Hug

by jimbopip Tue 04 Mar 2014, 4:16 pm

Boys, boys, two things to contribute to the unfettered clash of opinion.
First; what we need to balance our back row is a big laddie with lightning pace, a piledriver hand-off, good handling skills and the ability to lift in the lineout. I don't know if any of you have heard of him but Glasgow have a fella called Vernon who did all of the above against Leinster on Saturday. The only problem I can foresee is Toonie keeps, bizarrely, playing him in the centres. Could we perhaps start up a petition or something?
Secondly, having sofasurfed at ASBO's single-end (Schiz will translate for our Eastern brethren) I can assure you that "the dreams of the poor" are used as a motivational tool to propel his offspring up chimneys while himself pockets the proceeds. And very profitable it is too, except in the case of young Malky MacTuilangi, the Polynesian one- he requires liberal smearings of margarine before he can "get up that lum son" as ASBO so eloquently puts it.
Picking a team to win...Fecc me that's just mad Ted, so it is.

by **George Carlin** Tue 04 Mar 2014, 4:20 pm

I have absolutely no idea what anyone is talking about on this thread any more.
I've heard that happens when you get older.

Must be particularly bad for Asbo at 101.

by TJ Tue 04 Mar 2014, 4:27 pm

LOL @ jimbopip

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Tue 04 Mar 2014, 4:43 pm

Superb from J-pip

by TJ Tue 04 Mar 2014, 5:42 pm

So hve I got this right - in our back row we have all three out of position? Or am I even more confused than SJ?

by **RDW** Tue 04 Mar 2014, 5:50 pm

Denton plays 8 for Edinburgh so he's not out of position, but he should probably be 6 in that back row so maybe is out of position...

by tigertattie Tue 04 Mar 2014, 6:16 pm

Scott Johnson. Keeping you bamboozled since 2013

by CraigS1874 Tue 04 Mar 2014, 6:35 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:Denton plays 8 for Edinburgh so he's not out of position, but he should probably be 6 in that back row so maybe is out of position...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQRmqM8hdRE I used to agree Beattie had better control at the base of the scrum but if you watch the last 3 minutes vs italy we have two scrums and denton was under a lot of pressure, both times he was big enough to secure the ball despite the poor platform and then we won thumbsup

I am a bit confused by the team but apart from cus not starting, I am very happy and fancy our chances. Braveheart

by tigertattie Tue 04 Mar 2014, 7:17 pm

Now the team has been announced, what score lines are folk going for?

I'm gonna go 23 - 15 to France. Hope I'm wrong though.

Scotland to have most possession but France to score two tries from inside their own half to knock the wind out of us.

by TJ Tue 04 Mar 2014, 7:24 pm

CraigS1874 wrote:
RDW_Scotland wrote:Denton plays 8 for Edinburgh so he's not out of position, but he should probably be 6 in that back row so maybe is out of position...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQRmqM8hdRE I used to agree Beattie had better control at the base of the scrum but if you watch the last 3 minutes vs italy we have two scrums and denton was under a lot of pressure, both times he was big enough to secure the ball despite the poor platform and then we won
I am a bit confused by the team but apart from cus not starting, I am very happy and fancy our chances.

Indeed - he did very well indeed at those scrums I thought.

by TJ Tue 04 Mar 2014, 7:25 pm

I reackon we will have a high scoring entertaining match with not a lot in it. France by 5 maybe?

by majesticimperialman Tue 04 Mar 2014, 7:28 pm

I have gone for France. But the way they are playing it could well be a Scotland win.

Normally i would say France by 20 points. But not this year.

by cakeordeath Tue 04 Mar 2014, 8:26 pm

majesticimperialman wrote:I have gone for France. But the way they are playing it could well be a Scotland win.

Normally i would say France by 20 points. But not this year.

