Super Saturday, Game 2: Scotland v Ireland

funnyExiledScot wrote:I like symmetry, and on that basis I think we should let Ireland win the next two games to balance the statistics.

I can't see us matching the now legendary World Class heroic efforts of the Welsh defence. By way of contrast whereas they had Luke Charteris making 31 tackes, we have Jim Hamilton, whose career tackle count is still in single figures.

I shall, quoting Mark Butcher, be watching this one from behind the sofa.

sensisball wrote:If Laidlaw starts and his kicking doesn't get any better, then we will play into Ireland's hands and we will lose handsomely.
Injury concerns over Russell and Scott don't help our cause either.

SecretFly wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:I like symmetry, and on that basis I think we should let Ireland win the next two games to balance the statistics.

I can't see us matching the now legendary World Class heroic efforts of the Welsh defence. By way of contrast whereas they had Luke Charteris making 31 tackes, we have Jim Hamilton, whose career tackle count is still in single figures.

I shall, quoting Mark Butcher, be watching this one from behind the sofa.

The only hope I'll drop on that one Exiled is to inform you that Irish players have a habit of making tackling stats against them easy as they usually run straight for a tackler - over and over and over again.
If Ireland play like the usually do - headless chicken style with skulls made of diamonds - then it's really on for Scotland to take the tackle count record straight off Wales.  Just sit and wait is the message of the day - there is an 'elusive' Irish back or forward coming straight for you every 10 seconds.

BigGee wrote:How are the Irish likely to be effected by losing that game on Saturday. Apart from being physically battered they must be feeling it was a game they should have won and that they have thrown away a chance of a grand slam. I thought they were going to win even when they were 12-0 down!

This could deflate them or galvanise them, not sure which it will be.

Notch wrote:

BigGee wrote:How are the Irish likely to be effected by losing that game on Saturday. Apart from being physically battered they must be feeling it was a game they should have won and that they have thrown away a chance of a grand slam. I thought they were going to win even when they were 12-0 down!

This could deflate them or galvanise them, not sure which it will be.

I imagine it will mean they have a chip on the shoulder and a serious point to prove now. Scotland also have a chip on the shoulder; they do not want to finish with the wooden spoon.

Should be an excellent game.

Notch wrote:Are there any Scotland fans out there who are expecting their side to win?

Notch wrote:When Ireland Play Scotland
Irish Fans; "I think we're gonna win"
Scottish fans; "That seems likely, yes."
Irish Fans; "Okay... pints?"
Scottish Fans; "You're buying"

Notch wrote:See this is why this is far and away my favourite match of the Six nations, especially when you are discussing it on a forum. It really is by far the most laid-back and enjoyable game in terms of how the fans get on.

When Ireland play Italy and France
Irish Fans; "I think we're going to win"
<no-one responds as there are very few Italian and French fans on English-speaking forums or reading the English-speaking press>

When Ireland play Wales and England
Irish Fans; "I think we're going to win"
Wales/England Fans; "No, we're gonna win. You're team is overrated and will be shown up"
<The two sets of fans engage in dick waving activities for an unspecified amount of time, sometimes politely hiding their dislike of the others team and at other times being openly confrontational>

When Ireland Play Scotland
Irish Fans; "I think we're gonna win"
Scottish fans; "That seems likely, yes."
Irish Fans; "Okay... pints?"
Scottish Fans; "You're buying"

Notch wrote:When Ireland Play Scotland
Irish Fans; "I think we're gonna win"
Scottish fans; "That seems likely, yes."
Irish Fans; "Okay... pints?"
Scottish Fans; "You're buying"

Great quote from the Scotsman this morning:

" Scottish rugby fans are not hard to please.  They are the least demanding supporters of any major nation in the world game, a group so ground down by the incessant mediocrity of what they have been forced to watch for so many year that small mercies make for big reactions"

Notch wrote:Are there any Scotland fans out there who are expecting their side to win?

LondonTiger wrote:Schmidt's Leinster were the best passing side I have seen. Their ability to create space with a well timed pass was sublime. Payne and Henshaw do not have that level of skill. I suspect that instead Uncle Joe has switched on the "run down blind alleys" switch.

SecretFly wrote:Joe has turned on the 'Effective with Ball in Hand' switch though - he thought he wouldn't have to use it until the World Cup.  But those pesky Welsh kids put the spanner in the works of course.

So he has it warming up as we speak but I hope it has enough time.   Usually takes 8 days for a full charge.  

lostinwales wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Joe has turned on the 'Effective with Ball in Hand' switch though - he thought he wouldn't have to use it until the World Cup.  But those pesky Welsh kids put the spanner in the works of course.

So he has it warming up as we speak but I hope it has enough time.   Usually takes 8 days for a full charge.  

The triumph of hope over experience..

SecretFly wrote:Leave it to a guy from Glasgow to put the glass in.  I can take anything but talk of JD!

TJ wrote:

Notch wrote:Are there any Scotland fans out there who are expecting their side to win?

