Scotland Summer Tour, Game 3: Argentina v Scotland, 21 June

RDW_Scotland wrote:Looks like swinson will have to be our backup backrower   

We're one more back row injury away from being in real trouble!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Looks like swinson will have to be our backup backrower   

We're one more back row injury away from being in real trouble!

Dorothy_Mantooth wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Looks like swinson will have to be our backup backrower   

We're one more back row injury away from being in real trouble!

Total shambles of a tour. Split squads, games outside the IRB window, all at the end of a long hard season.

demosthenes wrote:Captain?  Ford, Gray, or Denton.

And the youngest is the best option.

Captain_Sensible wrote:Bennett isn't with the squad, he's back in Scotland now. What a waste of his time. Who plays 13 now?

BigGee wrote:I think we can only hope that these players will have benefitted from the rest they have had. Cotter made the point that the last lot were just running on fumes at the end of a long season. That does not entirely excuse that last performance but we might see if it was a factor if this new lot manage to raise the game. I would be happy with that whatever the result!

Sinclair red against Scotland a dangerous precedent
By Mike Blair

International rugby is a game of small margins and Scotland's win over Canada could have gone either way.

The main talking point will be the decision by referee Mike Fraser to show a red card to Canadian back-row Jebb Sinclair for 'leading with the elbow' with five minutes left to play.

Being reduced to 14 men was bad enough but in the process Canada lost the penalty in front of the posts which, if successfully converted, would have put them ahead.

For me, it wasn't even a penalty against Sinclair and decisions like these set a dangerous precedent.

I've seen Clermont winger Napoli Nalaga yellow-carded for 'leading with the knee' when carrying the ball. Could Sean Lamont have been put to the television match official for the lead up to the Taylor Paris head knock? In my opinion that would have been absurd but a referee has to be consistent.

I suggested last week that Scotland had to place a heavy emphasis on kick-off receipt and the ensuing exit strategy out of their half.

Word from within the camp was that it had been a focus of training leading up to the second Test of the tour, it's a big part of the game. "Points on the board only count once you get out of your half," an old school teacher used to say.

Unfortunately, it was an area that Scotland struggled in; over-complicating sometimes, not protecting the catcher other times but also - credit to the Canadians - mistakes were made on the back of an extremely effective high and long drop out by Ciaran Hearn and a persistent, high-intensity chase.

Too often Scotland handed over possession or field position straight after scoring points. For Scotland to progress they need to decide what works for them - who kicks, when they kick and where they kick - and then execute.

Execution was an issue throughout the game. You can do all the attacking shape work you want during the week, but if you cannot execute the basic skills to a high enough level then there is almost no point.

Scotland seemed to want to test the Canadian wide defence but, with respect to Lamont who carried very effectively and Sean Maitland, they are not ball players and as second receivers you would want Stuart Hogg and Peter Horne stepping up.

If you took an aerial snapshot of the wide attack shape it would look good but allocation of the right player to the right role was imprecise.

Defensively, again, if you take the aerial snapshot the structure was not too bad but consistent line speed and tackle completion were not where they should have been.

Scotland defence coach Matt Taylor, who has done such a great job with Glasgow Warriors, only had Moray Low who he's regularly worked with. He will certainly look for improvement when some more familiar Warriors faces appear for the second half of the tour.

Canada were exciting to watch. They showed the benefits of skill development on the IRB Sevens World Series, with five of their starting team involved in their core sevens squad this year.

There was unpredictability, ambition and no shortage of skill. Jeff Hassler's try was an example of execution more associated with that of the All Blacks.

Blair Cowan made a very positive impact when he replaced Alasdair Strokosch for the Scots. He was aggressive in the contact and quick over ball, producing a turnover with his first involvement and was a constant nuisance at the break down.

There is no doubt at all in my mind that Finn Russell has the necessary attributes to wear the Scotland number 10 jersey for many years but he is in a position where he is learning his trade in the international arena and mistakes will be made, as they were in Toronto.

Former Scotland head coach Frank Hadden said that he believed 50 professional games were generally required before launching players into the international environment. Russell has barely a third of that with Glasgow so his learning curve will have to accelerate quickly to consistently meet the demands of Test rugby.

So it's two from two with this group of players. A winning habit is being created, which shouldn't be underestimated. There will be plenty on Vern Cotter's mind though with basic skill execution being at the forefront of his thoughts.

George Carlin wrote:Another dose of common sense from Mike Blair:

Sinclair red against Scotland a dangerous precedent
By Mike Blair

International rugby is a game of small margins and Scotland's win over Canada could have gone either way.

The main talking point will be the decision by referee Mike Fraser to show a red card to Canadian back-row Jebb Sinclair for 'leading with the elbow' with five minutes left to play.

Being reduced to 14 men was bad enough but in the process Canada lost the penalty in front of the posts which, if successfully converted, would have put them ahead.

For me, it wasn't even a penalty against Sinclair and decisions like these set a dangerous precedent.

