honestly united

I'm hoping its not just wishful thinking from Toonie. I dont know why we haven't put in an official complaint yet on the Irish player as of yet, surely its a pretty clear case

Dont know where to start on Saturday's game. First hald had a lot of positives. Ireland created nothing, and our defence was outstanding. First try, Hogg gets taken out late and it doesn't get looked at all by TMO, Irish player infront of the kicker, then dreadfull pass by Seymour. If Hogg wasn't down having treatment there is another body back to defend. 2nd try was the only good bit of play by Ireland all game, but its one of there stock plays and we should have defended better, and would have helped if Kinghorn hadn't been running in treacle at the time, it looks like he loses about 20 yards of Stockdale who goes past him before Kinghorn even moves. At that point with Sexton going off injured you would maybe take losing a try to get him off the pitch. At 12-10 before half time we really needed to score as if we are winning at we are in with a shout. After 5 minutes camped in their 22 we come away with nothing, slow ball and just crashing up the side of rucks only works if you have really explosive ball carriers to hammer over, but we dont really have any. We need quick ball to suck in defenders and create space to spin wide. The Irish were lapping it up as they had loads of time to set up there defence for each phase. I was quite hopeful at half time, that we could turn things and get the win. We had been playing well, creating chances, and Ireland had only been in our 22 twice. Then (and I am now fully blaming Innverdale for losing us hte match), Innverdale pipes up with his interesting "fact" that Scotland have failed to score a try in the 2nd half of 8 of there last 12 matches - and so it was to be again. For me this was a case of next score - we score and all the pressure is on Ireland, they would have had to come out and attack, we could have kept them camped in their own half and picked off the errors, Ireland score and we are then chasing the game leaving us open to errors. As is always the case with Scotland we get unlucky, both Harley and Dell tackle Carberry and knock each other off the tackle letting Carberry through, who passes forward to Earls to score (if I hear "well his hand go backwards" when there is a forward passes I may top someone). As everyone know from there on in, it was one error after the other from Scotland, not helped by the Irish cheating. At one point the commentary team discuss the fact that there has been no jackling at all in the game, which is true as when the first Irish player to get to the tackle flops (illegally) on top of hte ball your not going to win it. So off to France, batter and bruised, but still in with a chance of winning the tournament, however slim. Questions are rightly going to be asked over selection, but I wouldn't want to be making them. Do you drop Laidlaw for Price or Horne, but if you do who captains the team as there are no obvious candidates. In the backrow the main options in hte squad at present are Hardie or Graham both opensides. Ritchie is naturally a blind side but doesn't really have the size or prescence of an international blindside although our game plan works better with 2 opensides. If we could I would bench Jones as he has looked jaded since the last 6 Nations. I would probably go Johnson and Dunbar at centre but that may stunt our creativity. Also in Glasgow related news DTH is out injured for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

It's a chicken and egg situation - the LL would need to know there is enough clubs interested in a west league prior to setting one up (you'd look pretty stupid saying your setting up a league an no one applied...), but the Junior clubs in the west are not going to break rank and ask to join a league that doesn't exist while the SJFA are supposedly discussing the WRJFA moving over en-masse to the senior pyramid. I can see it happening if there is a breakdown in talks between SJFA and the PWG, but would take a core of Super League clubs to instigate.

2 was a huge let down after the first one. This series has been excellent so far due to it going back to the same formula as the first

I think its hard to tell unless you know exactly the direction of the wind, and inside Murrayfield im sure it swirls about so is even harder to predict, but would suggest if its really windy it would suit Scotland as you would then have to play up the park rather than kick (risk of kicking dead etc, not going where you want, rick of counter attack if to long etc). Ireland kick a lot, but its usually controlled with a good kick chase, if the ball isn't going where they want they could struggle. It may though play into Irelands hands as they are better up front, and have big ball carriers, but dont have the backs to match Scotlands.

team as expected, hadn't realised Hardie, Horne jr and Lee Jones were all ruled out due to injury. Graham being replaced by Harley is also a strange shout given we have no opensides in the team at all, looks like we just capped him vs Italy, then dropped him just to spite Eddie Jones

Up to recently I would have had England way out in front then all the rest much of a muchness (we were all celtic cousins afterall etc etc) however now its definitely Ireland way out in front, followed by Wales (and really only due to Gatland and the welsh media types, except Warbuton who I have gone from totally despising as being Gatlands puppet, to thinking hes a decent bloke and actually really unbiassed in his commentary) then England then abit back to France and Italy

