Scotland World Cup look ahead and squad

First topic message reminder :

A. WORLD CUP WARM-UP MATCHES:

                                
15 August 2015:Ireland v Scotland, Dublin.

                              
22 August 2015:  Italy v Scotland, Turin.

                                 
29 August 2015:  Scotland v Italy, Edinburgh

                                      
05 September 2015: France v Scotland, Paris

B. WORLD CUP POOL MATCHES

                                         
23 September 2015:  Scotland V Japan, Kingsholm - Gloucester.

                                        
27 September 2015:  Scotland v USA, Elland Road - Leeds.

                                        
03 October 2015:  Scotland v South Africa, St James Park - Newcastle.

                                     
10 October 2015:  Scotland v Samoa, St James Park - Newcastle.

C. EXTENDED SCOTLAND SQUAD

- FORWARDS (25) -

Prop (7):
Mike Cusack (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Allan Dell (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped
Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 44 caps; 4 RWC appearances (2007 and 2011)
Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) – 22 caps
Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) – Uncapped
Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) – 4 caps

Hooker (3):
Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) – 85 caps; 8 RWC appearances (2007 and 2011)
Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) – Uncapped

Second-row (6):
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – 8 caps
Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 13 caps
Richie Gray (Castres) – 44 caps
Jim Hamilton (Saracens) – 61 caps; 6 RWC appearances (2007 and 2011)
Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors) – 15 caps
Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps

Back-row (9):
Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps
John Barclay (Scarlets) – 43 caps; 4 RWC appearances (2007 and 2011)
Hugh Blake (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Blair Cowan (London Irish) – 11 caps
David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) – 25 caps
Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan) – 44 caps; 3 RWC appearances (2011)
Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 1 cap

- BACKS (21) -

Scrum-half (4):
Chris Cusiter (Sale Sharks) – 70 caps; 6 RWC appearances (2007 and 2011)
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps
Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester) – 39 caps
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) – 13 caps

Stand-off (3):
Ruaridh Jackson (Wasps) – 25 caps; 3 RWC appearances (2011)
Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps
Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps

Centre (6):
Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors) – 7 caps
Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) – 14 caps
Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 7 caps
Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) – 25 caps
Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 12 caps
Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps; 3 RWC appearances (2011)

Back-three (8):
Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 32 caps
Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby) – Uncapped
Rory Hughes (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) – 93 caps; 8 RWC appearances (2007 and 2011)
Sean Maitland (London Irish) – 15 caps
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps
Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) – 4 caps
Tim Visser (Harlequins) – 18 caps

Couple of thoughts

Anyone else concerned about the lack of experience we have at TH?  Welsh has 4 caps and at least 1 was at LH, while Nel and Cusack are both uncapped.  I imagine we'll take all 3 because of this.  

Cotter mentioned an 18 / 13 split, which considering the opposition makes sense.  Assuming we take 3 hookers and 3 TH props.  

( 12 / 18 ) Nailed on - Dickinson, Nel, Welsh, Cusack, Ford, Brown, McInally, Gray, Gray, Strauss, Cowan, Ashe

Need:

1x LH between Reid & Grant
2x SR between Gilchrist, Hamilton & Swinson
2x BR between Barclay, Harley, Denton, Wilson, Watson

This leaves one more spot in the forwards.

IMO it'll be between whoever is 3rd choice LH is or Denton and Wilson.  Because of Welsh's ability to play LH, wouldn't be surprised if they went for the extra BR (alternatively, both Brown & McInally can cover BR ).

madmaccas wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:Obviously a lot can change in 4 years but had a crack at putting together my potential 23 man squad for 4 years time.
1 R Sutherland 2 S McInally 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 R Gray 6 A Ashe 7 H Watson 8 M Bradbury 9 SHC 10 F Russell 11 D Hoyland 12 A Dunbar 13 M Bennett 14 R Nairn 15 S Hogg
16 F Brown 17 A Dell 18 N Fraser 19 B Toolis 20 H Blake 21 S Steele 22 B Kinghorn 23 H Jones

The position I struggled to really think of anyone for was blindside. Currently there is no one really sticking their hands up and taking hold of the jersey and there aren't too many young ones coming through.

So you don't see du Preez making the team at either 7 or 6? I'm surprised, he's been Edinburgh's best player by a mile before he got injured. He'll only be 28 by 2019.

