Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread XV Men Chasing An Egg?!

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[George Carlin]

Things really haven't gone very well for Niko since leaving Glasgow have they; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-39197905
He's pleaded not guilty, hopefully nothing in it but a grim situation to be in.

Oh my god. He's only 27. Can we really not bring him back north to his spiritual home?

[MacKnocked-on]

Things really haven't gone very well for Niko since leaving Glasgow have they; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-39197905
He's pleaded not guilty, hopefully nothing in it but a grim situation to be in.

Oh my god. He's only 27. Can we really not bring him back north to his spiritual home?

He vanished pretty quickly at Bath and hasn't played a single game for Exeter since moving there as far as I know, and now this. Not good.

[Tattie Scones RRN]

Get him back.

The English are ruining him.

[funnyExiledScot]

It would be a massive coup should Glasgow convince Matawalu to return. His unscripted style of play is a perfect Plan B to have on the bench, plus he covers wing as well.

Loved watching him play, and I hope this recent issue is quickly resolved.

[TheMildlyFranticLlama]

Glasgow terminated de Klerk's contract for a not dissimilar reason, would it not be massively hypocritical for them to offer Matawalu a chance to return now?

[funnyExiledScot]

Glasgow terminated de Klerk's contract for a not dissimilar reason, would it not be massively hypocritical for them to offer Matawalu a chance to return now?

Well I believe the difference is that de Klerk was guilty (did he not plead guilty?) whereas that has yet to be established in this case.

[tigertattie]

Glasgow terminated de Klerk's contract for a not dissimilar reason, would it not be massively hypocritical for them to offer Matawalu a chance to return now?

Well I believe the difference is that de Klerk was guilty (did he not plead guilty?) whereas that has yet to be established in this case.

careful now!

De Klerk's situation was not the same as this! De Klerk had a failing of judgement and asked a minor for their phone number. The claims here against Niko are that of assault. Hopefully Niko is innocent of this accusation as it's certainly a career ender (and possible custodial sentence) if it's true!

[funnyExiledScot]

Glasgow terminated de Klerk's contract for a not dissimilar reason, would it not be massively hypocritical for them to offer Matawalu a chance to return now?

Well I believe the difference is that de Klerk was guilty (did he not plead guilty?) whereas that has yet to be established in this case.

careful now!

De Klerk's situation was not the same as this! De Klerk had a failing of judgement and asked a minor for their phone number. The claims here against Niko are that of assault. Hopefully Niko is innocent of this accusation as it's certainly a career ender (and possible custodial sentence) if it's true!

Not quite. He gave the 14 year old girl his phone number. You are correct though, different circumstances altogether, albeit the facts in the Niko case are not established.

Still, I do think it's rather important at this stage to be clear that De Klerk committed an offence (breaching the peace), whereas thus far Niko has not. It is also possible, in my opinion, for De Klerk's offence to be worse (again, in my opinion) than assault. We'll need to hear the facts of the Niko case to compare the two.

[demosthenes]

Glasgow terminated de Klerk's contract for a not dissimilar reason, would it not be massively hypocritical for them to offer Matawalu a chance to return now?

Well I believe the difference is that de Klerk was guilty (did he not plead guilty?) whereas that has yet to be established in this case.

careful now!

De Klerk's situation was not the same as this! De Klerk had a failing of judgement and asked a minor for their phone number. The claims here against Niko are that of assault. Hopefully Niko is innocent of this accusation as it's certainly a career ender (and possible custodial sentence) if it's true!

I understand that the charge is 'sexual assault'.  That can, I think, mean anything from unwanted contact / groping up to (almost) r***.  We won't know until it is aired in open court.  It is different to de Klerk, and I have no idea what range of sentence can be imposed if he is found guilty.

If innocent, he will probably stay at Exeter.  If guilty, who knows, but I doubt we would see him back here.

[funnyExiledScot]

That's correct, assault covers a very wide range of possible actions. I don't mean to downplay any of them, but at the lowest end of the spectrum I personally would find De Klerk's behaviour more troubling.

