Samoa v Scotland.

[davidpalmer]

Someone is gonna get hurt!
I would stick with the side that beat Fiji except for 2 changes;

Hogg,
Lamont for Evans,
De Luca,
Scott,
Visser,
Laidlaw,
Cusiter for Blair,
Grant,
Ford,
Murray,
Kellock,
Gray,
Strokosch,
Rennie,
Barclay ....not sure who to replace him with......

P.S Can' get to the games at Murryfield any more (live in Norfolk) so selling my class A debentures (expire 2045).
South stand S11 seats T11 and T12. £500 (or £950 the pair) each to genuine fans only please (get ready for 10 questions on Scottish rugby to prove ur a fan). They are worth about £850 each. They cost £1200 each new in 1995.

 

[caz1314]

What channel is the game being shown? Not too bothered about seeing it live as its going to be early but would like to see it some time

 

[davidpalmer]

just watched the fiji game on youtube (a bit late I know). I don't see any improvement. Flattering score line...depressing. I should not have watched it. Stuck with the dellusion that we had improved. If that was a stronger team we would have had our head handed to us on a platter. Way too many defensive errors. Visser may have scored 2 very ordinary tries for a winger but defensively he was a nightmare. At least 2 occasions he aimed at the fijian he though would get the ball, head down and took him out not noticing that the ball had already moved on. Nope, scotland have to go back to junior rugby for a couple of weeks and learn how to hold on to the ball and support in contact (it's basic stuff and we have lost a grip on if for the last 5 or 6 yrs). Have not seen the australia game. Please tell me it was better than that. Deluca actually did have a good game, so did laidlaw but seriously not impressed. PLay like that against samoa and we are going to get skelped.

Gray, Visser and Scott really need to sort themselves out defensively. Cusiter way better than Blair but still no Gary Armstrong. We did achieve some nice open rugby on ocassion but at points it was more about making the ball move than giving the attack any direction.

P.S Can' get to the games at Murryfield any more (live in Norfolk) so selling my class A debentures (expire 2045).
South stand S11 seats T11 and T12. £500 each to genuine fans only please (get ready for 10 questions on Scottish rugby to prove ur a fan). They are worth about £850 each. They cost £1200 each new in 1995.

 

[psychic duck]

What channel is the game being shown? Not too bothered about seeing it live as its going to be early but would like to see it some time

pretty much every single international game goes on YouTube these days

just watched the fiji game on youtube (a bit late I know). I don't see any improvement. Flattering score line...depressing. I should not have watched it. Stuck with the dellusion that we had improved. If that was a stronger team we would have had our head handed to us on a platter. Way too many defensive errors. Visser may have scored 2 very ordinary tries for a winger but defensively he was a nightmare. At least 2 occasions he aimed at the fijian he though would get the ball, head down and took him out not noticing that the ball had already moved on. Nope, scotland have to go back to junior rugby for a couple of weeks and learn how to hold on to the ball and support in contact (it's basic stuff and we have lost a grip on if for the last 5 or 6 yrs). Have not seen the australia game. Please tell me it was better than that. Deluca actually did have a good game, so did laidlaw but seriously not impressed. PLay like that against samoa and we are going to get skelped.

Gray, Visser and Scott really need to sort themselves out defensively. Cusiter way better than Blair but still no Gary Armstrong. We did achieve some nice open rugby on ocassion but at points it was more about making the ball move than giving the attack any direction.

P.S Can' get to the games at Murryfield any more (live in Norfolk) so selling my class A debentures (expire 2045).
South stand S11 seats T11 and T12. £500 each to genuine fans only please (get ready for 10 questions on Scottish rugby to prove ur a fan). They are worth about £850 each. They cost £1200 each new in 1995.

I can't agree with that, Scotland were in control of that Fiji match and took advantage of the Fijian traditional ineptitude at the scrum scoring a penalty try and two penalties from it and a set up for a try with it, the searing heat was also a factor in the defensive errors which made the game more loose

I wouldn't be so negative about the Scottish defence, to be honest the defence is one of Scotland's stronger points, also Cusiter is not "way better" than Blair, throughout their careers I have thought it always pretty even and then just pick the one on best form

 

[caz1314]

pretty much every single international game goes on YouTube these days

For it to get on YouTube surely it would be taken off a channel somewhere?

 

[Feicarsinn]

I'd say it's fairly unlikely to be on TV to be honest, the Fiji game wasn't either. However, the Fiji rugby union put a stream up on their website I think, I'd imagine that something similar may be done. I'll have a look round for you.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Just scanned through the listings on Sky Sports and it's not on there, not even mentioned in the highlights show blurb either :huh:

 

[psychic duck]

I just checked, the game is certainly not on TV

 

[Melhor Time]

Forget about tv.. it will be live on the internet. I watched Fiji vs Scotland live last weekend on my computer. Then Arg vs France 20 hours latter.....