I do think Du Preez is a good player but I do think he can be quite lazy at times. There has been games for Edinburgh where he has just drifted through and not really done much to contribute. On the other hand there have been games where he has been outstanding. If he becomes more consistent then yes he could well be a shoe in for the Scotland team but I think some of the youngsters we have coming through could be just as good if not better. I think he is slightly in the difficult position aswell of not being an out and out openside or a classic 6, he does fall more into the 6 and a half position.

Du Preez is definitely more of a 6/8.

Majestic83 wrote:

madmaccas wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:Obviously a lot can change in 4 years but had a crack at putting together my potential 23 man squad for 4 years time.
1 R Sutherland 2 S McInally 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 R Gray 6 A Ashe 7 H Watson 8 M Bradbury 9 SHC 10 F Russell 11 D Hoyland 12 A Dunbar 13 M Bennett 14 R Nairn 15 S Hogg
16 F Brown 17 A Dell 18 N Fraser 19 B Toolis 20 H Blake 21 S Steele 22 B Kinghorn 23 H Jones

The position I struggled to really think of anyone for was blindside. Currently there is no one really sticking their hands up and taking hold of the jersey and there aren't too many young ones coming through.

So you don't see du Preez making the team at either 7 or 6? I'm surprised, he's been Edinburgh's best player by a mile before he got injured. He'll only be 28 by 2019.

I do think Du Preez is a good player but I do think he can be quite lazy at times. There has been games for Edinburgh where he has just drifted through and not really done much to contribute. On the other hand there have been games where he has been outstanding. If he becomes more consistent then yes he could well be a shoe in for the Scotland team but I think some of the youngsters we have coming through could be just as good if not better. I think he is slightly in the difficult position aswell of not being an out and out openside or a classic 6, he does fall more into the 6 and a half position.

Hmm, I'm always surprised when different people see totally different things from players.

I'm always stuck by how totally tireless and committed he is, I'd level the lazy criticism at Denton who is more of a glory player.

He is a hell of a jackal with some of the top turnover stats in the league, that’s why I see him as a 7. The only reason I think Solomons plays him at 6 is to accommodate all the players.

He was hotly tipped to play for the Boks, so I think we’d be incredibly lucky to have him.

madmaccas wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:

madmaccas wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:Obviously a lot can change in 4 years but had a crack at putting together my potential 23 man squad for 4 years time.
1 R Sutherland 2 S McInally 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 R Gray 6 A Ashe 7 H Watson 8 M Bradbury 9 SHC 10 F Russell 11 D Hoyland 12 A Dunbar 13 M Bennett 14 R Nairn 15 S Hogg
16 F Brown 17 A Dell 18 N Fraser 19 B Toolis 20 H Blake 21 S Steele 22 B Kinghorn 23 H Jones

The position I struggled to really think of anyone for was blindside. Currently there is no one really sticking their hands up and taking hold of the jersey and there aren't too many young ones coming through.

So you don't see du Preez making the team at either 7 or 6? I'm surprised, he's been Edinburgh's best player by a mile before he got injured. He'll only be 28 by 2019.

I do think Du Preez is a good player but I do think he can be quite lazy at times. There has been games for Edinburgh where he has just drifted through and not really done much to contribute. On the other hand there have been games where he has been outstanding. If he becomes more consistent then yes he could well be a shoe in for the Scotland team but I think some of the youngsters we have coming through could be just as good if not better. I think he is slightly in the difficult position aswell of not being an out and out openside or a classic 6, he does fall more into the 6 and a half position.

Hmm, I'm always surprised when different people see totally different things from players.

I'm always stuck by how totally tireless and committed he is, I'd level the lazy criticism at Denton who is more of a glory player.

He is a hell of a jackal with some of the top turnover stats in the league, that’s why I see him as a 7. The only reason I think Solomons plays him at 6 is to accommodate all the players.

He was hotly tipped to play for the Boks, so I think we’d be incredibly lucky to have him.

