Six Nations have announced that they are ringing the changes for next year’s tournament. OvallyBalls had an exclusive mole in the decision room.
Six Nations Clown Five: Listen, chaps, I’m awfully sorry we failed to get the Six Nations behind a paywall so that we could destroy the popularity of the only tournament that is broadly watched, but we’ll try again in a couple of years.
SNC2: I’m not a fookin’ chap.
SNC4: Ah, bellissima! Like me, you are wearing a molto clever disguise to our top-secret meeting in this luxury ristorante.
SNC2: Catch yerself on. I’m wearing what the boss told me to wear: blue.
SNC5: Can we just get back to our onions? We have a tournament to ruin here.
SNC6: Onions? Oignons? En France, we return to our moutons.
SNC3: We quite like our lovely sheep as well.
SNC1: Ach, can we knock the tired wee 70s jokes on the heid? We’ve two major things to discuss here: playing matches on a Thursday (a THURS-DEE!), and deep-sixing one rest weekend.
SNC3: Thursday matches! It was bad enough, look you, when the Friday ones started. Working people are not going to be able to get to these matches, or maybe even watch them on the telly.
SNC5: Surely they will just have their servants do anything necessary on those particular evenings?
SNC6: Bah, the British do not know how to live. They eat their dinner – and quelle horreur d’un repas – at a silly time. They are weaklings who cannot stay up to a reasonable hour.
SNC4: Sono d’accordo.
SNC1: I dinna like the Thursday match, but I’m a wee bit more concerned about losing the rest weekend. That’s 5 Test matches in six weeks. Do we not have a small concern about player welfare there?
SNC3: We’ve not got a huge squad to field from the valleys.
SNC4: È vero, this also concerns us.
SNC2: Agh, it’s all right, we’ll just call on Leinster’s academy if half the squad end up in the hospital.
SNC6: Eh ben oui, we have many teams in the Top14, and perhaps we can bend the rules on players being called up.
SNC5: No worries here either, chaps … heh, heh: and chapesses. So is it all settled, then?
SNCs 1, 3 and 4 (simultaneously): Fuck off / vaffanculo.
SNC5: Perhaps I have not yet properly explained the emoluments available to those who agree to these proposals.
[whispers]
All: Crack on!
Ovally Balls 
Cheers, Deebee! It’s pretty much healed now; only have a slight limp. Should probably have gone to a&e, but couldn’t face the torment.
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Sutherland, Ashman and Wee Darcy (the Geography 3?) added to Lionz training squad – takes the number up to about 150. First two definitely there to hold tackle bags, Darcy has the outside chance of an outside chance to get an actual part in a game.
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Farrell – as per habit – named a 38 man squad.
He does this with Ireland all the time – names a small panel and then has to call lads up, rather than name a big enough panel from the start.
Also gives the impression that there are players he wants to bring but needs the cover of an injury to add them – eg Farrell jnr was called up when Daly got injured despite not really being a like for like replacement.
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Not sure how close Sutherland and Ashman were to playing, but Scotland have a game against Samoa on Friday (in Auckland I think, where there’s a large Samoan population) which is important for ranking points. Although the Fiji game was possibly more important.
Not sure if Darcy would have been banned because, although he was sent off, it was for two yellows rather than a straight red.
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Edit: Apparently Sutherland and Ashman are joining up with the Lionz AFTER Friday’s game.
So what happens if one of them gets injured?
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Evil Irish bastards
Yep, but in the past we’ve played T2 and lower ranked T1 teams with scratch teams and not scoring 100 points has been used to cast shade on new players and double down on the tried and trusted.
Case in point Fiji in 2022 – Carbery (I think) kicked the ball out on 80 with Ireland 37-17 up and Farrell had a conniption
So, the newbies were going to keep the pedal to the metal until the final whistle – unfortunate for Portugal.
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So what happens if one of them gets injured
Won’t matter – call up another Leinster player (McCarthy or Boyle) – Ashman and Sutherland have already served their purpose….
