Japan V Scotland (if it's on)

First topic message reminder :

MATCH 40
SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER
KICK OFF (UK TIME)
11:45

SCOTLAND
WORLD RANKING 9TH

Referee: Ben O'Keeffe
International Stadium Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama City

(Or not at all)

Is this Schrodinger's game in that it can be considered both on and cancelled at the same time? I'm sure Jimbo will correct me in my interpretation....

Second. Last was under andy robinson

OK thanks

Old Man wrote:Am I correct this is the first time Scotland don’t qualify for the QF’s?

They said they didn't in NZ 8 years ago

Stats
Gray tackles 25 made 0 missed
Ritchie 24 -2

Still think Ritchie was lucky as his agression was going too far

Toonie knows he's done. Never seen such a brief interview that shows so much despondency

Collapse2005 wrote:They will be tired in the quarters after that game which is why the games must be played for all teams.

 If they had chosen to break the tournament rules and postponed matches, the earliest Japan would have played would be Tuesday (with England playing France on Monday). That would have given Japan just 4 days rest before playing a full rested SAm

One last thing to say.

The Japanese nine is just the happiest man in world rugby. Just loves playing.

Difficult to be disappointed given what this means for Japanese rugby, but I'm so fecking gutted.

Well done to Japan - the two best teams in the pool went through.

I wouldn't be unhappy if Toonie moved on and I'll tell you now that I will feel the same way tomorrow morning.

LondonTiger wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:They will be tired in the quarters after that game which is why the games must be played for all teams.

 If they had chosen to break the tournament rules and postponed matches, the earliest Japan would have played would be Tuesday (with England playing France on Monday). That would have given Japan just 4 days rest before playing a full rested SAm

You can also bring the game forward or change venue behind clised doors. More than one way to skin a cat. WR had a contingency in place so they always planned to break their own silly rules which is completely in the interest of the game. Game played so job done.

lostinwales wrote:

Old Man wrote:Am I correct this is the first time Scotland don’t qualify for the QF’s?

They said they didn't in NZ 8 years ago

Stats
Gray tackles 25 made 0 missed
Ritchie 24 -2

Still think Ritchie was lucky as his agression was going too far

He was right up to the line, maybe had his toe across it on occasion. Scotland needed someone to bring the aggression and set the tone in the second half and he did that. Scottish forwards were pushed around in the first half, they needed to up the intensity in the second.

Saracens whole pack plays like that week in and week out.

lostinwales wrote:

Old Man wrote:Am I correct this is the first time Scotland don’t qualify for the QF’s?

They said they didn't in NZ 8 years ago

Stats
Gray tackles 25 made 0 missed
Ritchie 24 -2

Still think Ritchie was lucky as his agression was going too far

Gray is a very good player and doesn't miss a tackle but I don't feel he quite dominates the collisions enough.

Collapse2005 wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:They will be tired in the quarters after that game which is why the games must be played for all teams.

 If they had chosen to break the tournament rules and postponed matches, the earliest Japan would have played would be Tuesday (with England playing France on Monday). That would have given Japan just 4 days rest before playing a full rested SAm

You can also bring the game forward or change venue behind clised doors. More than one way to skin a cat. WR had a contingency in place so they always planned to break their own silly rules which is completely in the interest of the game. Game played so job done.

Sorry, Collapse, you keep giving these magical thinking ideas about what could have been done By all means complain about the outcome but come up with concrete alternatives if you don't care for the process.

I have no truck with Ritchie playing the way he has, we get bullied week in week out at International level.

He has probably been our player of the tournament and has left it all out there. One of the few success stories from our perspective.

Rugby Fan wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:They will be tired in the quarters after that game which is why the games must be played for all teams.

 If they had chosen to break the tournament rules and postponed matches, the earliest Japan would have played would be Tuesday (with England playing France on Monday). That would have given Japan just 4 days rest before playing a full rested SAm

You can also bring the game forward or change venue behind clised doors. More than one way to skin a cat. WR had a contingency in place so they always planned to break their own silly rules which is completely in the interest of the game. Game played so job done.