I feel Mitch Eadie will surely come in to the reckoning as well, to me he looks like he could be a really good option across the backrow. Would also like to think that the SRU will have managed to recruit Matty Russell by the time the next WC comes around.

madmaccas wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:

madmaccas wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:Obviously a lot can change in 4 years but had a crack at putting together my potential 23 man squad for 4 years time.
1 R Sutherland 2 S McInally 3 Z Fagerson 4 J Gray 5 R Gray 6 A Ashe 7 H Watson 8 M Bradbury 9 SHC 10 F Russell 11 D Hoyland 12 A Dunbar 13 M Bennett 14 R Nairn 15 S Hogg
16 F Brown 17 A Dell 18 N Fraser 19 B Toolis 20 H Blake 21 S Steele 22 B Kinghorn 23 H Jones

The position I struggled to really think of anyone for was blindside. Currently there is no one really sticking their hands up and taking hold of the jersey and there aren't too many young ones coming through.

So you don't see du Preez making the team at either 7 or 6? I'm surprised, he's been Edinburgh's best player by a mile before he got injured. He'll only be 28 by 2019.

I do think Du Preez is a good player but I do think he can be quite lazy at times. There has been games for Edinburgh where he has just drifted through and not really done much to contribute. On the other hand there have been games where he has been outstanding. If he becomes more consistent then yes he could well be a shoe in for the Scotland team but I think some of the youngsters we have coming through could be just as good if not better. I think he is slightly in the difficult position aswell of not being an out and out openside or a classic 6, he does fall more into the 6 and a half position.

Hmm, I'm always surprised when different people see totally different things from players.

I'm always stuck by how totally tireless and committed he is, I'd level the lazy criticism at Denton who is more of a glory player.

He is a hell of a jackal with some of the top turnover stats in the league, that’s why I see him as a 7. The only reason I think Solomons plays him at 6 is to accommodate all the players.

He was hotly tipped to play for the Boks, so I think we’d be incredibly lucky to have him.

I completely agree with all of this.

I do understand the view that sometimes he could look a bit disinterested but (I promise that this is not a wum) this may well be a product of playing a mid-table game in the middle of winter at the Murrayfield Mausoleum whilst having to shoulder the majority of his team's carrying responsibility. The guy looks twice as powerful as almost every other loose forward Scotland has (with a few exceptions) and I think that we would be well served by just admitting this. He was very high profile in South African and is still quite young.

A Scottish loose forward trio of:

6 Du Preez 7 Watson 8 Strauss;
6 Ashe 7 Du Preez 8 Strauss; or
6 Strauss 7 Du Preez 8 Denton,

would carry an awful lot of power.

Du Preez is the dogs.

I could see the following tearing up trees at the 2019 World Cup:

6. Strauss
7. Du Preez
8. Ashe

20. Denton

Du Preez is certainly a beast.

People's opinion may have been swayed by him missimg most of the season.

Last season he was an absolute beast. Scored more tries than Maitland too!

Also, he's only 24 FFS!

The key word with him is physicality - there's not many in the Scotland squad who can match him for that I reckon.

Majestic83 wrote:
The one player I reckon the SRU should look at bringing into the system again is Callum Templeton who was an EDP at Glasgow a couple years back. Was injured for a lot of that year through over training and didn't get any game time. Was Ayrs player of the year last season and has featured for the Scottish club xv since. Only 21 still, is 6ft 6 and around the 17st mark. He was pretty rapid from what I remember as well.

Good grief! An Ayr player, and Ayr's player of the year no less, and he is not being touted as "world class" by a certain Ayr loving member of our little community and demanding he starts in every WC cup game!

Has the world gone mad?

6 Strauss 7 Du Preez 8 Denton

A glorious example of Scottish grass roots rugby development...

George Carlin wrote:

A Scottish loose forward trio of:

6 Du Preez 7 Watson 8 Strauss;
6 Ashe 7 Du Preez 8 Strauss; or
6 Strauss 7 Du Preez 8 Denton,

would carry an awful lot of power.

On form that would be one of the most explosive back rows in world rugby.

Dammit why didn't du Preez come a year earlier!

Nice wee article on the BBC about Alex Grove....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/33153112

Seems like a decent humble guy

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:Nice wee article on the BBC about Alex Grove....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/33153112

Seems like a decent humble guy

No idea why Grove was in the wilderness. It's different now with our in form centres but it was not always the case.

A good article, Tattie. Well spotted.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:Nice wee article on the BBC about Alex Grove....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/33153112

Seems like a decent humble guy

No idea why Grove was in the wilderness. It's different now with our in form centres but it was not always the case.

