Scotland Autumn Internationals '16

AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS 2016

Scotland Squad
Allan Dell (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped
Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 58 caps
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap
Moray Low (Exeter Chiefs) – 34 caps
Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps

Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) – 99 caps
Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps
Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) – 9 caps

Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – 12 caps
Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 25 caps
Richie Gray (Toulouse) – 58 caps
Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) – 24 caps

John Barclay (Scarlets) – 52 caps
John Hardie (Edinburgh Rugby) – 12 caps
Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps
Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 2 caps
Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps

Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Gloucester) – 53 caps
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps

Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps
Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps

Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps
Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps
Huw Jones (Stormers) – 1 cap
Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 18 caps

Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby) – 2 caps
Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 23 caps
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 29 caps
Tim Visser (Harlequins) – 26 caps

Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 45 caps


Saturday 12 November
Scotland v Australia, BT Murrayfield Edinburgh, kick-off SAT 14:30

Saturday 19 November
Scotland v Argentina, BT Murrayfield Edinburgh, kick-off SAT 17:00

Saturday 26 November
Scotland v Georgia, Rugby Park Kilmarnock, Kick-off SAT 14:30

Recent Head To Head

18 Oct 2015 (RWC) Australia 35 - 34 Scotland
23 Nov 2013 Scotland 15 - 21 Australia

08 Nov 2014 Scotland 41 - 31 Argentina
20 Jun 2014 Argentina 19 - 21 Scotland

14 Sep 2011 (RWC) Scotland 15 - 6 Georgia

Recent 2016 Results

Wallabies
Australia 36 - 20 Argentina
Australia 23 - 17 South Africa
New Zealand 29 - 9 Australia
Australia 8 - 42 New Zealand

Argentina
Australia 36 - 20 Argentina
New Zealand 57 - 22 Argentina
Argentina 26 - 24 South Africa
South Africa 30 - 23 Argentina

Georgia
Fiji 3 - 14 Georgia
Georgia 23 - 20 Tonga
Samoa 19 - 19 Georgia
Georgia 38 - 9 Romania

Nice work. The Georgia emblem looks weird!

I've seen a bit of Argentina in the Rugby Championship and they look considerably more fluent than anything we've produced recently. That is going to be one heck of a challenge, and my suspicions are that we'll get duffed up in the first couple of fixtures and pull through to win against Georgia (but not by much).

funnyExiledScot wrote:Nice work. The Georgia emblem looks weird!

I've seen a bit of Argentina in the Rugby Championship and they look considerably more fluent than anything we've produced recently. That is going to be one heck of a challenge, and my suspicions are that we'll get duffed up in the first couple of fixtures and pull through to win against Georgia (but not by much).

I've always been a big FAN of Georgia.

I'll get my coat........

The emblem does weird things to your eyes when you stare at it!

You should see Georgian writing FES!

Argentina I thought looked incredible in their first half vs NZ away and beating SA in a tight game was impressive. Doubt Scotland will replicate their last performance against them.

Wallabies look pretty shoddy but I think it's going to be a big ask to beat them, they're also beginning to click after a woeful start to the 4N. Probably some of the worst Wallabies performances I have ever seen to be fair. Hope Scotland can dish out an upset.

Been impressed with the form of Scots playing in England. Maitland and Visser been looking sharp and I noticed Heathcote getting some game time as well at Warriors.

Also, NDL 2.0? Could it happen?

Well it is a good thing that the AIs are still a while away as not many of our front line players are in great form yet.

Front row

Nel will be tighthead but the other 2 spots are up for grabs.  Ford has been Ford and Sutherland has got plenty gametime for Edinburgh. Gordon Reid is the other main option at loosehead but he picked up an injury at the weekend.  Fraser Brown will be there or there abouts I'm sure and McInally has been getting gametime, albeit from the bench.

So no real standouts.

2nd row

Swinson was the standout performer at the start of the season but is now injured. Gray has been good but could be overplayed in the next few weeks leading up to the AIs.  Gilchrist and Toolis are starting to come into some form. Gray snr seems to be a regular starter for Toulouse, which is great for him.

We should hopefully be OK here come the AIs.