Think it was more a precaution they took him off, seemingly a calf strain, but Murray McCallum has been called up as a precaution. Brown back in the squad as he starts training again today. Noticed the 7's team went from finishing 5th to finish 2nd last equal this week, not winning a game. On Laidlaw I think he is a cracking scrum half, but his service could be a lot quicker. At the moment as the backrow are not the most mobile (compared to what we had) Laidlaw suits a bit better, but when we had Barclay at 8, Watson and Hardie as wing forwards I thought Horne (at the time Price as well, but he's really gone off the boil) was a better option as he could really speed the pace of the game up.

The first 65 minutes Scotland were by far the best team of the weekend, the last 15 mins probably the worst. England and Ireland are no great shakes and we should be able to beat both. we just need to match the intensisty and cut out the mistakes and we can beat any of the other teama

Dreadful last 10 minutes, need to ensure we keep playing for the 80 in the other matches

Ooft, some kick from Russell

Having had a look at the under 20 team it's a strange mix of players. We have one lad playing for the lions in SA, one at racing 92, one playing in Spain, wasps, Leicester and Bristol, but none of the Scottish based are getting a game at Glasgow or Edinburgh

Completely agreed warrenball is dreadfull to watch, its all big runners smashing up the middle and running rugby is nowhere to be seen. TBF France / Ireland / England aren't much bette

I like the look of that, I think we have so much of the ball 20 to 30 years out but never take a pop at goal as some one said earlier McDaid scored a few crackers from outside the box last seaskn but this season he rarely shoots Thats some amount of tippy tappy sideways stuff

Thanks - had a look and the 3 sisters fanzone looks exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for. Not this weekend, were going in March for wales so a bit of time yet - only concern would be getting back from Murrayfield in time for the next match kicking off

Should be a good enough team to see off Italy, I would assume Gray and Maitland are just slight knocks and aren't being risked with bigger games to come

Was wondering if anyone could make any recommendations, I will be taking a trip up to Murrayfield for the Wales game in March. Its the first time me and my mates have been out in Edinburgh for the rugby in a long time. We will be out the Friday and Saturday, for a few pre / post match drinks, but wondering where the best places to head for a good rugby crowd? - ideally large lively pubs with a good mix of fans?

Think I would go pretty much the same, except maybe Strauss for Ritchie (with Wilson at 6). You could make a case for Kinghorn for Graham, although both Maitland and Seymour can cover full back, and maybe Toolis for Skinner. Johnson v Deans is a tough one, Johnson looks a good player, but I've not seen enough of Deans to make much of a comparison - i know Scott & Bennett were the preffered centres at Embra at the start of the season, but Dean and Johnstone have played well in the bits ive seeen. Although given it is Italy, I can see Townsend going left field with his selection.

The Dunbar situation is quite strange, I think most people have him down as our best 12, and has played when fit in most internationals until now. To be dropped completely is strange, I dont think he has looked that out of form when I've seen him play recently.

MIght just be as simple as Ayr giving him a couple days off to go down and sign for them, (and generally being accomodating and doing hte best for the player) some clubs would maybe have not let players do the same

There's a few of the fringe squad players released to play for their clubs, Glasgow have 7 i think. They probably would have flown out with the rest of the squad

Watson missing the entire 6 Nations seemingly, big blow as he has been superb this season.

That's been our problem for the last few weeks, the tempo we are playing at has dropped significantly, and so have our performances. I dont think it is just down to Shankland being out, i think we are missing Forrest and Kerr, and Crawford looks a shadow of the player even back from the DU game. It maybe we are missing Shanklands movement, and with Moore being more a penalty box player, the link up play is just not there.

Im shocked if Dunbar was actually not selected in the original squad, For me he is still by far our best inside centre, and without him we are far to lightweight in the middle of the park. Dean and Johnson my both be good, but they are still untested at the top level.

Ta, The BBC article on squad selection has him down as being dropped (or missing out) rather than injured which is probably where the confusion comes from. He will be the biggest miss in the squad ,(apart from all the hookers) as it will probably mean either Dean or Horne starting at inside center. Edit to add, forgot about Johnson also, him or Dean wouldn't be too bad.