Rugby Union

[John Lambies Doos]

Why the fuk are we not playing the saffers. We would stuff them

[Guest]

Got to be looking to beat Wales in the 6 Nations. South Africa are honking and Wales aren't much better

[The_Kincardine]

SA are fucking useless....just squandered a 3 man overlap.

[BuddieInDundee]

Indeed. Nevertheless, we should be talking about an excellent Scotland performance (mainly in the first half) against a Georgia team who are clearly too good for their current tier 2 status. I actually quite like how physical Georgia are. I thought the game would be a lot closer than it was but we were rather good today.

I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do under Townsend given how Glasgow play under him.

It was a weird one to watch, watching Georgia was a wee bit like watching us not so long ago. Plenty of second half possession, but not being able to do too much with it, and ultimately ran out of steam resulting in us picking them off on the counter attack.

This was the sort of game you could imagine us losing under Hadden or Robinson, Cotter has clearly instilled a far meaner mentality within the squad, and we should be quietly confident in Toony's ability to push us forward.

Genuinely don't see why we can't pick up three home wins (Ireland, Wales and Italy), and France away is nowhere near as daunting as it used to be thanks to them pressing the self destruct button on their national team thanks to their domestic policies.

[Allan Jacobsen]

1 minute ago, BuddieInDundee said:

 

It was a weird one to watch, watching Georgia was a wee bit like watching us not so long ago. Plenty of second half possession, but not being able to do too much with it, and ultimately ran out of steam resulting in us picking them off on the counter attack.

This was the sort of game you could imagine us losing under Hadden or Robinson, Cotter has clearly instilled a far meaner mentality within the squad, and we should be quietly confident in Toony's ability to push us forward.

Genuinely don't see why we can't pick up three home wins (Ireland, Wales and Italy), and France away is nowhere near as daunting as it used to be thanks to them pressing the self destruct button on their national team thanks to their domestic policies.

 

Stern Vern has improved us greatly. To be fair, I know Scott Johnson isn't a particularly popular fellow here but in his first year coaching us, we did a lot better than we should have done, certainly in the Six Nations anyway - the less said about the second year, the better. There is still an element of ill discipline with us at times but nowhere near as bad as it was when Robinson was coaching us. That was fucking horrible.

The thing that pleased me was that when we went down to 14 men, instead of going into our shells Partick Thistle style () we continued attacking and we outscored them despite being at a disadvantage. Previously, we would have conceded at least 14 points so I'm delighted to see us improving there.

Looking at Wikipedia, I take it that France are employing the England approach of only selecting Top 14/French-based players? Except for Picamoles who plays for Northampton.

[BuddieInDundee]

Stern Vern has improved us greatly. To be fair, I know Scott Johnson isn't a particularly popular fellow here but in his first year coaching us, we did a lot better than we should have done, certainly in the Six Nations anyway - the less said about the second year, the better. There is still an element of ill discipline with us at times but nowhere near as bad as it was when Robinson was coaching us. That was fucking horrible.

The thing that pleased me was that when we went down to 14 men, instead of going into our shells Partick Thistle style () we continued attacking and we outscored them despite being at a disadvantage. Previously, we would have conceded at least 14 points so I'm delighted to see us improving there.

Looking at Wikipedia, I take it that France are employing the England approach of only selecting Top 14/French-based players? Except for Picamoles who plays for Northampton.

Keep forgetting Johnson had a stint with us, despite it only being a couple of years ago. Agreed re the discipline, the amount of penalties given away under Robinson was nothing short of shambolic. That defeat to Samoa at Pittodrie still haunts me [emoji23]

Yes they do, which is incredible considering how thin their talent pool has become. They have a huge amount of talent being churned out, however few of them make it at Top 14 level for a variety of reasons. Gavin Mortimer at Rugby World did an interesting piece about it, fairly sure it's available online.

ETA; http://www.rugbyworld.com/news/foreign-players-blame-frances-diminishing-powers-55307

[Allan Jacobsen]

1 minute ago, BuddieInDundee said:

 

Keep forgetting Johnson had a stint with us, despite it only being a couple of years ago. Agreed re the discipline, the amount of penalties given away under Robinson was nothing short of shambolic. That defeat to Samoa at Pittodrie still haunts me

Yes they do, which is incredible considering how thin their talent pool has become. They have a huge amount of talent being churned out, however few of them make it at Top 14 level for a variety of reasons. Gavin Mortimer at Rugby World did an interesting piece about it, fairly sure it's available online.

 

I like Top 14 rugby and am a Stade Francais fan (for my sins). As you say, France churn out so much talent but I guess the amount of money in Top 14 attracts the foreigners and pushes the domestic players aside. Still an absolute clusterfuck of a league though. I can't find the article you refer to but I did find one on Stade Francais and how they've gone from champions to shite so quickly - it's pretty spot on to be fair. Nice to see La Rochelle doing well this season though.

Breaks my heart to see Leone Nakarawa in a Racing 92 shirt. 

[Gianfranco]

I've just finished watching the Scotland game having managed to avoid the score. That was a very good watch.

I'm just about enjoying rugby more than football at the moment, which is something I'd never thought I'd say considering I know very little about rugby.

[BuddieInDundee]

I like Top 14 rugby and am a Stade Francais fan (for my sins). As you say, France churn out so much talent but I guess the amount of money in Top 14 attracts the foreigners and pushes the domestic players aside. Still an absolute clusterfuck of a league though. I can't find the article you refer to but I did find one on Stade Francais and how they've gone from champions to shite so quickly - it's pretty spot on to be fair. Nice to see La Rochelle doing well this season though.

