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

Well there has been talk on here of Scotland throwing the South Africa game, which is what I was referring to, and well lets be honest Scotland has previous...

Japan will not be the 50/60 point walkover they have been in recent years, havn't they succesfully converted a few more islanders and the league is bringing the quality of player in Japan up definitely!

I think that Japan will care less about beating Scotland than they will about qualifying through the group, which if they beat Scotland could be a possibility!

Fanster, I think the Boks will win all four of their games. So, it's Scotland v Samoa for second place. Unless the Boks or Samoa slip up against the minnows. (Something tells me that Japan will e looking at Samoa as a possible win, more so than against us)
So; we put out our strongest side against Japan (except Bluto who won't be Scottish for a couple of days), then rest/ injuries determine the side for USA. Then it's decision time. I think if the Boks are looking very strong and Samoa have stumbled then we "rest" a couple of players and ensure we are putting out our strongest side in the last match.
I believe most sides will be doing something similar. We're playing four tests in 17 days. That's four days to recover from the sort of battering you get in a low speed car crash. Player rotation will be crucial and most sides will be anxious about losing players through injury.
We may not actually see some teams "best XV" till the knock-out stages. Which for us will probably start v Samoa.

Yes we do have previous unfortunately. I think there is a slim chance we could throw one again but I don't think Cotter is the type thankfully.

You are right to say Japan are much improved and they will get better still once their SR team beds in and starts to be more competitive but let's not get ahead of ourselves. There is no way Japan will qualify from the group. SA will put at least 50 points on them and Scotland and Samoa should both beat them comfortably - by about 20 points if we play at all well.

They still have a bit of time on their hands to avoid being knocked out of the groups at their own world cup next time but they are on to plumbs at this one.

Weegie Wizard wrote:Yes we do have previous unfortunately. I think there is a slim chance we could throw one again but I don't think Cotter is the type thankfully.

You are right to say Japan are much improved and they will get better still once their SR team beds in and starts to be more competitive but let's not get ahead of ourselves. There is no way Japan will qualify from the group. SA will put at least 50 points on them and Scotland and Samoa should both beat them comfortably - by about 20 points if we play at all well.

They still have a bit of time on their hands to avoid being knocked out of the groups at their own world cup next time but they are on to plumbs at this one.

Haven't heard that expression in years!
I miss Glasgow.

I see the Boks winning the group comfortably (No offence), however there is the inclination that they are also looking to play 7 games and be in a final, if they were to need to rest players then it would be in the group stage, and well with either no competitive games under their belt or no coherent XV played they are beatable by Scotland.

That said Japan have a game up before you do, and will go into the Scotland game with 80 minutes nder their belts, now I don't see them beating SA, but a solid 60 minutes for the 1st XV and then an emptied bench would have to give the Japanese a decent run at the Scottish, and well that game may well be their all or nothing match, losing 2 and theyre not qualifying, beating Scotland and all of a sudden they are in wonderland...

I'd say Japan don't really stand a chance, but it is their best chance thus far for qualification!

PS do the tournament a favour and don't beat SA, leave them on the side of the draw with NZ, thanks

Jean de Villiers is set to make his playing return against the World XV next month

Jacques Fourie has reversed his decision to retire from Test rugby so that he can be available for the Springbok World Cup campaign

Scotland will not rest against SA. Even if they rest players, we have far more strength in depth than we've ever had before so the team would be just as solid. But as I say, Cotter will aim for winning the group. It is possible.

My next point is that Japan haven't got a hope in hell in beating either Scotland or Samoa. This isn't an Autumn International kick about, this is the WC and the gulf in class will be more than apparent.

Mr Scones, well said. Have you been communing with the spirit of Schlong?

You are right. We should beat Japan and the nation which gave us mass obesity and random massacres. However, "strength in depth" ?
At 10? Not unless Jackson is fit and on form. I think a sensible game plan for the Bokkies would be put out a big nasty pack and kick for territory. More meatball than Dancer, so rest the mercurial one for that game.

1. Shrek
2. Ford
3.Nellie
4. Gilchrist
5. Hagrid
6.Harley
7. Bluto
8. Ashe No room for show ponies, or small fast 7's

9.ABF ( anyone but Frodo)
10. Meatball
11 Seymour
12 Taylor
13. Richie V
14. Schlong
15. No Maits ((He wants to play fullback so why not?

There are plenty of players here who would want to make a big statement, especially second row and centres, so why not?
Granted 10-13 lacks creativity but they wouldn't get pushed around.

