come on shire

Tom English's article makes for chastening reading. I can't believe that Matt Taylor suggested that the coaches should have done more to gee the players up before the annihilation in Nice. If you're playing for your country then they should be up for it automatically. The same group got joint 2nd then 3rd at the 2017 and 2018 6N then beat Oz in Sydney. I think we should be looking at the next generation in the U20's too. From 5th at the world championships to relegation the following year. Personally, I think that Cotter should have been allowed to stay on as opposed to the SRU taking the frighteners at Toony's "give me the job or I'm off to France"-gate scandal (if that's true). I'm not wearing any tin-foil hat or anything like that, after all I'll support the team and whoever's in charge, but ultimately we've had another poor performance and the buck has to stop at the head coach's door I'm afraid.

It doesn't matter how good Ireland are or how they played. We could have won if we turned up and performed. This same group of players got 'joint 2nd' in Cotter's final 6N season then got 3rd in Toony's 1st 6N campaign. Therefore it's not ability but something 'deeper'. Turning up to a World Cup and having no steel in defence and offering nothing up front is a disgrace. I'll go to every Scotland home game and cheer them till I'm hoarse. However something needs fixed.

Namibia 7-0 up with an early try. Italy should still be ok though...

I was working Fri morning so had to watch Japan v Russia Fri night. Russia were brave but played like a team with just 2 players at clubs outside Russia. I got 3 hours sleep and watched Oz v Fiji. If Fiji had the legs and discipline to last 80 mins then they'd have won. Argentina v France were 2 teams trying to find form. However a tight game and thrilling end. Could have gone either way. NZ were better than of late but SA still showed they're the only team capable of keeping up with them over 80 mins but NZ managed the game well. We do it again tomorrow. It'll be tough but hopefully Scotland find a way vs Ireland. England should have the BP by h/t vs Tonga and Italy SHOULD be ok vs Namibia. It's only the start but already my sleep pattern is a mess

I vote SNP. Sorry to upset your stereotype lol.

I can't find any of the Top14 on Sky Sports anymore. Anyone know what channel has it these days? Ta.

Last night had seen the likes of Maitland, Greig and Finn rested. The 2nd half was disrupted by loads of rolling typical of a WC wam-up. Georgia played very well and will be wondering why the scoreboard finished the way it did. Discipline was a bit iffy and we had to arm wrestle a bit but we did deserve to win. 2nd half was far better from us though. We pulled away when Georgia tired a bit as we went up a gear.

Our discipline in the 1st half has been absolutely howling. We've scored 2 good tries but we really must lift it. Georgia ain't going to bed here.

I only got round to watching the game in Tbilisi through the week. That was a potential banana skin vs a tough pack at their place with a home crowd who were up for it. Good to see us front up in tough conditions and won well. Going to Murrayfield tonight. I'm hoping that on our own patch we'll be able to get a win to take to Japan. That's a good question. It happened almost 10 years ago when Dan Parks kicked us to a victory in Argentina and at the same time Craig Levein played no strikers in the Czech Republic. It's understandable on this occasion imo as the Georgia game isn't even a Test match like that Argentina game was (which aren't friendlies), but tonight's a glorified bounce game as all the WC warm-ups are imo. The Russia game at the footy is a competitive game though. Having said that, people will go to what suits them. I'm a rugby fan before football so I'm heading to Murrayfield tonight.

I think in hindsight "experimental" was the wrong word. I think though Toony can afford to rest the likes of Jones and Hogg without worrying about Seymour's injury as our backs should still have too much (hopefully) for the Georgian backs IF we perform. Johnson's still relatively new to the Scotland set-up (due to injury in the past) as is Hutchinson. Kinghorn and D'Arcy Graham are starting to be established but still second to Seymour and Hogg just now imo. After all it's the Georgian forwards who'll provide the force of the opposition.

The team choice doesn't surprise me. It's only a WC warm-up but a win to keep confidence up after the win vs France. It's very forward-heavy from us. Beyond the half-backs it's a bit experimental imo. However it's winning the forward battle that will win us the game. Barring their 9 who plays for Montpellier their backs are still a developing force. If we can win at the set-pieces our backs should be quite clinical anyway imo. However the Georgians will be up for it at home.