Breaks my heart to see Leone Nakarawa in a Racing 92 shirt. 

Can't say I pay too much attention to the Top14, but didn't they somehow get relegated at one point? Will look that article up, incredible considering as they were stupidly good watching them in the Heineken Cup as a teen.

[BuddieInDundee]

I've just finished watching the Scotland game having managed to avoid the score. That was a very good watch.

I'm just about enjoying rugby more than football at the moment, which is something I'd never thought I'd say considering I know very little about rugby.

Aye it's nice having a relatively competent rugby side when our football side's future is bleak to say the least

[Allan Jacobsen]

2 minutes ago, BuddieInDundee said:

 

Can't say I pay too much attention to the Top14, but didn't they somehow get relegated at one point? Will look that article up, incredible considering as they were stupidly good watching them in the Heineken Cup as a teen.

 

No, they went from winning Top 14 in 2014/15 to finishing one place above the relegation places last year.

[BuddieInDundee]

No, they went from winning Top 14 in 2014/15 to finishing one place above the relegation places last year.

Ah, my mistake. Had it in my head they'd won the Heineken cup as well but were runners up to THAT Toulouse side in 2005.

Found that article about Stade, decent read, something very 'French' about that plummet of form!

[Allan Jacobsen]

4 minutes ago, BuddieInDundee said:

 

Ah, my mistake. Had it in my head they'd won the Heineken cup as well but were runners up to THAT Toulouse side in 2005.

Found that article about Stade, decent read, something very 'French' about that plummet of form!

 

That Toulouse team was something else. Frederic bloody Michalak - never liked him then, haven't liked him since! They also lost to Leicester back in 2001. There was a period when they were incredibly successful although that's not the reason I follow them. That's due to their wonderful kits and I'm a big fan of Sergio Parisse. They've got Edinburgh in a couple of weeks time at Murrayfield. Edinburgh have a decent chance of winning if I'm honest.

[HoBNob]

Haven't seen much of him recently tbh but he looked at one point like he was gonna be the man to succeed euan Murray. Not sure how many caps he will see in future with Fagerson n nel...and mccallum at embra.

Is that Murray McCallum? Went to school with him and he's gleaming, properly down to earth.

Big lad.

[HibeeJibee]

How are the opposition in autumn tests decided? I was looking at the schedules over recent times, and we haven't played 4 for a dozen years and haven't played 2 of the 'Big 3' since 2013.

2016 - Australia, Argentina, Georgia
2014 - Argentina, New Zealand, Tonga
2013 - Japan, South Africa, Australia
2012 - New Zealand, South Africa, Tonga
2010 - New Zealand, South Africa, Samoa
2009 - Fiji, Australia, Argentina
2008 - New Zealand, South Africa, Canada
2006 - Romania, Pacific Islanders, Australia
2005 - Argentina, Samoa, New Zealand
2004 - Australia, Japan, Australia (#2), South Africa
2002 - Romania, South Africa, Fiji
2001 - Argentina, New Zealand
2000 - USA, Australia


Summer tours also weakening. Haven't played 2 tests with any of the 'Big 3' since 2006; haven't visited NZ since 2000; haven't played Baabaas since 2006. Are we unattractive foes?

2018 - "the Americas"
2017 - Australia
2016 - Japan (2 tests)
2014 - USA, Canada, Argentina, South Africa
2013 - [RSA Quadrangular] Samoa, South Africa, Italy [3rd/4th]
2012 - Australia, Fiji, Samoa
2010 - Argentina (2 tests)
2009 - none
2008 - Argentina (2 tests)
2006 - Barbarians, South Africa (2 tests)
2005 - Barbarians, Romania
2004 - Barbarians, Samoa, Australia (2 tests)
2003 - Barbarians, South Africa (2 tests)
2002 - Barbarians, Canada, USA
2001 - Barbarians
2000 - Barbarians, New Zealand (2 tests)

+ played South Africa in warm-up for RWC 2007

Edited November 27, 2016 by HibeeJibee

[ajwffc]

I think it is World Rugby decided who plays who at the moment. Not sure how they decide who plays who but we seem to be one of there picks to play the tier 2 sides. We don't play 4 games in the end of year tests/autumn internationals as not every weekend is in the player release period and the English league does not allow any non English international to be released to international duty outside the official windows.

[Mark Connolly]

Devin Toner is a diving big shite.

[KiwiDB]

On 11/24/2016 at 02:50, flyingscot said:

No it's England that are plundering the Oceania region these days! 

I don't mind the qualification regimes. Seems sensible as I'm not sure who really would miss out. 

Or the French going by their 15 at the weekend.

 

[come on shire]

The only other thing that cheered me up more than the Scotland game this weekend was Toony's very pragmatic and sensible interview on the Warriors website. Maybe not so bad after all.

Also, Edinburgh, with a FAIRLY strong side, lost at the Dragons.

[dogmc]

The only other thing that cheered me up more than the Scotland game this weekend was Toony's very pragmatic and sensible interview on the Warriors website. Maybe not so bad after all.

Also, Edinburgh, with a FAIRLY strong side, lost at the Dragons.

Yep was surprised just how strong a xv they had out. Embra seem to be either very very good or bloody awful with little in between. Still think there has been more promise under hodge so hopefully the consistency will come. Might be that with so many youngsters coming through there will have to be some patience. Some genuinely exciting players coming through.