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Scotland 17-7 up against Ireland in the U20 World Cup after 54 minutes. New Zealand 27-19 up against France after the same. Both a wee bit unexpected! Or perhaps a result of my predictions. In which case Argentina are in the Final with a resounding thumping of the Baby Boks later!
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Ireland come storming back and lead 21-17 until the final play – and Scotland barge over for the winning try! Kiwis win 34-26 to deny France another final.
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Junior Boks up 28-10 at the break, but it’s a bit flattering: they roared out the blocks scoring at will, including a very lucky bounce of the ball try and have been on the back foot for the last 15 minutes. Argentina looking pretty good since the water break on 23 minutes. Boks down to 14 (collapsing the maul), so should be an interesting second half
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Highlights of the Baby Scots against the Baby Irish – usual mixed bag with these highlights. Scotland score a try which is apparently disallowed, but they don’t show why. Plus, usual ‘interesting’ commentator (still better than Myles Harrison, though).
The main point is when the Irish have the ball near their own line just at half time. They get the ball and one of the Irish backs just sort of dribbles it towards the dead goal line. If a Scot had been quick on the uptake and touched it down it would have been a try, shirley? Half isn’t over until the ball goes dead? Just seemed like a bit of a weird kick. Even a gentle hoof into the crowd would have been better.
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So the Kiwis beat France 34-26 in the end and the Boks beat Argentina 48-24 to set up a mouthwatering Final (if you’re a Kiwi or Saffer). It’s interesting that it’s the first Final for the Kiwis in 8 years (I think) and the first for the Boks since 2012! I’m not sure if it’s just that they’re peaking at the right time, or if the introduction of the U20 Rugby Championship is starting to pay dividends. It only started last year, so may be too early to tell, but I suppose it allows the boys a chance to gel before the World Cup proper.
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On a slow news day, the only thing of any interest is that Boan Venter gets his first cap for the Boks against Georgia this weekend, packing down alongside the Scarlets Marnus van der Merwe, with the Stormers Neetling Fouche completing a previously uncapped front row.
Jasper Wiese got a 4-week ban for his headbutt, so I’m assuming World Rugby deemed it be a bit of a damp squib effort, and he’s replaced at number 8 by his brother, Cobus, who came off the bench last week for his first cap. So half the starting pack has a solitary cap between them!
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Congratulations to Boan Venter, I hope he has a long a fruitful international career with the Springboks.
I just hope he’s not a pawn Erasmus is using to screw with another international side.
Of course a player will jump at the chance to fulfil boyhood dream and even if he only gets one cap against Georgia it will probably mean more to him than playing in the 6N and World Cup, I can fully understand that.
However it can still be true that this is the case and Erasmus is being a dick, if Venter gets a heap of caps then it will have been the right decision for Venter and for South Africa.
The bottom line here is the SRU have probably invested close to a million pounds in Venter via his contracts, going forward that money should be diverted into developing the very promising young front row forwards we have currently playing the U20s championship, there are two tightheads and two loose heads who really look the part.
I think this will be the end of South Africans getting a job in Scotland. For every WP Nel or Pierre Schoeman we’ve had a Luan De Bruin who for a huge man couldn’t blow up a paper bag.
Oh, and some news on WP Nel – he’s been appointed as a forwards coach with Stirling County. He always said he wanted to stay on in Scotland, it took a wee while for something to come up for him, but Stirling are a good side and if WP learns the coaching ropes I can see him have a long career with hopefully Edinburgh and Scotland – in an age of Orcs on Dinosaur backs, he wasn’t a huge guy in front row terms but he was a fearsome scrummager due to his technique – if he can pass that on he will be a huge asset to any side.
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Ticht, I can understand your frustration at Venter opting for the Boks, but I seriously doubt Rassie and Co picked him to damage Scottish rugby. He’s also picked Marnus van der Merwe from Scarlets and brought back Jean Kleyn when he was seen as surplus to Irish needs. Also the du Preez clan at various stages from England. They’re born and bred here, why wouldn’t he approach them if he thinks they can play a role? WP Nel? Lekker, good luck to him, he’ll always be fondly and warmly regarded here. I don’t think anybody begrudges him making a home in Scotland.