Yes, he was/is a pretty decent and reliable player, should have got more caps than he has. Did he not spend an unsuccessful loan period at Edinburgh if I remember, the same move seems to have done Heathcote no good at all either.
The greatest shame in recent seasons was the career ending injury to Joe Ansbro, he looked to be made for international rugby and I'm sure he would have been pretty much an incumbent in the centres.

Grove came to Edinburgh at a time where we already had De Luca, Cairns, Houston, King etc and found gametime limited.

I remember at the time wondering why he came to Edinburgh because we had no shortage of centres.

The worst thing is, is that he didn't do anything wrong. I mean, considering the chances De Luca kept getting even after playing like a turd, the mind boggles as to what was going on inside the coach's heads.

The point about Jo Ansboro is interesting. Would he still have made the team with a fully fit Dunbar & Bennett available?

Grove seems like a really nice humble player, but he actually lost his place for large chunks of the season playing in the Championship. He's a fearsome tackler, but little more. His meagre try count attests to it. It's sad, but we'd have to lose about 8 centres before he'd get a look in.

I did think the linked article was interesting. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/31783522

I was involved in the old Scottish Exiles system (the loosest of networks), but this sounds like something else entirely.

It's amazing how many of the exciting young guys are coming through the Exiles system. Alex Allan, Hamish Watson, Ali Price, Will Bordill, Ben Vellacott, Liam Cook, Alec Coombes  etc.

Of the current squad this one guy gave us Duncan Taylor, Ryan Wilson and Henry Pyrgos, Greig Tonks and Tim Swinson.

Long may it continue.

Agreed on Grove - he's a solid player and good tackler but not much more. Interntional calibre players shouldn't lose their place in a Championship team for large parts of the season!

As for Ansbro, he might not have been starting but he'd certainly drive up competition. Can you imagine the pressure on players to improve and perform if we had Dunbar, Bennett, Scott, Ansbro, Taylor, Horne and all fit and playing well?

Imagine is we still had Thom Evans! Now that guy could score a try. Maitland the unscorable wouldn't get a look in.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Agreed on Grove - he's a solid player and good tackler but not much more.  Interntional calibre players shouldn't lose their place in a Championship team for large parts of the season!

As for Ansbro, he might not have been starting but he'd certainly drive up competition.  Can you imagine the pressure on players to improve and perform if we had Dunbar, Bennett, Scott, Ansbro, Taylor, Horne and  all fit and playing well?

I personally think that Ansbro would have been pretty much at the top of the list; he was very fast, scored tries, defended well and always looked like he took the correct option, a better all round player than most of the above list.

I'd take Bennett over Ansbro. Bennett is a better footballer, but I'd have Ansbro as back-up ahead of Duncan Taylor purely because of the change in style of play lending itself to more attacking players.

Thom Evans would certainly get a look in. Visser's form dropped last season as did Maitland. Evans would have loved playing with Dunbar, Bennett and Hogg rather than Morrison, De Luca and Southwell.

Given Glasgow's problems at centre last season you'd think Alex Grove would be a good signing for them.

I thought Brendan McKibbin was tied to the Wallabies, but he seems to have put his hand up for us next season http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_55713,00.html While we have at least 4 cracking options at 9 as things stand it certainly can't hurt to have more...

nickj wrote:I thought Brendan McKibbin was tied to the Wallabies, but he seems to have put his hand up for us next season http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_55713,00.html. While we have at least 4 cracking options at 9 as things stand it certainly can't hurt to have more...  

The link didn't seem to work for me, so I've included another one here in case any one else has the same issue

Planet Rugby

As you say, always nice to have more strength in depth, and I think 3-4 years ago he'd probably have been in with a great chance of getting a test, but now with Laidlaw, SHC, Hart, Pyrgos and Cuister all in with a shout and Steele in the background, I think his chance of getting a game is a lot less.

Still a decent player, though so you never know

Cheers mate. I agree, he's almost a couple of years too late. I remember we were talking about him a lot on here about two years ago, but he was on the fringes of the Aussie squad then, so he stayed down under. I suppose we need to wait and see what he's got in prem before ruling him out though...

