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

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Scotland    vs France   

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

Referee: Chris Pollock



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:


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:



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.

Our record against the french is about played 12 won 1. That game we should have won by AT LEAST 15-20 points. No we lose. Again.

GloriousEmpire wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Nachos Jones wrote:Opportunities lost today for Scotland but a marked improvement on performance. Decision making was not the best and Scotland certainly need a very cool head in on the field.

I would even start putting Hogg more at 10 and making him captain.

I agree, Hogg looks very useful coming in at ten for attacking play.

Wier is an issue, he's not cut out for this level.

I actually think weir is decent.  On the miss pass, JD is just wrong. If they'd gone through the hands the French would've shuffled them into touch or cut out the move in midfield.

The wide pass was the correct option, but the execution was just not quite good enough as huget, who is a very very talented player made an all or nothing play and it was frankly the only thing that came off for france.

No, you only throw the miss pass when the player you are missing is the player being lined up by the last opposition defender. You throw the miss pass so the last defender can't take man and ball. You don't throw the miss pass to the player being lined up by the last defender. Tonight showed you why.

If weir had just put it through the hands Scotland would have had a three on one against huget, who although classy would have been drawn in and the ball passed to Hogg or Seymour to trot over for the score.

to be fair to france they threw a horrendous miss pass when the simple pass to dulin was a guaranteed try.

although the french error didnt lead to a try at the other end admittedly.

tigertattie wrote:

GloriousEmpire wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Nachos Jones wrote:Opportunities lost today for Scotland but a marked improvement on performance. Decision making was not the best and Scotland certainly need a very cool head in on the field.

I would even start putting Hogg more at 10 and making him captain.

I agree, Hogg looks very useful coming in at ten for attacking play.

Wier is an issue, he's not cut out for this level.

I actually think weir is decent.  On the miss pass, JD is just wrong. If they'd gone through the hands the French would've shuffled them into touch or cut out the move in midfield.

The wide pass was the correct option, but the execution was just not quite good enough as huget, who is a very very talented player made an all or nothing play and it was frankly the only thing that came off for france.

No, you only throw the miss pass when the player you are missing is the player being lined up by the last opposition defender. You throw the miss pass so the last defender can't take man and ball. You don't throw the miss pass to the player being lined up by the last defender. Tonight showed you why.

If weir had just put it through the hands Scotland would hack had a three on one against huget, who although classy would have been drawn in and the ball passed to Hogg or Seymour to trot over for the score.

Simply incorrect GE. Scotland had a Scott, Dunbar, Hogg and Evans on Huget, the last man. If they used simple quick hands, it was a walk in for Evans or Hogg.

Not sure that was a good performance by Scotland, France were dier, and Scotland didn't really offer much to break them down, considering posession and territory Scotland should have put another 20 points on the board.

I don't think Wales will fear much from Scotland

quinsforever wrote:to be fair to france they threw a horrendous miss pass when the simple pass to dulin was a guaranteed try.

although the french error didnt lead to a try at the other end admittedly.

So whats your point?? Very very odd thing the say

alive555 wrote:

quinsforever wrote:to be fair to france they threw a horrendous miss pass when the simple pass to dulin was a guaranteed try.

although the french error didnt lead to a try at the other end admittedly.

So whats your point??  Very very odd thing the say

That miss passes are stupid?

EST wrote:

tigertattieif wrote:

GloriousEmpire wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Nachos Jones wrote:Opportunities lost today for Scotland but a marked improvement on performance. Decision making was not the best and Scotland certainly need a very cool head in on the field.

I would even start putting Hogg more at 10 and making him captain.

I agree, Hogg looks very useful coming in at ten for attacking play.

Wier is an issue, he's not cut out for this level.

I actually think weir is decent.  On the miss pass, JD is just wrong. If they'd gone through the hands the French would've shuffled them into touch or cut out the move in midfield.

The wide pass was the correct option, but the execution was just not quite good enough as huget, who is a very very talented player made an all or nothing play and it was frankly the only thing that came off for france.

