Scotland 2020 Internationals

First topic message reminder :

With club rugby in Europe back up and running I thought it might be time to begin a new International thread.

Scotland's Upcoming 2020 International Fixtures

Warm Up

Scotland vs Georgia 23rd October BT Murrayfield (KO TBC)

6 Nations

Wales vs Scotland 31st October 2.15pm KO (venue TBC)

Eight Nations Tournament pool games

Italy vs Scotland November 14th November 12.45pm KO (Venue TBC)

Scotland vs France 22nd November 3pm KO BT Murrayfield

Scotland vs Fiji 28th November 1.45pm KO BT Murrayfield

December 5th Eight Nations play-off matches (1st vs 1st, 2nd vs 2nd, 3rd vs 3rd, 4th vs 4th)

mikey_dragon wrote:Gregor is a good coach. You would need more time to make a difference with Scotland (no offence! #dontflameme), and I think they need at least one more pro team - which might just be a dream at this point. I think another pro team could work as there seems to be enough players right now. And Cockers showed us the benefits of brining in South Africans.

I think the problem most people (myself included) had with Toonie was his lack of relative experience even coaching at club level. Add this to the fact we had an excellent coach in VC, I think Toonies accelerated appointment left a bit of a sour taste for a lot of us. It'd be like gatland being usurped by Danny Wilson after 3 years in the Wales role just because he did well with Cardiff blues at the time.

The viewpoint I take is that there needed to be a justification for rapidly promoting Toonie other than being a homebred Scottish coach. I mentioned earlier that I think progress may have been more steady under VC, a trajectory we were already nicely on. I don't think we would have got knocked out of the group stages at the WC under cotter either. Toonies learning curve has been with Scotland where it should really have been with another club for a few seasons before insisting on taking the role.

My opinion has changed of him as tbh I thought he was just lucky with his backroom staff and riding previous success under cotter in 2017/18, however he's proven to be a shrewd recruiter in the last year and definitely seems to have matured as a coach. His selection still leaves something to be desired, particularly at the moment with his obsession with defence stats, and I definitely think he can get too tied up in moneyball style management but he ultimately is still learning so hopefully will come good.

Gooseberry wrote:

NeilyBroon wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

Highland Shaun wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

Highland Shaun wrote:

jimbopip wrote:

bsando wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

RDW wrote:

Highland Shaun wrote:

RDW wrote:

Highland Shaun wrote:

BigGee wrote:https://www.theoffsideline.com/focus-turns-to-nations-cup-as-gregor-townsend-looks-to-build-depth/?v=79cba1185463

Some hints from Toonie about what we might see in the next few games

I was just about to post the exact link, you beat me to it by half an hour lol.  

I was going to post it and mention how amazed I am  at the number of players aged 30+ :-O.

So, tbh the next couple of Autumn test years could have a number of young players in it, with the 2023 world cup in mind.

My question was going to be, who are the young players worth keeping an eye on, Mitch Eadie, Tom Gordon, Ewan Ashman, Jack Blain (I think that's his first name lol)? Anyone I've missed?

is he really still in the conversation...? We've been talking about him for years - I don't think he's going to become a genuine option.

I'm not sure how long you peeps have been talking about Eadie as I've been a member less than a year, I only mentioned him because he plays for Bristol and an article on the Scottish Rugby Blog about Scots playing in Gallagher Premiership mentioned he is Scottish Qualified (there were many more including Alex Pleasants, Some lad Onyeama-Christie, Olly Cattell tp name only a few).

I could also add Cameron Henderson and Ollie Smith to my list as they are in the under 20s :-).

You'll have to excuse me though as I'm new to Rugby lol, I've watched 6N since Matt Williams first year but I've only been watching Premiership and Pro 14 for a month so you may think I'm talking crap, whereas in fact, I'm just not up to speed so I'd thank you if you excusd my lack of knowledge of potential stars of the future :-D.

I'd like to sat say though, I like the forum, everyone is so nice, friendly and knowledgeable :-).

Haha sorry, no reason to apologise! Glad to hear you're enjoying your time here :- there's a few grumpy old gits (no naming names but it starts with J and ends in imbo) but there's plenty banter.  

If the Matt Williams era was your first taste of rugby you've shown remarkable commitment to have stuck by it!

Mitch Eadie has just been a bit of a journeyman - solid club player but doesn't look like much more.  He's not the biggest either which, as Matt Fagerson could tell you, makes like difficult at this level.

Most importantly, being from the Highlands do you support Edinburgh or Glasgow?? Choose wisely as this will define how you're treated on here from now on...