[tigertattie]

That's correct, assault covers a very wide range of possible actions. I don't mean to downplay any of them, but at the lowest end of the spectrum I personally would find De Klerk's behaviour more troubling.

I thought De Klerk was given a slap on the wrist as it was established that he didn't realise that the girl was 14?

[funnyExiledScot]

That's correct, assault covers a very wide range of possible actions. I don't mean to downplay any of them, but at the lowest end of the spectrum I personally would find De Klerk's behaviour more troubling.

I thought De Klerk was given a slap on the wrist as it was established that he didn't realise that the girl was 14?

No. He was charged with stalking but the prosecution accepted his guilty plea for breaching the peace, taking into account the fact that Glasgow had terminated his contract. Public interest considerations come into play in these sorts of situations, as a full blown trial is extremely expense to the tax payer.

That he claimed he thought the girl was older was irrelevant.

[tigertattie]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh

so if you do something naughty, just leg it to South Africa and the crown will decide it's too expensive to pursue matters further!

Actually FES, you may be able to help me out! Years ago I found a list of High Court cases and the verdicts but recently I went looking for this again and I can't find it anywhere! Any idea?

[funnyExiledScot]

Ahhhhhhhhhhh

so if you do something naughty, just leg it to South Africa and the crown will decide it's too expensive to pursue matters further!

Actually FES, you may be able to help me out! Years ago I found a list of High Court cases and the verdicts but recently I went looking for this again and I can't find it anywhere! Any idea?

Not a clue. I always recommend seeking advice on such matters and paying a healthy fee for the pleasure.

[tigertattie]

useless Lawyers!

In other news - CDP called onto the bench for England

He has the ability, he's fit, just hope he uses this as his shop window and puts in the display he is capable of! His Edinburgh form has been dire so lets hope this gives him the rocket up the jacksie that he sorely needs!

[RDW]

To be fair is form has been on an upward trajectory of late and he hasn't been too bad the last 2 games.

Nowhere near his previous self but hopefully that will come back.

All we need him to do off the bench is get stuck in physically and try and halt the English momentum - I'd maybe even put him on at 6 so he doesn't have to worry about controlling scrums etc.

[funnyExiledScot]

I'm pleased with the selection of CDP, it's what I had suggested, which shows that Cotter has excellent selection instincts.....

I did, however, also suggest that Maitland should be recalled to replace Visser, and I really hope Cotter doesn't come to regret that decision.

[BigGee]

I can see us ending this game with a back row of Barclay/CDP/Swinson

Watson will give it everything and will eventually burn out and neither Gray will get subbed unless injured. The back row is going to be very attritious, they are going to have to tackle their hearts out but are capable of doing that.

[EWT Spoons]

Has the design of this site just changed for everyone else as well?

[jimbopip]

I can see us ending this game with a back row of Barclay/CDP/Swinson

Watson will give it everything and will eventually burn out and neither Gray will get subbed unless injured. The back row is going to be very attritious, they are going to have to tackle their hearts out but are capable of doing that.

Gee, while I agree with you wholeheartedly I feel I must comment on your Trumpesque use of "attritious". Do you mean attritional? As a neologism that is attroccional.

[BigGee]

I can see us ending this game with a back row of Barclay/CDP/Swinson

Watson will give it everything and will eventually burn out and neither Gray will get subbed unless injured. The back row is going to be very attritious, they are going to have to tackle their hearts out but are capable of doing that.

Gee, while I agree with you wholeheartedly I feel I must comment on your Trumpesque use of "attritious". Do you mean attritional? As a neologism that is attroccional.

I am clearly a poorly educated man Jim. I bow to the power of the grammar police!

[jimbopip]

Just don't make me get my truncheon meat out. Oo Er missus.

[funnyExiledScot]

I can see us ending this game with a back row of Barclay/CDP/Swinson

Watson will give it everything and will eventually burn out and neither Gray will get subbed unless injured. The back row is going to be very attritious, they are going to have to tackle their hearts out but are capable of doing that.

Gee, while I agree with you wholeheartedly I feel I must comment on your Trumpesque use of "attritious". Do you mean attritional? As a neologism that is attroccional.

"If there's one word to describe Atlantic City, it's "big business"".