Only catching the game now as I was on my bro's stag doo. Didn't see the game in York as hoped. I kept a vigil in the apartment whilst everyone was hungover/spewing. Not perfect yet but night/day compared to last weekend. 2nd half was better and we kept France scoreless. Line-out's still need work. However defence was far better. France's tries only came about due to Scotland errors. Vs Georgia, it SHOULD be comfy at home but tough away. Rugby's their national sport and it's a sold-out 50K in Tbilisi. Their forwards are worth their weight in gold. Their backs not so much. If we can find a way past their forwards then I'd hope we'll find a way to win. We'll need to improve line-outs and compete at scrum time.

We really need to be beating France on Sat to lift the squad and fans imo. On my bro's stag doo so watching from a pub in York. Wayne Barnes to ref on Sat with Oor Nigel as a touch judge.

I was very confused by those changes as they're out and out looseheads or tightheads specifically. I thought maybe there was a mistake with the on-screen graphic. It was very confusing and didn't look great tbh. Honestly Utd, that line-up's a very fair shout. However let's swap Dell and Nel around so there's no more of last night's antics.

He was ok when he came on but I thought we were generally a bit better in the 2nd half anyway. Maybe not the best game to judge him as the game was over as a contest and we were just emptying the bench. 1st paragraph is spot on. Agree about Bhatti. Was solid at Glasgow but better international looseheads. Reid's more solid even if he's stepped down to semi-pro. I like Toolis but I'd have Skinner or Gray over Gilchrist. I don't see what the fuss is about and he gives away too many penalties. I think your Hastings and centres comments are harsh with respect. Hastings is outstanding in a Glasgow shirt and is still learning. The centre partnership was new and being played for the 1st time. Barclay's solid and experienced but he's better at 8. Agree about Strauss though. He's capable of better but never raises his Glasgow form into Scotland. Going to Sale and being benched a lot never helped either. Kinghorn missed a bread and butter tackle at Murrayfield to let Ireland in for their 1st try in the 6N. I don't see the fuss about him. I'd have Seymour before him all day with D'Arcy Graham offering more potential as back-up.

A difficult watch though more grit about us in the 2nd half. France are strong at home and we're traditionally weaker away. However the WC warm-ups are just glorified experiment/trial games. That France team would start a major competitive game imo. Our team had a lot of international fringe players who are kept out by more experienced/better form players. John Barclay and Duncan Taylor are just back from career threatening injury. However we tried to run with the ball and Taylor/Jones is a brand new centre pairing that's raw but COULD have potential. A team's home should be its castle so it'll be a more serious selection I'd expect from Toony next week. Tonight was an experimental side that'll also be the squad that plays Russia.

Nigel Owens is the ref tomorrow night. Wayne Barnes is a touch judge.

Ayrshire has a well known bull industry on its farms. Even though they're only experimental/trial games I'm surprised Gordon Reid's involved. He's taken a step down to semi-pro rugby after all.

I'll ask him when I see him, still here. Have the fixtures been released? Hopefully Glasgow have them home early? Nothing yet. I reckon it'll be later than normal due to the WC being on...

What's his reckoning about the 2 La Rochelle v Glasgow games?

Why can't Argentina seem to find form outwith at a RWC? They've been howling tonight.

Who's Bobby lol?

So in a nutshell our ref vs Ireland is Wayne Barnes, vs Samoa it's Pascal Gauzere, vs Russia it's Mathieu Raynal and vs Japan it's Ben O'Keeffe.

According to legend he was using the Pro12/14 as a stepping stone to the English Premiership. However when he went to Sale he was consistent at coming off the bench so he never really made his mark tbh. At Glasgow he was solid but he never really stepped up in a Scotland shirt imo...

Josh Strauss has left the Sale Sharks to return to South Africa to play for the Blue Bulls, who (I think) are a Currie Cup side. It means that we won't face him in Europe next season and it probs means that his Scotland appearances are finished tbh.