Another thing, Erasmus is working with an extended squad of close to 60 players (including those injured) with the express intention of creating the depth that allows him to rotate players so they’re not playing 13 or 14 Tests a year for 60 to 80 minutes. Most of the Boks will play 8 or 9 Tests this year. Surely from a player welfare perspective, that’s a good thing? If you’ve got the player base to do it, why wouldn’t you?
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Venter is also being groomed for the future: Kitshoff has retired, Nyakane is 36, Steenekamp is injured, Wessels is unproven, du Toit is better at TH, so Ox Nche and then? Nhuthuko Mchuma and Simpiwe Matanzima are there or thereabouts, but well behind Venter in terms of international exposure. I’d like to see Venter back in an SA club and develop from here.
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Deebs, I looked at the age profile of the loose heads listed by the Glasgow stats guy, Venter was listed at around 9th choice by way of previous selection for the Boks and SA Francises before injuries to a couple of guys.
Age-wise he’s around the same as Ox and a few others, older than a good few of those listed ahead of him.
In any event, I am frustrated yes, but it’s not at this particular outcome, it’s at the SRU and the internal politics with the clubs here which is too long a story to go into right now but I have given a glimpse into the vested interest several times.
It’s also frustration at the willingness to sign overseas players, some of them barely journeymen, and giving them game time over Scottish players and therefore missing out on the chance of developing them – you guys in countries with vast numbers of players won’t see this, but we get Kiwi lads and South African lads coming over and the assumption is that they are good because of where they come from. It’s really not always the case and we’ve had some real clunkers as players and as coaches. These guys hinder the development of players here because they come from a more competitive environment where there are huge playing numbers in comparison to Scotland. So they arrive at a more advanced stage in development than where our players are.
This is, of course, not the fault of anyone other than those who make the decisions at the Scottish Rugby Union, but if this Venter issue draws a line under the process of signing foreign project players then it’s a necessary “evil” and we should not be pouring good money after bad in terms of overseas players now. Instead we should be looking to develop the guys we have here – unfortunately at every opportunity the clubs here undermined the development pathway because they are looking after there own interests – they have no understanding that if Scotland is not competitive on the pro club and international scene, then the whole game withers and dies in Scotland.
The history of Scotland is that we have had various successful exports, none more so than our people. We’ve been moved through force due to famine and the Clearances – and more recently we’ve moved through a successful education system whilst having a small economy, hence the need to move to find work. Britain as whole has benefitted from this, as have several other countries, the knock on effect is that due to this migration we have parent and grand parent qualification in countries where Scots have emigrated towards, England and New Zealand being the main rugby countries. On the other side, we’ve offered jobs to migrants coming the other way for rugby work.
I’m happy for people to move for work, I’m still very much against Brexit
More to the point, I’m just back from the pub where I met a school friend who I don’t see nearly often enough
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” they have no understanding that if Scotland is not competitive on the pro club and international scene, then the whole game withers and dies in Scotland.”
To further this point and to outline the differences of where we stand – if international rugby stopped and the URC and Super Rugby and Not-Heineken Cup stopped, France would still have the most important tournament in French Rugby – the Top 14.
South Africa would still thrive on a heightened intensity Currie Cup. I think New Zealand would get by with their ITM? Is that what it’s called?
England would have a cub championship of sorts.
I’m sure Ireland would have the clubs and interpros, Wales? I don’t really know, but I know that rugby in Scotland would be a game played between the fee-paying schools.
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For some reason, WordPress won’t allow me to ‘Like’ your comments, Ticht. I’d like to see that list from the Stats guy – pretty subjective, and I’m sure that if Venter was that low on the list, he’d never make it to the extended training squad, never mind the actual side.