Donald J Trump

[tigertattie]

I can see us ending this game with a back row of Barclay/CDP/Swinson

Watson will give it everything and will eventually burn out and neither Gray will get subbed unless injured. The back row is going to be very attritious, they are going to have to tackle their hearts out but are capable of doing that.

Gee, while I agree with you wholeheartedly I feel I must comment on your Trumpesque use of "attritious". Do you mean attritional? As a neologism that is attroccional.

"If there's one word to describe Atlantic City, it's "big business"".

Donald J Trump

must be many a lawyer that lives there!

[123456789]

If/ when Glasgow lose Russell I'd be quite happy with canna as a replacement

[123456789]

If/ when Glasgow lose Russell I'd be quite happy with canna as a replacement

[RuggerRadge2611]

So where did that all go wrong? It'll be impossible to have a conversation on the main thread without it getting hijacked by toss pieces.

[R!skysports]

So where did that all go wrong? It'll be impossible to have a conversation on the main thread without it getting hijacked by toss pieces.

Composure
Defence
Injuries
Their excellent play
Our teams gob
The inability to get the refs interpretation of the break down right
Russel playing like a school kid
More Injuries
More Injuries
And we were Poopie

[R!skysports]

Did CDP actually come on at all?

[GLove39]

Did CDP actually come on at all?

Yep, for a debut to forget.

[George Carlin]

Thank god that we've still got one game left in this championship to go or that would have been the most depressing end to a head coach's tenure since, well, Andy Robinson's.

It will ease the pain considerably if we have a proper backlash of a performance, given Italy a hammering and finish third in the table.

I didn't watch the game and I have absolutely no intention of doing so now.

The key thing now is who is injured and who isn't. One thing is for sure - absolutely everyone who was on the pitch yesterday is going to want to come back on at Murrayfield and right a couple of wrongs.

[RuggerRadge2611]

Did CDP actually come on at all?

Yes and he was picked up and thrown around like a dogs chew toy by Billy V. Similar to what ferris did to will Genia in the RWv 2011. It was a very weak debut.

[R!skysports]

Did CDP actually come on at all?

Yes and he was picked up and thrown around like a dogs chew toy by Billy V. Similar to what ferris did to will Genia in the RWv 2011. It was a very weak debut.

Ah - I had started to do the ironing, or something equally more fun that watching that game.

Hopefully a blip - but that was a massive step backwards - and I think the worst we have played in about 5 years

Overall a win against Italy will be a good championship - but boy are we inconsistent

[RDW]

Assuming all those players are injured we're looking like putting the following out against Italy

1 Reid
2 Brown
3 Fagerson
4 Gray
5 Gray
6 Barclay
7 Watson
8 CDP

9 Price
10 Russell
11 Visser
12 Dunbar
13 Jones
14 Hoyland
15 Maitland

Subs - Dell, Ford, Berghan, Swinson, Harley/Bradbury, Pyrgos, Weir, Scott

We need to pick ourselves up quickly because Italy will be smelling blood.

[BigGee]

I think we could see a few other players coming into the squad this week, Horne and Denton in particular.

Bradbury limped off from Edinburgh's last game, so may not be fit.

In a glimmer of good news and boy do we need some, Mark Palmer tweeted that he thought that Nel had agreed terms to stay on with Edinburgh. Maybe Cockers coming in has had some sway in that, but either way it is good news.

[RDW]

That would be good news indeed - looks like family life has won out over money and success!

I'm sure he'll be made one of the highest paid players in Scotland though.

[RDW]

12 MAR SCOTLAND SQUAD UPDATE

The Scotland medical team provided the following squad update after yesterday’s defeat to England in the RBS 6 Nations at Twickenham.

Replacement back Mark Bennett – who replaced injured full-back Stuart Hogg in the 18th minute – left the field after four minutes with a knee and arm injury.

He will subject to further care and assessment however it is expected that he will take no further part in the current RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Three players are being treated for concussion (Hogg, Tommy Seymour and Ryan Wilson) and are now subject to the completion of the HIA protocol.

