Oh Well, Guscott is not mincing his words !!

Guscott, at last is speaking some sense, I think he is spot on with this weeks review, I do not think the Scottish on here are going to like though, especially this bit:-




Have a read it is quite interesting, what I do find strange is though, he says this about the French forwards:-




 Then he picks 4 of them for the team of the weekend.  

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/35575140

That man is a plonker.

Jeremy Gusset wrote: If we picked a British and Irish Lions team today, I don't think any of the Scotland team would get in the starting XV.

But as you said LD he then names 3 Laidlaw, Seymour and Nel in his team of the 6N...

I recall reading he also backed Scotland to beat England the other week. Guscott is always a guy who swims with the tide from memory.

Less objectionable than I was expecting from Guscott. Can't argue with our record & at least he wasn't being a patronising bumhole like Clive yesterday.

As for the Lions thing. Mehhh, given how our players usually get treated when it comes to selection that wouldn't really surprise me. What's more surprising is Jerry making that claim than putting 3 Scots in his XV of the weekend

I wouldn't describe the article as "interesting" personally, Guscott is an incredibly lazy journalist with very little in the way of original insight, but on this occasion I agree with his section on Scotland.

It's entirely right to point out that the World Cup built unrealistic expectations, which a number of Scotland fans (myself included) pointed out before the tournament. 2 wins was always going to be a decent return for us at this point in the team's development (we had the Wooden Spoon last year with a whitewash), with Italy (away) and France (home) our best opportunities. I also agree with his conclusion regarding the Lions. I wouldn't pick a single Scottish player in the starting XV either were I making the selection right now.

Interesting that the team at the top of the table has only two representatives in his 6N side,Scotland have 3, 2 backs from a side yet to score a try, one of whom is a player that most Scottish posters on here want to replace. The French have our payers from the pack that has struggled against Italy and looked fragmented against Ireland.

The side that has scored more tries than any other team has one back and despite coping comfortably against what were deemed to be two of the best front rows in the 6N no front row selections either.

Sounds like the old Guscott to me, terrible.

You may not like it, but it makes perfect sense...

He picked Scots for his team "of the weekend"... that doesn't mean a player who stood out on the weekend is a potential Lion..

As for Lions, what Scot would you include at the moment (thinking Test side), as every position will have an English, Irish or Welshman competing for the shirt..

Scotland are doing pretty okay for a Nation with only two 'club' sides to call players from and one or two APers?  

Wales have been attempting to coax back or hold onto their 'better' players - and they have four Regional sides to choose players from - twice Scotland's number for the non-mathematical

England have 12 sides and therefore oodles of talent to call on...... and they've had disappointing year after disappointing year..... yet I guess the 'LIONS' gloat/taunt can't be contained.  Scottish teams are bad coz they is just useless players that always pretend to be more than they are of course.  They could have 15 Professional team up there and they'd all still be useless.  So only two Professional sides to call most players from ain't an obstacle in their path to success or nothing like that, see.  That would just be a lame excuse, innit.....

Too right Guss!!!  You tell 'em tartan bastereauds!!!

Quite bizarre article in many ways, I thought. Didn't think that many of the back rows distinguished themselves over much last weekend but still seemed very obtuse to pick two from France. On the other hand the French front row scrummaged us off the park in the second half, so I might have thought about Slimani or Ben Arous for the prop positions. Noves benched them in retaliation for a perceived lack of effort against Italy; at their best they are the class of the 6N at the moment.

Elsewhere a lot of opinion that can at least be argued with. I know that Halfpenny is injured but I'm damned if I can see a British or Irish Number 15 who can currently be picked over Hogg. Would think that Jonny Gray might also deserve a second look for a starting berth at lock as well - he may not have the physical gifts of his brother but he is incomparably more effective and industrious than Richie, who to my eye has basically stagnated since his astonishing first eighteen months of international rugby.

Did Wales really change their channels of running that much (North's brilliant try an individual effort that sliced Scotland up through the middle)? Does Schmidt really require "forward dominance" to win matches? Ireland certainly didn't win the last two 6Ns by besting everyone at the set piece and Guscott appears to give little attention to the fact that against Argentina and subsequently, Ireland have been stuck without a number of their sharpest individuals. There's a bit of a lack of leadership at the moment, for sure, but I do think that the Guscott analysis is a bit superficial.

