honestly united

Using Chrome on my HD box on my TV and running fine but picture quality isnt the best Edit its the camera that as the graphics are fine

vander Valt would have been in the squad if he hadn't gone back to SA for his wedding (i think?) as he is eligible for the 2nd game, but needs to quarantine on his return so scuppers that. It will be Weir starting all 3 games with Lang and Hogg as back and probably wrapping Peter Horne in cotton wool just in case

We consistently beat wales in the u-20's but they somehow manage to get enough players for 4 teams My take is that, at the moment, unless your going to be a top class player, like Hogg, Gray, Russell, Dobie, your not getting any quality game time at 19/20/21/22 which is when you need it if you want to be a top class player, or even a remotely decent player. Players need exposure to that top level match situation to get the skills we need. At the moment the SRU are paying for all these guys in the Institute of Sport and the majority of these wont get a game for a pro side until they are 24/25 which by then its too late. Which is why we dont have a glut of players that you would call good club pro's, but just not international class - I would class guys like Horne, Grigg, Harley, Swinson who (at their prime) you would want to see in a Glasgow side, but probably not for Scotland - you look back at Glasgow over the last few years and the starting line up was either Scotland squad or international for Fiji / Canada etc or was waiting to be Scotland qualified. If more young players were getting game time we have then have that core of dependable but maybe not world class players. The institute of sport is also why we dont have that killer instinct to win close games - the players are developed in a little bubble where the isn't that pressure to win games, there is no winning league or cups and the mind set of winning isn't bred into them. I would see a third Scottish team a lot like Connaught was 5 or 10 years ago - a core of solid seasoned pro's that were not troubling the international team, with a lot of youngsters that as soon as they were in the international side would move on to Leinster or Munster. For me 2 teams is stunting the development of our younger players and the Super 6 was never going to fix that. Edit to add, on my first point I looked back at some old u20 squads, 2015 for example you now have players like Fagerson, Bradbury, Ritchie who were getting game time years ago and are now Scotland regulars, but you still think of Lewis Carmichael, Lewis Wynne and Robbie Nairn as youngsters when they get a game as they took so much longer to get there first starts 2015 Six Nations Under 20 Championship Squad Forwards Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby/Boroughmuir) Lewis Carmichael (Melrose) Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/Glasgow Hawks) Andrew Davidson (Glasgow Warriors/Glasgow Hawks) Dan Elkington (Watsonians) Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors/Glasgow Hawks) Cameron Fenton (Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County) Ross Graham (Hawick) Neil Irvine-Hess (Melrose) Murray McCallum (Aberdeen Grammar Rugby/Aberdeen University) Ally Miller (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonians) Jack Owlett (Exeter Chiefs/University of Exeter) Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) Gary Robertson (Gala) Callum Sheldon (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonians) Lewis Wynne (Stirling County) Backs Alec Coombes (London Scottish) Tom Galbraith (Melrose) Richard Galloway (University of Birmingham) George Horne (Glasgow Hawks) Ruairi Howarth (Edinburgh Rugby/Gala) Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints) Patrick Kelly (Le Parc) Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Academy/Edinburgh Academicals FC) Robbie Nairn (George Watson’s College/Currie) Archie Russell (Stirling County) Ruaraidh Smith (Currie) Ben Vellacott (Gloucester/Hartpury College) Although Nairn is quite a bit younger being in the 2017 squad. 2017 is even starker in that M Fagerson and Darcy Graham are already Scotland regulars with Crosbie and McDowall there or there abouts - whereas Bain only made his Glasgow debut this week 2017 Six Nations Under 20 Championship Squad Forwards Hamish Bain (Currie) Fergus Bradbury (Stirling County) Alex Craig (Gloucester Academy) Luke Crosbie (Currie) Tom Dodd (Worcester Academy) Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Hawks) Bruce Flockhart (Glasgow Hawks) Thomas Gordon (Currie) Jonny Grant (Stewart’s Melville) Shaun Gunn (Edinburgh Accies) Callum Hunter-Hill (Stirling County) Adam Nicol (Stirling County) Fraser Renwick (Hawick) Jack Samuel (Cardiff Metropolitan University) George Thornton (Northumbria University) Jamie Ure (Boroughmuir) Daniel Winning (Boroughmuir) Backs Ruaridh Dawson (Newcastle Academy) Paddy Dewhirst (Ayr) Connor Eastgate (Wasps Academy) Darcy Graham (Hawick) Ali Greig (Bristol University) Josh Henderson (Glasgow Hawks) Cameron Hutchison (Currie) Stafford McDowall (Ayr) Ross McCann (Melrose) Robbie Nairn (Bristol University) Craig Pringle (Stirling County) Charlie Shiel (Currie) Andrew Simmers (Heriot’s)