What Flounder is saying Shaun is "make sure you choose Edinburgh"

And don’t worry about a lack of rugby knowledge, it hasn’t stopped George Carlin from getting involved. Hasn’t stopped me either

Most of us are friendly, just don't pick Jimbo up on his multiple spelling and grammatical errors. It's like telling Donald Trump that he's orange and you'll get "fake news" shouted at you, or worse, Jimbo will write a sonnet about his whimsical days of playing in the backrow but ended up on the wing and now he's Ayr RFC's tactics guru. All done under a failed attempt at using the quote function!

I'm just commenting to make the quote chain the biggest it's been for a while on any thread I've visited. Although I do like what Toonie has planned for the Autumn. Have most forgiven him for his sins in 2019 now?   I also wonder if it is worth sticking with Lang at 12 for a few more games. A bit of competition there with Johnson could be a good thing.

Highland Shaun, I'm not convinced you bide in the highlands: we all believed the "Funny" in FES and look how that turned out. If you know nothing about club rugby you'd better watch out you'll be getting a shiny badge to match Flounder's.
Best advice; you don't choose a club  it chooses you. Keep watching the Scottish sides and either the exhilaration of running dynamic rugby or the televisual equivalent of an ice cold enema will really speak to your heart. If you love discussing soft furnishings for hours and hours with your partner ( tigertattie does) you're probably a closet Luvvie. Closet Luvvie? No thanks I've only just come out.

Well you will never know :-P but if I tell you I support a football team managed by John Robertson that play near a bridge on the way out of a City heading North would you believe me :-)?

I would tell you to check my Facebook but I don't think that is a good idea ahahaha.

When did the quote function start to make writing really really tiny?

Also Shaun, no football talk please

Jimbo. I’m welling up with emotion here. Firstly your crack are FES about being funny was, well, funny. I’m also full of pride that you successfully executed the correct use of the quote function. Lastly I’m conflicted at your soft furnishings remark that you imply that I’m a suitable partner material!

Ah OK, my bad ;-) but blame Jim for not believing I'm from Caithness :-P.

I see Darcy Rae has scored, is he still on Townsend's radar .  Oh and yay, its my favourite commentary team of Rory and Jim Hamilton :-D.

Yes yes, always blame jimbo. That’s the spirit Shaun. You’ll fit in well here

This quote function has all gone a bit meta. I keep going cross eyed just opening the thread!


At least people have figured out how to use it properly

Oh dear. You’ve done a jimbo

Looks like Hastings is out until after the 6N next year. Wowzers! Russell out for the rest of the Autumn. Not great but a good opportunity to test depth.

So Weir, Lang and Hogg our new flyhalf depth? P Horne must be coming back into contention now and I guess VDW will probably be there next year with Hastings still out.

I thought it did not look good for Hastings

6 months for a dislocated shoulder is about par for the course, assuming it all goes well.

Lets see what Duncy can bring to the table and what kind of shape VDW is in after his nuptials.

Makes the delay of the wedding to November in SA even more galling with VDW. Hutchinson is injured. Maybe Kinghorn could have a go there? H Jones can play almost any position in the backline anyway so can we give him a go at FH? Apparently Lang is a fly half on the Quins website.

As much as he is limited, P Horne is the only remaining FH with any proper experience at 10. Are there any 10's in England or France who could be SQ?  Will Glasgow and Edinburgh be able to get into the Champions Cup next season whilst having no 10's for a month?

Also what is the story with Hastings? Should he have gone off after the first hit? Did staying on add three months to the recovery? I was always concerned he was a shy tackler and he put his shoulder in properly against Wales only to get injured.

Once you have didlocated a shoulder, as a professional player, it is pretty much shot and needs surgery or else it will come out on each hard contact.

So i doubt he has made it worse, he would have been aware that FR was already off and not wanted to lleave us without a pivot.

He was also playing very well, even after the first injury and looked like the player thst might provide the spark to get us over the line.

The good news is that after the surgery, the shoulder is usually stronger than it was before!

I was amazed that he was allowed to stay on. He dislocated it first time and had it put back in on the pitch. He should have come off then. Bonkers. I thought we were in 2020, not 1975.
Anyway. It is what it is, and this may be an opportunity for young Chamberlain to get involved with the squad? The old adage of good enough and old enough could apply, but is he good enough for the step up to international level as a bench option?
Assuming that wee Dunc is going to get the starting berth?