Sorry, Collapse, you keep giving these magical thinking ideas about what could have been done  By all means complain about the outcome but come up with concrete alternatives if you don't care for the process.

What? I just did. You dont have to like it but not inclined to change my view on it.

I think all you can do after that game is congratulate Japan. they played with a pace and precision no team I have seen can match. The ball hogging quality of ireland, the support play of NZ and the offloads of the Fijians combined with "the fastest rugby inthe world" Cracker of a game.

I have seen Scotland play worse and beat bigger teams

Well done japan

Soul Requiem wrote:

lostinwales wrote:

Old Man wrote:Am I correct this is the first time Scotland don’t qualify for the QF’s?

They said they didn't in NZ 8 years ago

Stats
Gray tackles 25 made 0 missed
Ritchie 24 -2

Still think Ritchie was lucky as his agression was going too far

Gray is a very good player and doesn't miss a tackle but I don't feel he quite dominates the collisions enough.

He actually had a pretty good game today as well, best for a while. If he carried as well as other top class second rows he would be a world better, just needs to add that to his game. We have been saying that for a good few years now though and still no sign of it.

Collapse2005 wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:They will be tired in the quarters after that game which is why the games must be played for all teams.

 If they had chosen to break the tournament rules and postponed matches, the earliest Japan would have played would be Tuesday (with England playing France on Monday). That would have given Japan just 4 days rest before playing a full rested SAm

You can also bring the game forward or change venue behind clised doors. More than one way to skin a cat. WR had a contingency in place so they always planned to break their own silly rules which is completely in the interest of the game. Game played so job done.

Sorry, Collapse, you keep giving these magical thinking ideas about what could have been done  By all means complain about the outcome but come up with concrete alternatives if you don't care for the process.

What? I just did.

That's the problem. You think you did but you didn't give any practical way to achieve your suggested goal. A day early? When do you decide that and how do you do it.

(Let's take this to another thread if you want to talk further. This should be the match thread)

TJ wrote:I think all you can do after that game is congratulate Japan.  they played with a pace and precision no team I have seen can match.  The ball hogging quality of ireland, the support play of NZ and the offloads of the Fijians combined with "the fastest rugby inthe world"  Cracker of a game.

I have seen Scotland play worse and beat bigger teams

Well done japan

A good point, for all our despondency about losing, Japan are currently ranked higher than us and simply played us off the park for half an hour when they won the game. We turned up for this game, play hard and still lost.

Japan were very very good and will hopefully give SA a game and a half next weekend.

Should all be written in to and defined in a much more robust contingency plan. The problem was world rugby didnt have one or the one they had simply was given enough thought. Its their own fault as its the tournament that suffers.

If you have good contingencies and they fail the fine you have given it your best shot. Doing the bare minimum or nothing at all is not good enough for a tournament this big.

Well
First things first; japan. A great performance. I almost wish I had been watching as a neutral; one of the best matches I have seen in quite a while.

Secondly, from a Scotland point of view, a few fragmented impressions.
Harris, did much better than expected (by everyone but Toonie). Even today, out on the wing wanting the ball smashing it up till the end. Is he talented enough to replace Graham or Huw Jones? probably not. Does he leave it all on the pitch? Every time.
Mbawsa My MoM today. I am very impressed with him.
Hornito Comes out of the tournament with a lot of credit. The team played better every time he was on the field.
Cummings Schiz once berated me in a Glasgow pub for criticising an aspect of his play that evening, "He's a future Scotland captain. He'll leave Jonny in his wake pretty soon. " I'm tending to agree with him.
Mr Darcy Wonderful against Samoa but japan targeted him today and it paid dividends.
Frodo Gave his all every time he took the pitch. Sport, like life, is essentially cruel and unfair: if it was all about heart and courage he'd be one of the all time great Scotland players.
Johnson and Furra I've bracketed these two together because they may well exist in FES's Schroedinger's Cat Box. Johnson did pretty much nothing with the ball in hand all tournament. Except for late on in the second half today. Suddenly he had a bit of room and a fraction of a second to attack the defence. He didn't score a miracle try but at least we saw why we think he's a quality 12. I realise the "we" there may be limited to Glasgow fans. And again Furra comes on and spaces appear for others. Before the howls of derision begin, let's put our 12 options in order of how they performed in the tournament; Spacey, Johnson, Furra. I didn't see any outstandingly good performances but Furra was good against Samoa and no worse than anyone else today.
Hogg, Seymour, Dancer Another World Cup where they have not really delivered. Am I being too harsh with "another"?