I would say you have just highlighted why we need a 3rd development team - how do you bring young players through if they are not getting game time? At the moment the very best come through like Hogg, Russell & Gray in spite of the system, not because of it. Harley & Jones are still in the Scotland squad, Horne was not that long ago. The SRU are paying out for a stake in and sending players to a US team, a French team and London Scottish and the Super 6 - stop all of that and it would more than pay for another Pro team and then we might actually have the players coming through to fill it.

There will be a new TV deal added to the pot when the big SA teams enter - this would be ideal opportunity to add a 3rd Scottish team - at the moment the Chetahs are out on their ear and being replaced by the 4 Super Rugby teams, for a 16 team league, it may be worth discussing 18 teams with the Chetahs and another Scottish team. The SRU are already paying for all the institute of sports guys playing for the Pro teams and Super 6's so they could be shifted to the new team at no extra cost. Also I would be looking at Georgia and saying I know you have players that need pro experience we will take 8-10 if you pay their wages. Youve then build the majority of the squad at no extra cost

I thought we matched them well for the first 15/ 20 minutes, but once they got the 2nd try they took control, then when they got the 3rd our heads went down - 2nd half was much improved and I think we deserved at least 1 if not 2 BP's. You have to play at 100% all game against whatever leinster team is on the park, taking the foot of the gas for 10 or 15 minutes and you've lost the game.

Obviously you cant tell whats going through someones head but it looks more like bad technique than malicious. Its a 2nd row stuck out on the wing knowing he has to stop the winger otherwise he's half way down the park - not condoning the tackle but its more he's all over the place rather than deliberately trying to injury him, but its dreadful though

Its a tough call, you look at both Wales and Ireland with 4 teams and you think thats what we should be aiming at, however Ireland have done it well with 3 strong teams in the 3 big cities and a 4th which was pretty much (suppose to be) a development team - they are getting decent crowds and seem to have the money to keep all the internationals in Ireland, and can bring in marque foreign signings along with a conveyor belt of really good young players. Wales on the other hand all the regions and WRU seem to be skint, they have lost loads of top players to England and France similar to ourselves, the crowds have dropped and they dont seem to have the young players coming through. I agree that we shouldnt be signing foreigners to fill the bench or squad, we should only be signing foreign players that are going to make a difference to the team, I would much rather have some youngster fill the bench. I think we do need a 3rd team as you look at Dobie at Glasgow for example, he could do with playing every week to develop, but he is 3rd choice at Glasgow behind Price and Horne so game time is limited (he is probably close to 3rd / 4th choice for Scotland also). With only 2 pro teams you are in a position where 2nd choice at club is also 2nd or 3rd choice for the national team, which isnt healthy. A 3rd team as a development team with a few old heads (ie the likes of Horne sr, Barclay when he came back up, guys that are good pro's but getting past it) is the way too go, add in a few from Glasgow and Edinburgh that need game time would it cost anymore to run that the 6 Super 6 teams? Obvisouly you would get income form crowds and TV, sponsers etc

I only saw the highlights but i dont think it is any worse than Readings tackle v QOS that he only got a yellow for. Infact, it actually looks like Murdoch gets a touch on the ball just as Muirhead comes across which pushes the ball past him - if there wasn't that touch Muirhead wins the ball and probably misses the player.

Im hoping we can build on the results this year and go from expecting to beat Italy and hoping for results against the other teams to expecting to win all our home games and hoping for away wins and then once we get there push on expecting to win all the games. The issue we always have is that with 2 teams we create good young players like Hogg, Gray and Russell but they get to mid 20's and they go off to either England or France as we can afford to keep them, which then means we dont get to protect them as much and minimise game time. We've only had one season of Super 6 so wont comment on whether that is hte answer or just a waste of money. But 2 teams doesn't help in long term keep a good stream of players into the Scotland squad, its going well at the moment, but we have had many years where it hasn't.

