Scotland 6N lookahead

First topic message reminder :

Results in aggregate this year for the national team were:

5 February 2022 - Scotland 20–17 England
12 February 2022 - Wales 20–17 Scotland
26 February 2022 - Scotland 17–36 France
12 March 2022 - Italy 22–33 Scotland
19 March 2022 - Ireland 26–5 Scotland
2 July 2022 - Argentina 26–18 Scotland
9 July 2022 - Argentina 6–29 Scotland
16 July 2022 - Argentina 34–31 Scotland
29 October 2022 - Scotland 15–16 Australia
5 November 2022 - Scotland 28–12 Fiji
13 November 2022 - Scotland 23–31 New Zealand
19 November 2022 - Scotland 52–29 Argentina

P 12 W 5 L 7

Did Dingwall not tell Toonie to do one even before Tuipolotu arrived on the scene.
He has remained chief tackle bag carrier for England ever since.
I’d be more upset that Hutchison is being ignored tbh. Even Matt Scott has been jettisoned for no reason and he is first choice for the English champions.

I personally would have either of those two in before Dingwall.

I still suspect that Redpath will be our first choice 12 going forward.

So much is expected of him, probably unfairly given his injury history snd lack of international experience. Hutchinson comes into the equation if Redpath is not there, but currently he is and is the better option.

13 is Harris shirt to lose but the contenders are queuing up.

Bennett
Jones - assuming he csn de with his own fitness issues
Steyn

Then Tuipolotu - who scores double in a WC year as he can play both channels in a limited number of squad places. Maybe Post WC he will settle into the 13 slot outdide of Redpath.

If Toonie can sort out our midfield, we might be a team to contend with!

Glass half full; Redpath comes on for Harris and plays 12 with Shona at 13.
Glass broken on the floor and we're doing the barefoot tango with the lights off; Redpath and Shona get the skitters and Harris plays 12. It won't matter who's 13.

jimbopip wrote:Glass half full; Redpath comes on for Harris and plays 12 with Shona at 13.

That's what i would like to see!

I'd have preferred he freshened up the team a bit more - typically after such a highly emotionally charged performance last weekend you follow up with a flat one. Toonie says it's because they've had limited training time due to niggles and 6 days turnaround, but a bit of mixing wouldn't have been a huge disruption to the team.

As has been mentioned things like White starting and perhaps a Redpath - Tuipolotu midfield.

First things first, in reply to Heuer27, that may be the case but he was on the Gallagher Premiership highlights show with Flats last week or the week before after a win and one of the questions asked was something along the lines of "are you now officially putting your eggs in one basket and choosing England or is your phone still on in regards to Townsend poaching you (not these words exactly lol)" and hid response was "I'm hoping for an England game but I am not nailed on so my phone is still on if Gregor wants to call me" so basically he is still free, which is understandable after how Eddie treats players, first Redpath, then Fraser Dingwall and now Tom Roebuck, all available or have been poached by us.

Anyway, I am actually happy with the team for Saturday though slightly disappointed that Callum Hunter-Hill isn't in the 23, we may have to wait for his debut, preferably in 6N .

Shaun if that’s his attitude , I hope he never gets a call from the SRU.

It's a decent team, although I would like to have seem it mixed up a bit - I suppose Townsend must be desperate for a win.

On the centre discussion, for the majority of my life we pretty much had no good options, now we seem to have plenty of good individuals but can't seem to get the balance right. For all that Harris is an unbelievable defender, his lack of attacking ability continues to compromise the wider team selection. He doesn't offer an attacking threat, so Gregor plays the physical and direct Tuipulotu out of position (and over Redpath) at 12 to compensate, etc, etc. Until Harris becomes droppable in Townsends eyes, this won't improve.

I'm not sure that Scotland has had a centre in a Lions test shirt since Scott Hastings in 1993.

I haven't watched a Scotland centre believing he might score a try since Joe Ansbro in 2012

It's sad.

What's also true is that Hutchison would have walked into any of the Scotland teams over the past 20 years and it's quite amazing that we can contemplate leaving him out.

George Carlin wrote:I'm not sure that Scotland has had a centre in a Lions test shirt since Scott Hastings in 1993.

I haven't watched a Scotland centre believing he might score a try since Joe Ansbro in 2012

It's sad.