Back row

My biggest worry, as most of them are injured! Denton and Ashe are out of the AIs, Struass has picked up another head injury and Wilson has put in a lot of work lately and came off injured against Ulster. Barclay is still about but I don't see him as a long-term solution at 6, and Rob Harley is injured.

Bradbury is starting to build his reputation and if he carries on this form he would be deserving of a cap. CDP officially becomes Scottish for the AIs too, but has only just returned from injury.

Hamish Watson has been excellent for Edinburgh so far but I can't see past John Hardie, who is now back fit.

Scrum half

Injuries aside I can't see past Laidlaw with Pyrgos as backup - it's not as if any of the Edinburgh 9s are putting up much of a fight just now.

Stand off

Thank feck Russel is back. Weir and Horne are now injured and Jackson is getting even less gametime than last season at Quins.

Centre

Matt Scott has been on fire for Gloucester and could regain his Scotland place if he keeps this up.  Great to see Dunbar back fit again too.  Bennett is now back in the mix, but Taylor has lost his place at Sarries.

We should hopefully be OK here - I'd love to see the Scott-Dunbar partnership again.

Back 3

Hogg and Seymour are the clear standouts, and Maitland has even scored the odd try! Visser is in good form too. Not much to talk about outside them though, although Tom Brown works his arse off as always (but won't get a callup).

So based on players currently fit and available my team is:

1 Sutherland
2 Ford (only because I can't see VC dropping him)
3 Nel
4 Gray
5 Gray
6 Bradbury
7 Hardie
8 CDP

9 Laidlaw
10 Russell
11 Visser
12 Scott
13 Dunbar
14 Seymour
15 Hogg

Subs: Reid, Brown, Welsh, Gilchrist, Watson, Pyrgos, Jackson, Bennett

I suspect that squad will be very different by the time the AIs come round however.

Jon Welsh our Scottish TH is top class... is he in the Scotland squad??

And Scott Lawson is playing out of his skin!

Hopefully you ignore them both and they stay with us!

I suspect Welsh will make the bench. He's not got much competition!

Scotland fans have bad memories of Lawson though, and can't see him getting a callup short of numerous hooker injuries.

RDW like your team, personally I'm not a huge Watson fan I see him as a great club player but Hardie and Barclay are a step above IMO. Backrow and centre is such are hotly contested positions these days.

Sutherland
MacInally
Nel
Gray
Gray
CDP
Hardie
Wilson
Laidlaw
Russell
Maitland
Bennett
*NDL
Seymour
Hogg

Ford, Reid, Welsh, Gilchrist, Barclay, Pyrgos, Horne, Visser






*Just kidding.Matt Scott @ 13

Bennett at 12 and Scott at 13? Are you Alan Solomons??

RDW_Scotland wrote:Bennett at 12 and Scott at 13? Are you Alan Solomons??

Wie is dit?

I think with Dunbar now playing 12 for Glasgow (or at least he did at the weekend) and Scott playing 13, we'll see them swap roles to how they used to play for Scotland with Dunbar at 12 & Scott at 13.  Assuming Dunbar stays injury free.

My predicted team:

Sutherland (when is Dickinson due back from injury?)
Ford
Nel
Gray
Gray

Barclay (I can't see Vern throwing Bradbury straight in, but maybe off the bench and will possibly start against Georgia)
Hardie
CDP

Laidlaw
Russell

Visser
Dunbar
Scott
Seymour
Hogg

That's a fair shout Spoons, and the 2 opensides will certainly be useful against Aus. Not that you can really class Barclay as a pure openside anymore.

Dickinson might be back in time for the AIs but he certainly won't be match fit - long-term it would probably be best if he just regains fitness for Edinburgh. Chance for Sutherland to step up and hopefully Reid or even Grant will be in form by then.

Actually hasn't Dunbar generally played 12 throughout his career, just not for Scotland. Makes sense that he should be left there now given Scott seems to have moved over.

I've no concerns about Sutherland, he's shown he's a good player and he still has time to improve. I was only asking because if he's back before the AI's then there is a chance Vern might risk him, but totally agree with you RDW, he should get more gametime with Edinburgh under his belt first.

That's a good point - Dunbar was a 12 but was moved to 13 to partner Scott, because he was playing so well at 12.