Kinghorn is better on the wing than full back, but wouldnt have him in in front of Duhan, I would thought he was better on the bench as can cover wing & full back. Lang & Steele I dont know enough about to comment, (I would expect there are concerns over Johnsons fitness as he has only played last week for Glasogw and not at all before that) but Thompson ahead of du Preez is a strange one, Thompson was annonymous vs Glasgow a few weeks ago, and dont think he has done anything in a Scotland shirt ot warrant a start - I would have both Haining and du Preez ahead of him

I think Skinner will miss out Wales but will defiantely start over the Autumn, more as he missed a lot of 6 nations due to injury and the other 3 will no the systems better.

Im thinking we will probably line up as follows on Saturday Hogg, van der Merwe, Harris (although would prefer JOnes), Johnson, Graham, Russell, Price, Fagerson, Brown, Sutherland, Gray, Cummings, Watson, Ritchie, Haining, subs McINally, Bergham, Kebble, Toolis, du Preez, Horne, Hastings, Kinghorn. The Glasgow team that started on Saturday had 10-12 internationals, and the likes of Dobie, Gordon and the big lad at 2nd row are all good prospects so wasn't a bad side. Will give Wilson the benifit of the doubt at the moment as some guys were making their debuts or first game of the season / since covid break so maybe not quite sure on the new game plan, but I think it is more the previous summers lack of signings that are the issue. We still haven't replaced Hogg & Jackson at full back, and we dont have a back up 10 other than 10, as although I had initial hopes for Thompson he has regressed - Leinster and Ulster are dead rubbers IMHO so will see where we are by the end of Jan.

Just noticed Bradbury played for Edinburgh yesterday so obvuiosuly not injured, just dropped which is suprising, wonder if there is more to it

Dissapointing loss for Glasgow yesterday they looked to have control of the game late in the first half but went down hill in the 2nd, as the front row replacements for the Ospreays gave them the advantage in the scrum. J ohnson and Jones both looked good, but the stand out for me was young Dobie, a few more games under his belt and he will be first choice for Glasgow, he has a much more rounded game than either Price or Horne, but is also a threat with ball in hand.

I wonder if Innes is only till January as Kerr wanted a certain type of striker and Innes was well down the list of targets, so its short term to get the type of player he wanted, but is hoping to have an improvement (Drinnan?) available in January?

Will be an interesting selection from Glasgow this week, I am assuming none of the international squad will be allowed back and they have lost another 3 players as 1 has tested positive for Covid and 2 are self isolating having been in close contact

I dont know anyone that does rate Gilchrist, just suprised Harley started in front of him given Gilchrist is a regular in the squad

I dont think I would say centre is a worry either for this game or in general I dont think I have ever seen Lang play so cant really comment but I wouldn't say Harris is a worry (in a 2010ish Scotland way when you would be better playing with 13 than select some of the centres we had) hes just a bit meh. Hes fairly solid in defence, and he does run good lines (try against Italy?) but he does just run straight, and doesn't offer anything else IMHO. You need an outside centre that is going to get the ball to Darcy and big Duhan in space and I just dont see it coming from Harris. When you think Grigg, Bennett, McDowall, Dean, Johnstone and Hutchinson are not in the squad and guys like Horne and Dunbar who would a few years ago been standouts compared to what had come before are still about. Their are plenty of options at Centre that you would say are good enough for a Scotland squad Johnson and Jones on form is as good a centre pairing as any in the 6 nations

with the exeter players missing that is probably our first choice starting 15, with the exception of Russell (who has only just joined up with the squad after the Final), and giving Lang a run - although Johnson hasn't played much for Glasgow so not sure if fully fit. I love Harley as club player, as he gives his all, and does all the dirty work, but he's just not international class, I am assuming neither Richie or Gilchrist are fit. Its also starting to look like Toonie has as much idea as everyone else about who the first choice 8 is. Fagerson is a cracking player but dont think he is big enough for 8, and would probably make a better blind side, but he has already gone through Du Preeez, Haining and Thompson and neither have looked likely to be the answer long term - he will probably have to pick and choose depending on the opposition. Edit to add - only just relised that Maitland is missing the match to join Swinson and the rest of his Sarries mates playing for the Barbarians against England.

