Scotland vs Wales (13th Feb, 4.45pm KO)

First topic message reminder :

Scotland vs Wales

Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant Referee 1: Pascal Gauzere (France)
Assistant Referee 2: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
TMO: Karl Dickson (England)

Teams

Scotland

1 Rory Sutherland
2 George Turner
3 Zander Fagerson
4 Scott Cummings
5 Jonny Gray (Vice Captain)
6 Blade Thomson
7 Hamish Watson
8 Matt Fagerson
9 Ali Price
10 Finn Russell (Vice Captain)
11 Duhan van der Merwe
12 James Lang
13 Chris Harris
14 Darcy Graham
15 Stuart Hogg (Captain)

16 David Cherry
17 Oli Kebble
18 WP Nel
19 Richie Gray
20 Gary Graham
21 Scott Steele
22 Jaco van der Walt
23 Huw Jones

Wales

1 Wyn Jones
2 Ken Owens
3 Tomas Francis
4 Adam Beard
5 Alun Wyn Jones (Captain)
6 Aaron Wainwright
7 Justin Tipuric
8 Taulupe Faletau
9 Gareth Davies
10 Dan Biggar
11 Liam Williams
12 Nick Tompkins
13 Owen Watkin
14 Louis Rees-Zammit
15 Leigh Halfpenny

16 Elliot Dee
17 Rhodri Jones
18 Leon Brown
19 Will Rowlands
20 James Botham
21 Kieran Hardy
22 Callum Sheedy
23 Uilisi Halaholo

Recent Results

2017: SCO 29 - WAL 13
2018: WAL 34 - SCO 7 & WAL 21 - SCO 10
2019: SCO 11 - WAL 18
2020: WAL 10 - SCO 14

Overall

The Oracle wrote:Reading the posts it sounds like this will be a battle of the least worst centres! Maybe we can have a word with both coaches and suggest our respective teams just miss out the centres in any moves we do They can just jog around the pitch generally keeping out of the game.

Sounds like Billy Vunipola last week!

NeilyBroon wrote:

The Oracle wrote:Reading the posts it sounds like this will be a battle of the least worst centres!  Maybe we can have a word with both coaches and suggest our respective teams just miss out the centres in any moves we do They can just jog around the pitch generally keeping out of the game.

Sounds like Billy Vunipola last week!

Aye, he’s taken some slating in the press by pundits and fans. All likening him to a pub team player!

I think our error count was a lot less than previous, just goes to show how kak we’ve been since Pivac turned up. One thing I will say is that Ireland are very good at holding onto possession, they’re very clinical. Who would have thought that having four teams that are good at getting players fit and highly skilled would ever benefit the national team - clearly the WRU doesn’t think so.

Wales probably have the better attacking centre partnership while Scotland have the defensive one. However, Russell is good at throwing passes and chipping into space for his centres to run onto so hopefully he can create some opportunities for them to do something decent in attack. Lang Harris looked blunt against Wales last year but Hastings has was running the game at ten. So I’m curious to see what Russell will add.

mikey_dragon wrote:I think our error count was a lot less than previous, just goes to show how kak we’ve been since Pivac turned up. One thing I will say is that Ireland are very good at holding onto possession, they’re very clinical. Who would have thought that having four teams that are good at getting players fit and highly skilled would ever benefit the national team - clearly the WRU doesn’t think so.

Do you guys still have the quota/rule for Welsh based players getting priority? I think Scotland have benefited from key players moving to the prem or France.

NeilyBroon wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:I think our error count was a lot less than previous, just goes to show how kak we’ve been since Pivac turned up. One thing I will say is that Ireland are very good at holding onto possession, they’re very clinical. Who would have thought that having four teams that are good at getting players fit and highly skilled would ever benefit the national team - clearly the WRU doesn’t think so.

Do you guys still have the quota/rule for Welsh based players getting priority? I think Scotland have benefited from key players moving to the prem or France.

Yeah we have the 60 cap rule. Moves to another club quite often benefit a player anyway, it doesn’t have to be in England or France. We also have the examples of our guys going to France and not finding it beneficial. What I will say is that I think our academies are too far behind, compared to others.