I've said it before on here but that Scott-Dunbar partnership was the best I think we've had since the 1999 team. Strong, powerful, fast and skillful - It is just a shame that injury ended the partnership before it had a good run.

Not that we'e had a long line of amazing centers since 1999....

I was about to ask why no-one was picking Ryan Wilson, then I realised that people were picking the side they wanted to see, rather than the side that Cotter will pick.

I expect to see Wilson starting ahead of Du Preez, just to give the Aussies a chance.

Sorry I thought Wilson was injured (it's a fair assumption I think given everyone else is), yeah I agree he'll likely be in ahead of CDP.

I like the idea of Dunbar & Scott/Scott & Dunbar reforming their partnership, given both are pretty capable at playing 12 & 13 there would surely be scope to swap roles during the game to play on their strengths.

Apparently VC may be heading to Montpellier when his Scotland role finishes this summer. I wonder if he will fancy taking any of the Scottish players with him to the South of France.

My daughter spent 4 months living in Montpellier last autumn. I was there at the end of October and I have to say it is a very agreeable place to live, we were still eating outdoors on Halloween! I watched the rugby world cup final there in Le Robin Hood pub (British beer, French fans).

It might be tempting for anyone coming to the end of a contract.

I think the players who he would want are potentially limited, but I could easily see Nel going. He's a simple lad (not mentally, just enjoys the simple things) who I believe wants to move into farming when his playing career is over. He could easily move to france earn a wedge of cash and set himself up a nice wee farm down there. I'm told his french is pretty good also. He loves his place in the borders, but I'm sure he could be convinced and he's out of contract this summer, so if Vern is off he could be chatting away with him now.

Only other players I could see him being interested in would be Gray Jnr & Hoggy, but I don't know what Montpelier need player wise.

Spoons you know a worrying amount of detailed information about Nel....

#stalker alert!#

Just happen to have been in the supporters bar (presidents suite, or whatever it's called) after a game and talked to him. Plus he did an interview in scrum or the like where he talks about him enjoying life etc. Plus the high power binoculars and strategically placed recording devices round his home have helped.

My only hope is that he's so settled in Scotland that he doesn't want to double his salary to move to France...

The other one is John Hardie, if he's not already left for Wasps by then.

Edinburgh have had a bad start to the season but it would become much worse if we lost Hardie too.

It will take a truck load of money to keep Nel here I feel, which we may not be able to afford. He may also fancy being part of a winning team as well.

It is hard to be to critical if he does decide to go with the dough, he is coming towards the end of his career and needs to cash in.

Other players who might be on his radar are John Hardie, Dunbar, Tommy S and even the messiah (who he has worked with before at Clermont). There are a lot of players whose contracts are up this year and we will not hang on to them all. Coaches are always going to be drawn to players they know and have already worked with, so it would not surprise me if he was to make a move for some of them.

He could take Ryan Wilson to Montpellier if he wants...Tim Swinson too!

I think 2 wins from the 3 games should be the goal and the squad is there to do it. Assuming health, a squad of 30 below is quite likely:

Props:
Sutherland, Reid, Allan
Nel, Welsh, Fagerson

Hookers:
Ford, Brown, McInally

Second Row:
Gray x 2, B Toolis

Back Row:
Barclay, Hardie, Strauss, Wilson, CDP, Harley

Half Backs:
Laidlaw, Pyrgos
Russell, Horne

Centres:
Scott, Dunbar, Bennett, Taylor

Back 3:
Seymour, Visser, Hogg, Maitland

Emergency cover provided by Dell, Low, Gilchrist, Watson, Bradbury, SHC, Weir , Jones (covers centres and back 3; played well at 12 in the Currie Cup)

Horne unlikely to be fit, so Weir is much more likely to take the second FH spot. Jackson still getting no game time at Quins unfortunately for him.

Bradbury will surely get into the back row squad as well, probably over Harley.

If Vern Cotter picks Ben Toolis over Tim Swinson or Grant Gilchrist I'll I'd be very surprised!

Edinburgh have issued an injury update - Weir has broken his jaw, Dickinson will return late Octoer.

RDW_Scotland wrote:If Vern Cotter picks Ben Toolis over Tim Swinson or Grant Gilchrist I'll I'd be very surprised!