It’s become apparent that Rassie and his coaching team are looking more and more for versatile, or hybrid players that can either slot into more than position comfortably, or play in more than one way – so strong scrummaging props that can also carry, jackal, tackle etc. I’m not sure if Venter fits this mould completely, or if the coaches believe they can mould him into that. TH seems to be the exception, with the Bok philosophy being you need a rock there, who can do other stuff as a bonus.
If you look at the current Boks side, you have Jan Hendrik Wessels who can play LH or hooker, Thomas du Toit on either side of the front row, PS du Toit, Cobus Wiese, Ruan Nortje, Franco Mostert, Vincent Tshituka and Jean-Luc du Preez who are equally comfortable in the second row or back row. Andre Esterhuizen now 12 or flank, and the usual interchangeability in the backs between centres and wings etc. Even SH, with Grant Williams able to play wing. Or Kwagga Smith from back row to slotting into midfield if needed.
Not sure where this rambling crap is going, but I do see a Bok side in transition, despite so many of the old guard still around, and clearly the likes of Boan Venter are part of that picture. There’s a strong feeling (of good old Saffer paranoia andvictimhood) that World Rugby are going to neuter the scrum to kick us in the crown jewels, so we need to be ahead of that score. I think we are, and I think rugby will be poorer for it, if it does happen.
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Just on the migrant theme, we had loads of first generation Brits at school with us growing up, with a very strong Scots contingent. Their parents were generally professionals – engineers, doctors, accountants and the like. Plenty of English families too, ranging from artisans on the mines and in the power and water sectors, to technical guys in the manufacturing space and then the engineers, doctors etc as well.
Actually, in hindsight, we had loads of Europeans, some migrants from other African countries, such as the Anglophones from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Malawi etc, Germans from Namibia, but many from Germany directly in the automotive and engineering sectors, Italians stranded here after World War 2, Portuguese fleeing Angola and Mozambique on independence, Belgians from the Congo, and then also Taiwanese and Japanese investors who were given ‘Honoury White’ status (I kid you not).
France, Flair, played a key role in propping up apartheid South Africa too (you’re not getting off this one!), providing the technology for our nuclear power station, and with a wink-wink, nudge-nudge, and a blind eye, our nuclear weapons, developed with the Israelis. Our fighter jet and missile technology was French (France was the last country to impose a mandatory arms embargo on South Africa), and caused a runpus when we sold some of it to Argentina during the Falklands farango. Some of our largest dams, built to support white farmers and industry, were also built by French companies. So it’s your fault I had to spend two years in the army here.
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Deebee, here is the post on loosehead depth in South Africa, it’s not complete, but does give some idea
https://www.glasgowwarriors.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9315&p=338423&hilit=+Venter#p338423
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@ticht
I can understand the frustrations. Like Deebee, I not sure Erasmus is playing a deliberate game to damage another country – if that’s the collateral damage then I’m sure he’s ok with it.
I guess in Ireland, we had the example of Kleyn – who everyone in Munster thought should be playing for Ireland but was basically a “third rail” for Farrell after the criticism Schmidt got for picking Kleyn over Toner for RWC2019.
When Kleyn was called up for SA, it was only for the lineout info… or so we were reliably informed. Then Ireland had to over-promote a raw but promising Joe McCarthy as THL because Kleyn was persona non grata and then ineligible.
In Ireland, NIQs have been an area of controversy – do they hold back upcoming players or do they help them develop?