Finn Russell, Huw Jones (knee) and Richie Gray (hamstring) will also have precautionary scans at Spire Murrayfield Hospital early in the week following musculoskeletal complaints the morning after the match.

[BigGee]

Assuming all those players are injured we're looking like putting the following out against Italy

1 Reid
2 Brown
3 Fagerson
4 Gray
5 Gray
6 Barclay
7 Watson
8 CDP

9 Price
10 Russell
11 Visser
12 Dunbar
13 Jones
14 Hoyland
15 Maitland

Subs - Dell, Ford, Berghan, Swinson, Harley/Bradbury, Pyrgos, Weir, Scott

We need to pick ourselves up quickly because Italy will be smelling blood.

All in all, that is still not a bad team and in all honesty should be good enough to see Italy off. I really hope so as I am going!

I don't have any issues, particularly with my Glasgow hat on, for any of those players concussed to be left out and allowed to recover properly, I think that is the most likely scenario in any case.

I suppose if Hoyland is not considered ready to start, which he may not be, then Jones could move out to the wing and Matt Scott could start, which he probably deserves. Horne, or even Nick Grigg could provide the bench cover.

[BigGee]

12 MAR SCOTLAND SQUAD UPDATE

The Scotland medical team provided the following squad update after yesterday’s defeat to England in the RBS 6 Nations at Twickenham.

Replacement back Mark Bennett – who replaced injured full-back Stuart Hogg in the 18th minute – left the field after four minutes with a knee and arm injury.

He will subject to further care and assessment however it is expected that he will take no further part in the current RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Three players are being treated for concussion (Hogg, Tommy Seymour and Ryan Wilson) and are now subject to the completion of the HIA protocol.

Finn Russell, Huw Jones (knee) and Richie Gray (hamstring) will also have precautionary scans at Spire Murrayfield Hospital early in the week following musculoskeletal complaints the morning after the match.

The injury situation may be even worse than we feared, hopefully they won't all be out.

[George Carlin]

12 MAR SCOTLAND SQUAD UPDATE

The Scotland medical team provided the following squad update after yesterday’s defeat to England in the RBS 6 Nations at Twickenham.

Replacement back Mark Bennett – who replaced injured full-back Stuart Hogg in the 18th minute – left the field after four minutes with a knee and arm injury.

He will subject to further care and assessment however it is expected that he will take no further part in the current RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Three players are being treated for concussion (Hogg, Tommy Seymour and Ryan Wilson) and are now subject to the completion of the HIA protocol.

Finn Russell, Huw Jones (knee) and Richie Gray (hamstring) will also have precautionary scans at Spire Murrayfield Hospital early in the week following musculoskeletal complaints the morning after the match.

The injury situation may be even worse than we feared, hopefully they won't all be out.

Correct. The head knock may even have made Ryan Wilson smarter.

[GLove39]

12 MAR SCOTLAND SQUAD UPDATE

The Scotland medical team provided the following squad update after yesterday’s defeat to England in the RBS 6 Nations at Twickenham.

Replacement back Mark Bennett – who replaced injured full-back Stuart Hogg in the 18th minute – left the field after four minutes with a knee and arm injury.

He will subject to further care and assessment however it is expected that he will take no further part in the current RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Three players are being treated for concussion (Hogg, Tommy Seymour and Ryan Wilson) and are now subject to the completion of the HIA protocol.

Finn Russell, Huw Jones (knee) and Richie Gray (hamstring) will also have precautionary scans at Spire Murrayfield Hospital early in the week following musculoskeletal complaints the morning after the match.

The injury situation may be even worse than we feared, hopefully they won't all be out.

Correct. The head knock may even have made Ryan Wilson smarter.

Don't slag off the best lineout thrower in our squad.

[tigertattie]

I'm still crying into my porridge

[George Carlin]

I'm still crying into my porridge

RDW - change the poor boy's name back.

[tigertattie]

I'm still crying into my porridge

RDW - change the poor boy's name back.

That's not why I'm crying into me porridge

[RDW]

Not been a good weekend for Scottish rugby - between the men, women, under 20s and under 18s England won 4-0 with a points aggregate of 189-43

The 7s lost all their group games and have just been knocked out by Kenya.