SRU have put a very short clip on Twitter of the forwards training this week in France, can't tell much from it other than Blake has a far faster scrumhalf pass than Laidlaw could ever dream of..

jimbopip wrote:Mr Scones, well said. Have you been communing with the spirit of Schlong?

You are right. We should beat Japan and the nation which gave us mass obesity and random massacres. However, "strength in depth" ?
At 10? Not unless Jackson is fit and on form. I think a sensible game plan for the Bokkies would be put out a big nasty pack and kick for territory. More meatball than Dancer, so rest the mercurial one for that game.

1. Shrek
2. Ford
3.Nellie
4. Gilchrist
5. Hagrid
6.Harley
7. Bluto
8. Ashe  No room for show ponies, or small fast 7's

9.ABF ( anyone but Frodo)
10. Meatball
11 Seymour
12 Taylor
13. Richie V
14. Schlong
15. No Maits ((He wants to play fullback so why not?

There are plenty of players here who would want to make a big statement, especially second row and centres, so why not?
Granted 10-13 lacks creativity but they wouldn't get pushed around.

Trying to match South Africa for physicality is like bringing a knife to a gun fight - you're probably gonna come out 2nd best.

Yes We'll need a physical team just to cope with them, but the ABs have shown time and again that brute force isn't the answer against them.

MacKnocked-on wrote:SRU have put a very short clip on Twitter of the forwards training this week in France, can't tell much from it other than Blake has a far faster scrumhalf pass than Laidlaw could ever dream of..  

(1) Young Pipetto has that too
(2) Fes's butler gives faster service than Frodo

RDW_Scotland wrote:

jimbopip wrote:Mr Scones, well said. Have you been communing with the spirit of Schlong?

You are right. We should beat Japan and the nation which gave us mass obesity and random massacres. However, "strength in depth" ?
At 10? Not unless Jackson is fit and on form. I think a sensible game plan for the Bokkies would be put out a big nasty pack and kick for territory. More meatball than Dancer, so rest the mercurial one for that game.

1. Shrek
2. Ford
3.Nellie
4. Gilchrist
5. Hagrid
6.Harley
7. Bluto
8. Ashe  No room for show ponies, or small fast 7's

9.ABF ( anyone but Frodo)
10. Meatball
11 Seymour
12 Taylor
13. Richie V
14. Schlong
15. No Maits ((He wants to play fullback so why not?

There are plenty of players here who would want to make a big statement, especially second row and centres, so why not?
Granted 10-13 lacks creativity but they wouldn't get pushed around.

Trying to match South Africa for physicality is like bringing a knife to a gun fight - you're probably gonna come out 2nd best.

Yes We'll need a physical team just to cope with them, but the ABs have shown time and again that brute force isn't the answer against them.

Oh you and your Niddrie ways. You scamp.

Seems from the SRU Twitter feed that they had run out of 'XL' training vests and only had a 'small' left for tiny Mike Cusack:

I don't think we should change too much to "counter" the Boks. We need to go into that game playing our own brand of rugby and not be afraid to take some risks. I don't see us containing them for 80 minutes by being conservative. That game plan suited us more 4-5 years ago, but with the likes of Bennett and Hogg out wide, we'll stand a far better chance if we attack them in those wider channels. Whatever style of play we adopt, our defence will have to be right on top of its game, and forwards like Jonny Gray and Bob Harley are going to need to chop their ball carriers down early. Once that Bok packs gets on the front foot the job gets virtually impossible.

What we certainly shouldn't do is "rest" players for that game in advance of the Samoa contest. We've done that previously and it was completely embarrassing.

+1. I would genuinely rather lose by a larger amount playing an expansive game and scoring a couple of our own rather than sticking it up the shirt and losing by 3 boring penalty kicks to 6 boring penalty kicks.

As the gentrified landowner above me correctly says, we have to understand that keeping it in the forwards and kicking goals is no longer playing to this particular team's strengths. There seem to be a staggering number of people involved in Scottish rugby who don't seem to understand that, even now.

Fes, George, if we have Dancer, Dunbar, and a back three of Maitland, Seymour and Hogg then I am 100% in agreement.

Can dancer play all four group games and (hopefully) the QF ?

Will those six players all be fit for the Boks game?

If we are forced to play Taylor-Vernon at 12-13 can we be as expansive?

What if Schlong and McMisser of the Tackle are the wingers?

What did Donald Bumsfelt say about known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns?

Anyway, I'm sure right now Rab C is saying to Jamesie,
"Cotter mate, let's try Ashe at 12 and Denton at 13 We could have five eights on the pitch, all above ground and not a bikini in sight"

Such a tough balance, building continuity or protecting our players.

What do peoples think Cotter will do with the warm-up games?  Try settle on a XV and style of play or give everyone a run and keep people guessing?

