Rugby Union

[GHF-23]

13 minutes ago, GAD said:

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.

I could see it - he was always the golden boy and injuries are all that's held him back. You're right, with those runners (and lack of decent kickers other than Kinghorn!) in the back 3 is there a need for Jones? I'm not sure, just dunno if Townsend is quite ready to give up on such a source of linebreaks.

Agreed the forwards are the issue. Back row, loose head and hooker all look very decent but just not as good as a couple of the teams we'll be playing; but as soon as Fagerson's out of puff it's straight back to WP and I understated how rank I think our lock options are above. Don't see much chance that dumpling Dalziel has worked out how to make a professional lineout function yet either.  

My only worry with the backline is in the backfield, our wingers just aren't great in the kicking game. I love both of them though and we don't have the player pool to drop them for more conservative players as Ireland did with Stockdale or France with Thomas, so have to hope they can be coached to improve further.  

11 minutes ago, Left Back said:

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?

I think it's that you can first be selected while contracted to an outside club - a lot of Welsh lads (Reffell is another example) come through English academies, but to once you've been selected you have to move to a Welsh club at your next contract renewal to remain eligible. Then once you've got x amount of caps you could go get a payday somewhere. Could be wrong though

Edited January 16 by GHF-23

[peasy23]

2 hours ago, Savage Henry said:

lol at Wales:   Rees-Zammit has retired in order to play NFL reserves   

 

 

Some of the financials are in the replies. He'll get $50k ish for taking part in the IPP, and if he makes a full practice squad he can pick up around $220k for the regular season. If he somehow makes it on to a roster and earns a full time contract then that would jump way up, $3m per year is about the current average although that is boosted by guys like Tyreek Hill earning $30 million a year. 

If it doesn't work out he'll still be able to fall back on likely offers from France and Japan.

[GAD]

35 minutes ago, GHF-23 said:

I could see it - he was always the golden boy and injuries are all that's held him back. You're right, with those runners (and lack of decent kickers other than Kinghorn!) in the back 3 is there a need for Jones? I'm not sure, just dunno if Townsend is quite ready to give up on such a source of linebreaks.

Agreed the forwards are the issue. Back row, loose head and hooker all look very decent but just not as good as a couple of the teams we'll be playing; but as soon as Fagerson's out of puff it's straight back to WP and I understated how rank I think our lock options are above. Don't see much chance that dumpling Dalziel has worked out how to make a professional lineout function yet either.  

My only worry with the backline is in the backfield, our wingers just aren't great in the kicking game. I love both of them though and we don't have the player pool to drop them for more conservative players as Ireland did with Stockdale or France with Thomas, so have to hope they can be coached to improve further.  

I think it's that you can first be selected while contracted to an outside club - a lot of Welsh lads (Reffell is another example) come through English academies, but to once you've been selected you have to move to a Welsh club at your next contract renewal to remain eligible. Then once you've got x amount of caps you could go get a payday somewhere. Could be wrong though

Well, we always have Sean Maitland, but it seems no chance of that now. Still think he could do a job,

[honestly united]

For all the doom and gloom around Scottish rugby its come to something that we now have more than 3 current lions players, and we are able to not pick 3 in our wider squad nevermind not picking 3 in a match day 15.

For me Sutherland is a big miss. I dont know enough on Hepburn or Hurd to comment, Hepburn is a strange one, I can see him being a Graham type pick, cap him and he cant go back to England. I havent seen a lot of him this season

Watson missing as well, he looks 3rd choice openside behind Darge and Crosbie, but I would have had him in as cover as Darge misses probably the first 2 games at least.

To be fair the squad is for the first 2 games at Wales and home teo France and we will probably get some changes for the other games so always a chance they will come back in

[Savage Henry]

2 hours ago, Left Back said:

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.

He’s going to be the Du Preez of the backs - he’ll get about twelve caps over the next six seasons.  Still think Townsend doesn’t trust him.  

[Savage Henry]

4 minutes ago, honestly united said:

For all the doom and gloom around Scottish rugby its come to something that we now have more than 3 current lions players, and we are able to not pick 3 in our wider squad nevermind not picking 3 in a match day 15.

For me Sutherland is a big miss. I dont know enough on Hepburn or Hurd to comment, Hepburn is a strange one, I can see him being a Graham type pick, cap him and he cant go back to England. I havent seen a lot of him this season

Watson missing as well, he looks 3rd choice openside behind Darge and Crosbie, but I would have had him in as cover as Darge misses probably the first 2 games at least.

To be fair the squad is for the first 2 games at Wales and home teo France and we will probably get some changes for the other games so always a chance they will come back in

The strength in depth at centre is absolutely unreal.  The days of Andrew Henderson et al dropping passes at walking pace are long gone.  

[come on shire]

Just now, Savage Henry said:

The strength in depth at centre is absolutely unreal.  The days of Andrew Henderson et al dropping passes at walking pace are long gone.  