No, you only throw the miss pass when the player you are missing is the player being lined up by the last opposition defender. You throw the miss pass so the last defender can't take man and ball. You don't throw the miss pass to the player being lined up by the last defender. Tonight showed you why.

If weir had just put it through the hands Scotland would hack had a three on one against huget, who although classy would have been drawn in and the ball passed to Hogg or Seymour to trot over for the score.

Simply incorrect GE.  Scotland had a Scott, Dunbar, Hogg and Evans on Huget, the last man.  If they used simple quick hands, it was a walk in for Evans or Hogg.

we desperately need a fly half its been costing us close games for a while

tigertattie wrote:

alive555 wrote:

quinsforever wrote:to be fair to france they threw a horrendous miss pass when the simple pass to dulin was a guaranteed try.

although the french error didnt lead to a try at the other end admittedly.

So whats your point??  Very very odd thing the say

That miss passes are stupid?

correct. can't just pick on weir for squandering points by choosing the miss pass.

yet again 555 tackles the man off the ball as the actual ball carrier jogs in to touch down.  

quinsforever wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

alive555 wrote:

quinsforever wrote:to be fair to france they threw a horrendous miss pass when the simple pass to dulin was a guaranteed try.

although the french error didnt lead to a try at the other end admittedly.

So whats your point??  Very very odd thing the say

That miss passes are stupid?

correct. can't just pick on weir for squandering points by choosing the miss pass.

yet again 555 tackles the man off the ball as the actual ball carrier jogs in to touch down.  

keep smoking weed or whatever you are on  

The SRU need to get heathcote up to Edinburgh and Finn Russell playing more regularly at Glasgow.

Even taking weir's horrendous miss pass out the equation, he did nothing to merit his place today.

alive555 wrote:

quinsforever wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

alive555 wrote:

quinsforever wrote:to be fair to france they threw a horrendous miss pass when the simple pass to dulin was a guaranteed try.

although the french error didnt lead to a try at the other end admittedly.

So whats your point??  Very very odd thing the say

That miss passes are stupid?

correct. can't just pick on weir for squandering points by choosing the miss pass.

yet again 555 tackles the man off the ball as the actual ball carrier jogs in to touch down.  

keep smoking weed or whatever you are on  

never have i seen anyone completely miss the point more than you. laugh all you like. when you're the last one to join in you should realise who the butt of the joke is...

ah, i understand why you post as you do at this hour. it's 4am in bangkok.

i am sorry you lost. england lost against france similarly. you cant just blame a single moment or a single individual. its an 80minute team game with an opposition that makes mistakes and contributions too.

What really bothers me is when people come on here and parrot something a commentator or pundit said during the game an claim it as their own opinion.

Doubly annoying when the original opinion is blatantly wrong.

I don't want to urinate on an open wound here, but, am I alone in thinking that neither of the Scottish tries should've been awarded?

The first one looks blatantly as of huget touched it down first.

The second, obvious obstruction.

Was the outcome rather moral even if Scotland did dominate territory and possession?

GloriousEmpire wrote:I don't want to urinate on an open wound here, but, am I alone in thinking that neither of the Scottish tries should've been awarded?

The first one looks blatantly as of huget touched it down first.

The second, obvious obstruction.

Was the outcome rather moral even if Scotland did dominate territory and possession?

Not clear at all that Huget touched the ball but it was a gift to the host.
Thought the 2nd Scottish try was very nicely set up so no issues here. They could have scored a few more if it wasnt for Bastareaud and very odd decision making. France lost all composure after 15-20 minutes and Scotland really should have got a better result than that.

It's fairly clear if you just watch the replay and freeze frame it.

Just back home after being at the game. Great atmosphere inside Murrayfield for first time in a few years.