Top of the morning campers

It feels like I'm the only one who thinks Harris has added to the team over the last few seasons, apart from Taylor he is the only outside centre that allows a Redpath or a Finn to take the inevitable risks. Last week Redpath got turned over and who was there to close down the threat, yes Harris. Toonie hasn't brought him in to be the Scottish Gavin Henson, he's in to stop the silly errors and the flood of tries we have leaked when the risk taking 1st and 2nd receivers moves don't come off.
Easy to diss Harris as a negative centre but he's actually not too shabby in attack;

Duncan Taylor - Win ratio = 46%. 28 Tests / 3 Tries
Chris Harris - Win ratio = 66%. 24 Tests / 3 Tries

Harris / Lang might not be the most exciting but it's naive to expect a back line 10-15 of attack minded, risk taking, mavericks and expect to win, we've tried that and it didn't work.

Lang whilst not the most elegant, has a deceptive burst of speed, he's well balanced and at ease in the FH role, so is an ideal foil coming off Finns shoulder. Expect the short delayed pass for Lang to hit the gap between Watkin and Thompkins.

Hopefully the 12/13 combo might have us eating our words today

Good afternoon gentlefolks

It's game day and we're all tense and nervous, can't relax.

The Facebook reminded me that 10 years ago today I was fortunate enough to be in the Millennium stadium watching one of the most dramatic rugby matches ever.

Dan parks gave the performance of his life: one of the best performances from anyone in a 10 jersey for Scotland ever. When he went off injured Scotland stopped cruising to certain victory and ,rudderless, ran aground.

Clownshoes Clancy gave us all a taste of his idiosyncratic reffing by disallowing a try which would have put Scotland out of sight for the most marginal of forward passes, then allowed two Wales tries which were also marginal but more obviously forward.N.B. not sour grapes, them is the breaks but just a comment on Clownshoes being, well, Clownshoes.

Shane Williams Gave one of the great, angelic, superlative, matchwinning performances. Normally a loss like that would have broken my heart but I was genuinely so pleased to have seen the little magician at his peak that I didn't care about the result.
Scotland were well ahead and Parks was playing on a different level from everyone else. ( In a good way, not in the way he sometimes did). The play was concentrated on the Scotland left ariund halfway. Parks saw Williams isolated on his wing and Sean Lamont and Kelly Brown loitering with intent. Up went the crossfield kick. Inch perfect, coming down just outside the Welsh 22. Williams was dwarfed by the two Scotland players as all three jumped for the kick. If Lamont or Brown get their hands on it it is a certain try and game over.
Shane doesn't just catch it he lands on his feet and sprints for the Scotland try line. Cue panicked scramble defence. Wales don't score but the stadium erupts and the Wales players suddenly seem taller and faster and hungry for the ball. The rest was unbelievable.
Let's hope today's game provides us with some memories.

jimbopip wrote:Good afternoon gentlefolks

It's game day and we're all tense and nervous, can't relax.

The Facebook reminded me that 10 years ago today I was fortunate enough to be in the Millennium stadium watching one of the most dramatic rugby matches ever.

Dan parks gave the performance of his life: one of the best performances from anyone in a 10 jersey for Scotland ever. When he went off injured Scotland stopped cruising to certain victory and ,rudderless, ran aground.

Clownshoes Clancy gave us all a taste of his idiosyncratic reffing by disallowing a try which would have put Scotland out of sight for the most marginal of forward passes, then allowed two Wales tries which were also marginal but more obviously forward.N.B. not sour grapes, them is the breaks but just a comment on Clownshoes being, well, Clownshoes.

Shane Williams Gave one of the great, angelic, superlative, matchwinning performances. Normally a loss like that would have broken my heart but I was genuinely so pleased to have seen the little magician at his peak that I didn't care about the result.
Scotland were well ahead and Parks was playing on a different level from everyone else. ( In a good way, not in the way he sometimes did). The play was concentrated on the Scotland left ariund halfway. Parks saw Williams isolated on his wing and Sean Lamont and Kelly Brown loitering with intent. Up went the crossfield kick. Inch perfect, coming down just outside the Welsh 22. Williams was dwarfed by the two Scotland players as all three jumped for the kick. If Lamont or Brown get their hands on it it is a certain try and game over.
Shane doesn't just catch it he lands on his feet and sprints for the Scotland try line. Cue panicked scramble defence. Wales don't score but the stadium erupts and the Wales players suddenly seem taller and faster and hungry for the ball. The rest was unbelievable.
Let's hope today's game provides us with some memories.