Munster have tried to get an NIQ TH for last few years – with injuries plus age last year the tight head ranks were Stephen Archer (37), John Ryan (36) plus a bunch of academy lads, a good SH TH would have taken the load off the older lads and provided help to the younger ones
Plus younger players in other positions can be slotted in if the scrum isn’t dissolving in front of your eyes, and older players not flogged because you need power in back 5 as it’s missing in the FR
Equally, theres the example of Jordie Barrett – brought in ostensibly to help the ‘development’ of Leinster backs – but really to get them over the line in the Heineken Cup (or whatever it’s called)
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My ranking of SA Looseheads:
Ox Nche – 30 in a couple of weeks, best in the business
Gerhard Steenekamp – 28, definitely the main back up to Ox Nche, but injured
Ntuthuko Mchunu – 26, hasn’t set the world alight yet, 3 Bok caps, but currently injured
Boan Venter – 28, uncapped, but has been doing the business in Scotland – picked on the recommendation of scrum coach Daan Human (not Rassie)
Jan-Hendrik Wessels – 24, one for the future; possibly a better future at hooker than LH, but part of Rassie’s forward planning of hybrid players
Matanzima – 27, relatively long injury list, but a very decent player. Not sure he’s a long-term Bok regular
du Toit – 30, better TH than LH, got subbed after 30 minutes of being penalised against Italy
Matongo – 23, with 6 caps for the Stormers, not ahead of anybody in the pecking order! Methinks your chap at Glasgow is getting a little ahead of himself!
Nyakane – 36, injured won’t be back in a Bok jersey
Steven Kitshoff – 33, retired due to injury, was slated to carry on for at least two more seasons
So of those, Ox is light years ahead of the competition, but the next two in the pecking order are injured, with Mchunu out for another 5 weeks and Steenekamp not certain of coming back any time soon.
I know Rassie isn’t everyone’s cup of arsenic, but he’s far from the Bond villain he’s painted as in the NH press. According to him: “We didn’t select him to block him from playing for Scotland,” Erasmus said when asked about it on Wednesday.“That didn’t have an influence. It is nicer for us to see guys like Duhan (van der Merwe) play for Scotland, because he probably would not have gotten a chance by us. So, why would you choose a guy to block him?” Erasmus said the injuries had played a massive part and Venter was the next in line. “We really went and looked at who was the next loosehead in line, and he was on our radar,” he explained. “We lost Kitsie (Steven Kitshoff), he finished, and we thought he would go on for a bit longer. Gerhard is a bit of an unknown, but with Ox, they were our top three looseheads. Yes, Thomas can play loosehead, but he plays tighthead.
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When Kleyn was called up for SA, it was only for the lineout info… or so we were reliably informed.
Except that he’s still in the mix (albeit got injured against the Barbarians a couple of weeks ago). He’s probably more of a back up option than regular though, to be honest, with Etzebeth, RG Snyman, Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert, Cobus Wiese and Ruan Nortje all ahead of him in the pecking order. And Salmaan Moerat, although he’s largely in the Stormers and Bok squads because of his family’s huge influence in rugby in the Cape, if those apparerntly in the know are to be believed! He’s a big enough unit, at 2m tall and 116kg, but packs the punch of a butterfly.
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Deebee, the proof will be in the pudding (unfortunate terminology when talking about props)
If Venter goes on to win dozens of caps then great, I’ll be genuinely delighted for him, you’ll have to take my word on the sincerity of that. I’ve been a big advocate of him since he arrived at Edinburgh. To my mind he’s been a better performer than Schoeman for us, or at least more consistent, over the last two seasons.
I will be looking forward to see what he does with a Springbok pack around him, he’s very strong in the tight and has a real knack for scoring tries – 13 and counting for Edinburgh.
If Venter is discarded as soon as the others become available then it will reflect badly on Erasmus.
Look, Venter is South African, he will have grown up dreaming of playing in that jersey, I’ve said this already. I fully understand it and I have no right to have any problem with that so I don’t.
I just hope he’s not being played for a fool. In any event, as a fully fledged Springbok he will be looking for an increased value in his next contract, so he will be moving on from Edinburgh and I’ll genuinely be sorry to see him go.
From a selfish perspective, if he’s involved in the Rugby Championship and the November Tests, Edinburgh won’t see a lot of him in the first part of the season, one of the reasons for his signing was exactly that availability.
I suppose it’s the gamble with these players.