Deffo too early for Chamberlain he's barely had time at Edinburgh, although maybe worth inviting him and blain to training. Weir can do a decent enough job there, Lang could in a pinch I'm sure. I'd like to avoid putting Horne back at FH as we need to be looking beyond this season and he isn't the answer, we already knew that. The only other option is going back to Cammy redpath, highlighting the situation to him and saying "look, here's a big opportunity for international rugby". Worth a punt I reckon and could be an option at 12.

Brandon Thompson? - never seen him have a bad game. He has been a good squad player for Glasgow.
Apart from those previously mentioned, the cupboard seems bare - an indictment of the lack of talent coming through.

What happened to Hastings? Hogg to 10 anyone...

Mcsweens wrote:Brandon Thompson? - never seen him have a bad game. He has been a good squad player for Glasgow.
Apart from those previously mentioned, the cupboard seems bare - an indictment of the lack of talent coming through.

Actually he has had a few howlers for Glasgow and disappeared from view midway through last season because of them.

Probably only still with Glasgow because he signed a 2 year contract and definitely not an international player in any case.

Apart from anything else, he is also tied to SA. Played for their U20s prior to the rule change.

mikey_dragon wrote:What happened to Hastings? Hogg to 10 anyone...

Dislocated shoulder, out for 6 months

SHC comes into the squad for the AI series.

Seems to be well deserved and he will likely get a chance at some point in the 4 games

Popped my shoulder in a game. Stayed on for the last 10 mins as no one else could play 8. Hindsight I should have just come off. Two ops later and the shoulder was still buggered so had to retire before my most likely Scotland call up.

Ok so the last part isn’t true.

But Hastings should have just come off is my point. And no, Hogg won’t “do a job at 10”. Likewise P Horne isn’t the answer.

It’s meatball everyday with Lang who played 10 for quinns as backup then it’s Hogg in case of emergency.

Don’t pick players out of position when there are alternatives.

But yeah. Mon the meatball.

It's meatball all the way. If he gets injured it's full Private Fraser time.

I agree Lang on bench but that's far from ideal either, with VDW benching once he becomes available - he is at least a 10 and will do a competent job. Chamberlain is a brand new baby in pro rugby never mind international so really shouldn't be involved - let him get gametime for Edinburgh first.

Johnson to 12 will really help. It's a shame Hutchinson is injured as it would be good to have another top distributer in the outside channels.

Hogg to stay at 15!

For me:

Weir at 10 - he is playing well and has lost the jitters that blighted his last couple of years in Scotland. Regular game time as first choice club 10 is what he needed.

VDW - get him in the squad for experience but I don't really want to see him play yet I really am very unsure he is international standard

Get one of the guys who can play ten primed ready to go if Meatball is injured - maybe Kinghorn? Maybe ADHD kid? Or the Hoggmeister?

ie go into the Autumn games with Weir our only 10 but with one of the other players ready to go as an emergency replacement. Weir plays every minute of every game unless injured

TJ wrote:For me:

Weir at 10 - he is playing well and has lost the jitters that blighted his last couple of years in Scotland.  Regular game time as first choice club 10  is what he needed.

VDW - get him in the squad for experience but I don't really want to see him play yet  I really am very unsure he is international standard

Get one of the guys who can play ten primed ready to go if Meatball is injured - maybe Kinghorn?  Maybe ADHD kid?  Or the Hoggmeister?

ie go into the Autumn games with Weir our only 10 but with one of the other players ready to go as an emergency replacement.  Weir plays every minute of every game unless injured

Darcy Graham??

As for VDW it's pretty much either him or Horne as the only experienced 10s remaining.

Yeah I deffo wouldn't want to waste Darcy at 10. Maybe Toonie is thinking SHC can cover? I feel like he may have covered 10 before but maybe I'm just getting my wires crossed?

It may actually improve kinghorns game if he's forced to cover 10 for a bit. Of all the out of position options I'd rather see that.

Graham played 10 at age grade I think?

Given we have no other even top club standard 10s than Weir left ( IMO VDW is barely club standard) then its a waste of a subs place having someone like Horne on the bench "just in case" so have one of the guys in the team who have played 10 before ready to step in if Weir is injured

Alternately we take a massive punt on Chamberlain, like we did with Adam Ashe straight from U20s, although this is my least favourite option!

Agree we don't want Horne back on the bench but I'd also rather Darcy used solely for back three as that's his strength. I'd argue that kinghorn is probably the best option for utility on the bench now that our FHs are crocked. I'd have shug on at 13 covering FB and centre, kinghorn on the bench covering wing and FH.