Was it 10 years ago!, strewth that's flown. That was a brilliant day, unbelievable atmosphere and you are right Parks gave one of the all time performances in a 10 jersey, variation in every move, grubbers, delayed passes, kick and chases.
Love it jimbopip....thanks for the memory

Oh God Woodward has backed Scotland... I'd almost rather he didn't given how often he's wrong!

Scotland nailed on with my bookies. I totally get it.

Hope you all enjoy the game. Good luck to Scotland.

Big day for James Lang - he's got the experience, he's got the opportunity, he's got a hot-shot young rival breathing down his neck.
Time to Poopie or get off the pot.

Wouldn’t want to be a winger today

Absolutely frighteningly cold out there today.

Yes, snowing in the warm up never is good for a chuckabout game

Hope you all enjoy the game.

Errmmm - I am not sure its one for a Scots fan to enjoy. More like watch from behind the sofa

I think the one day less turnaround time for wales could be telling. Soggy ground and freezing cold could see slime very tired or cramping legs

Too nervous to think straight.
Head says Scotland.
Heart says
Beer says stop typing and drink me.

jimbopip wrote:Too nervous to think straight.
Head says Scotland.
Heart says
Beer says stop typing and drink me.

At least you can drink, I'm on call today so have to endure the event sober with the chance I will have to leave at a crucial moment!

Flower of Scotland is such a banger. Definitely top of Eurovision anthems addition.

Looks like wales have solved their line out issuers!

Halfpenny is a rock at fullback. Remarkable to think he was on the '09 Lions tour as a pacy wing who could beat players in the 5m channel. The way he has evolved his game over his career is so impressive.

BigGee wrote:Looks like wales have solved their line out issuers!

By not throwing it straight? It’s still a shambles.

3 pens already, that's as many as last week

Harris gives away his first penalty. Something of note, at least

king_carlos wrote:Halfpenny is a rock at fullback. Remarkable to think he was on the '09 Lions tour as a pacy wing who could beat players in the 5m channel. The way he has evolved his game over his career is so impressive.

Classy and intelligent player

3-0 Wales

Gibe Halfpenny a kick and he will take it

Better from Wales compared to last week in terms of building phases and retaining possession. 8 or 9 phases then I think!

Better set from Scotland and a pen, good to see VDM coming onto the short ball

3-3

BigGee wrote:Better set from Scotland and a pen, good to see VDM coming onto the short ball

3-3

They were looking for Tompkins in that move, but looks like he swapped with Watkin.

An example of a choke tackle going above the shoulder. Unlucky Wales.

For the Harris haters, that is his third good run!

To be fair to him Harris is looking more involved in attack than usual, so I’ll continue to be rude about him to goad him into having a blinder

DVDM is sooooo good. Has to be nailed on for the Lions rather than the bolter the commentary suggest.

Harris making some nice breaks.

So far Tompkins looks like one of the worst international players I’ve ever seen.

Harsh penalty in Jones AWJ there

No way was Graham on side there????

The prince of Hawick gets the try from a great chip!

Cute that from Price to milk the penalty.

He looked offside.

Beautiful try!

A really clever try, well in Scotland.

I thought that was offside all day, but what a call that was! Fantastic play

tigertattie wrote:No way was Graham on side there????

That was my thought in real time. A marvelous try if he was. Excellent from Price.

That was an awesome try. One of the best plays I have seen in quite a while.

Awful kicking from Wales so far.

Too bad for Blade Thomson, always quality for Scarlets but doesn’t have much luck with injuries.

Hoggy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Biggar’s kicking has been awful. Every kick from Scotland has worked. It’s probably a good idea to bring off Biggar and Tompkins now...

Hogg's kicking game and decision making is just fantastic at the moment. A brilliant all round fullback.

17-3 Scotland, what a start!