Scotland's 6N Build Up, Then Inevitable Fall: Dark Horses of the Year 10 years running

First topic message reminder :

It's the hope that kills ya!

Well we won't be calling on Byron McGuigan's services this 6N or afterwards as he has committed to play for Namibia in the WC.

Good luck to him and to Namibia.

What's the latest on Kyle Rowe because he's a wing contender?

ACL injury, has not played yet this season.

Saw that Netflix are going to be filming this six nations for a 2024 release date. In the same format as the formula 1 documentary they do. That could be quite exciting if they get it right. The only thing I hate about these docs are when they make things overly ‘epic’

BigGee wrote:Well we won't be calling on Byron McGuigan's services this 6N or afterwards as he has committed to play for Namibia in the WC.

Good luck to him and to Namibia.

He was a good squad player for us and is still playing well in the premiership. It'll be good to see him get a run for Namibia.

Hello Scots folk.

Any new/exciting names your hoping to see in the 6n squad?

carpet baboon wrote:Hello Scots folk.

Any new/exciting names your hoping to see in the 6n squad?

nah, just the usual misery (the collective pronoun for a group of scots)

Fin Smith or Ben Healy maybe depending on injuries or other unions tempting them away

And Huw Jones might be back in the equation

I’d like to see Dingwall called up but he may well be sticking with England. Otherwise long shot for Smith and Roebuck. Overall we’ve got a lot of options in various positions now from Glasgow and Edinburgh so just seeing some of the younger gen shine would be fantastic. Ollie Smith could have a great tournament if he gets selected.

Due to injuries, we may get some newish faces at TH's and wings with injury woes in those positions.

For TH's Javan Sebastian and, if he can get fit, Murphy Walker may get chances to press their respective cases.

For wings, maybe Roebuck decides to go for us. Rufus McLean has got fit and is a dangerous finisher.

Sebastian is starting for scarlets, Sutherland for Ulster, Ashman is benching for sale, Hutchinson is starting for Northampton as is Smith, Dingwall on the bench. Scott starting for Leicester again and Christie and Maitland starting for Saracens. Harris starting for Gloucester, Graham for Newcastle.

No Hogg again for Exeter, he’s low on game time. Not sure what his injury status currently is either.

No Johnny Gray either, for past 2 weeks

Is he injured as well? Maybe not the loss it might once have been but you would still want him in the squad

I see Cameron Henderson is also starting for Leicester tonight, good to see him back getting some game time

bsando wrote:Saw that Netflix are going to be filming this six nations for a 2024 release date. In the same format as the formula 1 documentary they do. That could be quite exciting if they get it right. The only thing I hate about these docs are when they make things overly ‘epic’

BT Sports "The Grudge" next Friday at 10:15pm will be well worth a watch for those of us fortunate enough to remember 1990.

BigGee wrote:No Johnny Gray either, for past 2 weeks

Is he injured as well? Maybe not the loss it might once have been but you would still want him in the squad

I see Cameron Henderson is also starting for Leicester tonight, good to see him back getting some game time

Christie at Sarries is the one I'm wondering about. With current injuries you assume Ritchie takes the 7 jersey, but Dempsey, Fagerson and Christie for 6 and 8 is tough to call.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

bsando wrote:Saw that Netflix are going to be filming this six nations for a 2024 release date. In the same format as the formula 1 documentary they do. That could be quite exciting if they get it right. The only thing I hate about these docs are when they make things overly ‘epic’

BT Sports "The Grudge" next Friday at 10:15pm will be well worth a watch for those of us fortunate enough to remember 1990.

Did i ever mention i was at that match

funnyExiledScot wrote:

BigGee wrote:No Johnny Gray either, for past 2 weeks

Is he injured as well? Maybe not the loss it might once have been but you would still want him in the squad

I see Cameron Henderson is also starting for Leicester tonight, good to see him back getting some game time

Christie at Sarries is the one I'm wondering about. With current injuries you assume Ritchie takes the 7 jersey, but Dempsey, Fagerson and Christie for 6 and 8 is tough to call.

Watson does seem to be back in training now, hard to see him not being in the squad if he can get some gametime over next few weeks

BigGee wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

BigGee wrote:No Johnny Gray either, for past 2 weeks

Is he injured as well? Maybe not the loss it might once have been but you would still want him in the squad

I see Cameron Henderson is also starting for Leicester tonight, good to see him back getting some game time

Christie at Sarries is the one I'm wondering about. With current injuries you assume Ritchie takes the 7 jersey, but Dempsey, Fagerson and Christie for 6 and 8 is tough to call.