What's also true is that Hutchison would have walked into any of the Scotland teams over the past 20 years and it's quite amazing that we can contemplate leaving him out.

Counter to your second statement is Huw Jones and Bennett in his 2015 form. Both immensely talented footballers who go looking for the try line

Tramptastic wrote:

George Carlin wrote:I'm not sure that Scotland has had a centre in a Lions test shirt since Scott Hastings in 1993.

I haven't watched a Scotland centre believing he might score a try since Joe Ansbro in 2012

It's sad.

What's also true is that Hutchison would have walked into any of the Scotland teams over the past 20 years and it's quite amazing that we can contemplate leaving him out.

Counter to your second statement is Huw Jones and Bennett in his 2015 form. Both immensely talented footballers who go looking for the try line

Completely true Trampy - I'm just mindful of the classic Welsh argument that unless you demonstrate try scoring at test level, nobody will buy into the domestic hype. As proven by the likes of Scott Williams who has scored only a few but crucial test tries for Wales and is now a quasi deity in some sectors.

Toonie seems to love a physical inside centre after the Pete Horne days ended. Saying that Redpath is still accumulating game time after all his injury stints. Glad to see a consistent selection after the Russell fiasco, hopefully we’ll see further positives in this match against the Pumas.

Will we ever see a Redpath/Jones partnership? Personally I think that one has bags of potential from an attacking point of view. Hardly that bad defensively either.

George Carlin wrote:I'm not sure that Scotland has had a centre in a Lions test shirt since Scott Hastings in 1993.

I haven't watched a Scotland centre believing he might score a try since Joe Ansbro in 2012

It's sad.

What's also true is that Hutchison would have walked into any of the Scotland teams over the past 20 years and it's quite amazing that we can contemplate leaving him out.

Um, Harris is a Test Lion...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/63677176

Very fair assessment on where Scotland are at. It’ll be a good test for the bench as well considering how ineffective they were last week. Let’s see how Scotland do and hopefully there’ll be a better feeling heading towards the 6N.

We really should win this weekend and I think we will, but it will do bugger all difference to how we see this year and the current state of the national team. Also bugger all difference to the year ahead!

It's been a remarkable year for Argentina and they must be truly knackered. Most of those players have played 2 seasons back to back and have half a season still to go.

I get your point RDW but totally disagree with this bit I've quoted "but it will do bugger all difference to how we see this year and the current state of the National Team". I think it WILL make a difference in that it gives poor Townsend a break from all his detractors, we all know he's got at least 9/10 months left in the jib so calling for hos sacking is pointless, hence why I choose to back him until then. And then there is the thing of confidence, if we win tomorrow then players will be looking forward to the 6Ns a bit more confident than they would if we lost plus I think GT and us fans have found out a lot about this team in the last 12 months in terms of what we see as our (the fans, not the coaches imho) best 23 and what needs worked on etc.

So in terms of next year, we will need to see improvement on discipline, game management (which has been abysmal this year btw) and other things that I'm sure you guys will point out to me lol but your point of tomorrow "meaning bugger all in terms of 2023" is actually another thing I disagree on and I don't like doing that as it leads to fall outs and arguments on the thread though I actually trust you guys to not do that, it is a bad habit of posters on Caleythistleonline and Tartan Army messageboard though.

George Carlin wrote:I'm not sure that Scotland has had a centre in a Lions test shirt since Scott Hastings in 1993.

I haven't watched a Scotland centre believing he might score a try since Joe Ansbro in 2012

It's sad.

What's also true is that Hutchison would have walked into any of the Scotland teams over the past 20 years and it's quite amazing that we can contemplate leaving him out.

I read this post without looking at the username and assumed it was some newcomer who has very little knowledge of attacking back play, or a Fatboy like tigertattie who thinks anything beyond 10 man rugby is pretentious at best and an effette passing fad at worst.

So, has MrsGC hacked your account and is making fun of your obsession with all things egg shaped? Dunbar? ?? Huw Jones ffs???