I think SHC must have been more than a next off the cab rank pick though, I reckon Toonie has him in mind as a 9/10 cover as his kicking game is very good.

Kinghorn then

I am merely suggesting that a substandard 10 on the bench is a waste of a bench spot when we have guys of similar ability already on the pitch / in the squad

We could send out an emergency call for Frodo?

I think we are barking up the wrong tree with some of these potential FH options.

We have been very unlucky to loose 2 so far.

Weir, VDW and with Lang as a back up should see us through these 4 games.

If we really did run out of other options with even more injuries, then surely he would pull Horne back in, who is at least getting regular game time at FH as opposed to SHC, Kinghorn or Graham who have not played FH for a very long time.

Fully expect Weir to get all the minutes with Lang or P Horne covering at 22

As maligned as P Horne is, he plays 10 at club level fairly regularly and that is better than nothing. VDW ruined his opportunity going off to SA to get married in the middle of the season. The only other player who has a fair few pro appearances at 10 is Lang.

Why did Jackson retire again? Be much simpler if he was still about.

VDW has not ruined his opportunity at all.

This trip to get married has likely been planned for a long time and both Toonie and Cockers seem to have given it their blessing. We should not be to critical as wsnting to get married is a perfectly legitimate aspiration and we have no idea of his circumstances.

He has been training with the squad already and has been name checked by Toonie

He will be straight back into the group as soon as he has cleared quarantine

BigGee wrote:I think we are barking up the wrong tree with some of these potential FH options.

We have been very unlucky to loose 2 so far.

Weir, VDW and with Lang as a back up should see us through these 4 games.

If we really did run out of other options with even more injuries, then surely he would pull Horne back in, who is at least getting regular game time at FH as opposed to SHC, Kinghorn or Graham who have not played FH for a very long time.

The problem is I think it's very unlikely we'll see VDW for these games now, so it's probably Lang as the main backup, although that leaves us on a bit of a knife edge if either him or Weir end up getting injured so I think it's perfectly reasonable to be considering our options!

We've also got to remember that Glasgow also need a FH, unless they're ready to wheel out one of the academy boys, so Pete Horne also isn't ideal from that perspective! I'm certain there will be a couple of players in camp who will be preparing for the eventuality that they may need to step in, I wouldn't be surprised if it was kinghorn and SHC.

VDW is back sooner than I thought, right before Fiji based on a two week quarantine.

Maybe ruined is too strong. Has delayed his opportunity to compete for the third fly half spot.

P Horne or Lang likely have two opportunities to put a case together as to why they should be on the bench against Fiji and whomever the fourth game is against.

VDW, anyone really, is welcome to do whatever makes them happy (barring illegal activities).

Hazel Sapling wrote:VDW is back sooner than I thought, right before Fiji based on a two week quarantine.

Maybe ruined is too strong. Has delayed his opportunity to compete for the third fly half spot.

P Horne or Lang likely have two opportunities to put a case together as to why they should be on the bench against Fiji and whomever the fourth game is against.

VDW, anyone really, is welcome to do whatever makes them happy (barring illegal activities).

Isn't that our last game? Still leaves us on a bit of a tightrope tbh!

I know it would be stupid but I would be very curious to see Graham have a run at 10. He is basically the NH version of Damien McKenzie who plays FB and FH for the Chiefs. It's definitely more of a curiosity rather than saying he should get a go. Him and Hogg have the best acceleration in the squad which I think is useful when you're looking to hit gaps from a standing start.

Not stupid at all, I'd just rather see our best players in their preferred positions and Darcy is probably the third name on the teamsheet after Mish and Hogg!

This is not about who we have at 10 - thats obviously meatball. We have no one else really that is of a high enough standard. thus the question is what do we do if Meatball gets injured during a match? To me the answer is to have someone else who is in the team of right in another position ready to fill in.

I see no point at all in having Horne or VDW on the bench using up a spot when the only way they get on the park is if Meatball is broken. We have a number of players who have played 10 at age grade. surely one of them could be as good an emergency replacement and that then gives us the flexibility to have a more useful bench

How does the eligibility work these days?

Duhan v d Merwe represented SA at age group and junior world champions and sevens.

Jaco v d Walt represented SA schools in 2012.

U20s does not count any more.

It only counted previously if both that country and the country they were playing both designated U20s as their A team, which lead to inconsistencies, with some players getting tied at that level and others not.

It made more sense to take the junior ranks out of the equation.