Toonie Either he goes PDQ or gets another World Cup cycle. He may well point to all the young players he has helped develop and say 2023 will be the time to judge him. I'm tempted to agree with that view. He is not a man to stand still, or coast. If he doesn't see a way to improve the side he'll leave. He won't need to be asked. This disappointment may just put extra iron in his soul.

Sorry that the Scots are out, but I suppose the neutrals would prefer the host going through. One thing, did the Scots have trouble counting – in the 1st half Japan seemed routinely to have an overlap on their left – led to at least 2 tries.

BigGee wrote:

Soul Requiem wrote:

lostinwales wrote:

Old Man wrote:Am I correct this is the first time Scotland don’t qualify for the QF’s?

They said they didn't in NZ 8 years ago

Stats
Gray tackles 25 made 0 missed
Ritchie 24 -2

Still think Ritchie was lucky as his agression was going too far

Gray is a very good player and doesn't miss a tackle but I don't feel he quite dominates the collisions enough.

He actually had a pretty good game today as well, best for a while. If he carried as well as other top class second rows he would be a world better, just needs to add that to his game. We have been saying that for a good few years now though and still no sign of it.

I agree it was his best game on a long while.

I don't think him and GG work as a pair though - they're too similar.

Japan have a very tidy and effective game plan, hard to stop. Will be interesting to see how they do v SA bearing in mind they suffered a heavy defeat to them recently.

George Carlin wrote:Well done to Japan - the two best teams in the pool went through.

I wouldn't be unhappy if Toonie moved on and I'll tell you now that I will feel the same way tomorrow morning.

I feel you GC, at the very least the game plan has to be changed. We can't mount attacking rugby off 3-4 phases of ball, as many have mentioned on here. Of course there are varying factors. the stars of old are getting on a bit and Hogg has really lost his mojo in attack and that kick he did before half time was a game killer, he's finally become droppable for Kinghorn. I can't remember the last time I saw him make a clean break.

It is a natural time to make changes in preparation for the 6N next year and rebuild the team. Horne jr, Kinghorn, Graham, Bradbury, Ritchie, Cummings, Hutchinson, Jones. These guys need to start replacing some of the guys who haven't performed and perhaps a little past their best now. This RWC probably came 2 years too late for the current group, late 2017 was the peak.

bsando wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Well done to Japan - the two best teams in the pool went through.

I wouldn't be unhappy if Toonie moved on and I'll tell you now that I will feel the same way tomorrow morning.

I feel you GC, at the very least the game plan has to be changed. We can't mount attacking rugby off 3-4 phases of ball, as many have mentioned on here. Of course there are varying factors. the stars of old are getting on a bit and Hogg has really lost his mojo in attack and that kick he did before half time was a game killer, he's finally become droppable for Kinghorn. I can't remember the last time I saw him make a clean break.

It is a natural time to make changes in preparation for the 6N next year and rebuild the team. Horne jr, Kinghorn, Graham, Bradbury, Ritchie, Cummings, Hutchinson, Jones. These guys need to start replacing some of the guys who haven't performed and perhaps a little past their best now. This RWC probably came 2 years too late for the current group, late 2017 was the peak.

I was thinking this earlier - it's a long time since we've seen 2x 6N player of the year Hogg.

Has he put on too much beef again?

RDW wrote:

bsando wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Well done to Japan - the two best teams in the pool went through.