Is the match on TV? If so, which channel? ITV4 I think If anyone is interested full Georgia squad 18 based in France, 2 in England, 3 in RUS pro league, the rest home based. The 3 un-attached were pro last year (2 for the Sunwolves in SuperRugby) Loosehead Prop Mikheil Nariashvili (Montpellier, FRA) Guram Gogichashvili (Racing 92, FRA) Lekso Kaulashvili (Bordeaux, FRA) Hooker Shalva Mamukashvili (Leicester, ENG) Jaba Bregvadze (unattached?) Giorgi Chkoidze (Lokomotiv Penza, RUS) Tighthead Prop Levan Chilachava (Montpellier, FRA) Beka Gigashvili (Toulon, FRA) Giorgi Melikidze (Stade Français, FRA) Lock Konstantin Mikautadze (unattached) Nodar Cheishvili (Aia Kutaisi) Davit Gigauri (Tarbes, FRA) Grigor Kerdikoshvili (Lelo Tbilisi) Lasha Jaiani (Exeter Uni RFC, ENG) Giorgi Javakhia (Aurillac, FRA) Backrow Beka Gorgadze (Bordeaux, FRA) Beka Saghinadze (Aurillac, FRA) Otar Giorgadze (Brive, FRA) Giga Tkhilaishvili (Batumi) Mikheil Gachechiladze (Enisei-STM, RUS) Tornike Jalagonia (Biarritz, FRA) Ioane Iashagashvili (Bayonne, FRA) Scrumhalf Vasil Lobzhanidze (Brive, FRA) Gela Aprasidze (Montpellier, FRA) Mikheil Alania (Aurillac, FRA) Flyhalf Tedo Abzhandadze (Brive, FRA) Lasha Khmaladze (Batumi) Centre Merab Sharikadze (unattached) Tamaz Mchedlidze (Rouen, FRA) Giorgi Kveseladze (Armazi Marneuli) Demur Tapladze (Lelo Tbilisi) Lasha Malaguradze (VVA-Podmoskovye, RUS) Wingers Akaki Tabutsadze (Lelo Tbilisi) Sandro Svanidze (Armazi Marneuli) Sandro Todua (Batumi) Zurab Dzneladze (Locomotive Tbilisi) Fullback Soso Matiashvili (Lelo Tbilisi) Davit Niniashvili (RC Khvamli?)

Georgia have gone off the boil a bit in the last few years and have gone through a re-shuffle in their coaching staff. The majority of the forwards are regulars in the top14 or ProD2 in France, so up front will be a real test. The starting 9 & 10 are now both playing at Brive so give them something else in the backs, but the rest of the backs are either playing in Georgia or Russia so not up to the same standard as the forwards. They have a few back rows that they really should look at converting to centers. If we play sensibly, keep the ball in their half and get the backs good clean ball we will win, if we give away stupid penalties and let them in on arm wrestle in our half we could be in trouble. We are missing the Exeter players, plus I think Finn wont be selected having played on Sunday

I was expecting £15 so quiet pleased its only £12.50. I haven't been able to get to too many games over the last few years so even a crap stream is better than nothing - though im hoping hoping we still get Wuffsters excellent highlights?

Bradbury and Hutchinson are the 2 from previous squads missing, im assuming injured? (just read the above - Bradbury is a strange one then) Had also thought we might have seen Schoeman and Van der Valt getting the nod as Im sure both are now residency qualified. Thompson in the squad also, apparantly he played against Glasgow on Sunday but dont remember him doing anything! Centre is a strange one as you have Bennett, Dean, Taylor, Johnston and McDowall all probably in contention also, but I think Johnson inside and either Jones or Hutchinson outside is the best pairing. Cowan is odd as you would think he is not getting any younger and if he is just filling the squad surely one of the young guys at Glasgow or Edinburgh would get more out of making up the numbers than Cowan

Does the buy rate for streams get published the same as normal attendances do? Would be interested to see the numbers. Also was just thinking that if Kenna hadn't been injured there would have been 3 ex Ayr players in the Scotland squad, when was the last time we would have been close or bettered that?