Scotland v South Africa, 3 October

by **George Carlin** Mon 28 Sep 2015, 6:31 am

First topic message reminder :

Scotland v South Africa, 3 October - Page 4 Scot_f10

Scotland v South Africa, 3 October - Page 4 Spring11

SCOTLAND V SOUTH AFRICA
3 October 2015
KO: 16:45 BST
St. James' Park, Newcastle

Live on [tbc]

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) Scotland v South Africa, 3 October - Page 4 Worshi11

Scotland v South Africa, 3 October - Page 4 Worshi11

Touch judges: Chris Pollock (New Zealand) & Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)

A. Head to Head

25 Played 25
5 Won 20
0 Drawn 0
20 Lost 5
270 Points 652

B. Recent Form

28 June 2014
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
55 – 6 to South Africa

17 November 2013
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
0 – 28 to South Africa

15 June 2013
Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
30 – 17 to South Africa

17 November 2012
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
10 – 21 to South Africa

20 November 2010
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
21 – 17 to Scotland

15 November 2008
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
10 – 14 to South Africa

C. Teams

SCOTLAND
Scotland v South Africa, 3 October - Page 4 Kirsty10

Scotland v South Africa, 3 October - Page 4 Kirsty10

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 35 caps; 9 tries, 2 pens, 51 points 
14 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps; 8 tries, 40 points
13 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors) – 22 caps
12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) – 31 caps; 4 tries, 20 points
11 Tim Visser (Harlequins) – 22 caps; 10 tries, 50 points
 10 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps; 2 tries, 6 cons, 9 pens, 1 drop, 52 points
09 Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Gloucester) – 43 caps; 3 tries, 51 cons, 92 pens, 393 points
 
01 Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
02 Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
03 Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps; 1 try, 5 points
04 Richie Gray (Castres) – 48 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
05 Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps; 1 try, 5 points
06 Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors) – 2 caps
07 Blair Cowan (London Irish) – 13 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
08 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) – 29 caps

 16 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) – 91 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
17 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 49 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
18 Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) – 9 caps; 1 try, 5 points
19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) – 14 caps
20 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 13 caps
21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby) – 7 caps
22 Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps; 1 try, 1 con, 1 pen, 10 points
23 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) – 98 caps; 14 tries, 70 points

SOUTH AFRICA
Scotland v South Africa, 3 October - Page 4 Charli10

Scotland v South Africa, 3 October - Page 4 Charli10

01. Tendai Mtawarira
02. Bismarck Du Plessis
03. Jannie Du Plessis
04. Eben Etzebeth
05. Lodewyk De Jager
06. Francois Louw
07. Schalk Burger
08. Duane Vermeulen

09. Fourie Du Preez (captain)
10. Handre Pollard
11. Bryan Habana
12. Damian De Allende
13. Jesse Kriel
14. JP Pietersen
15. Willie Le Roux

16. Adriaan Strauss
17. Trevor Nyakane
18. Frans Malherbe
19. Pieter-Steph Du Toit
20. Willem Alberts
21. Ruan Pienaar
22. Pat Lambie
23. Jan Serfontein

by R!skysports Wed 30 Sep 2015, 8:20 am

fa0019 wrote:Simply don't think Scotland can beat the boks that way.

We don't tend to beat them the other way eiother :-)

I think the sun will allow us to play our style of game, rather than try to them at their game

Always better to try to play your own game, rather than change your plan to combat the opposition

So Sun and fast a game and lets see how it all plays oout

by **George Carlin** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 8:21 am

Biltong wrote:Misinformation and misdirection boys.

As for SA underestimating Scotland, you are dreaming if you think they will again underestimate anyone in this tournament.

I do think that Meyer has the capacity to misunderestimate us. In the George Bush sense of ththe word.

by R!skysports Wed 30 Sep 2015, 8:28 am

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
tigertattie wrote:Erm, BoD and Carter are by no means scrawny!

They are not built like Nadolo or picamoles but they are pretty solid units

Wee Finn is really quite wee by international rugby player standards! But he's a quick footed wee fella who is designed to pass the ball into space for others rather than trying to bosh up the middle himself!

Halfpenny was the same when he started. He's now built like a Greek god!

And now makes very few breaks and is more solid rather than dangerous with ball in hand

Might be a correlation

by **RDW** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 8:49 am

Here's a different spin on things:

Scotland fans - what do South Africa have to do to beat Scotland?