I wouldn't be unhappy if Toonie moved on and I'll tell you now that I will feel the same way tomorrow morning.

I feel you GC, at the very least the game plan has to be changed. We can't mount attacking rugby off 3-4 phases of ball, as many have mentioned on here. Of course there are varying factors. the stars of old are getting on a bit and Hogg has really lost his mojo in attack and that kick he did before half time was a game killer, he's finally become droppable for Kinghorn. I can't remember the last time I saw him make a clean break.

It is a natural time to make changes in preparation for the 6N next year and rebuild the team. Horne jr, Kinghorn, Graham, Bradbury, Ritchie, Cummings, Hutchinson, Jones. These guys need to start replacing some of the guys who haven't performed and perhaps a little past their best now. This RWC probably came 2 years too late for the current group, late 2017 was the peak.

I was thinking this earlier - it's a long time since we've seen 2x 6N player of the year Hogg.

Has he put on too much beef again?

Surely pork?

RDW wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Soul Requiem wrote:

lostinwales wrote:

Old Man wrote:Am I correct this is the first time Scotland don’t qualify for the QF’s?

They said they didn't in NZ 8 years ago

Stats
Gray tackles 25 made 0 missed
Ritchie 24 -2

Still think Ritchie was lucky as his agression was going too far

Gray is a very good player and doesn't miss a tackle but I don't feel he quite dominates the collisions enough.

He actually had a pretty good game today as well, best for a while. If he carried as well as other top class second rows he would be a world better, just needs to add that to his game. We have been saying that for a good few years now though and still no sign of it.

I agree it was his best game on a long while.

I don't think him and GG work as a pair though - they're too similar.

I think that Cummings and Skinner are the coming men in the second row for Scotland. Cummings has had a decent WC and should probably have been starting in all honesty. Just his lack of experience counting against him.

They both carry better than the two incumbants and either one would probably be a better partner for JG than GG.

Barney McGrew did it wrote:Sorry that the Scots are out, but I suppose the neutrals would prefer the host going through. One thing, did the Scots have trouble counting – in the 1st half Japan seemed routinely to have an overlap on their left – led to at least 2 tries.

Yeah I saw that too, Japan liked to target the left side, wonder if Jamie Joseph saw something in regards to Scottish defence.

Hoggy has not had a great WC, not really a great run for Glasgow over the past few years.

I am hoping the move to Exeter might liven him up a bit, he has maybe gotten a little stale in Scotland.

jimbopip wrote:
Johnson and Furra I've bracketed these two together because they may well exist in FES's Schroedinger's Cat Box. Johnson did pretty much nothing with the ball in hand all tournament. Except for late on in the second half today. Suddenly he had a bit of room and a fraction of a second to attack the defence. He didn't score a miracle try but at least we saw why we think he's a quality 12. I realise the "we" there may be limited to Glasgow fans. And again Furra comes on and spaces appear for others. Before the howls of derision begin, let's put our 12 options in order of how they performed in the tournament; Spacey, Johnson, Furra. I didn't see any outstandingly good performances but Furra was good against Samoa and no worse than anyone else today.

He came on and threw one horrendous long pass that was a mile forward then fired another howler at Harris shortly afterwards. His ‘I make others play better’ claims are the greatest work of fiction since Conan Doyle brought Holmes back from the dead.

RDW wrote:Gutting to see Laidlaw so upset - looks like that's his last game

He's been a wonderful servant. Nerves of steel with the boot and a fine rugby brain. Still, he's down the pecking order now in my book, and Price and Horne just offer much more to our game.

BigGee wrote:Hoggy has not had a great WC, not really a great run for Glasgow over the past few years.

I am hoping the move to Exeter might liven him up a bit, he has maybe gotten a little stale in Scotland.

He seems to have lost a little spark. Have injuries slowed him down? 
It just seems he is trying to do things that once were instinctive but now look laboured.