Thought scotland played well and deserved the win. Was v impressed with the way the forwards out muscled the French pack. The back division looked good at points, matt scott was the stand out back for me. Strong running, very good passing, and brilliant defence.
Two very well taken tries and should have been more.
The obvious turning point of the game was the intercept.
For me it was down to a lack of composure by weir. Scotland were in the lead and weren't chasing the game. The French heads were down and starting to get v frustrated. Why throw such a stupid easily read pass when a composed head should have just put the ball through the hands. Either we would have scored or we would have recycled the ball and set up another attack.
Hopefully this will be a hard lesson learned and will turn into a long term positive as I thought weir was playing fairly well.

Talking of the ten jersey was in the Rbs tent before the game and during the q&a with chris Paterson he was asked should Hogg be 15 or 10. Paterson said without doubt a 15. Purely because he said Hogg is a selficious (in a good way) player and playing him at ten which is a more disciplined position would take away from his natural game. Very impressed with the way mossy spoke and was very open and frank. I know who I'd like to see as director of rugby instead of Johnson!

GloriousEmpire wrote:It's fairly clear if you just watch the replay and freeze frame it.

Yep it is fairly clear......only that huget didn't have any downward pressure on the ball there for he didn't touch the ball down behind his line. Needs the same downward pressure as if it was in the act of scoring.
Clearly his finger tips brushed the ball but at no point did he push downwards so yep it is clear....it was a try!

Ahhhh, dear, that loss really hurt. Really thought we had them. Absolutely gutted. Beginning to sober up on a packed train, got turfed out of my seat by some self entitled women and ,my phone is soon going to follow my hopes and die... more analysis tomorrow   

Just back. Huge sigh. Although we had the French under the coche. Maybe Vern Cotter is that bit of impetus that can just tide us over and clinch these wins. Sad as this was one for the taking.

On a bright note, what a try by Seymour! and Hogg's try was pretty nice. Look at where we were two matches ago and how we've picked ourselves up now.

Anyone hear on the commentary why Lamont was pulled? He walked half the perimeter of the pitch when he was taken off so it can't have been a huge injury. And some fans in front shouted "Sean" and he waved, with a disappointed face. So he didn't look injured. Strange as it was like 31 mins.

thought beattie was a big loss too. he looked really good first 20 minutes.

Nematode wrote:Just back. Huge sigh. Although we had the French under the coche. Maybe Vern Cotter is that bit of impetus that can just tide us over and clinch these wins. Sad as this was one for the taking.

On a bright note, what a try by Seymour! and Hogg's try was pretty nice. Look at where we were two matches ago and how we've picked ourselves up now.

Anyone hear on the commentary why Lamont was pulled? He walked half the perimeter of the pitch when he was taken off so it can't have been a huge injury. And some fans in front shouted "Sean" and he waved, with a disappointed face. So he didn't look injured. Strange as it was like 31 mins.

He was injured.
Injured his knee when he went up for high ball for hoggs try.
When he went in to contact just before he came off he grimaced really bad. Was sat a couple rows back from the touch line and could hear Lamont say to the physio he had to come off.
Don't think it is a serious injury but was hampering his performance and obviously he didn't feel right hence his frustration at coming off so early.

Anyone who watched the game on TV be able to sum up what the pundits thought of our performance?

I don't get where folk are coming from with the good performance?

We lost to an utterly gash French team that any other "top tier" nation would have put to the sword.

Hogg's try, though individual brilliance deserved the reward was fortuitous. Seymours try shouldn't have been allowed.

Other than that we huffed and puffed with little reward.

Our discipline was shocking. The penalty count and weir's weird wayward pass cost us a game we should have won. The penalties allowed France to stay in touch and then after the intercept our heads went and we played like rabbits in the headlights.

Can't really blame SJ this time. Things were working until the going got tough for us. Maybe playing a 7 like Barclay or rennie would have helped but that's about it.

GloriousEmpire wrote:What really bothers me is when people come on here and parrot something a commentator or pundit said during the game an claim it as their own opinion.

Doubly annoying when the original opinion is blatantly wrong.

More than one person can have the same opinion GE, just because Jonathan Davies shouted about the miss pass a lot, doesn't mean what he was saying wasn't true or relevant. In fact, on the balance of play, it was the match's defining moment.