I wouldn't kick him off the pitch for farting, but he's tied to the Wallabies under regulation 8.3

"For the purposes of this Regulation, a Player is deemed to have played
for the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next
senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of a Union if:
(a) He is selected for such team to play in an International Match
against the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or
the next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of
another Union (or in a fifteen-a-side international Match against
another Union’s senior or next senior Touring Squad during a World
Rugby approved International Tour) and is present at the Match
played by that team either as a replacement, substitute or a playing
member of that team and has, at the time of the Match, reached the
age of majority"

So he's missed his chance, silly boy.

More concerning is that he's heading to London Irish and may well block the development of a qualified Scottish scrum half, Scott Steele.

madmaccas wrote:More concerning is that he's heading to London Irish and may well block the development of a qualified Scottish scrum half, Scott Steele.

Completely agree with this. We need Steele to be getting regular game time. Less fussed about McKibbon than I was three years ago.

madmaccas wrote:I wouldn't kick him off the pitch for farting, but he's tied to the Wallabies under regulation 8.3

"For the purposes of this Regulation, a Player is deemed to have played
for the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next
senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of a Union if:
(a) He is selected for such team to play in an International Match
against the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or
the next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of
another Union (or in a fifteen-a-side international Match against
another Union’s senior or next senior Touring Squad during a World
Rugby approved International Tour) and is present at the Match
played by that team either as a replacement, substitute or a playing
member of that team and has, at the time of the Match, reached the
age of majority"

So he's missed his chance, silly boy.

More concerning is that he's heading to London Irish and may well block the development of a qualified Scottish scrum half, Scott Steele.

Do you think someone ought to tell him?

funnyExiledScot wrote:

madmaccas wrote:More concerning is that he's heading to London Irish and may well block the development of a qualified Scottish scrum half, Scott Steele.

Completely agree with this. We need Steele to be getting regular game time. Less fussed about McKibbon than I was three years ago.

I read something from their coach Delaney saying that Steele should be picked for Scotland soon, so they do rate him. But then again they'll be paying serious bucks for Mckibbin, so doubt he's gonna warm the bench.

I really hope Mckibbin isn't moving with the intention of playing for Scotland, because that would be a tragic (if not slightly funny) mistake.

I'm currently unsure of how good Fowles and Kennedy are, and Steele and Hidalgo-Clyne are supposed to be good pals. If his career isn't taking off at London Irish I'd love to have Steele at Edinburgh.

McKibbon spent 3 years in Kilmarnock, the poor b'stard.

That feels like 12 years elsewhere. Like being stuck in a Chewing The Fat version of Inception.

He deserves a cap for that.

George Carlin wrote:McKibbon spent 3 years in Kilmarnock, the poor b'stard.

That feels like 12 years elsewhere. Like being stuck in a Chewing The Fat version of Inception.

He deserves a cap for that.

No doubt the longest years of his life. As you say, perhaps an honourary cap system would be appropriate for cases such as this.

George Carlin wrote:McKibbon spent 3 years in Kilmarnock, the poor b'stard.

That feels like 12 years elsewhere. Like being stuck in a Chewing The Fat version of Inception.

He deserves a cap for that.

Given Kilmarnock is only 30 mins from Ayr, does that make him almost world class?

funnyExiledScot wrote:I'm currently unsure of how good Fowles and Kennedy are, and Steele and Hidalgo-Clyne are supposed to be good pals. If his career isn't taking off at London Irish I'd love to have Steele at Edinburgh.

That'd be even worse! It would mean that our two youngest and most promising scrum halves were at the same club.

According to the below article McKibbin isn't tied to the Wallabies as he didn't come off the bench???

Under IRB rules, if the 27-year-old makes his debut off the bench for the Wallabies at Millennium Stadium - even for a matter of seconds - that would rub out his eligibility for Scotland.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/brendan-mckibbin-could-play-for-scotland-but-wants-to-be-a-wallaby/story-fndptke0-1226526083428

To be fair he set his stall up to be a wallaby, he did everything he could to play for them. He's clearly got no real desire to play for Scotland other than now when it looks like his chances of a Oz career are fading fast.

For me, regardless of him stepping off the bench or not, he classes himself as Australian and i don't think he should play for us as he's effectively tied himself to them, despite them not (or potentially not) doing the same.

EWT Spoons wrote:To be fair he set his stall up to be a wallaby, he did everything he could to play for them.  He's clearly got no real desire to play for Scotland other than now when it looks like his chances of a Oz career are fading fast.