I rewatched the NZ game and two things struck me. Complex planned plays off setpiece worked and also off phase ball. Everyone seemed to be on the same page and knew what was coming next and also an assured mature performance from Russell. Game management was decent and he put outside backs into space without much in the way of brain farts

Best performance by Russell in a couple of years in a Scotland shirt. Best performance by Scotland since the england game last year

[quote="TJ"]I rewatched the NZ game and two things struck me.  Complex planned plays off setpiece worked and also off phase ball.  Everyone seemed to be on the same page and knew what was coming next and also an assured mature performance from Russell.  Game management was decent and he put outside backs into space without much in the way of brain farts

Best performance by Russell in a couple of years in a Scotland shirt.  Best performance by Scotland since the england game last year[/quote]

This, of course, raises the uncomfortable suspicion that the Toonster may know what he is doing.

Indeed.

there is no doubt last 6N Russell looked out of sorts

Watching Italy vs Rassie’s penalty magnets and Scotland can’t go counting on Italy rolling over to stop us finishing 6th next year.

tigertattie wrote:Watching Italy vs Rassie’s penalty magnets and Scotland can’t go counting on Italy rolling over to stop us finishing 6th next year.

Haha. Scotland won’t lose to Wales at home.

RiscaGame wrote:

tigertattie wrote:Watching Italy vs Rassie’s penalty magnets and Scotland can’t go counting on Italy rolling over to stop us finishing 6th next year.

Haha. Scotland won’t lose to Wales at home.

Just try and stop us

RiscaGame wrote:

tigertattie wrote:Watching Italy vs Rassie’s penalty magnets and Scotland can’t go counting on Italy rolling over to stop us finishing 6th next year.

Haha. Scotland won’t lose to Wales at home.

Wanna bet? Wales are our bogey team.

Our bogey team just lost at home to Georgia in the 6 Nations qualifier play off.

That'll make our home loss to them in the six nations even worse

Straight hard running from Tuipolotu!!

Looked forward off Russell but we’ll take it

That's a Red all day long

Shame for Argentina, they'd made a strong start, were looking good in the back play, strong defence and supremacy at the scrum.

But that red should settle the result.

Utterly utterly moronic from Cramer. And fully deserved.

Spoilt the game entirely. Dickson had no option there.

RDW wrote:

George Carlin wrote:I'm not sure that Scotland has had a centre in a Lions test shirt since Scott Hastings in 1993.

I haven't watched a Scotland centre believing he might score a try since Joe Ansbro in 2012

It's sad.

What's also true is that Hutchison would have walked into any of the Scotland teams over the past 20 years and it's quite amazing that we can contemplate leaving him out.

Um, Harris is a Test Lion...

Well bugger me

VDM could be in the circus the way he handles that ball!

You've never watched Sam Johnston, Huw Jones, Mark Bennett thinking that they'd score a try?

Mcsweens wrote:Utterly utterly moronic from Cramer. And fully deserved.

Spoilt the game entirely. Dickson had no option there.

Yes, this is very bad for Scotland. It has spoiled the game. If we win, those armchair warriors who didn't even watch the game will claim that this is why.

Although even if we lose to 14 men, it's still not as bad as losing to Georgia at home, which is what Wales has just done.

Also, Alan Tait was a Scottish centre test lion, albeit on the wing against SA.

Mcsweens wrote:You've never watched Sam Johnston, Huw Jones, Mark Bennett thinking that they'd score a try?

St Shug not so much as the other two.

Jesus, they tried really hard to make a lash of that one!

Jeez Harris will be glad Darcy scored there

@GC wouldn't say it's bad for Scotland. Just suboptimal. You always want 15 v 15. The act in question was worth a red card, though, no question.

Harris not having a fun time with the ball right now

In case anyone didn’t know. Hogg and Graham are from Hawick.

Just letting you know in the event you are watching with the tele on mute!

Paid the price a bit in that last 10 mins for trying to play chuckabout from our own half.

Just need to settle it down and use the extra man and space and we win this comfortably

That was just a stupid clear out.

BigGee wrote:Paid the price a bit in that last 10 mins for trying to play chuckabout from our own half.

Just need to settle it down and use the extra man and space and we win this comfortably

What did you say that for? Thats us jinxed now!

Best try of the way so far, that was almost perfect, even Hoggy passed the ball!

If they just play with a little more composure and not go full Darcy, this should be a comfortable win. There is plenty of space to attack and if we get White on and Redpath for stone hands Harris I can see the backs really ripping it up. Clearly I’ve jinxed it now.

Anyone else a bit underwhelmed by JD. Considering his club formi expected him to shine on the international stage

Good grief. How brainless, even though it’s only a yellow

Another YC, Argentina are killing themselves here