Anglobraveheart wrote:I was amazed that he was allowed to stay on. He dislocated it first time and had it put back in on the pitch. He should have come off then. Bonkers. I thought we were in 2020, not 1975.

Haircut insisted on staying on the field because otherwise how could he have gone back to Scotstoun and explained to the mighty Schlong that he left the game because of a dislocated shoulder. Actually, can you imagine the abuse that Schlong will pour on him when he admits that he needed the team doctor to put it back in for him.

Mon the Meatball.

Wee Dunc to start. Chamberlain on the bench. Let's get the youngster involved.
Maybe not against France, but he's got to start some time. Was great in the u20s last year, so let's see what he's really made of.

Hastings is a big loss. Scotland lose nothing with him on the field in my opinion. Good player, hard to replace given the touches of class he brings and his versatility.

Are we seriously considering Darcy at 10 because he played a game there at under 10s?

Has anyone ever seen him pass, kick, manage a game?? He is an out and out back 3 player. - the pure definition of a strike player He in no way is a 10. Absolute madness.

Damien McKenzie is an all-round player who made his name at junior level playing 10 - they're just not comparable other than being short.

If we're going to shoehorn anyone in it would be players like Kinghorn or Hogg who at least have a big game management role already and are often second receivers. They have also actually played 10 in a pro environment.

RDW wrote:Are we seriously considering Darcy at 10 because he played a game there at under 10s?

Has anyone ever seen him pass, kick, manage a game?? He is an out and out back 3 player. - the pure definition of a strike player He in no way is a 10.  Absolute madness.

Damien McKenzie is an all-round player who made his name at junior level playing 10 - they're just not comparable other than being short.

If we're going to shoehorn anyone in it would be players like Kinghorn or Hogg who at least have a big game management role already and are often second receivers. They have also actually played 10 in a pro environment.

Would that make him the shoehorn king, or big king shoehorn?

It was me who mentioned Graham and I have now realised I confused him with Hutcheson when i went back to check sources as someone who played 10 at under 20 level. so scrub that candidate. I still think the point valid tho given that we have no 10s beyond weir who are good enough / play regularly then we are better off with someone like Kinghorn who is in the squad anyway as back up 10 given that wee Dunky is only going to get subbed if injured.

Fair enough TJ. Hutch would absolutely be in the equation as back up 10 but alas he's injured.

He would actually have been a really good player to have had available during this series.

It was more just the imagination running wild, no one really suggested he should start at 10. I just think he is so similar to Mckenzie he could probably manage a game if he was forced to train and start at 10 (which won't happen).

If anything this is a good moment to lose both fly halves and test depth a bit and figure out who can step up to that position after 3rd choice Weir. P Horne should be fourth choice but Toonie hasn't called him up so who will be covering Weir for Italy? Must be Hogg, Lang or Kinghorn I guess.

Imaginary Dreamland Scottish backline

9 Christie
10 Graham
11 VDM
12 Johnson
13 Jones
14 Maitland
15 Hogg

bsando wrote:It was more just the imagination running wild, no one really suggested he should start at 10. I just think he is so similar to Mckenzie he could probably manage a game if he was forced to train and start at 10 (which won't happen).

If anything this is a good moment to lose both fly halves and test depth a bit and figure out who can step up to that position after 3rd choice Weir. P Horne should be fourth choice but Toonie hasn't called him up so who will be covering Weir for Italy? Must be Hogg, Lang or Kinghorn I guess.

Imaginary Dreamland Scottish backline

9 Christie
10 Graham
11 VDM
12 Johnson
13 Jones
14 Maitland
15 Hogg

We might not win but would definitely.be entertaining!

Haha yeah! It's nice we have depth to put out both defensive and attacking backlines now. Morrison and De Luca being the only options feels like a lifetime ago

I just posted this in the club thread but here's Toonies thoughts on FH situ, all the expected candidates really:

https://www.theoffsideline.com/finn-russell-and-adam-hastings-injuries-open-door-for-duncan-weir/?v=79cba1185463

Looks like Johnson will be playing too and potentially shug given they've been retained in the Scotland squad (Harris needs a four game rest at least for all the hard work he's put in). The lineup for Italy may end up looking something like this:

Hogg
Graham
Jones
Johnson
VdM

Weir
Horne

Fagerson
Ritchie
Skinner (I think Toonie will test out a new BR combo while resting Watson)
Toolis
Gray (Cummings had a big shift against Wales, another potentially rested)
Berghan
McInally
Kebble

So a bit of rotation maybe. Hard to predict though, knowing Toonie he'll keep Lang and Harris and put Johnson and Jones on the wings.