Mind de Luca?

[Savage Henry]

2 minutes ago, come on shire said:

Mind de Luca?

Ah yes.  I see he is now working at Merchiston, the school where his father literally paid for his place in the Scottish Schools team, and then somehow got picked for the proper team.  
 

Back when proper players wore gloves.  

[come on shire]

I won't lie. There's a few curveballs in the Scotland squad announcement for me.

Harris is a B&I Lion but isn't in the squad. I'd wager there'll be a place for him should injuries occur but at first I thought that playing with a poor Gloucester team (albeit one that ran Bath close at the Rec then won in Edinburgh) might have went against him, but then I noticed that Adam Hastings is in there. 

I'm surprised that Hamish Watson isn't there either. I did think that maybe injury leading up to the 6N perhaps went against him but then I noticed that Hastings, Darge and Redpath are all in a similar place but got picked. I'd think that Mish will get a chance should injuries etc occur though.

Overall I'm thinking that after exits at the pool stage in 2 World Cups in a row Toony has to crack the whip and shake things up. There's also 4 new caps coming in too which is exciting and provides new options.

We start in Cardiff vs Wales. Their captain and leader AWJ has finally called it a day and their star player LR-Z wants a shot at American football due to the cash. There's cash to be made playing rugby in France and Japan but that involves learning a new language. This needs to finally be the year we beat them there. If not then we never will.

Edited January 16 by come on shire

[come on shire]

8 minutes ago, Savage Henry said:

Ah yes.  I see he is now working at Merchiston, the school where his father literally paid for his place in the Scottish Schools team, and then somehow got picked for the proper team.  
 

Back when proper players wore gloves.  

It reminds me of F1 where the Canadian driver Lance Stroll is driving for an average at best Williams team but dare they drop him as his billionaire dad's a huge financial backer?

[GHF-23]

Is there a secret third Scottish centre with an Italian surname (Marcus Di Rollo as well) who was actually really good but was prevented from being a professional because there was a belief that they were cursed?

[Mark Connolly]

1 hour ago, GHF-23 said:

Is there a secret third Scottish centre with an Italian surname (Marcus Di Rollo as well) who was actually really good but was prevented from being a professional because there was a belief that they were cursed?

The closest might have been sticking Simon Danielli on the wing

[Salvo Montalbano]

3 hours ago, Savage Henry said:

Back when proper players wore gloves.  

Shame his gloves were made of butter.

[Binos]

Louis Rees Zammit has completely lost it

[Left Back]

30 minutes ago, Binos said:

Louis Rees Zammit has completely lost it

Not so sure.  Would you want to turn out for the shit show that is Wales at the moment and get gubbed constantly?  Then add in turning out for a Welsh region and get gubbed weekly.

[Binos]

25 minutes ago, Left Back said:

Not so sure.  Would you want to turn out for the shit show that is Wales at the moment and get gubbed constantly?  Then add in turning out for a Welsh region and get gubbed weekly.

He plays(played) for Gloucester,  just beat Edinburgh at weekend in european competition 

Anyway,  good luck to him but no guarantee of anything in other sport and he was already at pinnacle,  a lion, of this one 

[Left Back]

5 minutes ago, Binos said:

He plays(played) for Gloucester,  just beat Edinburgh at weekend in european competition 

Anyway,  good luck to him but no guarantee of anything in other sport and he was already at pinnacle,  a lion, of this one 

This I know, as I was sat in the stands watching.  Apparently he’d have had to sign for a region to carry on playing for Wales though.

[honestly united]

Once his contract is up, this year i think,  he would have to sign for one of the regions to continue playing for Wales until he reaches the cap limit to move out of Wales. 

He was probably stuck between re-signing for Gloucster / some else in England or France for a decent wage but not playing with Wales and the no doubt abuse he would get for turning his back on Wales, and signing for one of the regions on half at best of what he would get elsewhere. As he's one of the poster boys for Welsh rugby not playing he would have got some backlash.

Pretending he's always wanted to play in the NFL is the easy way out, he's still going to get paid a decent amount, he can go away for a year or 2 in the hope that either the cap limit is scrapped, or the regions get more funding / start paying higher salaries or his NFL career takes off and he doesnt have to worry about it. 

[peasy23]

I can understand the logic behind England and Wales trying to get their players to stay and play in their leagues, but you can't come over all precious when professional players decide "f**k it, I'm going to play where I can get paid better."

[Mark Connolly]

1 hour ago, peasy23 said:

I can understand the logic behind England and Wales trying to get their players to stay and play in their leagues, but you can't come over all precious when professional players decide "f**k it, I'm going to play where I can get paid better."

It's one of the great double standards in sport.

"Everyone is allowed to earn as much as possible in their chosen profession. EXCEPT THAT JUDAS b*****d! WE MADE HIM, HOW FUCKING DARE HE!!"