If you seriously think the miss-pass was the correct play, then you are in a minority of one of the people I have seen commenting on this board, pundits and friends. More than likely you are just on the wind up.

The French are crafty guys all the same.  They seem to always save just enough for a last surge if they need it...and seem to time them effectively to kill the hopes of time enough for a fight back by the opposition.

Two failed kicks lost it for Scotland.  Soul destroying stuff.  Really felt for them.  But kicks are part of the game and France did what they needed when they had the sniff.  

I really don't know whether to blame the French coach or his players for the sloppy stuff they're giving to this competition and yet still sliding through, and still competing for the Championship.  It's a bit like the last WC, where they were often pathetic and just struggled through their pool and seemed to stumble to the final.................... but then..................... they very nearly took the crown that everyone else had worked so hard to get!
They just have a different mindset to most sides and run to their own unique rhythms.  I don't think any coach would change them.

We just made too many mistakes today and we cannot ignore that. We conceded 13 penalties. In their home match, Ireland conceded 2. We did not play Pollock correctly and Kelly Brown needs to look at that - you can agree or disagree with how he refereed the game, but he was absolutely consistent throughout in most areas.  

Says a lot for how far we've come that 10 is now without question our weakest position. Anyone who is querying why we need Heathcote to get weekly game time or for Robbie Robinson to come over here needs only look at that performance.

Even if they get a couple of loose forwards back, if France play like that next week Ireland will administer a monumental wedgie.

George Carlin wrote:We just made too many mistakes today and we cannot ignore that. We conceded 13 penalties. In their home match, Ireland conceded 2. We did not play Pollock correctly and Kelly Brown needs to look at that - you can agree or disagree with how he refereed the game, but he was absolutely consistent throughout in most areas.  

Says a lot for how far we've come that 10 is now without question our weakest position. Anyone who is querying why we need Heathcote to get weekly game time or for Robbie Robinson to come over here needs only look at that performance.

Even if they get a couple of loose forwards back, if France play like that next week Ireland will administer a monumental wedgie.

the sru should stop singing any more second rate foreign players and throw a huge contract offer to robbie robinson or anyone else willing to come over . ffs lets hire a mercenary !

its crystal clear the position is a huge weakness in our side and is costing us games.

The interception was obviously a turning point and not many would argue that 10 is not a position of strength for Scotlsnd. However, imo Scotland lost this match because they made too many errors and lacked composure in the last 5 minutesm - they were in control and should never have been in their own 22 with minutes to go.

Shame - France were very lucky and offered very little.

The intercept was a turning point but Scotland got back into the lead and should have closed the game out. For me, it was the penalty attempt towards the end that gave France a glimmer of hope. It was outside Weir's range and he needed a setter to hold the ball. I think the better option at that stage was a kick to touch and keep the pressure on France.

Say what you want about Jackson but he is certainly a better play maker than Weir. Also where as Weir big boot gone? that kick for the restart at the end was laughable, can't do a short and high one eh?

It's criminal Scotland didn't win and Swinson should hold his head in shame.

VinceWLB wrote:Say what you want about Jackson but he is certainly a better play maker than Weir. Also where as Weir big boot gone? that kick for the restart at the end was laughable, can't do a short and high one eh?

It's criminal Scotland didn't win and Swinson should hold his head in shame.

I've wondered about that too. I guess you might put it down to the extra efforts of International making him less fresh in the legs...especially the kicking one

I don't think the miss pass leading to the interception was the wrong play. It was however not the best of passes and a great read by Huget. It was however the point at which the game was lost. Heads dropped and that was a 14 pt swing. Penalties cost us dear as did other mistakes. France were very poor indeed and were there for the taking.

Weir still has done enough this 6N to be persevered with,. He is clearly the best we have available and don't forget still a young and inexperienced player.

On the scots try - once again someone talks about " downward pressure" downward pressure is not needed. Simply to touch the ball while the ball is touching the ground is enough. However the French did not do this the ball was bouncing and the hand was flailing around - or certainly it was impossible to be sure on the replay so rightly the try was awarded.

finally - why does anyone reply to GEs obvious windups? I thought he had flounced off anyway. Shame he did not.