Biltong - what do Scotland have to do to beat South Africa?

Try to focus on what the opposition has to do, as opposed to things like 'don't underestimate them' etc.

by R!skysports Wed 30 Sep 2015, 8:50 am

RDW_Scotland wrote:Here's a different spin on things:

Scotland fans - what do South Africa have to do to beat Scotland?

Biltong - what do Scotland have to do to beat South Africa?

Try to focus on what the opposition has to do, as opposed to things like 'don't underestimate them' etc.

SA have to keep the ball tight, squeeze our possession and not make too many mistakes

by Tattie Scones RRN Wed 30 Sep 2015, 8:52 am

Take out Russell, Bennett and possibly Hogg.

by **Biltong** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 9:08 am

RDW_Scotland wrote:Here's a different spin on things:

Scotland fans - what do South Africa have to do to beat Scotland?

Biltong - what do Scotland have to do to beat South Africa?

Try to focus on what the opposition has to do, as opposed to things like 'don't underestimate them' etc.

My honest opinion?

Go back to June 2013 and look at the match in which they were up 17-6 at 43 minutes.

They disrupted our breakdowns, in my view illegally so, but they got away with it.

Strokosh and Hamilton were the two instigators of playing on the thinnest margins of the law.

They cleared the Bok players past the rucks, waaaaay past the rucks, in so doing scored a try which was borderline obstruction.

They rattled the forwards and disrupted the rythm of the Boks. We eventually won 30-17, but that match was a lot closer than the Scoreline suggests.

I honestly don't think Scotland will outrun us, but if they can disrupt our breakdown, they can disrupt our rythm, if you want to look at all the matches the Boks struggled in the past 4 years, win or lose, it was when I breakdown work did not function.

Our defensive combinations this year has suffered because Meyer has been changing midfield combinations every match, so there are gaps there to exploit, but you still have to limit the number of tries the Boks will score, and it all starts at thr breakdown.

by **RDW** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 9:09 am

This isn’t as much a blueprint of how to beat Scotland, but where I think our weaknesses still lie:

- Restarts. Scotland has been bad at these since the start of the professional era. I really don’t know how we can’t fix it. SA need to kick high and short and cause panic.

- Kicking game. As discussed in the USA game, our kick chase and aerial game is very poor. Despite our wingers being tall and physical we really don’t compete well on opposition ball or when there is a 50/50 challenge. Again high kicks out wide that the SA wingers can compete and look to gain possession and territory.

- Scrum. Our scrum is very solid with our starting front row, but given that Ford doesn’t hook we need to get a nudge on with our own ball. I’m not sure we can achieve this against SA. SA need to concentrate all their energy on stopping us getting a nudge – if we don’t go forward, we don’t hook the ball and will most likely get turned over.

- Lineout. It generally has been good, but Matfield is the worlds best and will be going up against a relative novice in Jonny Gray. Given Ross Ford’s historical cases of the yips, if SA can disrupt our ball early things may come crashing down

- The breakdown. SA have become ruthless here, whereas we still give away a lot of penalties and fail to get turnovers.

- The bench. If SA are in the lead with 20 minutes to go I can’t see us winning the game – Grant, Welsh, Swinson and Strokosh aren’t game changers.

by nickj Wed 30 Sep 2015, 9:48 am

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_84260,00.html

Du Preez could be a big loss, I'm not sure about Matfield.

Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth will be more than a match for the Brothers Gray.

Whereas Ruan Pienaar hasn't reproduced his Ulster form this RWC...

by RuggerRadge2611 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 10:22 am

To beat Scotland, South Africa need to target our line out. It can be a wee bit shakey.

Get Ford off his game and starve Scotland of possesion and we'll get panicky.

When SA have kickable penalties, for for the corner every time. South Africa have a deserved reputation for a powerful driving maul and our defence in that area has more leaks than the Iraqi navy.

Put Peterson and Habana 1on1 with Seymore/Visser as often as possible. They don't tackle well at the best of times and the law of averages would suggest 1 try in 3 for every 1on1 the Bokke wingers will have with our wingers.

by Tattie Scones RRN Wed 30 Sep 2015, 10:47 am

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:To beat Scotland, South Africa need to target our line out. It can be a wee bit shakey.

Get Ford off his game and starve Scotland of possesion and we'll get panicky.

When SA have kickable penalties, for for the corner every time. South Africa have a deserved reputation for a powerful driving maul and our defence in that area has more leaks than the Iraqi navy.