Watson does seem to be back in training now, hard to see him not being in the squad if he can get some gametime over next few weeks

True, but does he have enough time to be match fit? His form was also questionable prior to injury. I'm a massive fan, but I'm not sure he's a good call for Twickenham.

BigGee wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

bsando wrote:Saw that Netflix are going to be filming this six nations for a 2024 release date. In the same format as the formula 1 documentary they do. That could be quite exciting if they get it right. The only thing I hate about these docs are when they make things overly ‘epic’

BT Sports "The Grudge"  next Friday at 10:15pm will be well worth a watch for those of us fortunate enough to remember 1990.

Did i ever mention i was at that match

I'm not sure you have....

Jimbo was too old to attend the game so I hear.....RDW wasn't born...

funnyExiledScot wrote:

BigGee wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

bsando wrote:Saw that Netflix are going to be filming this six nations for a 2024 release date. In the same format as the formula 1 documentary they do. That could be quite exciting if they get it right. The only thing I hate about these docs are when they make things overly ‘epic’

BT Sports "The Grudge" next Friday at 10:15pm will be well worth a watch for those of us fortunate enough to remember 1990.

Did i ever mention i was at that match

I'm not sure you have....

Jimbo was too old to attend the game so I hear.....RDW wasn't born...

If you have never read Tom English book about that match, it is well worth a read.

BigGee wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

BigGee wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

bsando wrote:Saw that Netflix are going to be filming this six nations for a 2024 release date. In the same format as the formula 1 documentary they do. That could be quite exciting if they get it right. The only thing I hate about these docs are when they make things overly ‘epic’

BT Sports "The Grudge"  next Friday at 10:15pm will be well worth a watch for those of us fortunate enough to remember 1990.

Did i ever mention i was at that match

I'm not sure you have....

Jimbo was too old to attend the game so I hear.....RDW wasn't born...

If you have never read Tom English book about that match, it is well worth a read.

I've read it. A belter. Perhaps most surprisingly it was a gift from my mother-in-law. Humble pie eaten that day....

funnyExiledScot wrote:

BigGee wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

bsando wrote:Saw that Netflix are going to be filming this six nations for a 2024 release date. In the same format as the formula 1 documentary they do. That could be quite exciting if they get it right. The only thing I hate about these docs are when they make things overly ‘epic’

BT Sports "The Grudge"  next Friday at 10:15pm will be well worth a watch for those of us fortunate enough to remember 1990.

Did i ever mention i was at that match

I'm not sure you have....

Jimbo was too old to attend the game so I hear.....RDW wasn't born...

Hey I was 3 years.old so remember it well!

That is actually the date of my earliest ever memory as we were at a wedding that day and I remember causing chaos in my little kilt. My dad was best man and should have been at the rugby but missed it for the wedding. I bet there were a lot of distracted guests that day!

Matt Scott to the double in Leicester's huge win away to Clermont. Like Bennet he's another top player who just hasn't been able to make a regular international career.

RDW wrote:Matt Scott to the double in Leicester's huge win away to Clermont. Like Bennet he's another top player who just hasn't been able to make a regular international career.

Watched the game. He was decent, although Tommy Reffell is a serious player we need to be mindful of in the 6 Nations.

Redpath, Hutchinson, Scott, Jones, Harris, Tuipolotu, Johnson, Dean, Taylor....it seriously isn't fair that we had to cap at various stages McLaren, Henderson, Di Rollo, Morrison and Hinshelwood.

It's funny you mention Chris Dean @FunnyExiledScot because, in reply to @carpet baboon, he's one new cap I'd like to see named in the squad because I'm certain he's been playing well at Edinburgh and is eligible (I think). Cameron Henderson is another though I'm not overly fussed if he misses out, same applies to Charlie Chapman and Ben Vellacott.

I see Tom Roebuck has been mentioned but I doubt he'll switch just yet but he may find it difficult to get ahead of Henry Arundell (he can play wing), Ollie Hassell-Collins and Adam Radwan (that's only 3 out of a handful England can cap at wing) for England but I think he may bide his time before switching, if he indeed does switch allegiance.