Watched the game when I got back last night.

Couple of things stand out.

France looked as if they'd done their homework and knew that Pollock would be watching the tackler like a hawk at the breakdown. Why hadnt we? Our failure to adapt during the match, especially after half time when you'd have assumed the analysts would have pointed it out is concerning.

Lack of a Barclay / Rennie is really hurting us. Too many crucial turnovers, especially that one 5 minutes from half time in Frances 22. As Mike Blair will no doubt write soon for the BBC, we failed to manage those 'championship moments'.

Intercept from a looping miss pass when you have a 4 on 1.       (wish there was a shooting yourself in the foot emoticon)

As Nacho and others said, should have kicked to the corner and wound down the clock with that late penalty. Poor call KB.

Following France snatching the lead their full back blootered the ball down field and Hogg touches it down for a 22 drop out????? Surely he had to run it back to give us a chance. Also we faffed around with that dropout and when we finally took it we'd have been as well kicking it straight into touch.

Ohhh, and from henceforth Swinson shall now be known as the 'match assassin'.

At least we are consistent on one stat - every game so far we have conceded more penalties than the opposition. In fact, with the exception of the Ireland game, we have managed to concede more than double the penalties than the opposition.

Gotta look at the positives right?   

Not sure what's worse, losing a game you could and should have one, or just not being in the game from minute one and losing with a whimper?

A few thoughts:

- France won - fair play to them. They were however very, very poor and if they hadn't got that interception were on the verge of full blown mutiny in their ranks. Easy to say with hindsight but if we had scored then instead of them I'm fairly certain we would have easily won that game. indeed the fact that France did nothing after their try helps support this.

- First try, the french winger was no where near touching it down. 100% Scotland try.

- 2nd try, lots of people going on the block but I say good - I really don't give a crap. NZ, Wales, Aus et al make a game plan out of running these dummy lines and blocks and I'm delighted to see us finally doing the same. It leads to tries -as has been shown.

- I'm sorry but I just think it is plain wrong to think that Weir made the correct choice in throwing that long pass for the interception. You never, ever throw a big miss pass when you have a 4 on 2. You certainly never through it when you have 2 centres and a winger outside you standing deep, easily able to run on to the ball, straighten up, draw defender and pass to the next man, and then the winger can run in unopposed. Criminal decision by Weir.

- I think we are a very naive team. we give away too many penalties and make poor decisions at the wrong time. The interception was the obvious one, but other examples are Hogg at the very end touching down for a dropout. A 22 restart was the last thing we needed - at best we get the ball just outside our own 22, at worst it goes straight back to the opposition. He should have ran towards his team mates, set up and recycled.


I also don't think we should be so negative about that performance - just like last week if we hadn't scored that drop goal it wouldn't have changed the fact that we had played very well, and this week the fact that we didn't win doesn't change the fact that there was a lot of good stuff in that game.

Put it this way - we compeltely dominated France, a team far above us in the rankikngs with significanlty more playing resources available to them. We more than matched them up front, dominated the kicking game and scored 2 tries.

IMO, if we had won that game it would have been one of our strongest performances in a long time. The fact that we didn't win doesn't change that. Nativity lost us the game - that comes with experience.

Also, to the French people that were shouting our during the minutes silence - I hope you never come back to Murrayfield ever again.

-

Sorry dude but huget clearly touches the ball on the ground in goal first.

Let me post the still frame:

GloriousEmpire wrote:Sorry dude but huget clearly touches the ball on the ground in goal first.

Let me post the still frame:

Or you could behave like a fully rounded adult with a sense of grace and proportion and just leave it alone.

If the tmo spent ages looking at it from various angles and awarded the try I think it's fair to say it could not be described as 'clearly'.

Plus - what GC said.

In a fairly crowded room most thought Huget had just got a finger on the ball. I could not see it myself. We all thought Lamont chasing the kick was in front of the kicker. We were wrong.

