2014 Six Nations: Scotland vs England (Round 2)

[Tony Manx]

I find it very hard to feel sorry for Scotland after Saturday because:

They march 2 large bands onto an already knackered pitch just before the game.

They waste money on all that Braveheart/fire works/artillery guns crap when they should be investing it in something more worthwhile like say a 3rd region.

Booing kickers doesnt normally bother me but if your going to do it then do it everyone not just ours.

They pick crap players.

They pick crap coaches.

and just a small point before kick off its tradition to have the flags of both nations on the pitch. At Murryfield there were 2 flags on the pitch....both were crosses of St Andrews.

Instead of making this big effort and show to try and upset your opponents and tap into some Anti English crap you could just try and beat us at Rugby!

Am afraid their tribalism, unlike many other countries, is not restricted to the playing fields (a la the booing of the kicker or even the poor rendition of Sweet Chariot) but is endemic in life in Scotland where several friends who have been moved there by business demands have been openly ostracised for being English and this, as a half Scot, saddens me as it demonstrates what can only be a terrible insecurity in their national trait...................

 

[Crapspray]

I think you're overplaying it a bit. As an Englishman who's lived in Scotland for seven years, the vast majority don't really care; it's only the mouthbreathers who make all the noise. They also seem to fill Murrayfield with a lot of adolescents, who are a bit more impetuous with their nationalism. And I'd rather they have the bands march over the pitch than some American-style bint warble out God Save The Queen/Flower of Scotland- somewhat misunderstanding the point of a national anthem.

The only anti-English thing that is fairly common is anyone-but-England, as was evidenced in the pub last week for the France game. Still, I enjoyed a quiet drink this weekend...

On the rugby side, I don't think -aside from Johnson- they've picked bad coaches. Andy Robinson was no slouch (you could see his frustration every time they played) and Cotter's a good coach too. The main problem is restricting their clubs to the central belt, which is the football heartlands of Scotland. Lowlands/Highlands would have created wider appeal.

 

[Toby Sweeney]

Not sure what you mean by that, Nowell is really strong for his size.

I just think he's saying he's just not up to this level, we really need someone good on the right wing because Nowell is definitely not the answer.

 

[ratsapprentice]

What aspects of his game are not up to this level?

He's been fantastic imo.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

this has shocked me http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...d-should-be-told-to-shape-up-or-ship-out.html

 

[Toby Sweeney]

What aspects of his game are not up to this level?

He's been fantastic imo.

I don't think you can put a winger in England team that hasn't scored a premiership try, he's a competent tackler but underwhelming in any other facet of the game....

 

[Crapspray]

Alex Goode has scored four, therefore is a better player.

Discuss.

(Hint: Alex Goode is ****)

 

[McTallshort]

Which bit shocked you?

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Rats remember that Sarracens fans set EXTREMELY high standards, especially in the backs - they don't sign players on unless they have the sort of X factor which Strettle, Tomkins etc clearly have...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

BS.
He has all the skills, the only question mark I'd have would be his decision making at times. This comes with experience, and he looked better vs Scotland than vs France, and I'd back him to improve if selected next round too.
I still think he's the best option we have there, at the moment, though I wouldn't be adverse to Watson getting a run out.


That Telegraph article is a load of tosh. Only read the first two paragraphs but the author sounds a right arsehead.

Rats remember that Sarracens fans set EXTREMELY high standards, especially in the backs - they don't sign players on unless they have the sort of X factor which Strettle, Tomkins etc clearly have...

 

[ratsapprentice]

He doesn't score that many tries, but he does put teams in a considerably better position to score them from.
It's all a matter of balance.

What does Jack Nowell bring to this England team...

- He makes yards, beats defenders and makes breaks.
- He has a strong defence and kicking game

Not scoring =/= not contributing to tries.

 

[samxara]

 

[j'nuh]

He doesn't score that many tries, but he does put teams in a considerably better position to score them from.
It's all a matter of balance.

What does Jack Nowell bring to this England team...

- He makes yards, beats defenders and makes breaks.
- He has a strong defence and kicking game

Not scoring =/= not contributing to tries.