RDW wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

BigGee wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

bsando wrote:Saw that Netflix are going to be filming this six nations for a 2024 release date. In the same format as the formula 1 documentary they do. That could be quite exciting if they get it right. The only thing I hate about these docs are when they make things overly ‘epic’

BT Sports "The Grudge"  next Friday at 10:15pm will be well worth a watch for those of us fortunate enough to remember 1990.

Did i ever mention i was at that match

I'm not sure you have....

Jimbo was too old to attend the game so I hear.....RDW wasn't born...

Hey I was 3 years.old so remember it well!

That is actually the date of my earliest ever memory as we were at a wedding that day and I remember causing chaos in my little kilt. My dad was best man and should have been at the rugby but missed it for the wedding. I bet there were a lot of distracted guests that day!

that's the kind of gender fluid behaviour that Spreadsheet Sunak was in Inverness warning Wee Nikki about last night.

bsando wrote:Sebastian is starting for scarlets, Sutherland for Ulster, Ashman is benching for sale, Hutchinson is starting for Northampton as is Smith, Dingwall on the bench. Scott starting for Leicester again and Christie and Maitland starting for Saracens. Harris starting for Gloucester, Graham for Newcastle.

No Hogg again for Exeter, he’s low on game time. Not sure what his injury status currently is either.

Hogg definitely isn't fit, and he's said so himself. I'd have major concerns if he came straight into the Scotland team having not played for Exeter for many weeks

Caught the end of the sale match. Two lineouts stolen from Ashman throws. Eek!

Yeah I agree RDW, Hogg for what feels like the first time ever will not be first choice at fullback despite technically being available.

RDW wrote:Matt Scott to the double in Leicester's huge win away to Clermont. Like Bennet he's another top player who just hasn't been able to make a regular international career.

Clever player Scott. He is liable for making errors though. Played really well last night but not sure he's 100% match fit. He missed a lengthy period and couldn't manage the full 80 even though there wasn't a specialist centre on the bench.

Cam Henderson was excellent up front. He, Wells and Chessum really helped lay the foundation for the physical domination that won the game. He's only played the last two games though after missing most of the season so not sure he's really 100% match fit either. Should be soon but might be more of a summer option.

Henderson is coming off an ACL tear that robbed him of last season if memory serves. With the options at second row, I would be surprised if he gets a call-up before the summer. Hopefully he can establish himself at Leicester through the backend of the season

On replacing Hogg, Ollie Smith looked good for Glasgow on the wing vs Perpignan and has really grown this season at full back. He seems to be relatively calm under pressure and does not look fast, but finds space when counterattacking. Hopefully he gets a shot at filling Hogg's boots.

Kinghorn back to 15...?

RDW wrote:Kinghorn back to 15...?

Not from what I saw today. Powder puff tackling. Looked like a Weegie of old

Mark Palmer interview with Luke Crosbie in the Sunday Times.

Been very impressive this season and looks more than ready for a few more Scotland caps.




When we talk about the strength in depth in the Edinburgh back row, we still tend to focus on the three biggest names: Hamish Watson, Jamie Ritchie and Bill Mata.

This does a disservice to Luke Crosbie, who can present a strong case for having made the biggest and most consistent contribution of the lot over the last five seasons.

The 25-year-old flanker, who has just become the first man to win the Edinburgh Player of the Month award twice in a single season, does not seek the limelight but as Gregor Townsend prepares to name his Six Nations squad on Tuesday. There is a strong sense that Crosbie is deserving of a bigger stage.

With Watson and Rory Darge both unavailable due to injury, it would be easy enough to field Ritchie at openside and have the Glasgow pair of Matt Fagerson and Jack Dempsey fill the other two breakaway shirts. Yet Crosbie’s unique mix of skills — and the relentless regularity with which he brings them to bear — means he must be in the conversation.

Crosbie’s unique skillset means he is in the running to step in for the injured Watson and Darge for Scotland
Crosbie’s unique skillset means he is in the running to step in for the injured Watson and Darge for Scotland
ROSS PARKER/SNS GROUP
“Once you’ve been in the pro game for a bit, you’re always developing,” he says. “I use my speed and my attributes in a certain way that’s going to give the best for the team. It’s good linking with the backs, being able to do stuff in the wide channels, being able to jackal and tackle, and the lineout stuff has been going well too.

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“I’m just trying to make that stuff world-class because that’s what you want from a back-row. You don’t want your game being spread too thin in terms of doing loads of different aspects; you’ve got to focus on what does a back-row need, what does Mike [Blair, the Edinburgh head coach] want from me, what am I good at that I can make world-class?