Clear block for second try, but missed by officials, that is life. Funny though that on some forums (not read all posts here) are screaming that the ref cost Scotland the match. Scotland's inability so secure points cost them the game.


RDW - only switched on half-way through FoS, so was not aware of a minutes silence. How well communicated was it in the stadium? (and what was it for?).

Final thought - any fans who get on their high horse about other nations making noise during kicks at goal should get down from their lofty perch. The noise when France were kicking was appreciable yesterday, and I suspect we will see the same at twickenham today.

I have watched the replay many many times and I cant see where Huget touches down. He does get a finger to the ball but at that time it was slightly above the ground and his touch left as the ball hit the ground. Fair try in my opinion.

anyone got any news on beatties injury ?

It certainly was not clear that Huget was in contact with the ball as the ball was in contact with the ground.

LT - a local fan collapsed and died at the Scotland England game (just down from where I was sitting), plus to remember Scottish and French troops that died in the first world war to mark 100 years.

It was very well communicated, plus the fact the stadium was silent should have been a bit of a clue....

George Carlin wrote:

GloriousEmpire wrote:Sorry dude but huget clearly touches the ball on the ground in goal first.

Let me post the still frame:

Or you could just behave like a fully rounded adult with a sense of grace and proportion and just leave it alone.

I think you are being harsh. Is it reasonable to expect a thirteen year old schoolboy to behave like an adult?

Chris Pollock's campaign to turn union into league seems to be continuing. Having said that, it is well known that he will not allow a fair contest at the ruck so Scotland should have known that there is no point trying to win the ball when defending.

Come on we see these kind of "blocks" every games and they aren't penlised... give me a break.

Many are trying to discuss which particular thing lost us game - the intercept try or not being able to secure victory after pulling back in front. Are they aware that it can be both? If we had EITHER not lofted that looping pass OR been more savvy after getting ahead (several things and a general bad team display there) then we would have won the game. Simple really.

My favourite thing about last year's match against Italy at Murrayfield was Hogg's moment of brilliance and will live in my memory for some time. The reason it still stands out for me is because it is the best recent example (best regarding the quality of opposition) of a Scotland team putting a game away beyond doubt before 75 minutes - at least as far as I remember. It was also a 14 point turnaround and one that changed the match completely from "Italy are still in this" (they score a try) to "Scotland win. By how much?" And how often are you thinking that 50 minutes into a Scotland 6N game? Exactly.

Yesterday was a perfect example of the reverse - which we do far, far too much - being on top but failing to put the game away beyond reasonable doubt. It was behind what got Wales back in contention in 2011 (though maybe you could call that last 15 minutes reasonable doubt); it was behind the brown trousers moment in our first match of RWC 2011 and whilst both those examples are 2011 I am sure there are more I just can't remember them right now.

This is something we must learn to do as a team and it's all about psychology. Scottish teams are unfortunately not used to being on top (our win rate is less than 50%) but if that is going to change they almost need to put the cart before the horse and acting like they are used it.

Whilst it would be great to have a better 10 and I agree for the sake of the Scottish game we should be really pressing hard for Robbie Robinson, Weir is, I feel, the best we have at the moment and is still young. Would you take this loss despite the good performance if it meant in the World Cup he was up to speed enough to put away Samoa and put SA to the sword? I would. We will hopefully have him for a long time. Jackson and Heathcote too; they all need some time here and there really.

On RR , also , I wouldn't risk *too* much capital in getting him playing here because there's such things as injuries, clowns like our future DoR outcasting people with good ideas and let's not forget the Maitland effect (move to Scotland, suddenly lose some pazazz). Plus yes 10 is super important but not at the expense of several others. I can see the argument that you can deal with a journeyman or two in random places and preferably not at 10, but it's a team game and a few weak links quickly show and are targeted anyway.

http://www.espn.co.uk/six-nations-2014/rugby/story/217557.html

Beattie and Lamont to miss the Wales game.