Laidlaw's final season with Clermont. Will probably want to conentrate on T14 and Europe as his last hurrah before hanging up his boots so probably his last Scotland game today

Japan ( rugby team) have done more in 80 minutes for their country that the conservative party has done in near 3 years in Britain. Brought smiles on the faces of the whole country.

Looking forward to next week.

Because Scotland are now out of the RWC, will this be the end of Gregor Townsend?
Or will he be give a chance to redeem him self in the 6ns?

He's still got good flat out speed, but I think Hogg has lost a bit of acceleration. The game today didn't suit him. Unlike Scotland, Japan didn't kick away endless ball poorly, so the counter attacking opportunities were limited for him. As many have said, he's in a dip in form right now. Hopefully Exeter can breath fresh life into him.

funnyExiledScot wrote:He's still got good flat out speed, but I think Hogg has lost a bit of acceleration

Japan made a point of ensuring the game wouldn't suit Hogg. You rarely saw Hogg in a position where you thought "Here we go", and that wasn't an accident.

Rugby Fan wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:He's still got good flat out speed, but I think Hogg has lost a bit of acceleration

Japan made a point of ensuring the game wouldn't suit Hogg. You rarely saw Hogg in a position where you thought "Here we go", and that wasn't an accident.

I think most teams have sussed him out now, he probably needs to re-invent himself a bit down south. He is still a very good player but needs to be playing in a good team, sometimes he tries to do to much when playing for Scotland.

You do have to think a little bit about Toonie's selections.

I don't like it when coach's hands are forced by injury and then the coach sees fit to take a lap of honour when their forced replacement has a blinder. Why were Barclay and Wilson anywhere near the squad when they could not get in the headspace for the first game in Japan? They effectively played no part in the rest of the tournament. In what respect was this not bad judgment from a head coach?

Thomson, Mbawsa (your finest moment, Jim) and Bradbury were broadly the find of the tournament for Scotland. Form players. Not favoured initially. Again, Hamish Watson's injury brought Ritchie to the fore and he outperformed everyone else in the pack.

We were worried that our two starting centres had precisely 80 minutes of test rugby in combination before the start of this tournament. That worry was vindicated. The combinations looked unsettled and did not really offer much penetration up front or solidity in midfield. Was taking a tried and tested Johnson/St Shug combination really that bad an idea?

Harris surprised everyone and as blunt tools go, was a high quality option. Taylor clearly was not 100% and his presence showed nothing more than Toonie is heavily dependent on favourites and refused to prioritise form and fitness. I absolutely refuse to buy that Peter Horne should have travelled or is a test class player against decent opposition. He is not.

Should Toonie really get credit for 'introducing' George Horne. Of course not, another enforced change.

The chat on the BBC website is that Toonie will get the next 6 Nations to demonstrate improvement or his coat is on the shoogliest of nails. Dodson is quite hard core and I think will now be scouting the market for a replacement in 2020.

Dodson: "Toonie is a Typhoon and he plays nothing but Typhoon players.  This is a public warning to Toonie.  The SRU don't like Typhoons.  Desist from Typhoonist gameplans instantly or we will bring the full force of our legal eagles down upon you like Black Angels of Hell.
You have been warned."

TheMildlyFranticLlama wrote:

jimbopip wrote:
Johnson and Furra I've bracketed these two together because they may well exist in FES's Schroedinger's Cat Box. Johnson did pretty much nothing with the ball in hand all tournament. Except for late on in the second half today. Suddenly he had a bit of room and a fraction of a second to attack the defence. He didn't score a miracle try but at least we saw why we think he's a quality 12. I realise the "we" there may be limited to Glasgow fans. And again Furra comes on and spaces appear for others. Before the howls of derision begin, let's put our 12 options in order of how they performed in the tournament; Spacey, Johnson, Furra. I didn't see any outstandingly good performances but Furra was good against Samoa and no worse than anyone else today.

He came on and threw one horrendous long pass that was a mile forward then fired another howler at Harris shortly afterwards. His ‘I make others play better’ claims are the greatest work of fiction since Conan Doyle brought Holmes back from the dead.