I've seen Clermont winger Napoli Nalaga yellow-carded for 'leading with the knee' when carrying the ball. Could Sean Lamont have been put to the television match official for the lead up to the Taylor Paris head knock? In my opinion that would have been absurd but a referee has to be consistent.

I suggested last week that Scotland had to place a heavy emphasis on kick-off receipt and the ensuing exit strategy out of their half.

Word from within the camp was that it had been a focus of training leading up to the second Test of the tour, it's a big part of the game. "Points on the board only count once you get out of your half," an old school teacher used to say.

Unfortunately, it was an area that Scotland struggled in; over-complicating sometimes, not protecting the catcher other times but also - credit to the Canadians - mistakes were made on the back of an extremely effective high and long drop out by Ciaran Hearn and a persistent, high-intensity chase.

Too often Scotland handed over possession or field position straight after scoring points. For Scotland to progress they need to decide what works for them - who kicks, when they kick and where they kick - and then execute.

Execution was an issue throughout the game. You can do all the attacking shape work you want during the week, but if you cannot execute the basic skills to a high enough level then there is almost no point.

Scotland seemed to want to test the Canadian wide defence but, with respect to Lamont who carried very effectively and Sean Maitland, they are not ball players and as second receivers you would want Stuart Hogg and Peter Horne stepping up.

If you took an aerial snapshot of the wide attack shape it would look good but allocation of the right player to the right role was imprecise.

Defensively, again, if you take the aerial snapshot the structure was not too bad but consistent line speed and tackle completion were not where they should have been.

Scotland defence coach Matt Taylor, who has done such a great job with Glasgow Warriors, only had Moray Low who he's regularly worked with. He will certainly look for improvement when some more familiar Warriors faces appear for the second half of the tour.

Canada were exciting to watch. They showed the benefits of skill development on the IRB Sevens World Series, with five of their starting team involved in their core sevens squad this year.

There was unpredictability, ambition and no shortage of skill. Jeff Hassler's try was an example of execution more associated with that of the All Blacks.

Blair Cowan made a very positive impact when he replaced Alasdair Strokosch for the Scots. He was aggressive in the contact and quick over ball, producing a turnover with his first involvement and was a constant nuisance at the break down.

There is no doubt at all in my mind that Finn Russell has the necessary attributes to wear the Scotland number 10 jersey for many years but he is in a position where he is learning his trade in the international arena and mistakes will be made, as they were in Toronto.

Former Scotland head coach Frank Hadden said that he believed 50 professional games were generally required before launching players into the international environment. Russell has barely a third of that with Glasgow so his learning curve will have to accelerate quickly to consistently meet the demands of Test rugby.

So it's two from two with this group of players. A winning habit is being created, which shouldn't be underestimated. There will be plenty on Vern Cotter's mind though with basic skill execution being at the forefront of his thoughts.

funnyExiledScot wrote:It worries me when I find myself in agreement with Frank Haddock!

demosthenes wrote:Captain?  Ford, Gray, or Denton.

And the youngest is the best option.

Riskysports wrote:Live on BT Sport 2....  

means I am going to have to watch more of this car crash tv

Ah well - no-one said being a Scotland supporter was going to be easy (or fun)

  

PS - J Gray for Capt. - lets look to the future...

RDW_Scotland wrote:I'm confused - why does it say the game is on a Friday?

RDW_Scotland wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:It worries me when I find myself in agreement with Frank Haddock!

50 games is a bit excessive, especially in Scotland.

To put it into perspective, if we stuck by those rules Dave Denton, Matt Scott and Grant Gilchrist would only be getting capped for the first time this summer tour, having only reached 50 club appearances relatively recently. Johnny Gray wouldn't even be close.

Although to be fair it is taking the urine a bit when Alex Allan and Kevin Bryce have more gametime for Scotland than they do for their clubs!

20 would be a good number (almost a full season), but really it is down to the individual in question.  No one had any issues with Russell coming on this tour.

EWT Spoons wrote:It's on Sky Sports 3, according to here:

Where is the match

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:It worries me when I find myself in agreement with Frank Haddock!

50 games is a bit excessive, especially in Scotland.

To put it into perspective, if we stuck by those rules Dave Denton, Matt Scott and Grant Gilchrist would only be getting capped for the first time this summer tour, having only reached 50 club appearances relatively recently. Johnny Gray wouldn't even be close.

Although to be fair it is taking the urine a bit when Alex Allan and Kevin Bryce have more gametime for Scotland than they do for their clubs!

20 would be a good number (almost a full season), but really it is down to the individual in question.  No one had any issues with Russell coming on this tour.

For example whilst I fully endorse Finn Russell getting game time against the USA and Canada - he was the best SQ 10 at the end of the season - I think where Haddock's point is relevant is that it's wholly unfair for us to expect a seamless transition. Only a few months ago he was turning out for Ayr, and whilst most world class players emanate from Ayr, that's an extremely quick transition.