Edinburgh have issued an injury update - Weir has broken his jaw, Dickinson will return late October.

An eating injury, as I understand it.

RDW_Scotland wrote:If Vern Cotter picks Ben Toolis over Tim Swinson or Grant Gilchrist I'll I'd be very surprised!

Edinburgh have issued an injury update - Weir has broken his jaw, Dickinson will return late Octoer.

I guess I better remove Weir from my AI squad prediction then, that's bad luck for him. Plenty of game time for Kinghorn coming up then and I guess Jacko coming into the international reckoning again, despite hardly playing. McHeathcote does not seem to be getting much of at Worcester either atm, one more injury and we could really be struggling.

With Weir out I would be interested to see if Heathcote gets a chance.

I'm pro Russell/Horne at flyhalf these days, I think Horne has become an excellent utility player (hopefully his brother will be great too!). However, it would be nice to see someone backing up the 3rd preference slot with a strong challenge.

Amazing that people are dropping Matt Scott into the starting lineup.

He has been good but has he really done enough to replace Duncan Taylor?

Duncan Taylor has lost his place in the Saracens starting lineup, Matt Scott has been a standout player for Gloucester scoring several tries...

RDW_Scotland wrote:Duncan Taylor has lost his place in the Saracens starting lineup, Matt Scott has been a standout player for Gloucester scoring several tries...

To be fair, I think DT is still injured and that is why he has not played. I am not sure when he is likely to be back but if he is fit, he is still going to be in the mix and as the incumbent is likely to be picked.

Taylor has been on the bench a lot for Sarries this season - I don't think he's been injured?

For what it's worth I'd be perfectly happy with Taylor at 13 too - he is the incumbent player in that position given his performances for Scotland.

My point is that Matt Scott is putting his best case forward for selection, and if Taylor isn't getting much gametime then Scott surely needs to start.

What a good problem to have - Dunbar, Scott, Bennett and Taylor covering 2 starting positions!

RDW_Scotland wrote:For what it's worth I'd be perfectly happy with Taylor at 13 too - he is the incumbent player in that position given his performances for Scotland.

My point is that Matt Scott is putting his best case forward for selection, and if Taylor isn't getting much gametime then Scott surely needs to start.

What a good problem to have - Dunbar, Scott, Bennett and Taylor covering 2 starting positions!

Indeed, what's not to like

Huw Jones will surely still be in the reckoning after playing well in the summer, we've got some serious squad depth in the backs at present, more choice than I can remember (and I'm discounting Lamont from my thinking, surely his days are over?).

Jones has Currie Cup commitments so I don't think he'll be available - the SH season doesn't lend itself well to NH international rugby.

It is an international window so don't think they could stop Jones being called up. We may be short a wing but the choices appear to be Brown, Hoyland, Hughes and L Jones. I would prefer to have H Jones or Taylor on the wing to be honest.

Heathcote deserves another shot after being treated poorly at Bath and Edinburgh. He has played well for Worcester the past 18 months.

Another option in the backrow is Eadie who has been starting at Bristol. Anyone seen him play.

Hazel Sapling wrote:It is an international window so don't think they could stop Jones being called up. We may be short a wing but the choices appear to be Brown, Hoyland, Hughes and L Jones. I would prefer to have H Jones or Taylor on the wing to be honest.

Heathcote deserves another shot after being treated poorly at Bath and Edinburgh. He has played well for Worcester the past 18 months.

Another option in the backrow is Eadie who has been starting at Bristol. Anyone seen him play.

For wingers we have Visser, Seymour and Maitland so unless one gets injured we probably don't need to look any further than those 3.

What do you mean by Heathcoat deserves another shot? I don't think we should pick him for Scotland just because he's had a rough 18 months with his clubs...he deserves his shot if he's a being a standout player for his club. Currently he's generally 2nd fiddle to Ryan Lamb so I don't think we can say that about him.

If we're relying on Heathcoat as an international 10 then we're really struggling!

Agreed on Heathcote. He isn't doing enough to get the nod, and even though Jackson is also benching at the moment, he has more credit in the bank as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully Russell is fully fit and able to play 240 minutes of rugby in the AIs.