We are saved - not only is meatball back but he has a secret weapon - his hair

TJ wrote:We are saved - not only is meatball back but he has a secret weapon - his hair

His legendary status has improved with age.

Meatball will take us to autumn nations victory, then captain Scotland to victory in 2023 with a drop goal in the last minute against Australia, showing Rennie what he was missing at Glasgow and upsetting the wallabies forwards coach, Richard cockerill.

By this point he will be doing obscene offloads with his hair while dancer watches on in awe for his 1000th minute on the bench.

Just for info: French union has agreed to pick an individual player for a maximum of 3 of the 6 scheduled matches. As we are the fourth match up we could be playing France "B". No du Pont, Ntamack, Vakatawa, Ollivon etc. etc.
The only glimmer of light is that the Fiji squad currently are self isolating after several players tested positive.
If the France, Fiji game is called off next weekend then technically the current squad should still be available as they have only played two games ( against Wales and France). Although what it does to the tournament if Fiji cannot play, is anyone's guess.

They wont rotate on Mass sensisball

They'll do a few players here, a few players there. Its not a full blown tournament. France are looking to build a squad as they get ready for thier world cup in 2023 so they, just like us, are using this tournament to try out new combinations and what not. Ironically France need a prolonged period of playing a settled team, but this tourney, along with finishing the 6Ns is a long old slog and players need rested. It's also preparation for the WC which is an attritional comp if nothing else.

Also France wont want to lose to us twice in one year so................

You could easily see Hoggy getting rested for the Italy game. He is certainly going to sit one of them out at least.

He has played a lot of high pressure rugby recently and this one may well be a good one to sit him out, so Shuggy could be playing at FB for this one.

bsando wrote:It was more just the imagination running wild, no one really suggested he should start at 10. I just think he is so similar to Mckenzie he could probably manage a game if he was forced to train and start at 10 (which won't happen).

If anything this is a good moment to lose both fly halves and test depth a bit and figure out who can step up to that position after 3rd choice Weir. P Horne should be fourth choice but Toonie hasn't called him up so who will be covering Weir for Italy? Must be Hogg, Lang or Kinghorn I guess.

Imaginary Dreamland Scottish backline

9 Christie
10 Graham
11 VDM
12 Johnson
13 Jones
14 Maitland
15 Hogg

Its funny that you mention Christie because I've been doing some digging on him. I'm a member of a New Zealand fans group on Facebook (I have family that lived there for a while),I have notid that in every Australia test up to now, he's not been in the matchday squad or replacement bench so that prompted me to ask if he really is on NZl radar. One member jokingly said he would be because its been ages since a "blonde born Scot has been picked by them", another sounded more serious and basically said that "if Scotland called him up or approached him, he'd choose Scotland in a heartbeat" .

My reckoning is, the longer he's overlooked by Foster then the chances of him playing for us increase.

Highland Shaun wrote:

bsando wrote:It was more just the imagination running wild, no one really suggested he should start at 10. I just think he is so similar to Mckenzie he could probably manage a game if he was forced to train and start at 10 (which won't happen).

If anything this is a good moment to lose both fly halves and test depth a bit and figure out who can step up to that position after 3rd choice Weir. P Horne should be fourth choice but Toonie hasn't called him up so who will be covering Weir for Italy? Must be Hogg, Lang or Kinghorn I guess.

Imaginary Dreamland Scottish backline

9 Christie
10 Graham
11 VDM
12 Johnson
13 Jones
14 Maitland
15 Hogg

Its funny that you mention Christie because I've been doing some digging on him. I'm a member of a New Zealand fans group on Facebook (I have family that lived there for a while),I have notid that in every Australia test up to now, he's not been in the matchday squad or replacement bench so that prompted me to ask if he really is on NZl radar. One member jokingly said he would be because its been ages since a "blonde born Scot has been picked by them", another sounded more serious and basically said that "if Scotland called him up or approached him, he'd choose Scotland in a heartbeat" .

My reckoning is, the longer he's overlooked by Foster then the chances of him playing for us increase.

Because of the nature of world rugby at the moment it could be a good while before he's called up for Scotland as logistically speaking it's become a lot trickier due to the C virus.

By this point he may have got a run off the bench for NZ or for the Maori ABs, tying him to them.

However you're right as long as he's not capped by Foster the chance he comes to Scotland increases! I only hope they do what Rennie did so well at Glasgow and alienate their Scottish qualified young talent!