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Ticht, as I said, Rassie called him up on the recommendation of Daan Human, the scrum coach, so I don’t think it’ll refelct badly on him one way or the other. Also, the way the Boks are developing their rotational system, you need four or five players in each system, so that they stay fresh, are up to speed with how things work in the system and can slot in anytime. It may be a luxury that few other sides have, other than perhaps France, England and Leinster, but the Bok coaches are fully aware that they need to manage player load as best they can, whilst still being competitive in every position – Venter should, in my view, become an integral part of that, with the usual levels of attrition in modern rugby.
Sad for Edinburgh for sure, not sure where he’ll end up next season. Pretty sure he’ll get a few offers down here, but not sure if our sides can afford him!
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Anyway, Wobblies side to worship the Lions:
Buffet: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 James Slipper
Dessert: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Tom Hooper, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Andrew Kellaway
The crispy mushroom is uncapped, the 2nd row looks pretty flimsy, the front row won’t scare anyone (maybe the stadium turf will wince at scrum time as they faceplant), the loose trio are okay, halfbacks bog standard, midfield a lovely welcoming party for Huwipulotu, and back three lack magic. Other than that, it’s the strongest Wallaby side I’ve seen in a while.
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Aren’t the Bulls part-owned by a couple of billionaires? The Sharks don’t seem to be short of a bob or two, given their playing resources.
By the way, I’m not suggesting the only reason Venter was called up was to block him playing for another team, I’m suggesting that I can see Erasmus and the others having a bit of a chuckle about the consequence of selecting Venter and not really caring if he isn’t playing for them this time next year.
I am as certain as I can be that, fitness permitting, Venter would have an international career stretching over at least two world cups with Scotland.
On the other hand, if Venter does end up a two or three cap wonder he will be invaluable to a club team as he’ll never be called away on international duty.
I can see him making a fortune in France.
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A lot of Welsh people (and others) very angry on social media, about Morgan being left out.
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@Refit – I don’t see any need to get upset about it – there’s always going to be a strong chance of not getting anyone into the test side if only two of them make the squad in the first place (which was fair enough) and one of them gets injured straight away.
There seems to be a feeling online that Morgan (and Van der Flier for that matter) have outperformed Curry on tour, I wouldn’t have a clue as I’ve only been watching highlights. In any case it’s fair enough if Farrell picks players he rates as the best regardless of how they’ve gone in the warm ups – there’s always nonsense talked about everyone having an equal chance. I do raise a slight eyebrow at the English pundits calling it ‘pedigree over form’ when Van der Flier has had at least as successful and longer career so far as Curry, but hey ho.
Think it’s quite funny that a lot has been said about the strength in depth in the back row and how it’s the most competitive part of the squad and then the selection is the only proper number 8 they took, a second row and a guy who apparently hasn’t played well yet (though very likely will).
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Quite relieved if I don’t have to hear Squidge’s increasingly eccentric pronunciation of ‘Morgan’ again for a while. Though I should really stop watching his videos (and any other Lions ones) anyway.
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Ben O’Keefe is the ref on Saturday. He reffed a previous game on the tour where he didn’t give a single breakdown penalty (for either side). Just wondering if they decided against MorGAN for that reason, maybe protect him a bit.
Or the above could be just total crap.
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@BB – It’s certainly believable that who the ref is might come into the equation. Though if whoever starts the first test goes well you would expect them to then keep the shirt.
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And you can cut out the silly pronunciation yourself. Harrumph!
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I feel the back row selection for the Lions is the most controversial, Conan has been okay but Beirne and Curry are way off their best, the others in the squad have been playing better, imo, especially MorGAN.
There are a lot of talented players in the 6 to 8 shirts who didn’t make the squad and I would understand if they were more than a bit pissed off.
I’ve felt a little deflated by the whole thing tbh, there has been talk of the best players not being available to the sides the Lions have played so far – Argentina showed what can happen to a scratch side against a well-organised team – Aus may well have missed a trick and the Lions could be going into he first test on the back of a couple of defeats and with confidence very low.
