[2017 Six Nations] - Scotland

[Saint4805]

6N squad to be announced this morning. Really hope Ali Price gets a chance at scrum half, particularly against Wales if we lose the first match.

On a side note, I see Aaron Cruden has signed for Montpellier but am sure Vern played no part in that and is fully focused on the task in hand

 

[Saint4805]

Forwards: Alex Allan (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Berghan (Edinburgh Rugby), Allan Dell (Edinburgh Rugby), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby), Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors), Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons), Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Toulouse), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby), John Barclay (Scarlets), Cornell Du Preez (Edinburgh Rugby), John Hardie (Edinburgh Rugby), Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)

Backs: Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Weir (Edinburgh Rugby), Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Huw Jones, Matt Scott (Gloucester), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Tim Visser (Harlequins)

 

[Geordie]

Great to see Jon Welsh in there....and thoroughly deserved, He has been so good and consistent! Not too mention he's as good on the LH as he is on the TH!

Just need to work on finishing off his linebreaks

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

That Scottish team has huge amounts of potential.

Maybe looking at V Ireland
1) Reid
2) Brown
3) Nel
4) R.Gray
5) J.Gray
6) Barclay
7) Watson
8) Strauss
9) Laidlaw
10) Russell
11) Maitland
12) Dunbar
13) Bennett
14) Seymour
15) Hogg

16) Ford
17) Dell/Welsh
18) Fagerson
20) Swainson
21) Hardie/Harley
22) Price
23) Weir
24) Huw Jones (has he played since AI's?)

 

[ncurd]

6th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 6th, 3rd! (only 2 wins mind...), 5th, 6th, 4th

The only time Scotland managed a positive win/loss ratio in the 6 Nations era was 2006 where they won 3 games out of 5 as opposed to 0, 1 or 2.

I say this every year I'll believe in a Scottish resurgence when they actually win games. That means beating more than just Italy and A N Other, get to third on the table and win 3 games and I'll belive.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

6th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 6th, 3rd! (only 2 wins mind...), 5th, 6th, 4th

The only time Scotland managed a positive win/loss ratio in the 6 Nations era was 2006 where they won 3 games out of 5 as opposed to 0, 1 or 2.

I say this every year I'll believe in a Scottish resurgence when they actually win games. That means beating more than just Italy and A N Other, get to third on the table and win 3 games and I'll belive.

With you here, losing to Scotland means you're bad.

The team Tigs posted is ok. I'd have three of them as better than their opposite number in the Irish XV so anything other than a win in Murrayfield is unacceptable, is not expecting to hammer a team a sign of their progress? Probably but nothing too significant.

 

[Saint4805]

That Scottish team has huge amounts of potential.

Maybe looking at V Ireland
1) Reid
2) Brown
3) Nel
4) R.Gray
5) J.Gray
6) Barclay
7) Watson
8) Strauss
9) Laidlaw
10) Russell
11) Maitland
12) Dunbar
13) Bennett
14) Seymour
15) Hogg

16) Ford
17) Dell/Welsh
18) Fagerson
20) Swainson
21) Hardie/Harley
22) Price
23) Weir
24) Huw Jones (has he played since AI's?)

Not bad.

Personally I think Bennett is a bit light weight to be facing Ireland and might be tempted to go with Duncan Taylor or Huw Jones if he's match fit. Swinson was MOTM against Munster last week and would be unlucky to lose out to R Gray. Would love to see Price start ahead of Laidlaw but it won't happen. Hopefully Nel is fit but he didn't last long at the weekend and will have to wait for the scan results.

 

[j'nuh]

Scott has 12 tries in 17 games for Gloucester (really 18, but one of them he only appeared for 6 minutes so I discounted it), could be in with a shout? (Not sure how the others are doing.)

 

[Jockstap]

Not bad.

Personally I think Bennett is a bit light weight to be facing Ireland and might be tempted to go with Duncan Taylor or Huw Jones if he's match fit. Swinson was MOTM against Munster last week and would be unlucky to lose out to R Gray. Would love to see Price start ahead of Laidlaw but it won't happen. Hopefully Nel is fit but he didn't last long at the weekend and will have to wait for the scan results.

He'll be up against Ringrose who's probably smaller than him.

 

[Saint4805]

He'll be up against Ringrose who's probably smaller than him.

If that's true he'd also have to get through some other pretty big units given Ireland's solid defensive set up. It might well be our most brutal test of the tournament.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ringrose is an inch taller and 2kg heavier.

 

[Saint4805]

Scott has 12 tries in 17 games for Gloucester (really 18, but one of them he only appeared for 6 minutes so I discounted it), could be in with a shout? (Not sure how the others are doing.)

He's certainly in form and in with a shout. He has also played with Dunbar before so there is familiarity. Guess VC will get a good look at him in training. It's a pity we are over furnished with centres and less so in other positions.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Worth mentioning that Jones is listed as being only 1kg bigger than Bennett, and Taylor only 2kg bigger (although that does seem wrong).

 

[Jockstap]

True but he'd also have to get through some other pretty big units too. It might well be our most brutal test of the tournament.

Ireland's pack is pretty big but the backline are hardly monsters, Scotlands backs are probably the same size or bigger.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

That Scottish team has huge amounts of potential.

Maybe looking at V Ireland
1) Reid
2) Brown
3) Nel
4) R.Gray
5) J.Gray
6) Barclay
7) Watson
8) Strauss
9) Laidlaw
10) Russell
11) Maitland
12) Dunbar
13) Bennett
14) Seymour
15) Hogg

16) Ford
17) Dell/Welsh
18) Fagerson
20) Swainson
21) Hardie/Harley
22) Price
23) Weir
24) Huw Jones (has he played since AI's?)

I dunno. Maybe. Honestly I think you could be overrating them

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ringrose is an inch taller and 2kg heavier.

Wouldn't be the first man to Lie about being an inch bigger.

 

[Jockstap]

Ringrose is an inch taller and 2kg heavier.

And Sean Cronin is 5'11.5 inches , I've learned from experience that Irish player stats are complete nonsense. If you really think Gary Ringrose is 92 kg I can't really say much else.

 

[Groundhog]

Much of a muchness for size, but anyway, defending Ringrose with big lumps is probably not the way to do it because Ringrose is seriously quick, runs very deceptive lines not to mention the fact that we run a lot of loop and skip plays which look to get around big lumpy centres so a bit of pace in the 13 channel would be useful.
Swinson really impressed me last weekend. Never thought much of Richie, and despite the fact I know he's a good player, Johnnie Gray certainly went MIA against us the three times we played Glasgow this season. Decent pack, Scotland have the makings of a good, if slightly thin team.

 

[Saint4805]

Would love to see Huw Jones up against Ringrose. Both great prospects. Jones is strong, good in defence and has lightning feet. Could be a great match up.

 

[Groundhog]

Only thing is that Ringrose is coming hot off his European form and playing great, while Jones plays in the Southern Hemisphere and hasn't played since the AIs. Scot's should look to bring him home to have him 6 Nations ready. Must be an eventuality.