Put Peterson and Habana 1on1 with Seymore/Visser as often as possible. They don't tackle well at the best of times and the law of averages would suggest 1 try in 3 for every 1on1 the Bokke wingers will have with our wingers.

Sorry mate I disagree with this especially on the showings of the last two matches.

Scotland have shown that despite being second best in both 1st halves, they have come out and fixed the problem through patience and keeping calm.

We need quick ball - it might mean committing more numbers to the breakdown, but it's the only way we're going to win this match.

Hopefully Hardie will be fit.

by tigertattie Wed 30 Sep 2015, 11:03 am

RDW_Scotland wrote:Here's a different spin on things:

Scotland fans - what do South Africa have to do to beat Scotland?

Biltong - what do Scotland have to do to beat South Africa?

Try to focus on what the opposition has to do, as opposed to things like 'don't underestimate them' etc.

I'll answer this for both teams!

Win the breakdown!

Forwards decide who wins a game! The backs decide by how much!

by RuggerRadge2611 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 11:12 am

tigertattie wrote:
RDW_Scotland wrote:Here's a different spin on things:

Scotland fans - what do South Africa have to do to beat Scotland?

Biltong - what do Scotland have to do to beat South Africa?

Try to focus on what the opposition has to do, as opposed to things like 'don't underestimate them' etc.

I'll answer this for both teams!

Win the breakdown!

Forwards decide who wins a game! The backs decide by how much!

It's not just about the breakdown. Being great in the loose and on the floor is great, but if we drop 7 points every time South Africa get a line out inside the 22 we'll get crucified.

by Mr Fishpaste Wed 30 Sep 2015, 11:15 am

To beat SA Scotland need to play cleverly and not try to outmuscle the Boks. The Scots must do their homework on the Ref - to see how he blows the breakdown - and then push the envelope of legal play at the break down all the while trying to get under the skins of people like Bismarck, etc...if Pollard is playing the scots don't have to worry too much about 3-point penalties, he hasn't been kicking well. As for the lineouts: keep the boks guessing, lots of novelty lineout moves ala Richie McCaw, or going to the prop at the front or going over the top...but they all have to be executed perfectly.

by **RDW** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 11:20 am

Mr Fishpaste wrote:To beat SA Scotland need to play cleverly and not try to outmuscle the Boks. The Scots must do their homework on the Ref - to see how he blows the breakdown

We are very familiar with Mr Owens, and I think we need to be careful with how we react to the bit highlighted in bold! Erm

by **Biltong** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 11:20 am

From the mouth of Francois Louw.

“It’s a massive focus from their side at the breakdown, they [Scotland] are focusing on that side of the game,” Louw claims. “The emphasis just comes back to us competing when it comes to that point in the game. The quicker we get in there at the tackle, the tighter we are. It’s irrelevant what different types of opposition we face. The element of speed is crucial for us, we want to make sure we get a solid platform and not allow their key players, their loose forwards who are good at the breakdown, to get in there and affect our ball.”

“There has been an emphasis on the tackler rolling away,” he says. “These days the guys get into the breakdown so quickly that quite often the opposition just gets trapped there but they are not having any of that. It is your responsibility as a tackler to roll away. It’s about deciding where to land post-tackle, it’s not just about smashing the guy and taking your time to roll out."

“I’ve seen a few penalties awarded even if the ball is present if there is a player lying around it. So its massive pressure for the tackler to get away there. Discipline is a focus for us, we need to improve there. We need to tighten up, too many pens at the breakdown can be costly.”

by tigertattie Wed 30 Sep 2015, 11:28 am

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
tigertattie wrote:
RDW_Scotland wrote:Here's a different spin on things:

Scotland fans - what do South Africa have to do to beat Scotland?

Biltong - what do Scotland have to do to beat South Africa?

Try to focus on what the opposition has to do, as opposed to things like 'don't underestimate them' etc.

I'll answer this for both teams!

Win the breakdown!

Forwards decide who wins a game! The backs decide by how much!

It's not just about the breakdown. Being great in the loose and on the floor is great, but if we drop 7 points every time South Africa get a line out inside the 22 we'll get crucified.

winning the breakdown stops SA from getting that line out on our 22 though!

by RuggerRadge2611 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 11:42 am

tigertattie wrote:
RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
tigertattie wrote:
RDW_Scotland wrote:Here's a different spin on things:

Scotland fans - what do South Africa have to do to beat Scotland?