“I’m working on being one of the best tacklers, carriers, jackallers and having the foundations to be able to make an impact in the set-piece, in attack and defence.

“Does it piss me off that other boys [in the back row] get the attention? Nah, they are my team-mates. They are all world class players. If it wasn’t for them pushing, having those spots, and me having to compete against them…that competitive edge is what I need. With that constant pressure, you need to perform, which is another reason I think I’m playing well.”

One of Crosbie’s most memorable recent performances came in the narrow Heineken Champions Cup loss at Saracens last month, where he won rave reviews for his energy in defence, ability to link the play and a series of turnovers. From a starting height of 6ft 6in, Crosbie’s jackalling is a feat of engineering.

“You’ve just got to get in there quick,” he laughs. “Everyone jackals differently. You’ll see with Mish [Watson] and Boyler [Connor Boyle] that they can jackal with quite a wide stance. I will just try to get in there quick then use my upper body to lock onto the ball. If you’re taking an impact, you can adjust your feet as well.

“You just need to stay in the system. As soon as you go looking for jackals, you can find yourself out of position, you leave a gap that puts your team-mates under pressure. But if the ball is there, I’m going to try to steal it.”

Crosbie on his Scotland debut against Tonga in October 2021
Crosbie on his Scotland debut against Tonga in October 2021
CRAIG WILLIAMSON/SNS GROUP
With Crosbie having grown up in a tough part of unfashionable Livingston and received precious little love from the ‘system’ in his early days, it is easy to pigeon-hole him as some kind of blue-collar contrast to the more privileged members of the capital squad. Again, this undersells both the man and the player.

Blair and Townsend clearly both rate his leadership, the former having long had him in charge of the defence leaders group and the latter having made him captain for the Scotland A game in Chile last summer. Crosbie also skippered Edinburgh last week against Zebre, a game in which they secured a welcome return to winning ways after five defeats in their previous six outings.

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“I always just try to be myself and say what I think. If Mike or Gregor see me as a leader, I will do it, but I don’t change how I act or tailor it to get the role,” Crosbie says. “The most important thing you can be is honest and true to yourself. I’d never cowpat anyone out on the field - what I do for you, I expect the same in return for me.

“That’s the foundation of our team. If someone isn’t doing it in training or not doing it in a game, we’ll pick it up. The behaviour is so consistent now that when someone doesn’t do it, it’s easy to identify. Everyone is going to make skill-based errors, which is fine, but if it’s effort-based or something you could have controlled or mitigated for the team, it gets called out. It’s not personal - it’s because the ultimate goal is for us to be one of the best Edinburgh teams and get those wins.”

Crosbie’s partner is the GB powerlifter Annie Nelson, who holds multiple records at Scottish and British level. “She can lift more than me but don’t tell her that.”

Crosbie was a footballer — “a Poopie centre back” — until a chance walk past Livingston Rugby Club allowed him to “see big boys bashing into each other” and think “I need to give that a try”. In the first year of secondary school, he progressed to Currie, but it was only when Richard Cockerill plucked him from the fringes of the SRU academy for his first match in charge of Edinburgh, a friendly against Sale Sharks in 2017, that things began to motor.

“The way I came through, I didn’t get much exposure to anything. In terms of school, it was different. Rugby wasn’t big at school - none of the teachers played it or even knew what it was, really. But when I got my chance with Cockers against Sale, I thought, right, this is it, I really need to go for it. I just went on my front foot and ever since it’s snowballed.”

Crosbie — who has donated the £1,000 prize money for his awards to the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity — misses out on today’s trip to Castres due to a head knock he suffered in training. He is expected back for Saracens a week today. Even if he is still stuck in the house come Tuesday, you don’t get the impression that the two-cap forward will be staring at his phone willing it to ring.

“I think I’m ready to do it, and I’ve shown what I have at Test level before, so it’s just about getting those performances right and seeing what happens.”

Impressive character, not had it easy getting to where he is and seems hungry for more caps.
If fit I would love to see Crosbie start at 7 at Twickenham.

Yes, it is not to far fetched to see a Crosbie, Fagerson, Ritchie back row, with Dempsey coming off the bench.

Hard to argue against his form. Plus familiarity with Ritchie. He feels a bit like a Roddy grant figure, I hope that he actually gets his chance properly though and not just token one offs.

https://www.606v2.com/t70941-dave-rennie-sacked-replaced-by-eddie-jones#4072314

Dave Rennie to Scotland??