[BigGee]

Not been a good weekend for Scottish rugby - between the men, women, under 20s and under 18s England won 4-0 with a points aggregate of 189-43

The 7s lost all their group games and have just been knocked out by Kenya.

I just watched that game and at one point the commentator said that 'Scottish rugby was on the up at the moment'

Hard to see that today!

[TheMildlyFranticLlama]

Not been a good weekend for Scottish rugby - between the men, women, under 20s and under 18s England won 4-0 with a points aggregate of 189-43

The 7s lost all their group games and have just been knocked out by Kenya.

I think 'savage pumping' best describes what Scottish rugby has been on the receiving end of this weekend. Certainly down to earth with a bump after our recent improved results

[BigGee]

I know it is not rugby but even Andy Murray lost.

Better check my Almanac, did Nostradamus say that the world was going to end this weekend?

[jimbopip]

Well, another bad day at the office (for the team) at Twickers. When I am at a match I find it difficult to analyse the game and actually be in the moment. Which is probably why I'm a teacher rather than the next Hugh McIlvanney. But, I felt that;
1) we kicked far too much in the first half.
2) the team seemed to have drilled and rehearsed "How To Contain A Big Pack Which Will Employ A Rolling Maul As A Prelude To Pick And Drives Before Eventually Going Wide". Sadly, England went wide straight from off the top ball at the tail of the lineout...3 times...scored three times...basically scored the same try three times.
3) we didn't really seem able to change our game plan until the game was over.
4) I actually saw Jonny Gray miss a tackle. It's like seeing Scarlett Johanson with no make up, bloodshot eyes and a Capstan full strength stuck to her lower lip. You know it must happen at some point, you just don't want to see it.

However, as always happens at international days out, I am left with two surreal memories which surfaced today. And I do not mean the sight of Bru and his long lost twin serenading Vernon Kay with "500 Miles". No...

After the game I was in an Italian restaurant at a window table. I saw a chap walking towards me , outside, looking slightly the worse for wear. He had what looked like an I pad/tablet device thingy in his hand and was looking down as he walked. I did a double take and said to Barry, the Nippy Scrum Half, "That was Chris Patterson" By which time all we could see was the back of his head. We decided I had too much to drink. About ten minutes later Barry froze in amazeballs while looking out the window and said , "Fecc me it is". I swear we saw Scotland legend CP walk back, but this time with a take away pizza box balanced on his tablet while he tucked into a slice. Seriously.

Secondly, in the Blue Tent (which didn't show "educational and artistic home movies") either before or after the game I got talking with a Scotland fan who was telling me that when he was a student at Bath, or Bristol, or Ulan Bator, Al Dickinson was his landlord. When I woke up this morning one of my first thoughts was that I remember one of the posters on here saying the same thing. Now it will annoy the bejayzus out of me not being able to work out who posted that and if it was one of our strange little tribe who was chatting with me and Bru. Except Bru might have gone home by then, of course. So, if it was you, let me know.

Finally, the most inspiring thing was the player who kept wanting the ball and was running at English defenders right up to the last, long after the game was dead and buried (actually any time after the ninth minute)....
step forward Tim Visser.

[tigertattie]

I'm still greetin into my porridge!

We went into headless chicken mode again on Saturday and Finn was horrendously exposed as being a rabbit in the headlights if the game is not being played the way he wants it played!

Long loopy misspasses on our own try line! Running out the defensive line only to see the ball spun out passed him.

Not a day to remember but he bloomin well better not forget it! He needs to learn from this and start bringing consistency to his game!

Even the mighty Blackness would struggle against England when they are playing like that!

England were offside half the game, knock ons and shirt pulls were missed leading up to some of their tries. We got penalised when England were laying on top of the ball at one point for crying out loud! How Brown got a yellow card but Hughes didn't when he clothes-lined Seymour is beyond me!

This being said, it was not the officiating that led to us being humped! England were just ferocious and we couldn't deal with it.

The whole team were poor while all of England were on form (except mike Brown, he was knickers as usual)

Toonie is going to have to earn his salary by getting the team set up with a plan B and plan C to deal with different opponents!

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