I doubt it.  given the various styles of play involved I think Ireland might well be our toughest game

funnyExiledScot wrote:

TJ wrote:

Notch wrote:Are there any Scotland fans out there who are expecting their side to win?

I doubt it.  given the various styles of play involved I think Ireland might well be our toughest game

Are you referring to Ireland being good at the breakdown, and Scotland not really bothering with it?

I think you're right. If Wales couldn't get any ball from the Irish, I really can't see us doing it. It also concerns me that Tommy Bowe keeps running these angles off his wing. I suspect we'll be staring down the barrel of a few line breaks on Saturday, and I'm not sure Ireland will extend us the same courtesy as Burrell and Youngs.

Whilst I hate the idea of moving players out of position, given that Harley doesn't seem too bothered about rugby at the moment, Cotter may consider moving Cowan to 6 and starting Watson at 7.

Six Nations: Scotland need to trust their system - Mike Blair
Again, there were plenty of talking points after Scotland's defeat by England on Saturday; technically, tactically and psychologically.

Some positives, some negatives and a few questions too, I'd imagine. I'll touch on a couple of them.

The kicking game, or "exit strategy", has become one of the key components of professional rugby in the last two years and, the higher the level, the greater the importance.

Most teams will have a marker on the pitch where their exit strategy extends to - often the half-way line - and they will use a number of different set plays to get a chase line on their feet, blockers in place and the right player executing the correct kick.

Scotland lost the territory battle on Saturday, resulting in plenty of "exits" forced upon them.

The strategy was fairly visible - competitive kicks were the order of the day - and, when the correct process was performed, the results were good. A couple of competitive kicks were won back and full-back Stuart Hogg torpedoed a few 60 metre pearlers, but the percentage of successful outcomes was low.

There were examples of blockers not being in place, such as when Courtney Lawes caught Finn Russell behind his try line, or in the second half when Hogg was in at first receiver and the blockers were protecting the scrum-half's foot rather than Hogg. The result is that George Ford has a clear run and charge-down attempt. The difference is a 15 metre gain compared with a 40 metre gain.

Other components broke down too, resulting in front-foot counter-attack ball, but what I want to make you aware of is that the kicking game is a team set-piece and everyone has a role to play.

A great kick can fix an average chase and, likewise, a great chase can fix an average kick, but if you don't have your blockers, you're playing with one hand tied behind your back. Unfortunately, too often two out of the three components didn't function, giving field position and momentum to England.

In fairness to England, they escorted the Scottish chase line very well, making it hard to get near their catcher - another example of little things having a big knock-on effect.

In terms of the Scotland attack, I think it needs to be a bit more connected. It's mainly a backs thing, but forwards will pop up in the wider channels too.

If the ball is in the air too long from a wide pass then defences can spot the catcher, come out of line and hit man and ball. This happened when a clear overlap was created at the end of the first half down the left-hand side.

With the set-piece back attacks from mauls, I also feel that Hogg at 15 can be ignored by a defending 13 because he's too wide and, if the wide pass was given, the ball is in the air so long that a defensive winger can react and spot the tackle. The more players in a defensive number 13's peripheral vision, the harder it is to defend, too.

Scotland's defence was broken too many times and the majority of breaks came from individuals defending and trying to problem-solve by themselves. Trust the system and work hard. It was too easy for the English at times.

Of course there were positives too from Saturday, not least that Scotland were 13-10 up at half time. The maul defence was a big step-up from the Italian game and, at times, the Scottish attacking shape really tested the English.

As the first half wore on, belief started to surface and there was some cracking interplay in the lead-up to Mark Bennett's try. If you can get quick first-phase ball, the game is so much easier as defensive lines just can't reorganise in time and this knocks on to the second phase and third phase.

Italy was a step back while Saturday produced similar emotions to the defeats inflicted by Wales and France; keep the good stuff and build on it, analyse the poor stuff and don't do it again. If only rugby were that easy.

tigertattie wrote:I've been saying it all along, I do not actually fear Ireland! They are ineffective with ball in hand!

However, i also said we should beat Italy so..................

GLove39 wrote:Scrolling down the page & totally misread that last part as, "they are infected with baldness"!

George Carlin wrote:More common sense from Mikey B on the Beeb.

I really wish that someone would use him more as co-commentator rather than the cycloptic Nichol.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Blair looks to be a good coach in the making - he really understands the finer points of the game, especially in attack.

Sign him up for Edinburgh - we haven't had an attack coach since Solomons took over!

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Blair looks to be a good coach in the making - he really understands the finer points of the game, especially in attack.

Sign him up for Edinburgh - we haven't had an attack coach since Solomons took over!

Hard to believe isn't it!

George Carlin wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Blair looks to be a good coach in the making - he really understands the finer points of the game, especially in attack.

Sign him up for Edinburgh - we haven't had an attack coach since Solomons took over!

Hard to believe isn't it!

Presumably Solomons just defers to the small man who cleans the toilets at Murrayfield who, when asked for an opinion on what the team should do at any given time, reads from a small printed cue card which says "I would just kick it".

Riskysports wrote:We are doooooooomed

That is all