RDW wrote:https://www.606v2.com/t70941-dave-rennie-sacked-replaced-by-eddie-jones#4072314

Dave Rennie to Scotland??

I sincerely hope not. He’s not called cowboy Dave for nothing.

Folk actually thought that jones was coming to Scotland as an attack coach. Absolute LOLs

Let’s wait until the World Cup is over before we start looking at a replacement for Toonie.

tigertattie wrote:

RDW wrote:https://www.606v2.com/t70941-dave-rennie-sacked-replaced-by-eddie-jones#4072314

Dave Rennie to Scotland??

I sincerely hope not. He’s not called cowboy Dave for nothing.

Folk actually thought that jones was coming to Scotland as an attack coach. Absolute LOLs

Let’s wait until the World Cup is over before we start looking at a replacement for Toonie.

That'll be far too late as all the options will already have a new job lined up by then. These major coaching appointments are many months in the making.

When I say “we” I mean is armchair pundits. The SRU should be in the succession planning stages.

Get who they want then announce after the World Cup. Before that would be a distraction

Nah definitely not Rennie! ‍️
I reckon we have someone lined up from the super League.

I don't mean the super 6....

Well Finn Smith looks like he has made his choice and is in the England squad.

Can't see Healy not being included in ours now,

Yeah it seemed like it was going that way. To be honest I think Healy is a better fit for us anyway. With Russell approaching his last seasons in as Scotland shirt we could do with a play maker who provides solidity to compliment our attacking threats in the backline.

We don’t know what’s gone on behind closed doors.

Has Fin Smith gone with England because we rolled the carpet out for Healy or have we rolled the carpet out for Healy because Smith said no to Scotland???

FS was training with the England squad back in the autumn, so i suspect that decesion was made a while ago.

Healy, if he was smart, did not burn his bridges after the first approach and they have likely kept in touch.

The result may well be the best one for all parties.

Not that it matters massively but Healy is 1.91m tall and 97kg while Fin Smith is 1.78m and 87kg, fairly light weight for an international fly half although bigger than Marcus Smith who is only 1.70m according to wiki. His match winner for Munster recently was impressive in that he knew he could go route one and get over the line.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64279391

Gréât article on Pivac and his disappointment with Wales. He sums up the pressures of coaching in the pro game today and how rugby is slowly becoming a lot more like football in that regard. Worth a read because he is making himself available to coach again and rightly points out that with his best welsh team available he got results.

bsando wrote:https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64279391

Gréât article on Pivac and his disappointment with Wales. He sums up the pressures of coaching in the pro game today and how rugby is slowly becoming a lot more like football in that regard. Worth a read because he is making himself available to coach again and rightly points out that with his best welsh team available he got results.

Following on from Toonie Pivac definitely is not what we need!

Get his point that it is a bit like football now. To be fair though, Pivac had 3 years with Wales and they only showed decline, which in any business isn't good!

He was a decent club coach but like many other cases elsewhere that didn't translate to international success.

My guy on the inside says new uncapped players in the squad include:

Cameron Henderson
Ben Healy
Ruaridh McConnichie

NeilyBroon wrote:

bsando wrote:https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64279391

Gréât article on Pivac and his disappointment with Wales. He sums up the pressures of coaching in the pro game today and how rugby is slowly becoming a lot more like football in that regard. Worth a read because he is making himself available to coach again and rightly points out that with his best welsh team available he got results.

Following on from Toonie Pivac definitely is not what we need!

Get his point that it is a bit like football now. To be fair though, Pivac had 3 years with Wales and they only showed decline, which in any business isn't good!

He was a decent club coach but like many other cases elsewhere that didn't translate to international success.

It's fine margins isn't it? Pivac became the first Welsh coach to win in South Africa & if we had managed to beat Georgia & Australia all of a sudden we've had a decent end to the year.

Tramptastic wrote:My guy on the inside says new uncapped players in the squad include:

Cameron Henderson
Ben Healy
Ruaridh McConnichie

First two fine, can see the argument. Would have maybe gone Hunter-Hill instead of Henderson but don't feel too strongly either way

McConnochie, the former England wing at Bath...think he has had a large amount of injury problems, snubbed us for England when he was in form and is 31. I would rather go to Maitland (in good form at Sarries, long time servant) and/or Steyn (Glasgow servant, captain). We lack wings at the minute but even so, surely we can scour further and wider for a young wing to sit on the bench