Biltong - what do Scotland have to do to beat South Africa?

Try to focus on what the opposition has to do, as opposed to things like 'don't underestimate them' etc.

I'll answer this for both teams!

Win the breakdown!

Forwards decide who wins a game! The backs decide by how much!

It's not just about the breakdown. Being great in the loose and on the floor is great, but if we drop 7 points every time South Africa get a line out inside the 22 we'll get crucified.

winning the breakdown stops SA from getting that line out on our 22 though!

True enough, however I will be surprised beyond measure if we don't give away at least 3 penalties for one reason for another that puts them in that position.

The best way to defend their maul is prevention. Get Gray Jr and Denton lifting Gray Snr and put 9 and a half ft of lineout jumper at number 2 in the lineout and try and stop them even getting the ball!

by bsando Wed 30 Sep 2015, 12:14 pm

Boks can beat Scotland at the breakdown and in the set piece. I think they will find it hard to beat Scotland if they allow them too much possession. Boot the ball deep into touch, pressure Scotland at the line outs. When in attacking position, use driving mauls a lot (Scotland can't defend them well). The intensity we all know SA are capable of can totally undo Scotland in the 1st half and seal the deal before half time. Scotland have to match SA for 80 mins to get any sort of result. Although a few lucky bounces would be great! pleasepleaseplease

by fa0019 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 12:15 pm

SA's lineout isn't rocket science... they don't have that many jumpers as before.

In Matfields hayday he had Russouw, Spies, Smith etc. Not the same calibre as before set piece wise.

Its should be a target.

by funnyExiledScot Wed 30 Sep 2015, 2:38 pm

Biltong wrote:Strokosh and Hamilton were the two instigators of playing on the thinnest margins of the law.

They cleared the Bok players past the rucks, waaaaay past the rucks, in so doing scored a try which was borderline obstruction.

It's because us Scots are really strong, and you Boks are a bunch of lightweight Jessies.

Scotland by 20 points.

Very Happy

by cp10 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 3:27 pm

According to "hack" David Ferguson John Hardie has been cleared of concussion.

http://www.fergusonmedia.co.uk/?p=813

by 123456789 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 4:01 pm

Let's be realistic, to view the South African mindset going into the Japan game as indicative of the result this Saturday is completely wrong, firstly let's not put ourselves in the Japanese bracket of rugby team, we are better than Japan, we've proved that, we've also got a relatively recent history of beating the Boks and arguably should have beaten them in 2013 with a weakened side. The South Africans will not sleepwalk into defeat against us. Furthermore if we pull off the win on Saturday it puts qualifications out of South African hands and essentially if Japan beat Samoa they are out and eve if they don't there's a range of permutations I haven't the time or energy to look into in, in short they cannot afford to be complacent, they would literally have to be the most unintelligent group of players and coaches in the history of rugby to go into this game with the same mindset they had against Japan.

That is not to say I don't think we can win, in fact I think we'll beat the Springboks, having said that it takes up until the 70th minute of every Scotland game for me to consider they may not win regardless of the score. Nonetheless the reasons I think we'll beat the Boks are fairly simple, they are desperate, if we can build an early lead we can hopefully lure them into a trap of ill discipline and frustration, secondly it would be foolish to suggest the Boks' defeat was solely down to mindset, if it was the experience in the pitch was such that the second defeat became an option they'd have snapped out of it, if we can win or gain parity at the breakdown and play quick expansive rugby I do not think the Boks will be too comfortable, and thirdly I think Vern is a much better coach than Heyneke Meyer and with a home crowd behind us as well we have a real chance. I am aware that logic and history points to a Springbok victory and if Finn is not fit then our chances will decrease by about 75% but Scotland have had a big, meaningful performance coming for some years now and we've been simmering nicely for the last two to three months.

by funnyExiledScot Wed 30 Sep 2015, 4:04 pm

cp10 wrote:According to "hack" David Ferguson John Hardie has been cleared of concussion.

http://www.fergusonmedia.co.uk/?p=813

In which case he goes straight back into the side. Perhaps include Cowan on the bench as cover for 6 and 7. We want to make the breakdown a complete nightmare.

by jimbopip Wed 30 Sep 2015, 5:01 pm

Japan: targetted the Boks at the breakdown, and the lineout, and everywhere else, fought like their lives depended on it till the 81st minute and won.