Cotter has said before that he doesn't like having 4 games, but it was decided before his time, so I suspect we'll see a lot of rotation. Hopefully he puts the strongest team out for the home game. We need a bit of relief after the last time we played Italy at home!

As for rotation in the world cup, I think we should rotate in this first 2 games (4 days apart) then play the strongest squad from then on - the players should manage that.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Cotter has said before that he doesn't like having 4 games, but it was decided before his time, so I suspect we'll see a lot of rotation. Hopefully he puts the strongest team out for the home game. We need a bit of relief after the last time we played Italy at home!

As for rotation in the world cup, I think we should rotate in this first 2 games (4 days apart) then play the strongest squad for the remaining two games from then on - the players should manage that.

Just one correction!

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Cotter has said before that he doesn't like having 4 games, but it was decided before his time, so I suspect we'll see a lot of rotation. Hopefully he puts the strongest team out for the home game. We need a bit of relief after the last time we played Italy at home!

As for rotation in the world cup, I think we should rotate in this first 2 games (4 days apart) then play the strongest squad for the remaining two games from then on - the players should manage that.

Just one correction!

Wow - did you butler spread your almas on the wrong side of the Shepherd loaf this morning?

Riskysports wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Cotter has said before that he doesn't like having 4 games, but it was decided before his time, so I suspect we'll see a lot of rotation. Hopefully he puts the strongest team out for the home game. We need a bit of relief after the last time we played Italy at home!

As for rotation in the world cup, I think we should rotate in this first 2 games (4 days apart) then play the strongest squad for the remaining two games from then on - the players should manage that.

Just one correction!

Wow - did you butler spread your almas on the wrong side of the Shepherd loaf this morning?

He did. I've made him cut the lawn in the rain with a set of nail clippers as punishment.

George Carlin wrote:+1. I would genuinely rather lose by a larger amount playing an expansive game and scoring a couple of our own rather than sticking it up the shirt and losing by 3 boring penalty kicks to 6 boring penalty kicks.

As the gentrified landowner above me correctly says, we have to understand that keeping it in the forwards and kicking goals is no longer playing to this particular team's strengths. There seem to be a staggering number of people involved in Scottish rugby who don't seem to understand that, even now.

But we'd get a vital losing bonus point thanks to boring kicks.

Glove, repeat after me

3X3= 9
3X6=18 Means no bonus point

You need to spend more time doing what students should do : sit around the house all day watching Countdown.

As for the rest of you who never noticed this

jimbopip wrote:Glove, repeat after me

3X3= 9
3X6=18  Means no bonus point

You need to spend more time doing what students should do : sit around the house all day watching Countdown.

As for the rest of you who never noticed this  

Totally misread that as losing 3 points to 6

Worst rugby / maths brain fart since Conterpomi's non winning drop goal!?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RkgTBxu0AE

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing. I've never seen that before.
The coach's reaction was better than anything Marcel Marsault could ever have managed.

George Carlin wrote:Amazing. I've never seen that before.
The coach's reaction was better than anything Marcel Marsault could ever have managed.

George, I just know that there's a Forum for French Mime artists where one of them is saying gesturing artistically, "Oui yon John Rutherglen was some fly half and Andy Kilwinning was a great full back."

I'm not being pedantic, it's just your stab at it was so close I knew it was wrong but I couldn't quite see why it was so wrong. Rather like watching The Luvvies actually.

Adam Ashe is quote in the Scotsman as saying:

. “It’s been enjoyable, we’ve had some tough times but, at the same time, there’s always been light at the end of the tunnel. For instance, we climbed a hill but then at the end of it we had a barbecue, which was good fun.

Sounds intense! Is stern Vern going soft?

Vern knows that every other country preparing for the World Cup will be doing the same kind of thing so it’s about going that extra yard to achieve gains in front of them.

Hmm I don't know if the All Blacks and Boks will be going for hill strolls and alfresco dining.

madmaccas wrote:Adam Ashe is quote in the Scotsman as saying:

. “It’s been enjoyable, we’ve had some tough times but, at the same time, there’s always been light at the end of the tunnel. For instance, we climbed a hill but then at the end of it we had a barbecue, which was good fun.

Sounds intense! Is stern Vern going soft?

What Ashe & the scotsman neglected to mention is that they actually barbecued the pet of the last man up the mountain.

Good job it wasn't Bru, his "pets" are spoken for.