You would have to go back to 2008 for a victory of that size (and it was only just)

by flyhalffactory Tue 04 Mar 2014, 10:26 pm

Evans not starting, Seymour is
mad

Beattie 8 Denton 6 for gawds sake mon we have the 8 and 6 the wrong way round. Hopefully Beattie will interchange with Denton, otherwise this is going to be a long dire struggle.
mad

Fusaro who is a chopper will be invaluable on a pitch that will be cutting up.... is axed ffs!
mad

Halfbacks We have a back row with no real inertia and yet we have a 9 who is slow at the moment and Cusiter who is looking sharp not starting, that leaves wee Dunky with it all to do again. I would rather have started Cusiter/Jackson who is having a really good season.

Vernon to push on for a midfield berth soon...... maybe

Scotland to win by 7, I predict Hogg to pull a MOTM out of the bag

by tigertattie Tue 04 Mar 2014, 11:04 pm

I know France look shaky but last year every team except us beat a shaky French side.

Home advantage may help us this year.

I just think our defence is going to let us down. France are not playing as a team but their back three players could all individually tear us to shreds. Hence my prediction of two French tries coming from their own half.

by **RDW** Wed 05 Mar 2014, 8:34 am

Sorry to put a damper on things, but just read that we have actually only beaten France once in the 6N - 2006!

So history is very, very much against us.

by **George Carlin** Wed 05 Mar 2014, 8:44 am

Hmm:

16 March 2013	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	23 – 16	France	2013 Six Nations Championship
26 February 2012	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	17 – 23	France	2012 Six Nations Championship
5 February 2011	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	34 – 21	France	2011 Six Nations Championship
7 February 2010	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	9 – 18	France	2010 Six Nations Championship
14 February 2009	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	22 – 13	France	2009 Six Nations Championship
3 February 2008	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	6 – 27	France	2008 Six Nations Championship
17 March 2007	Stade de France, Saint-Denis	46 – 19	France	2007 Six Nations Championship
5 February 2006	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	20 – 16	Scotland	2006 Six Nations Championship

Okay, so our record isn't good.

But those were the dark days of Parks, Good, Morrison and not having any discernible idea what to do with the ball when we got it.

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Wed 05 Mar 2014, 8:48 am

Sorry to p1ss on all the optimism, but I can only see a comfortable France win. Reading more of Johnson's commentary regarding selections convinces me that he is way, way out of his depth, with little clue as to what he's doing and flip-flopping from one game to the next as he scrabbles for a solution that's simply not within his understanding.

#lackingclue

by Tattie Scones RRN Wed 05 Mar 2014, 9:02 am

Good article on the BBC from Tom English

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/26441239

Risky and myself trying our best to promote lackingclue fever in the discussion!

As far as the result gos, it's difficult to call.....two pish teams on a sh!te pitch.

Do have a feeling that SJ after the match will be saying "told you so"!

by EWT Spoons Wed 05 Mar 2014, 9:23 am

Sensible chat from Denton in the Scotsman today. Talks about how he was disappointed to have been dropped for the Italy game and that since his injury he’s lost his ability to offload and it’s something he’s working on.

Good to see he knows where he needs to improve and is working on it.

Stuart Bathgate wrote:THERE is a limit to how far any player can go when disagreeing with a coach who has dropped him. It would be understandable if David Denton came very close to that limit a couple of weeks ago when Scott Johnson told him he was out of the Scotland team to play Italy.

In the previous game against England, Denton was just about the only Scot to take the play to the opposition with real conviction. It could be construed as damning him with faint praise to say he was Scotland’s best player in that dire 20-0 defeat, but he was certainly doing well enough to provoke collective bemusement around Murrayfield when he was substituted in the second half. The 24-year-old forward looked baffled himself, as well as angry. And the emotions were similar ten days later when he was left out of the starting XV for the match in Rome.

Yesterday, a different, far more positive emotion was the order of the day when the team was announced for Saturday’s home game against France.

“It feels awesome,” Denton said of his return to the team. “I was very excited when I was told I’d be back.”

Having said that, Denton admitted it had felt less than awesome to be left out for the previous match. He has no pretensions about being immune to criticism, nor illusions about being a perfect player. Yet, for all that he was able to understand the reasons advanced by Johnson, Denton also admitted that both emotionally and rationally they were hard to accept.

“I found it very tough, at the start,” he said. “It’s something I had to get over.