Samoa: tried to bully the Boks with big hitters. That's it really. Once they saw that wasn't working it was all over.

I think the team pretty much picks itself.

Hardie will play if fit (apparently he is).

Cowan may well be on the bench as Batman has not been a presence at rucks in the way Cotter hoped he would be.

Seymour will start and probably Maitland, who will run riot now that he has rediscovered the taste for try scoring.

by alive555 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 5:37 pm

South Africa team up

15. Willie le Roux Toyota Cheetahs (29 caps, 45 points)
14. JP Pietersen Cell C Sharks (62 caps, 105 points)
13. Jesse Kriel Vodacom Bulls (6 caps, 10 points)
12. Damian De Allende DHL Stormers (8 caps, 0 points)
11. Bryan Habana Toulon (112 caps, 300 points)
10. Handré Pollard Vodacom Bulls (15 caps, 114 points)
9. Fourie du Preez (captain) Suntory (72 caps, 75 points)
8. Duane Vermeulen DHL Stormers (30 caps, 10 points)
7. Schalk Burger (vice-captain) DHL Stormers (81 caps, 75 points)
6. Francois Louw Bath (38 caps, 30 points)
5. Lood de Jager Toyota Cheetahs (14 caps, 20 points)
4. Eben Etzebeth DHL Stormers (39 caps, 5 points)
3. Jannie du Plessis Cell C Sharks (66 caps, 5 points)
2. Bismarck du Plessis Cell C Sharks (74 caps, 50 points)
1. Tendai Mtawarira Cell C Sharks (70 caps, 10 points)

Replacements:
16. Adriaan Strauss Vodacom Bulls (50 caps, 30 points)
17. Trevor Nyakane Vodacom Bulls (18 caps, 5 points)
18. Frans Malherbe DHL Stormers (7 caps, 0 points)
19. Pieter-Steph du Toit Cell C Sharks (5 caps, 0 points)
20. Willem Alberts Cell C Sharks (33 caps, 35 points)
21. Ruan Pienaar Ulster (86 caps, 135 points)
22. Pat Lambie Cell C Sharks (46 caps, 131 points)
23. Jan Serfontein Vodacom Bulls (21 caps, 10 points)

by **RDW** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 5:40 pm

Piece of urine!

I'm hopeful the centres and Du Preez are still carrying knocks...

by Driver Wed 30 Sep 2015, 6:25 pm

Anyone heading too this game?

by **George Carlin** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 6:30 pm

alive555 wrote:South Africa team up

15. Willie le Roux Toyota Cheetahs (29 caps, 45 points)
14. JP Pietersen Cell C Sharks (62 caps, 105 points)
13. Jesse Kriel Vodacom Bulls (6 caps, 10 points)
12. Damian De Allende DHL Stormers (8 caps, 0 points)
11. Bryan Habana Toulon (112 caps, 300 points)
10. Handré Pollard Vodacom Bulls (15 caps, 114 points)
9. Fourie du Preez (captain) Suntory (72 caps, 75 points)
8. Duane Vermeulen DHL Stormers (30 caps, 10 points)
7. Schalk Burger (vice-captain) DHL Stormers (81 caps, 75 points)
6. Francois Louw Bath (38 caps, 30 points)
5. Lood de Jager Toyota Cheetahs (14 caps, 20 points)
4. Eben Etzebeth DHL Stormers (39 caps, 5 points)
3. Jannie du Plessis Cell C Sharks (66 caps, 5 points)
2. Bismarck du Plessis Cell C Sharks (74 caps, 50 points)
1. Tendai Mtawarira Cell C Sharks (70 caps, 10 points)

Replacements:
16. Adriaan Strauss Vodacom Bulls (50 caps, 30 points)
17. Trevor Nyakane Vodacom Bulls (18 caps, 5 points)
18. Frans Malherbe DHL Stormers (7 caps, 0 points)
19. Pieter-Steph du Toit Cell C Sharks (5 caps, 0 points)
20. Willem Alberts Cell C Sharks (33 caps, 35 points)
21. Ruan Pienaar Ulster (86 caps, 135 points)
22. Pat Lambie Cell C Sharks (46 caps, 131 points)
23. Jan Serfontein Vodacom Bulls (21 caps, 10 points)

Looks rubbish.

by jimbopip Wed 30 Sep 2015, 6:48 pm

Driver wrote:Anyone heading too this game?

