[2014 EOYT] Scotland vs New Zealand

[Big Ewis]

Location: Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland
Ref: Romain Poite (France)
Date: November 15th 2014
​

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

i just hope the result is not a thrashing one like previous times i want scotland to atleast give the all blacks a fright, i know this year it wont be scotland first win against the all blacks so i'd be happy if we atleast put up a good fight.

 

[goodNumber10]

honestly i think it'll be a 30 point game, with a good showing by scotland in the first half and tailing off in the second - the biggest issue is if scotland get injuries in the backs.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

i'm hoping the all blacks doesn't score over 40 points but that will probably happen.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

So Conrad Smith has returned home due to a family matter but is expected to be back for the match against Wales. Furthermore Brodie Retallick is injured and Dom Bird has been called into the squad, though the extent of the injury is currently unknown.

It will be interesting to see who gets rested in this match. Hansen and co have avoided making many changes in the past, but they seem to have gotten a bit more open to experimentation lately.

I see no reason why the team from the USA match isn't mostly reinstated. Romano needs some game time, perhaps he will get a run here alongside either Whitelock or Tuipulotu. Cane will almost certainly start, but does that mean McCaw will get another rest, or will he be moved to 6 or 8? Messam hasn't started on this tour yet, does he deserve a run? Carter will almost certainly start, who will be the reserve flyhalf? Will SBW and Fekitoa form the midfield, or will Crotty get a start (one he certainly deserves).

There are lots of questions!!!

 

[Eyesack_P]

I doubt very much this will be the line up but I would love to see it.

Back 3 - savea/smith/piutau

Mid field - Carter/sonny/fekitoa

Richie & Sam cane at 6&7

 

[nzlizard]

Backs I'd like to see

Smith
Carter
Savea
SBW
Fekitoa
Piutau
B Smith

Would be good to see Cane get game time upfront also.

 

[nickdnz]

I really hope to see Carter start. After scoring 29 tries at lest level...from memory his last try was at Murrayfield in 2010...

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

for scotland i wouldn't change much from the last game just drop Jim Hamilton all together and call in Tim Swinson, and maybe have Visser in somewhere too

 

[Icemn]

6.Messam 7.Cane 8.King Richard... maybe swop Messam and King Richard around and have Messam on 8...

9. Pere
10. DC
11. Piutau
12. SBW
13. Malakai (i'd love to see Malakai on 12 and SBW on 13)
14. ????
15. BS

or

9. Pere
10. DC
11. Piutau
12. Crotty
13. SBW
14. Malakai
15. BS

 

[nzlizard]

6.Messam 7.Cane 8.King Richard... maybe swop Messam and King Richard around and have Messam on 8...

9. Pere
10. DC
11. Piutau
12. SBW
13. Malakai (i'd love to see Malakai on 12 and SBW on 13)
14. ????
15. BS

or

9. Pere
10. DC
11. Piutau
12. Crotty
13. SBW
14. Malakai
15. BS

No Savea?

 

[TheSaffycen]

I think Scotland in the first half will have alot of energy and power, and will be within 7 points of NZ. Then I think that NZ will pull away around the 60 mark and it will result in around a 20-30 point game. The problem for Scotland is that Argentina just gave away so many penalties it made it easy to get points on the board. NZ wont give away a huge amount and though their attack has improved Scotland will get probably 2 chances for tries and NZ have the best defence in the world.

 

[Jack Reacher]

I don't think there will be wholesale changes - Hansen doesn't want to wade into Graham Henry Rotation territory! Carter to start due to form if nothing else, Crotty at 13, Piatau is deserved of a start and whatever injuries the fowards come away with

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/29985058 abit optimistic but i suppose there is no point having a friendly without trying to have a chance of winning

 

[Larksea]

ha yeah that's optimistic.

From an All Black perspective we played badly last weekend. Lacked cohesion and goal goal kicking was poor, frustrated by poor refereeing. Two critical periods to seal the win, one with Coles in the bin winning that 10min 3-0 and somehow pulling it all together for a ~24 phase drive ending with a try in poor conditions. Much of the rest of the game was fairly ugly.

That will give them a lot to work on this week. They normally respond well after games like that.

selections are going to be interesting. SBW was a surprise and he's played bloody well, actually been a standout player in both games. I guess you would expect them to stick with him and with Conrad out that means a change is forced at 13.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

After last weekend I have the Scots as World Champions next year to be honest... Probably in 2019 as well unless there's a huge shift in World Rugby!

 

[g6mcg]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/29985058 abit optimistic but i suppose there is no point having a friendly without trying to have a chance of winning

I honestly doubt that even at our best we could beat New Zealand at their worst. Hopefully we can back up last week's performance - obviously it's hard to play well against a side so good at the breakdown, but hopefully we can make the game competitive, if not the scoreline.

Still, I'm sure I had similar thoughts before those games against South Africa and Australia

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

I honestly doubt that even at our best we could beat New Zealand at their worst. Hopefully we can back up last week's performance - obviously it's hard to play well against a side so good at the breakdown, but hopefully we can make the game competitive, if not the scoreline.

Still, I'm sure I had similar thoughts before those games against South Africa and Australia

i'm sure that scotland will throw everything at the all blacks, i remember back in 2012 we were actually winning at a point against them (not for very long ) we scored that try because we put dan carter into alot off pressure to force him to pass it and matt scott was there to get the intercept. So 'if' we are going to win then we need to stay very strong in defence and scotland showed strong defence against argentina so its not 100 % impossible and its also more the fact if we can keep it up for the full 80 minutes.

 

[Jbobo]

Really hope Scotland can stand up to the All Blacks. The Scottish back three look really dangerous and have some serious class, good luck lads!

 

[Mikel92]

I don't think Scotland will be easy beats or just lay down, that's for sure. Vern Cotter at the helm, he's no idiot. And looking at Scotland's 6 nations results: Giving France a good run at home, England putting 20 points on them (i thought it'd be more). At home it seems like they can hold their own and are very respectable. Maybe still some troubles with playing away? Anyway, some tinkering needs to be done: for injuries, and for preparing for the World Cup.

My team:

1) Crockett
2) Coles
3) Moody
4) Tuipolotou
5) Whitelock
6) Messam
7) Cane
8) Kaino
9) A. Smith
10) Carter
11) Savea
12) SBW
13) Crotty
14) Piutau
15) B. Smith

I guess it's debateable. I'd like to see a match where neither McCaw or Read are playing. That's a possibility in next year's world cup, not having either of them (let's not even think about it!). I would have liked to have started Faumuina but word has it he's off shortly, so if he's gonna bugger off then why bother. Dagg and Cruden had forgetable matches last week. But I wouldn't mind the selectors continuing to give SBW game time. I think the selectors will make some of the changes I've picked, but in other areas they may differ. Carter to return? Hopefully.