However, all will be well if Saturday produces a proper test match, ie very close and high quality rugby on show.
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@Ticht – Being more serious I completely agree that some of the back row players left out of the squad completely are very unlucky indeed. Three Scottish ones for starters. I do find the selection rather peculiar though especially with regard to some of the hype.
As for MorGAN, please beHAVE yourself. It’s really driving me up the wall, is he doing it for a bet or something?
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CMW, I’ve no idea, I don’t watch squidge videos, it was a bit of devilment on my part – I enjoyed your annoyance at the pronunciation :-)
Seriously though, Tom Curry isn’t even the best back row from his childhood home right now, let alone better than other brothers such as the Willis pair.
Before the squad selection I argued elsewhere in favour of Refell and Wainwright (about whom I was happy to be proved wrong, having not rating him at first).
Ritchie was very unlucky to not make the tour, I’m not as big a fan of Darge as others, I just don’t think he has made his mark consistently at the international level – the Scottish backrow showing the best form in the weeks immediately before the Lions selection was, imo, Hamish Watson
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@Ticht – I’ve been impressed with Darge whenever I’ve seen him and I thought Fagerson was having a good season too – did he get injured though? Ritchie could easily be in the starting line-up for me.
I don’t think Reffell has the kind of oomph that the guys who got selected bring though he does do well on the turnovers front when the refs allow it, can’t think that he was even close to going. Wainwright I would like to have seen playing in a better side, but so it goes.
What happened with Hamish W – is he not in the Scotland reckoning any more?
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Also, I’ve read a lot about the Lions’ inability at the breakdown and how they have to be better at turnovers.
The ropiness at the breakdown has been more about the attack rather defence, ie the clearing out when in possession rather than the pilfering of opposition ball in a ruck.
For me that’s a coaching issue.
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CMW, nah, Hamish isn’t in the reckoning for Scotland now, he never really regained his best form after the last Lions tour – a mix of injuries and other players overtaking him – Darge, Ritchie, Fagerson, Onyeama-Christie, Bayliss, Gregor Brown (Glasgow), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh) would all probably be ahead of him now, despite recent form.
Scotland have a young guy called Freddy Douglas who is also a 7, he is a special player. The difference in our set up and elsewhere is that Douglas outplayed Henry Pollock (also Scottish qualified through two Scottish parents) when they went head to head in the under 20s.
Pollock has done brilliantly on the Lions tour and Douglas has one full cap and is with our Under20s in Italy, struggling to get a start behind three or four players at Edinburgh.
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Darge is exactly the same age (four days younger) as Connor Boyle, Boyle was considered to be the better of the two so when Glasgow were hit with injuries, Darge was moved over and immediately became a first team starter and very soon after he became a Scotland starter and soon after that, Scotland captain.
Boyle is still struggling to get a game for Edinburgh, behind (over the years) many Scottish internationals
At the moment in our academy and on semi-pro contracts we (Edinburgh) have the Scotland starting U20s captain (Douglas) the starting 6 Ollie Duncan, as well as last year’s 6 and 8 in Tom Currie and Liam McConnell.
In a good system you would hear of these players in a year or two and see them as contenders for the next Lions tour.
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I remember Douglas from the Wales U20s game – a combination of him and some stupid sendings off sank our lot in what was otherwise a really good tournament for them. He was outstanding in that game, man of the match by miles.
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Scotland managing to hold off Samoa so far. 0-0 after 5 minutes.
No, I’m not actually watching – following the Beeb commentary.
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Scotland (Ashman) drive over from a lineout maul. Who needs Boan Venter? 0-5, with the conversion missed.
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Thought I’d watch the Samoa game on Iplayer. Site online says it started at 8.00am, only just appeared on the site. Somebody forgot to turn it on. Missed our first try.
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Saw our second one though.
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0-12, as Scotland score again, this time Rory Hutchinson goes over.
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Third try for Scotland! Scrum right in front of the posts (we’ve been smashing them at the scrum), ball out, long pass to Reed and over.
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