. Driver, I'll be heading up with a Bok friend and we're meeting Bru before the game. Let me know if you fancy a pre match pint.I think Bru says we're going to the Bridge Inn first: Has it's own brewery in the basement.

by **RDW** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 6:50 pm

jimbopip wrote:
Driver wrote:Anyone heading too this game?
. Driver, I'll be heading up with a Bok friend and we're meeting Bru before the game. Let me know if you fancy a pre match pint.I think Bru says we're going to the Bridge Inn first: Has it's own brewery in the basement.

So Bru can organise a pish up in a brewery after all - who knew!

by Driver Wed 30 Sep 2015, 6:53 pm

Yeah definatly, Time you heading there for?

by GLove39 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 7:14 pm

That Bok team doesn't phase me one iota...

by GLove39 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 7:15 pm

And speaking of Saturday. Look away now Biltong, look away now...
https://vine.co/v/eQ1Fj2YLUh5

by **RDW** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 7:21 pm

GLove39 wrote:And speaking of Saturday. Look away now Biltong, look away now...
https://vine.co/v/eQ1Fj2YLUh5

Outstanding! clap

by jimbopip Wed 30 Sep 2015, 7:24 pm

Driver wrote:Yeah definatly, Time you heading there for?

None too sure Driver. We are arriving on the 8:00 from Kings Cross, about 11 ish. Heading to Bru's to dump our bags and then on the ran-dan as my granny used to say.

PM me your contact details and I'll get back to you. Or ask Bru as he will be the designated grown up for the day. guinness

by Driver Wed 30 Sep 2015, 7:33 pm

Is it a direct train your getting? Or Grand Central to Sunderland then changing over?

I'll PM you my number. I'm aiming to get to Newcastle for 1.

by jimbopip Wed 30 Sep 2015, 8:18 pm

Driver, do I look like The Fat Controller?

Second thoughts, don't answer that.

by **Biltong** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 8:40 pm

GLove39 wrote:That Bok team doesn't phase me one iota...

Thank goodness we aren't playing against you then, eh Wink

by **Biltong** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 8:43 pm

GLove39 wrote:And speaking of Saturday. Look away now Biltong, look away now...
https://vine.co/v/eQ1Fj2YLUh5

That's cute Very Happy

by funnyExiledScot Wed 30 Sep 2015, 9:20 pm

Biltong - would you settle for a losing bonus point?

by **Biltong** Wed 30 Sep 2015, 10:12 pm

funnyExiledScot wrote:Biltong - would you settle for a losing bonus point?

For you guys , sure why not?

by IanBru Wed 30 Sep 2015, 10:50 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:
jimbopip wrote:
Driver wrote:Anyone heading too this game?
. Driver, I'll be heading up with a Bok friend and we're meeting Bru before the game. Let me know if you fancy a pre match pint.I think Bru says we're going to the Bridge Inn first: Has it's own brewery in the basement.

So Bru can organise a pish up in a brewery after all - who knew!

That all remains to be seen, friend. Laugh

Just got home from our final rehearsal. The conductor wants us at St James' Park three hours before kickoff, so I may have to leave you guys for a bit, then see you in the fanzone after. You'll be meeting a big bunch of Geordies that I know from my evening watching England v Fiji in the Kingston Park clubhouse. Crazy people!

by GLove39 Wed 30 Sep 2015, 11:24 pm

Biltong wrote:
funnyExiledScot wrote:Biltong - would you settle for a losing bonus point?

For you guys , sure why not?

by **George Carlin** Thu 01 Oct 2015, 6:38 am

Biltong wrote:
GLove39 wrote:And speaking of Saturday. Look away now Biltong, look away now...
https://vine.co/v/eQ1Fj2YLUh5

That's cute

Graham - whatever job you have that isn't doing that full time - you are wasted in it.

by **RDW** Thu 01 Oct 2015, 7:55 am

Whatever you think of Sean Lamont as a player, the guy is a complete feckin legend!

Scotsman wrote:His first cap came against Manu Samoa way back in 2004 when Tony Blair was sitting in No 10. Since then he has amassed a total of 98 international appearances and, with a little luck and a following wind, Sean Lamont should add one more to that impressive tally when Scotland face South Africa at St James’ Park on Saturday.