A strange comment Jimbo and I completely agree with llama on this one!

George Carlin wrote:You do have to think a little bit about Toonie's selections.

I don't like it when coach's hands are forced by injury and then the coach sees fit to take a lap of honour when their forced replacement has a blinder. Why were Barclay and Wilson anywhere near the squad when they could not get in the headspace for the first game in Japan? They effectively played no part in the rest of the tournament. In what respect was this not bad judgment from a head coach?

Thomson, Mbawsa (your finest moment, Jim) and Bradbury were broadly the find of the tournament for Scotland. Form players. Not favoured initially. Again, Hamish Watson's injury brought Ritchie to the fore and he outperformed everyone else in the pack.

We were worried that our two starting centres had precisely 80 minutes of test rugby in combination before the start of this tournament. That worry was vindicated. The combinations looked unsettled and did not really offer much penetration up front or solidity in midfield. Was taking a tried and tested Johnson/St Shug combination really that bad an idea?

Harris surprised everyone and as blunt tools go, was a high quality option. Taylor clearly was not 100% and his presence showed nothing more than Toonie is heavily dependent on favourites and refused to prioritise form and fitness. I absolutely refuse to buy that Peter Horne should have travelled or is a test class player against decent opposition. He is not.

Should Toonie really get credit for 'introducing' George Horne. Of course not, another enforced change.

The chat on the BBC website is that Toonie will get the next 6 Nations to demonstrate improvement or his coat is on the shoogliest of nails. Dodson is quite hard core and I think will now be scouting the market for a replacement in 2020.

A very good summary. The most debated selections for the squad was back row and centre - Toonie got them all wrong.

As an aside Peter Wright mentioned Danny Wilson's appointment - another Toonie decision - and our pack has been tame ever since.

Danny Wilson is/was a good coach abou 4-5 years ago and quickly sorted out whatever team he joined. He's bumped around the teams though, had a go at being a Head Coach, and never really proved himself. Got the sense he's a bit like a football manager who's constantly hired and fired, adding an initial burst of positivity, but never sstaining it. Get the impression his tactics/work never really evolved and stayed at the forefront of the game.

Rugby is evolving at least twice a season now. It's mad how quickly something significant becomes 'the' way to go - and EJ and England maybe have that right with their hiring-and-firing approach.

By and large Danny Wilson isn't the man to stand up to Townsend, though, and is probably too much of a yes man. The forwards' issues stem from the whole philosophy in the Scotland squad as far as I can tell.

Jonny Gray could become a world class player under a proper test coach, I have no doubt about that. It's just getting someone who will both let him and demand it from him.

Rugby Fan wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:He's still got good flat out speed, but I think Hogg has lost a bit of acceleration

Japan made a point of ensuring the game wouldn't suit Hogg. You rarely saw Hogg in a position where you thought "Here we go", and that wasn't an accident.

I expect you can count on one hand how many times Japan kicked possession away. Unlike the Jocks

TheMildlyFranticLlama wrote:Japanese forwards in a huddle catching their breath and who’s in the middle of it leading the chat and picking them all up, it’s Yu Tamura. Hell of a player

Agreed. Flicking back through this to see how people called the game. Tamuar's the player of the tournament so far, even with his goalkicking issues.

Heck of a game of rugby. Huge congratulations to Japan and my commiserations to Scotland and their fans. Ahead of any Six Nations or WC, I always hold a little bit of hope that Scotland are going to materialise and play as we know they can, but consistently. You're not as poor as you might feel you are at the moment. Japan were just immense and Scotland took too long to adjust.