Guscott strikes me as no more or less bland and lacking in incisiveness than most of the others employed by BBC for punditry purposes. Read Keith Wood's remarkably uninformative piece on Ireland or Mike Blair's repetition of the Scottish party line this week if you doubt me. With that in mind, it's probably not his worst piece ever but nor is it one to open our eyes to something that we haven't noticed or understood. With all his faults, Brian Moore is the one bloke who regularly does this, although I would love to see Paul O'Connell in the expert's chair again - thought that his was a cracking debut in what would have been tough circumstances for him.

I thought that both French flankers who are in Guscott team are just about decent work horses, surely there should be better in the 6N than them. His analysis is really poor and simplistic for that type of website, he must have typed that article on his iphone when having a poo or something.

whocares wrote:His analysis is really poor and simplistic for that type of website

It seems in line with everything on the BBC these day.

I guess the BBC employ an intern these days to guess what Guscott might say

How could he select Camara... I mean he was absolutely dire. Dropped everything in sight, he had a very poor game.

I thought Guscott's analysis was pretty good. He put Seymour, Nel and Laidlaw in his team because of their performances on the weekend. Rightly so. He's also right in saying no Scotts are likely starters in a Lions test if picked today. Can't see the problem.

offload wrote:I thought Guscott's analysis was pretty good.  He put Seymour, Nel and Laidlaw in his team because of their performances on the weekend.  Rightly so.  He's also right in saying no Scotts are likely starters in a Lions test if picked today. Can't see the problem.

No problem.  It's his opinion and he's entitled to it ... but it's just meaningless stuff when talking about the now of 6N.

During the WC - a bigger event of more meaning - not too many English players would have made a Lions team had it been picked then; and a good portion of Scots would have had a fair chance.  So what?  Find a new analogy I'd say to Guscott.  The Lions ain't everything to everyone.  Some Scottish players cry for their anthem... not sure many of the 'few' that would get picked for a Lions team would have the same emotion about that stint.  The Scots got picked for Scotland - that's more than good enough for them for now

Guscott's a prat.

Guscott loves the lions because he is a Lions legend, probably with Jonno the last great one (North and Roberts may join this list with a good 2017 tour).
In the old days the Lions was the pinnacle of the sport for a GB & IRE player. Today I would say they probably see the RWC as superceding it.... although I think a Lions series victory in SA or NZ is probably more prestigious.

Surprised Guscott picked Nel for team of the week. I thought in the Wales vs Scotland game he had hands like feet, failed to stop Roberts from scoring a try and didn't have things his own way in the scrum. Fitness was an issue too.

If Scotland want to play an attacking game then they need forwards who can handle the ball properly and need more power. Denton is probably the weakest no 8 in the competition.

beshocked wrote:Surprised Guscott picked Nel for team of the week. I thought in the Wales vs Scotland game  he had hands like feet, failed to stop Roberts from scoring a try and didn't have things his own way in the scrum. Fitness was an issue too.

If Scotland want to play an attacking game then they need forwards who can handle the ball properly and need more power. Denton is probably the weakest no 8 in the competition.

A couple of things, not many would stop Roberts from that range. Nel's fitness is incredible, especially when you consider how much Solomans has played him this season. The man hasn't had a break since the RWC. It's a testament to his fitness that he is still going.

Secondly Denton has performed quite well thusfar. The stats also support this with him having quite high numbers of meters made even through heavy traffic. Albeit his carrying wasn't as good as Billy V's whose strength in the contact area was incredible. Denton has tackled well and carried the ball well enough in the games he has played.

Mind you in comparrison with the other number 8s (Sergio, Heaslip, Faleteu, Billy V) it's a very talented group of players you are comparing him with.

Take a look at these stats for a no. 8:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/truly-remarkable-statistics-suggest-taulupe-10892646

Is he the best in Europe at the minute ?

Not even the best 8 in his family.

Ruggerradge seriously?

Nel looked tired, he knocked on twice in the latter stages of the game which was a let off for Wales. His skill levels seem low. I know the general opinion in Scotland is Nel is a world class TH but I am not convinced personally.

My point stands though - Denton the weakest no 8. Well perhaps not France but then Picamoles is injured...

Denton got outplayed by both Billy and his cousin Toby.

beshocked wrote:Ruggerradge seriously?