He is a marvel of longevity in an unforgiving sport. The elder of two brothers, Lamont is now 34. Younger sibling Rory proved a lot less durable, bowing out of the sport plagued by injuries aged 30. In contrast, Sean’s career has seen him play under five different Scotland coaches. Two caps away from a congratulatory telegraph from the Queen, he must feel justifiably proud?

You realise it is not about personal gain. It is team first and I will stand by that. If I stick on 98 caps and am never used again so be it

“Pride is the wrong word,” insists Lamont. “I am thankful. Look, from where I am standing at the moment, if those two caps never come and Scotland go on to win the world cup so be it, I will do all I can.

“I would love to get them but, at this point, I am not thinking about me at all. It is squad first. I have changed my focus the older I get. You realise it is not about personal gain. It is team first and I will stand by that. If I stick on this 98 and am never used again so be it.

“When I reached 50 I thought the next target was 100. It just creeps up. When you get in the 90s I felt I could go for another couple of years, ten caps a year roughly. When I hit the 90 I thought I had another couple of years playing and could sneak up there.

“Yes it is a nice little personal goal but not my sole focus. I want to keep playing for Scotland for as long as I can. If they [the next two caps] come they come. It is not about me at the moment.”

Lamont has played for so long he has experienced just about everything, including victory over South Africa in 2010. He has been pressed into service in just about every position in the outside backs including a memorable stint at full-back against Wales in 2011, when he was just about the only man in blue standing strong against a relentless tide of red jerseys. His lonely defiance that day was followed up by some harsh words directed at his own team-mates.

“Angry?” snapped Lamont after a spineless Scottish performance. “Am I angry? I am angry. I am very angry. I think everybody is. I know the coaches are. They’re f***ing raging and I am f***ing raging.”

Such honest outbursts are no longer tolerated but, then again, such outbursts are no longer needed. This Scotland team has several obvious fault lines, and you suspect that the South Africans will uncover a few more, but they hang tough together, which is a good starting point, they defend their line like it matters and they score tries. Lamont would go further.

“This is the best Scotland squad I’ve been in, bar none,” he states with conviction. “There are a few reasons, it’s because of the quality of the players we have and the depth we have and how close we are as a squad.

“I’m not just saying that because it’s the right thing to say, it’s because I genuinely feel that. It’s a really great place to be with the talent we have in the squad at the moment. It makes me want to stay for even longer. That’s why I’m pushing so hard to stick around. It’s a brilliant place to be, it’s so much fun and gives me so much enjoyment. That is a huge driving factor for myself so we are in a good place.”

This Scotland squad has its strengths but whether they will be enough to beat a motivated South African team for whom defeat may well spell the end of their World Cup is a moot point.

“We beat South Africa in 2010 and we nearly beat them over there in the mini-tournament with Samoa and Italy in 2013,” Lamont recalls. “They are a physical team and, if you match them physically, it takes away a big part of their game. You saw that in the Japan game. It is not the only part of their game. They have other parts to their game. Every team has a blip and they seem to have recovered well.

“If we beat South Africa that is us qualified. For Scotland to have qualified after three games would be something fantastic but we cannot get ahead of ourselves. It will be a physical game like every one in this pool.

“It is the old wounded animal scenario. I don’t think they will make the same mistake twice. Top teams don’t do that. We know what will be coming at us. They will be physical and will try to bully us.”

In the modern era it has become the norm for players to quit the international arena in order to prolong their club playing careers and, therefore, their earnings. Thankfully we still have characters like Lamont who will have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, from the international arena.

“I am going to stick through until my body give up or I’m not wanted,” he says. “I feel good, I want to dig in and the young guys keep me on my toes so I will try to drag them alonng."

by alive555 Thu 01 Oct 2015, 7:57 am

Russell out

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/latest/finn-russell-ruled-out-against-springboks-1-3903855

Weir is a massive step down. possibly our weakest bench player along with tighhead

by **Biltong** Thu 01 Oct 2015, 8:21 am

heyneke Meyer wrote:There is only a little over three hour train journey separating Birmingham from Newcastle, but there might as well be an ocean of sea to represent the massive chasm between the mood reflected by Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer now in comparison with a week ago.

In the English midland city, Meyer was a man under intense pressure and his fidgety demeanour at the team announcement press conference reflected that.

He still produced the odd light moment seven days ago, but would apologise for it every time. Like his team, it appeared that Meyer felt obliged to behave after the Brighton defeat to Japan like there had been a death in the family.

