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17 hours ago, Left Back said:

That’s a minter of a result for Edinburgh.  I’m fucking freezing and extremely pissed off.

Just watched it this morning, jesus, after that the Kinghorn at 10 idea is starting to look like a good one again.

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Meanwhile we've announced our 6 Nations squad. Hepburn, Hurd, Paterson and Reed the newbies. I've seen the first two listed as both loosies but assume one must be being considered as a tighthead as can only see Fagerson and Nel there otherwise. Harris missing out completely a bit of a shock. Depth at 3 and a very uninspiring set of locks aside it's a very not bad squad tbf - although there's a few that, like Harris, you'd feel are unlikely to make 2027. 

With the constant pain point of ball carrying in the back row more or less resolved with Dempsey and one of Fagerson or Darge being very effective carriers, kind of shows up lock as being the pretty poor area it has been for a while. It's fine that we don't have a 6'10 powerhouse or a Beirne/Woki style guy who's essentially a massive 7, but I look at the current crop and I don't even really see a pair of really good meat and potatoes locks. Real shame that Gray and Henderson are injured as I think there's a lot of potential for that to be an effective, if not spectacular, partnership. 

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20 minutes ago, GHF-23 said:

Meanwhile we've announced our 6 Nations squad. Hepburn, Hurd, Paterson and Reed the newbies. I've seen the first two listed as both loosies but assume one must be being considered as a tighthead as can only see Fagerson and Nel there otherwise. Harris missing out completely a bit of a shock. Depth at 3 and a very uninspiring set of locks aside it's a very not bad squad tbf - although there's a few that, like Harris, you'd feel are unlikely to make 2027. 

With the constant pain point of ball carrying in the back row more or less resolved with Dempsey and one of Fagerson or Darge being very effective carriers, kind of shows up lock as being the pretty poor area it has been for a while. It's fine that we don't have a 6'10 powerhouse or a Beirne/Woki style guy who's essentially a massive 7, but I look at the current crop and I don't even really see a pair of really good meat and potatoes locks. Real shame that Gray and Henderson are injured as I think there's a lot of potential for that to be an effective, if not spectacular, partnership. 

I think it's harsh for Harris to be dropped as well, but Hutchison, Sione, Redpath, McDowell and Jones playing so well right now and you have to reward that I think. Hamish Watson being out altogether a bigger shock for me, especially with injury concerns about Darge. Is Watson injured?

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On 13/01/2024 at 09:47, Savage Henry said:

I think it’s fair to say Townsend doesn’t rate him, and it doesn’t matter how well he plays. 

This aged well.  From what I've seen of him this season he's absolutely deserved his place.

Shocked at Hamish missing out.  He's rapidly gone from being first name on the team sheet to yesterdays man.

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6 minutes ago, GAD said:

I think it's harsh for Harris to be dropped as well, but Hutchison, Sione, Redpath, McDowell and Jones playing so well right now and you have to reward that I think. Hamish Watson being out altogether a bigger shock for me, especially with injury concerns about Darge. Is Watson injured?

BBC news explicitly states neither Harris or Watson are injured.

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13 minutes ago, GAD said:

I think it's harsh for Harris to be dropped as well, but Hutchison, Sione, Redpath, McDowell and Jones playing so well right now and you have to reward that I think. Hamish Watson being out altogether a bigger shock for me, especially with injury concerns about Darge. Is Watson injured?

Yeah, Harris offers something still but McDowell has been there or there abouts and seems very highly rated for a while now, with only 1 (I think) cap to show for it. If it's a move towards looking to the future I don't hate it. Likewise I'd imagine Rowe or Reed might get a nod above Steyn now, and again maybe Watson missing out means more game time for Crosbie (Watson played Saturday so don't think he's injured). They're big calls but I think a change is needed at the moment and some new blood isn't the worst thing. 

On Hutchinson I was very annoyed he never got a proper go 2 years or so ago, but I think that moment's probably gone. Like the rest of the squad they never really fired at the WC but Sione and Huw is an excellent combo even with limited games together that could just about make the next WC, and Redpath will be playing directly outside Finn for the next wee while. So I'd say he's competing for the 4th choice place with McDowell, who also offers a bit more of a difference to the others. Of course injuries could change all that very quickly 

Edited by GHF-23
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Just now, GHF-23 said:

On Hutchinson I was very annoyed he never got a proper go 2 years or so ago, but I think that moment's probably gone. Like the rest of the squad they never really fired at the WC but Sione and Huw is an excellent combo even with limited games together that could just about make the next WC, and Redpath will be playing directly outside Finn for the next wee while. So I'd say he's competing for the 4th choice place with McDowell, who also offers a bit more of a difference to the others. Of course injuries could change all that very quickly 

This has got me in a bit of a quandary.  I never really rated Sione for Scotland until he was paired with Huw.  As a pairing they seem excellent so I'd be loath to break that up.  On the flip side you now have Finn and Redpath as a pairing (looked good together at the weekend).  Can't fit them all in so it's a coin toss for me.

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2 minutes ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

Are we now the kind of country that after a world cup clears out players who are going to be too old for the next one?

 

We should offload Harris to Wales.  He's Gatland's kind of player and they don't have any other halfway decent players now LRZ has patched them.

Hard to imagine Scotland without Mish.  Been Mr. consistency for years.  Wasn't there a ridiculous stat that he went 2 or 3 years in the 6N without missing a tackle?

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7 minutes ago, Left Back said:

This has got me in a bit of a quandary.  I never really rated Sione for Scotland until he was paired with Huw.  As a pairing they seem excellent so I'd be loath to break that up.  On the flip side you now have Finn and Redpath as a pairing (looked good together at the weekend).  Can't fit them all in so it's a coin toss for me.

As good as Healy's been and it seems unfair to not have him in the 23, my own rationale would be you want Finn on the pitch unless he is injured and Sione offers a carrying option the other 2 don't so Redpath becomes the 22, with Kinghorn able to cover FH if Finn goes down or Redpath in an absolute emergency. Pick one of Steyn, Rowe, Reed or even Hutchinson as the 23 (although I didn't think much of his turn at FB in Argentina, seemed a bit of a waste).

 

7 minutes ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

Are we now the kind of country that after a world cup clears out players who are going to be too old for the next one?

 

I am all for it if so

Edited by GHF-23
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2 minutes ago, GHF-23 said:

As good as Healy's been and it seems unfair to not have him in the 23, my own rationale would be you want Finn on the pitch unless he is injured so Redpath becomes the 22, with Kinghorn able to cover FH if Finn goes down or Redpath in an absolute emergency. Pick one of Steyn, Rowe, Reed or even Hutchinson as the 23 (although I didn't think much of his turn at FB in Argentina, seemed a bit of a waste).

 

I am all for it if so

I actually think Redpath is in, I think he's starting. He's playing really well and he's pretty solid as well. I think Sione will play 13, which gives us three decent distributors/kickers in the midfield and three really dangerous runners in the back 3. I think it's a decent balance.

All the problems I can see are up front. I think it's as weak a selection of forwards as we've had in a while.

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1 hour ago, GHF-23 said:

That is truly remarkable. Obviously didn't fancy the choice between moving to France and no international rugby or taking a massive pay cut to move to the Scarlets

I never understood how he was able to play for Wales while at Gloucester.  Haven't Wales had that must play in Wales to be selected unless you have x amount of caps policy for a while now?

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