For me, regardless of him stepping off the bench or not, he classes himself as Australian and i don't think he should play for us as he's effectively tied himself to them, despite them not (or potentially not) doing the same.

I wonder what Radge would make of this??

GC would make him captain.

EWT Spoons wrote:

George Carlin wrote:McKibbon spent 3 years in Kilmarnock, the poor b'stard.

That feels like 12 years elsewhere. Like being stuck in a Chewing The Fat version of Inception.

He deserves a cap for that.

Given Kilmarnock is only 30 mins from Ayr, does that make him almost world class?

International class

EWT Spoons wrote:

George Carlin wrote:McKibbon spent 3 years in Kilmarnock, the poor b'stard.

That feels like 12 years elsewhere. Like being stuck in a Chewing The Fat version of Inception.

He deserves a cap for that.

Given Kilmarnock is only 30 mins from Ayr, does that make him almost world class?

Excellent banter spoons! Excellent!

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:

EWT Spoons wrote:

George Carlin wrote:McKibbon spent 3 years in Kilmarnock, the poor b'stard.

That feels like 12 years elsewhere. Like being stuck in a Chewing The Fat version of Inception.

He deserves a cap for that.

Given Kilmarnock is only 30 mins from Ayr, does that make him almost world class?

International class

In Killie, it's more likely to be Remedial Class.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

EWT Spoons wrote:To be fair he set his stall up to be a wallaby, he did everything he could to play for them.  He's clearly got no real desire to play for Scotland other than now when it looks like his chances of a Oz career are fading fast.

For me, regardless of him stepping off the bench or not, he classes himself as Australian and i don't think he should play for us as he's effectively tied himself to them, despite them not (or potentially not) doing the same.

I wonder what Radge would make of this??

GC would make him captain.

Even I would agree with that, if he has sat on the bench for Oz then he has made his choice. Fortunately the rules seem to back that up as well.

I am not sure he will be starting at LI ahead of Steele anyway and some competition for the jersey will do SS no harm either. McKibbon has not been a starting fixture for the Tah's and I would not classify him as a top drawer signing. He is just looking to make some money at the tail end of his career. If SS is good enough to get capped, then he needs to show up well against him and win the battle for the shirt. we are not exactly short of decent SH's now.

Just seen on Twitter that the Scotland team were at my gym earlier on - good thing I wasn't there, nothing like working out next to professional rugby players to make you feel inferior as a man!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Just seen on Twitter that the Scotland team were at my gym earlier on - good thing I wasn't there, nothing like working out next to professional rugby players to make you feel inferior as a man!

Unless it is jack gilding!

Majestic83 wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Just seen on Twitter that the Scotland team were at my gym earlier on - good thing I wasn't there, nothing like working out next to professional rugby players to make you feel inferior as a man!

Unless it is jack gilding!

Or Al "I'll spot you" Kellock......

Fairly sure I spotted Richie Gray in the SRU's pictures of the squad heading out to the bootcamp in France - all of the injured players are staying at home so that suggests he's back to fitness, which is a big boost.

Richie Gray is a player we really cant afford to be without.

Absolutely agree. The blend of skills he offers with his wee bro is critical to the overall balance of the pack in my opinion. How serious was his injury? Was it his elbow / wrist?

RDW_Scotland wrote:Just seen on Twitter that the Scotland team were at my gym earlier on - good thing I wasn't there, nothing like working out next to professional rugby players to make you feel inferior as a man!

In my former sporting career, I once did weights in the gym at the weight station next to Sir Chris Hoy. Nothing quite makes you feel rubbish like this guy with thighs the size of tree trunks, kneeling on a Swissball doing lat raises with about the same as I could bench. The guy is massive. Like, huge!

I also worked in the gym when Edinburgh 7s was on, and the US team were training there. We had a message go out on the radios asking if anyone knew whether we had any 120lb dumbells. Disturbing.

TV coverage announced for the warm up games.
Unlike pre 2011 & pre 2007 the games won't be on the BBC

Instead these, "must see games" as the SRU described in their press release, will be on BT & Sky (for the ireland one)

In the modern age of laptops and HDMI cables I am become less bothered by which channel is showing the games. I'd obviously prefer a channel I have, but it isn't overly difficult finding them.

Apart from the world cup on ITV - their coverage is always awful. I remember them going to adverts and missing New Zealand performing their victory haka in 2011 - great broadcasting.