On Wednesday, in naming a team that included three changes to the one that beat Samoa 46-6 at Villa Park, his mood reflected the outlook from the sunlit river facing room where the team announcement was made.

With the setting sun dropping slowly down to the horizon behind the city on the other side of the River Tyne, everything looked right with the world as Meyer happily cracked jokes without apologising.

And he also allowed himself to make a few bold pronouncements that were driven by his confidence in the names written down on the team sheet for Saturday’s big Pool B decider at St James Park.

“We have players who were injured who are coming back and building form and I really feel that the team as it is developing now, if we can get past the Scotland game, is going to go far. We have the right mix and if each guy plays for the guy next to him and we play like South Africans can, then I don’t think anyone can beat us,” said Meyer.

That was a very different message to last week, when the loss to Japan had made the Boks look beatable by almost anyone, and Meyer didn’t do much to allay that impression.

Meyer called then for a return to traditional strengths, and his team responded, but his belief his team now has the script right was not the only reason he was feeling bullish.

The loss of skipper Jean de Villiers and now also vice-captain Victor Matfield (for the Scotand game) notwithstanding, the team selected for St James Park does look like the strongest of the season so far.

And if we think back to a week ago and what was being said, Meyer might also just feel that this week he has what he expects of a captain, that being that he should be an extension of himself on the field, whereas after Brighton he wasn’t sure about either De Villiers or Matfield.

'ENOUGH EXPERIENCE'

“I am very happy that just at the right time we have got big game players who are starting to regain their fitness and starting to head back into form, and it is just in time for us,” said Meyer.

“We took a chance in selecting JP Pietersen and throwing him into the deep end after he’d been out towards the end of the Rugby Championship, and he responded by scoring three tries. Duane Vermeulen made a huge difference last week. He is a big leadership figure. He is in charge of our defence, and along with Victor, he has also been in charge of our lineouts.

“Fourie du Preez came through well last week too. I have always been impressed with his rugby brain, right from when he was playing for me as a 19-year-old, and together with Duane and Schalk Burger, we have a great leadership group. They have met with me and they have met among themselves. They are great friends, and together I think they will be the right mix.”

There are some players carrying slight niggles, but if you factor that out, it does appear that the Boks now have the right blend, with plenty of youth mixed in with the experience.

Meyer was asked if he was concerned that the players from 10 through to 13 were too young, a question he would not have been asked a year ago, when the perception was that the Boks were an old team.

“It has been a bit of a worry for me because I do believe experience is crucial for a World Cup, but with Fourie back at scrumhalf, and with Bryan Habana and JP boasting a lot of caps, I think there is enough experience to rub off and guide those guys. I have also impressed on Willie le Roux that he is not a new international player anymore, and he needs to see himself as a senior player.

“We also have two youngsters in Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth playing together at lock, and with us having to change all our lineout calls because Scotland have South African players who understand Afrikaans and were also part of my training group four years ago, there may be a bit of pressure on them in that phase.

“But we have Duane there and Schalk there, and Fourie at scrumhalf, and they should ease some of the pressure on those two. I am really excited about what the pair of them can bring, particularly the physicality.”

Indeed, while Matfield’s efficiency and astuteness in the lineouts may indeed be missed, many South Africans will doubtless share Meyer’s enthusiasm for what Etzebeth and De Jager could bring to the Bok effort.

They played together from the start of the Championship match against the All Blacks in Johannesburg at the end of July and their physical contribution played a big role forcing the Kiwis onto the back foot for the first hour.

And then there is Willem Alberts. The Bok coach has rightly decided to continue with Schalk Burger at No 7 after his outstanding contribution against Samoa, even though he is one of several players carrying a bit of an injury, but the prospect of having Alberts coming off the bench should be an enticing one for Bok fans and a scary one for the Scots.

“Willem is 50/50 at the moment but I decided that if he can’t play this week then he can’t play the following week. We have decided we have to take a chance on Willem. It was a rugby decision. Willem has always played well for us when he is 100 percent fit, and he puts in the big hits and is good at taking us across the advantage line.”

by funnyExiledScot Thu 01 Oct 2015, 9:22 am

You can put lipstick on a pig Meyer, but it's still a pig.

by **Biltong** Thu 01 Oct 2015, 9:50 am

funnyExiledScot wrote:You can put lipstick on a pig Meyer, but it's still a pig.

Wow, you must know him well to make that assessment.

by Sponsored content