You say that, but Yarde/Wade can create and score tries. If Nowell doesn't prove that he's a try-scorer, I think that'll be the difference in why he isn't selected.

I mean, sure, you can be a good winger and not score too many tries. But top wingers score tries, and we should be aiming for having top wingers.

 

[Draggs]

Rats remember that Sarracens fans set EXTREMELY high standards, especially in the backs - they don't sign players on unless they have the sort of X factor which Strettle, Tomkins etc clearly have...

There is, after all, something special about the Saracens.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

To be fair Nowell is a good finisher.
Two games isn't long enough to start worrying about his lack of try scoring. He's scored for Exeter, just not in the premiership yet - it's not the end of the world.
I reckon he's a good chance, if he keeps starting, of bagging one by the end of the 6N. He's increasingly popping up in the right places.

 

[ratsapprentice]

That's not strictly true, he scored two tries in the premiership for Exeter last season.
I agree that a winger should score tries, IMO him not scoring for Exeter this season is just how the cookie has crumbled, so to speak.
He wasn't previously a winger and he's only ever played 16 Premiership games after all.
Importantly, there isn't anything to suggest he can't score tries.

I think most people see him as a FB long term anyway.

 

[Dougydeluxe]

Uggghhhh Scotland.

That is all I have to say.

Please drop Ford and also bring back Brown.

 

[Amiga500]

And why are those resources so limited? Because the SFU are more interested in putting on a nationalistic anti-English pre match show to keep his Lordship Salmon happy than investing some time, money and effort into the Scottish club game.

Get real.

A few tens of thousands on the pre-match will go nowhere when it comes to a professional team. You might hire one coach. Given the SRU need to get every punter in the door and the team are *****e they need to try and keep them attending - pre match crap like that of which you speak is a way of doing it.


I agree that the SRU and Scottish rugby in general need to stop the excuses and sort their game out. You cannot run a Tier 1 national team on two professional sides. They need to sort that conundrum out. Fast.

What was the average Border Reiver attendance in their existence anyone? Was it miles off where it needed to be or was the Murrayfield redevelopment money drain forcing the SRUs hand badly?

 

[Peat]

Can't find official figures but google says the SRU were GBP23m in hock at the time (...ouch) and average crowds are being reported as anywhere from c4,500 odd to 1,200. So... both. Don't know what Caledonia were getting.

I'm not sure there would be the players there to sustain three Scottish professional sides. They are in one hell of a bind.

 

[McTallshort]

Get real.

A few tens of thousands on the pre-match will go nowhere when it comes to a professional team. You might hire one coach. Given the SRU need to get every punter in the door and the team are *****e they need to try and keep them attending - pre match crap like that of which you speak is a way of doing it.


I agree that the SRU and Scottish rugby in general need to stop the excuses and sort their game out. You cannot run a Tier 1 national team on two professional sides. They need to sort that conundrum out. Fast.

What was the average Border Reiver attendance in their existence anyone? Was it miles off where it needed to be or was the Murrayfield redevelopment money drain forcing the SRUs hand badly?

I would say it cost more than that Amiga but perhaps I do embellish things...

What really sticks in my throat about this whole thing is Scottish rugby seems to have lost its dignity, I grew watching players like JJ, Rob Wainwright, Gavin Hastings, Dodie Weir with coaches like Tim Telfer. The games were intense but 1990 aside it was about rugby and the Scots took pride in doing their talking on the pitch. Now they have a team a journeymen coached by a useless wisecracking Aussie playing on a crap pitch which the SRFU decide to march 2 bands up and down before kick off. The crowd as per usual were subjected to the normal braveheart crap and then they even refuse to have the Cross of St George on the pitch. Its petty and disrespectful and for all that bluster they cannot even score a point. Its time the people involved in Scottish rugby took a long hard look in the mirror and realised how stupid they look.

As for the professional game itself I think the best thing they could do is bin the current franchises and invest in an Argentinian model of a semi pro league. The rugby in the borders is still played at a very high level and thats were the future of Scottish rugby still lies.