Scotland rebuilding thread.

[Highland Shaun]

I have kept this as a separate thread to the world cup post mortem and 6N thread because, imho, its a different topic which deserves a separate thread for discussing.

Anyway, with John Barclay retiring, it got me thinking if anyone else would be likely to follow suit, Greig Laidlaw perhaps? Which then led to the question of, who will/could replace them in the coming years, youngsters coming through the ranks or players eligible /coming eligible in the future etc?

So, feel free to discuss .

*players likely to follow Barclay in retiring
*Likely players for the future, youngsters or players eligible or becoming e in future years.

Regarding players eligible, I notice that Schoeman is eligible in 2023.

[BigGee]

Laidlaw is the next obvious one to go, the way he looked when he was subbed playing against France at Murrayfield in the summer, you felt he knew that was his last home game.

As others have said in the other thread, he did look off the pace in the WC and it just seemed that time had caught up with him.

Replacements for him are relatively straight forward in that we have Price and Hornito primed and ready to go. The third slot is the trickier one. HP may or may not have ever been international class, but he is certainly not the future either and we need to look past him.

Other candidates are not jumping off the shelf.

SHC is currently without a club, which tells its own story.

Vellacott has not yet pinned his allegiance to the mast, but as he seems to have slipped down the pecking order down south and is more established now, night be more inclined to do so. He is however injured at the moment and has not even made a debut for Wasps yet.

Charlie Sheil has still not really established himself, due to Cockers conservative selection policies, so we can't really be sure just how good he is or whether he might be up to the international game.

Jamie Dobie at Glasgow looks like he might be the future and at 18 years old, has been very impressive in his cameos this season so far. Glasgow quite rightly have been managing him carefully and it may well be that he just plays the U20s 6N this year. Expect him to come through a lot stronger next year though but that will leave a situation where all three Scottish SHs are at one club, which is not sustainable either.

At least it does seem we have some options there though.

[bsando]

In a nutshell, Horne and Price should run the show while Laidlaw or Pyrgos are in the squad to cover injuries. I can't see Laidlaw starting against Ireland, especially after the weak game Scotland had against them in the RWC.

[Prothero]

Glasgow to there credit have a decent amount of young developing Scottish forwards in the Squad. Ignoring Matt Fagerson and Cummings who have already broken through. Guys like Nicol, Stuart and Thornton, Davidson and Mcdonald and particularly in back row. Gordon, Smith and Flockhart. One goal for Wilson needs to be to get some of these guys established enough Pro 14 performers that they are obvious National team call ups.

The problem Scotland Have had in recent years is that guys that are cap ready at 21 come through and become stars. But guys that have talent but maybe are not at the peak of their game yet and wont be until 25/26 arn't developed and there places in squad gets taken by a finished artical 28 year old SH guy.

[Highland Shaun]

https://www.theoffsideline.com/opinion-gregor-townsend-stuart-lancater/.

[BigGee]

Would be a very good idea!

[funnyExiledScot]

9 is relatively straightforward for me. Horne and Price are miles ahead of the rest, and then have Pyrgos as 3rd choice to provide a slightly different, and much slower option.

Horne should start with Price coming on for impact.

[funnyExiledScot]

https://www.theoffsideline.com/opinion-gregor-townsend-stuart-lancater/.

Lancaster would be a massive coup. A good coach and has much to offer in international rugby, plus a point to prove. My only niggle would be his selection instincts, but they can't be any worse than Toonie.

[NeilyBroon]

Think toonie's ego would get in the way of any hurried deal to get lancaster. We're better off letting him finish off his own Scotland coaching career this 6Ns through his own poor judgement, then starting a fresh with an entirely new coaching set up in summer, which could include lancaster.

I think Toonies attitude to ideas that aren't his own will eventually undo him. A man who seems to believe his own hype, which reflects in the way the players have played recently.

[RDW]

Lancaster might be positioning himself to replace Townsend never mind work under thing! As good as things are at Leinster international rugby is still the ultimate, and it's not like Plug is going to step aside at Leinster any time soon

[bsando]

Tandy had some high praise from the NSWRU GM of Rugby..

Upon learning of his move to Scotland NSWRU GM of Rugby, Tim Rapp said that outcome was a result of Tandy’s character as well as his credentials as a coach.

“Steve took a chance [coming out to NSW] because he wanted to learn and grow as a coach, and we’re glad he chose to join us at the [NSW] Waratahs,” Rapp said.

“His passion for the game and commitment to the group were pretty evident early on and players and staff gravitated to that, he’s someone that we’ll all certainly miss.

“That [passion] is clear through the results he was able to achieve last year defensively, it’s an area of our game which was hugely improved.

“It’s a great opportunity for Steve and his family and while we’re disappointed to lose someone of his quality, it’s not something we ever wanted to stand in the way of.”

It'll be interesting to see what results he brings in the short term, but it's going to be a big change for the players after such a long time working with Matt Taylor. I suspect though that Tandy will see Scotland's defence as a challenge he'll relish considering how soft it has been the past few years against the bigger teams.

[sensisball]

Tandy surely cannot do any worse with our defense than Taylor?
it even sounds like he may be a big step up in terms of his ability and rapport with the players. Hopefully he will get time to bring his skills to bear, even if Toonie gets the heave ho at the end of the 6N's.

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