“It was the coach’s decision. He pointed out the reasons to me. He was pretty open about it and so was I.

“There are areas of my game that I need to work on personally but, in the short term, if I keep doing what I’m good at, getting us over the gain line and putting in a few shots here and there, I think my place in the team will be merited.

“I think the main message I got for the Italy game was that there was going to be a change in our gameplan, and that my game didn’t particularly suit it. My argument was that I can change the way I play. But, if you’re looking to get consistency in a team, which is a big thing for us, you can’t have players chopping and changing how they play in a game.

“Although I was frustrated, I understood Johnno’s decision. And, if there is one luxury we’ve got in this team, it’s strength in the back row.

“We’ve got great players involved this week – and, for someone like Al Strokosch not to be involved in the Six Nations shows how fierce the competition is. It’s something I didn’t take too personally, although it’s hard not to. When I came on against Italy, I thought I did my job well enough to merit selection this week.”

Johnson has said he wants to see Denton do more off the ball, acknowledging that, when in possession, the Edinburgh player can be extremely effective. In the abstract, the coach’s assessment amounts to the belief that Denton needs to develop a more well-rounded game.

In reality, though, it is hard to summon up the energy to increase your off-the-ball contribution when you have expended phenomenal quantities of effort being used as a human battering ram. While being more than willing to attempt a more versatile contribution, Denton is also aware of the need to stick to his strengths.

“What I’ve learned is not to change who you are as a player,” he added. “My strengths are always going to be what they are. I’ve got to develop my so-called weaknesses – areas that I can improve. But I’m always going to be a player who is in the team to get us on the front foot and carry the ball.

“I would like to open up my off-loading game a bit more. It’s something I did have but, unfortunately, I seem to have lost it over the last couple of months – since I came back from my injury. It’s something I need to rediscover, because it’s an important part of the game.

“Because I’m generally getting over the gain-line, off-loads should be easy. It’s just a matter of me changing my mindset about it. You don’t have as much time in Test rugby and, if you want to talk about off-loads, the first thing you’ve got to do is win the gain-line. The last thing you want to do is what the French do from time to time, getting tackled behind the gain-line, running backwards and trying to do something fancy with the ball.”

Given his fondness for running forward and doing nothing too fancy with the ball, it is curious that, despite his 20 caps, Denton is one of only two players in Saturday’s team – prop Ryan Grant being the other – not to have scored any points for their country. “I would like to get on the scoreboard because it’s been a long time coming. I could tell you I’ve been so close so many times, but nobody cares about that.

“What I’m in the team to do is get us in the position to score tries. But, if I get one, that’s great.”

by **RDW** Wed 05 Mar 2014, 9:26 am

It's also food to see him genuinely gutted about being dropped and benched - we need more of that arrogance abd desire from players.

by tigertattie Wed 05 Mar 2014, 11:49 am

Hopefully Denton will push on from this.

SJ really does need binned. I really worry about the harm he'll do as DOR

by TJ Wed 05 Mar 2014, 11:51 am

I suspect Cotter will see him ousted as DOR - especially if he tries to interfere

by SecretFly Wed 05 Mar 2014, 11:55 am

Em...Denton. Very loaded though coy comments. Given he's talking more sense than the coach, in detail................... it quite directly points out that he's one guy who is 'openly' declaring he can't wait for Cotter to show.

by nickj Wed 05 Mar 2014, 12:06 pm

While I'm not a huge Johnno fan, weren't there rumours of Denton (and if I remember rightly Big Richie Gray) getting a bit big for their boots when Robinson went? Making glory runs down blind alleys, not passing to team mates, having bad attitudes in training?

by **RDW** Wed 05 Mar 2014, 12:10 pm

nickj wrote:While I'm not a huge Johnno fan, weren't there rumours of Denton (and if I remember rightly Big Richie Gray) getting a bit big for their boots when Robinson went? Making glory runs down blind alleys, not passing to team mates, having bad attitudes in training?

That's a good point.

I suspect that is the areas Cotter will have a big influence - he sounds like he really takes no crap from anyone and will install a real good attitude from the players.

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