My immediate thought after the game was that Scotland just lacked big ball carriers to get them over the gain line, especially without Watson in the backrow. None of the Scottish pack could make decent ground against the Japanese, and they were easily absorbed by Japan's (superbly) organised defence. I look at the Scottish pack and no one jumps out at me as being an out and out ball carrier. Whereas with the likes of Ireland and South Africa, I read a team sheet and think of Healy, Furlong, Stander, Conana, Ryan, Marx, Kitshoff, Etzbeth, Duane Vermulean, etc as huge threats. Scotland's staring backrow was fast and pacy, but offered little when going forward. I just feel that this is really where Scotland lost the game, because without winning the gainline battle, they didn't earn the right to go wide and give their excellent backline space. This isn't exclusive to the Japan game either. I think Scotland have long been without good carriers, probably since Beattie and Brown retired.

There was a really nice twitter exchange between Jamie Ritchie and the Japanese FH, who had a little spat during the latter stages of the game, both apologising and clearing the air. That was a nice touch.

JR also got presented with a Samurai sword at the end of the game, not sure what that was for, do the Japanese team give to the player in the opposition who they felt makes the best impression on the game?

Either way, it was a very nice touch and well deserved by Ritchie, who certainly is a Scottish player who comes out of the competition with his head held high.

BigGee wrote:There was a really nice twitter exchange between Jamie Ritchie and the Japanese FH, who had a little spat during the latter stages of the game, both apologising and clearing the air. That was a nice touch.

JR also got presented with a Samurai sword at the end of the game, not sure what that was for, do the Japanese team give to the player in the opposition who they felt makes the best impression on the game?

Either way, it was a very nice touch and well deserved by Ritchie, who certainly is a Scottish player who comes out of the competition with his head held high.

Yeah they give it to the opposition player they think had the best performance.

Sounds crazy to say but can we really drop him for Watson?? He was our best player in the 6N and now one of our best in the WC. Can you ask for anything more?

https://twitter.com/Jamie_T_Ritchie/status/1183735743530749952?s=19

Class Twitter exchange between the Japanese 10 and Jamie - great to see.

He certainly felt a lot of wrath on here from non Scotland fans with pretty emotive words like 'thug' banded about carelessly, and I can't say I agree. Having watched him since he made his Edinburgh debut at 17 he is no thug. He's also hardly the first openside in history to play on the edge of physicality and get in handbags! Every teams has one and some of the best players in history have been like that. Also worth saying there were no citings after the match. He was clearly pumped up and did some niggly things he'll probably regret afterwards but he's still young and will learn to control that.

Ritchie is exactly the kind of player we need going forwards - we need warriors in the pack and he is one. I'd have him as captain of the summer tour and see how he copes with it and take it from there.

RDW wrote:

BigGee wrote:There was a really nice twitter exchange between Jamie Ritchie and the Japanese FH, who had a little spat during the latter stages of the game, both apologising and clearing the air. That was a nice touch.

JR also got presented with a Samurai sword at the end of the game, not sure what that was for, do the Japanese team give to the player in the opposition who they felt makes the best impression on the game?

Either way, it was a very nice touch and well deserved by Ritchie, who certainly is a Scottish player who comes out of the competition with his head held high.

Yeah they give it to the opposition player they think had the best performance.

Sounds crazy to say but can we really drop him for Watson?? He was our best player in the 6N and now one of our best in the WC. Can you ask for anything more?

Well Watson will not be fit for a while, but why not pick both?

LondonTiger wrote:

RDW wrote:

BigGee wrote:There was a really nice twitter exchange between Jamie Ritchie and the Japanese FH, who had a little spat during the latter stages of the game, both apologising and clearing the air. That was a nice touch.

JR also got presented with a Samurai sword at the end of the game, not sure what that was for, do the Japanese team give to the player in the opposition who they felt makes the best impression on the game?

Either way, it was a very nice touch and well deserved by Ritchie, who certainly is a Scottish player who comes out of the competition with his head held high.

Yeah they give it to the opposition player they think had the best performance.

Sounds crazy to say but can we really drop him for Watson?? He was our best player in the 6N and now one of our best in the WC. Can you ask for anything more?

Well Watson will not be fit for a while, but why not pick both?

Watson is due back in December.

They could, and have, but it leads to a pretty lightweight back row. Put Bradbury at 8 and it's not too bad but I personally think Ritchie is best at 7