I think the preparation seems to be going fine. Given the backline is going to be basically all Glasgow, and the pack will have an all Edinburgh front row and familiar SR&BR, I don't think there needs to be 24/7 extensive training. With quite a few key players not fully fit - Gray, Gilchrist, Denton, Jackson, Bennett, Dunbar, Scott, Taylor, Maitland - a more relaxed style of training is probably more important.

Also, you've got to consider what's necessary. Do we really need to go to Poland and experience a hy...... chamber? No.

To be fair, it looks like they've had some absolute beastings too!

RDW_Scotland wrote:To be fair, it looks like they've had some absolute beastings too!

+1. This is Vern Cotter that we're talking about and the players are training at altitude.

I don't think that the players were icing cupcakes together and braiding each other's hair:

Is that Scott Johnson in the raft? Ugh my eyes

bsando wrote:Is that Scott Johnson in the raft? Ugh my eyes

Not as hideous as the fact that he's still involved with the national team in the first place.

I was waiting for them ask what factor sun cream Rob Harley has on.

Apparently the new RWC international shirt is out on 3 July. Controversially, it seems from the short trailer to be navy and white with a RWC badge on the arm. I mean, whatever next?

From the videos above, I am quite liking the navy and white striped training shirt, although at my age and stage I am wary about the non-slimming effect of horizontal stripes.

I know that there is another video where they interview Duncan Weir but I couldn't be arsed posting that unless someone has already seen it and they ask Weir what he's planning to do for a job in the future once he realises he isn't first choice at 10 either internationally or domestically.

I'm no detective, but I'm fairly sure the players are already wearing the no strip in their mug shots...

http://www.scottishrugby.org/scotlandteam

RDW_Scotland wrote:I'm no detective, but I'm fairly sure the players are already wearing the no strip in their mug shots...

http://www.scottishrugby.org/scotlandteam

There is a NEWER new strip than that, apparently.

Although we're kidding ourselves if we don't think that it's going to be exactly the same one with a RWC badge on the arm.

Dougie Fife, Ben Toolis added to Scotland squad as cover for injured Duncan Taylor, Tim Swinson

Are there going to be any centres left?

Blimey. Is this a permanent thing? Have those guys been ruled out completely?

Thankfully not according to the SRU's twitter feed. Still a pain for training though, with 4/6 centres missing.

Not upset about Toolis replacing Swinson but Dougie Fife should only be allowed near a Scotland shirt again if he's willing to pay the necessary 80 quid in Greaves Sports.

So we could see Scott-Fife-McMisser manning the barricades against the Bokkies?

Toolis should have been there in the first place, but we really are struggling if Fife is now centre cover!

Agreed. Horne and Lamont throughout the warm-ups?

Pretty happy about Toolis as he's far bigger and more promising than Swinson (28 should he should be at the height of his powers), who I've never really thought of as international class.

Fife's never particularly excited me, but then neither has Taylor. That's pretty like for like IMO.

Sorry Nicky, but why would you break up the championship winning duo? Furra Linee and Richie V at 12 & 13. They are actually the only two fit centres we have since Schlong was listed as a wing.

TOOLIS AND FIFE JOIN SCOTLAND SQUAD

Edinburgh Rugby duo Dougie Fife and Ben Toolis were today added to Scotland’s extended training squad for the Rugby World Cup 2015.

The pair are injury replacements for Glasgow Warriors lock Tim Swinson and Saracens centre Duncan Taylor, both of whom require corrective surgery to ongoing ankle and shoulder complaints respectively.

Swinson and Taylor are expected to be unavailable for up to three months, which rules them out of the national team’s four warm-up games ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2015.

Fife (24), who has scored 16 tries in 64 games for his club, earned three of his six Scotland caps in the 2015 RBS 6 Nations, scoring the only try in the team’s 15-8 loss to France in Paris.

Toolis (23) earned his first cap as a replacement in the same campaign after a breakthrough season for the capital club, starting 20 from 22 matches and scoring his first try in the side’s European Challenge Cup semi-final win over Dragons.

I think that clearly rules them out of the WC.

jimbopip wrote:Sorry Nicky, but why would you break up the championship winning duo? Furra Linee and Richie V at 12 & 13. They are actually the only two fit centres we have since Schlong was listed as a wing.

My and I'm sure everyone else's preference would be for a fully fit Dunbar or Scott / Bennett combination, but I'm not convinced that's going to happen, so like you say its a toss up between the world class Peter Horne, Richard Vernon and Sean Lamont and whichever of our first choice centres we can patch up in time.

What I meant by my post is that I wouldn't be surprised if neither Dunbar or Scott are deemed to fit enough to play the majority of the warm-ups, so I think we'll see Horne play with Vernon, Lamont and possibly a fit again Bennett in those games and Vern will gamble on Dunbar.