I think RDW is right on the wingers as well. All three have scored tries this season thus far, and I would opt for Seymour and Maitland as first choice. I do want to persevere with Maitland, if for no other reason than to make jokes when he doesn't score. It's win/win.

Centres is tricky. Based on form this season then it's easy to pick Matt Scott, but Taylor was outstanding last season and is a much better player in defence at 13 than Matt Scott. I would personally choose Dunbar and Taylor in the centres, with Bennett on the bench. I'd be happy to leave Scott at Glaws and let him keep playing. He'd had a nightmare with injuries over the years, and a really strong and consistent run with Glaws would see him in a good position to come back in for the 6 Nations. Alternatively you could give him the Georgia game. I'm pretty easy on that.

Back-row will be interesting. I truly hope that CDP comes straight in at 8, and I'd like Bradbury to get a run out against Georgia as well. Hardie should play 7 making 6 the final slot to call. I like Harley in that position, as I think his graft around the park enables the Gray brothers to get more ball in hand, and they are both excellent ball carriers.

Umm...I said he had a good 18 months. He had a rough couple of years when he was first selected to play Tonga. Besides who are the alternates at 10 for Scotland?

Weir (injured), Horne (may not be match fit), Jackson (not playing much for Quins and maybe 3rd choice behind Swiel) and Heathcote.

That leaves Tonks at LI, Harry Leonard of Yorkshire Carnegie, Hastings (not playing for Bath) or Kinghorn who has not played 10 much for Edinburgh.

If Russell or Jackson are unable to play then we could see it. Either that or Laidlaw at 10

It is a fair point but I think we'd probably see Laidlaw at 10 before Heathcoat!

In any case I think Jackson will be backup 10, regardless of how little gametime he's had. He's an experienced player now and was picked on the summer tour despite not having much gametime.

If Horne is fit for Argentina, I think we could see Horne bench that one. I want Jackson or Horne to start the Georgia match.

I think a reasonable goal is for Scotland to be 3 deep at every position (international level; Weir and Swinson are not of that calibre) for the next WC.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:If Vern Cotter picks Ben Toolis over Tim Swinson or Grant Gilchrist I'll I'd be very surprised!

Edinburgh have issued an injury update - Weir has broken his jaw, Dickinson will return late October.

An eating injury, as I understand it.

*sniggers*

The only SQ player down south who seems to be starting and playing week in week out currently is Byron McGuigan surprisingly, based on playing time has he got any realistic chance of making the training squad as back up to Hogg?

Visser has been playing fairly regularly for quins, only missing one game I think.  Scoring tries too.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Visser has been playing fairly regularly for quins, only missing one game I think.  Scoring tries too.

Of course, don't know why I forgot about him, scored last week didn't he. Obviously he and Maitland are certain picks, just wondered if McGuigan has any realistic chance of being included in the training squad. Given Maitland can cover 15 I expect with he Hogg, Visser and Seymour that they will be the starting back three and sub.

MacKnocked-on wrote:The only SQ player down south who seems to be starting and playing week in week out currently is Byron McGuigan surprisingly, based on playing time has he got any realistic chance of making the training squad as back up to Hogg?  

Apparently he's up with the most metres made in the Aviva, worth a punt? We could do with a backup 15. This said I'm interested to see if Murchie can hit form again as he's a fairly solid pair of hands. Of course there's always Maitland, but he's doing quite well on wing for Sarries, wouldn't want to ruin that.

I thought McGuigan would have been capped by Namibia (Wiki says he is born in Walvis Bay (which is in Namibia), South Africa; someone needs to edit that one). Solid club player like Murchie. Would prefer Murchie who has stuck it out at Glasgow rather than rewarding someone who took the trip south.

Laidlaw and Scott are doing well at Gloucester

Not sure how Eadie is doing but he starts regularly for Bristol and Robinson is known to develop a good pack.

Lawson and Hogg start regularly and do well for Newcastle

Heathcote benches often for Worcester

Tonks is a regular at London Irish

Maitland is part of the rotation at Sarries and Taylor is due to be back from injury soon

Has Low been on the bench yet for Exeter or is he injured?

Jackson struggling to get more than bench time at Quins. He needs to find a place he can start regularly. Newcastle or Sale are both viable if Quins does not work out in the end.