Nel looked tired, he knocked on twice in the latter stages of the game which was a let off for Wales. His skill levels seem low. I know the general opinion in Scotland is Nel is a world class TH but I am not convinced personally.

My point stands though - Denton the weakest no 8. Well perhaps not France but then Picamoles is injured...

Denton got outplayed by both Billy and his cousin Toby.

Hang-on, us Scots don't use that label, certainly not the Edinburgh ones. You're confusing us with the Welsh.

I don't think Denton has had a bad tournament thus far, but I do agree that he's the runt of the number 8 litter come the 6 Nations. Billy V and Faletau are both in great form and outstanding players even on a bad day. Heaslip is a very fine player and won a bunch of stuff. Parisse is so good that John Inverdale has heard of him. Picamoles is absolutely top class, an absolutely brutal ball carrier. I see no shame is saying that Denton is the worst of an extremely talented bunch.

FES I agree the Welsh think Samson Lee is world class. He isn't. I do exaggerate in regards to Nel, world class is perhaps the wrong word but he has been highly praised.

Perhaps Denton isn't doing that badly but no 8 is a hugely influential role and is generally where a team can get their inspiration IMO. I just don't see Denton filling that role for Scotland in the same way others have.

England used to be in your position when we had Easter - he was okay but when compared to other no 8s he used to be the weakest link. Then England moved on with Morgan now Billy.
Perhaps someone else in the future. Of course when England were at their zenith we had Dallaglio.

France used to have Harinorduquy who was a brilliant leader etc.

NZ has Read. Don't need to say more.

No 8 I feel is a position that sometimes gets overlooked in terms of importance. Certainly for leadership and inspiration I would say it's a big one.

Yes we had dallaglio at 8 but no one else to cover that position as far as I remember. Probably why England failed so dramatically after the rwc was because SCW had not developed any alternative squad players.

"Oh Well, Guscott is not mincing his words !!"

Funny, cuz that is usually exactly what he does. He seems to be a combination of saying stuff he thinks his audience wants to hear. And someone who doesn't watch too much rugby these days.

Still, he was a great English centre, and that's quite a rarity.

beshocked wrote:FES I agree the Welsh think Samson Lee is world class. He isn't. I do exaggerate in regards to Nel, world class is perhaps the wrong word but he has been highly praised.

Perhaps Denton isn't doing that badly but no 8 is a hugely influential role and is generally where a team can get their inspiration IMO. I just don't see Denton filling that role for Scotland in the same way others have.

England used to be in your position when we had Easter - he was okay but when compared to other no 8s he used to be the weakest link. Then England moved on with Morgan now Billy.
Perhaps someone else in the future. Of course when England were at their zenith we had Dallaglio.

France used to have Harinorduquy who was a brilliant leader etc.

NZ has Read. Don't need to say more.

No 8 I feel is a position that sometimes gets overlooked in terms of importance. Certainly for leadership and inspiration I would say it's a big one.

Why do we think Lee is world class? Nobody would have said that, especially after our set piece at the World Cup. Saying that, the Welsh props have dominated their opposition in the scrum the past two weeks, and neither Evans or Lee are in this team, hmmmm. I think whoever said guscott doesn't watch rugby is right!

SecretFly wrote:I guess the BBC employ an intern these days to guess what Guscott might say

Love it

LordDowlais wrote:Take a look at these stats for a no. 8:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/truly-remarkable-statistics-suggest-taulupe-10892646

Is he the best in Europe at the minute ?

So let me get this straight. He's played far more games then any other player, which is impressive.

And just beats his competition on numbers of different stats. Big whoopy

It is a bizarre article, the other teams haven't had a fixed number 8 in that time.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:It is a bizarre article, the other teams haven't had a fixed number 8 in that time.

What do you expect it's the Fail.

LordDowlais wrote:Guscott is not mincing

Makes a change

Those stats do show the importance of Faletau to Wales. One of their most reliable and top performers.

The issue with any player whose that important to a team is a lack of contingency plan if he's injured. I would say Wales have been fortunate, Faletau has been mostly injury free.

Injuries can be a benefit as well as a curse because they force teams into blooding alternatives.

Faletau's reliability and importance has left Wales in a situation where there's a lack of alternative no 8s.

Other countries suffer when their starting no 8 are unavailable too.