 

[Sam Owen]

Internet it is.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

I'd say it's fairly unlikely to be on TV to be honest, the Fiji game wasn't either. However, the Fiji rugby union put a stream up on their website I think, I'd imagine that something similar may be done. I'll have a look round for you.

Fiji game was on ESPN

 

[retardedgenius]

though i read somewhere that it was on sky sports?

 

[caz1314]

I'd say it's fairly unlikely to be on TV to be honest, the Fiji game wasn't either. However, the Fiji rugby union put a stream up on their website I think, I'd imagine that something similar may be done. I'll have a look round for you.

ESPN showed it live then later on at 14:00

Anyone got a link for the game then?

 

[davidpalmer]

pretty much every single international game goes on YouTube these days



I can't agree with that, Scotland were in control of that Fiji match and took advantage of the Fijian traditional ineptitude at the scrum scoring a penalty try and two penalties from it and a set up for a try with it, the searing heat was also a factor in the defensive errors which made the game more loose

I wouldn't be so negative about the Scottish defence, to be honest the defence is one of Scotland's stronger points, also Cusiter is not "way better" than Blair, throughout their careers I have thought it always pretty even and then just pick the one on best form

Yes, I should'nt be so negative. A win is a win and it was by a healthy margin. Reading the web chatter I had come away with the impression that we were a much improved side but that is just not the case.
Were we in control. Personally, I think we only controlled parts of the game.Yes the forwards did dominate and did a cracking jod in the set piece. However, we conceded 3 penalaties in the first 9mins of the game and we did'nt get out our half for 20mins. At half time we were 11-27 to the good and Fiji came back at us to leave the score 25-27 with only 10mins to go. So, we controlled, in my opinion only 30mins of the game.

Defensive errors like that are common place in the Scottish side, in almost every game I have watched (barr a few outstanding defensive displays) and they occur in all kinds of weather.

When it comes to distribution and decision making, yes I think Cusiter and Blair are pretty even but Blair never takes any risks. Neither of them are a Gary Armstrong but if Cusiter sees a wee gap he's off. I know Cusiter has had a few howlers but a bit of unpredictable flair every now and then, even if it doesn't come off, takes it in my book every time. Blair is too vanilla and the bigger teams read him like a book.

P.S Can' get to the games at Murryfield any more (live in Norfolk) so selling my class A debentures (expire 2045).
South stand S11 seats T11 and T12. £500 each to genuine fans only please (get ready for 10 questions on Scottish rugby to prove ur a fan). They are worth about £850 each. They cost £1200 each new in 1995.

 

[Darwin]

Scotland: S Hogg (Glasgow); S Lamont (Scarlets), N De Luca (Edinburgh), M Scott (Edinburgh), T Visser (Edinburgh); G Laidlaw (Edinburgh), C Cusiter (Glasgow); R Grant (Glasgow), R Ford (C) (Glasgow), E Murray (Newcastle), A Kellock (Glasgow), R Gray (Glasgow), A Strokosch (Gloucester), R Rennie (Edinburgh), R Vernon (Sale)

Replacements: S Lawson (London Irish), G Cross (Edinburgh), T Ryder (Glasgow), R Harley (Glasgow), M Blair (Brive), D Weir (Glasgow), M Evans (Castres)

 

[psychic duck]

Samoa team

1. Zak Taulafo
2. Ti'i Paulo
3. Cencus Johnston
4. Fa'atiga Lemalu
5. Daniel Crichton
6. Ben Masoe
7. Maurie Fa'asavalu
8. Kane Thompson
9. Kahn Fotuali'i
10. Tusi Pisi
11. David Lemi (captain)
12. Paul Williams
13. Fautua Otto
14. Paul Perez
15. Fa'atoina Autagavaia

16. Ole Avei
17. Logovi'i Mulipola
18. Joe Tekori
19. Afa Aiono
20. Jeremy Su'a
21. Ki Anufe
22. Lolo Lui


can't help thinking that they may regret leaving Mapusua and Tuilagi out for political reasons, Mapusua in particular would have boosted that backlien

 

[lucky number 7]

Samoa team

1. Zak Taulafo
2. Ti'i Paulo
3. Cencus Johnston
4. Fa'atiga Lemalu
5. Daniel Crichton
6. Ben Masoe
7. Maurie Fa'asavalu
8. Kane Thompson
9. Kahn Fotuali'i
10. Tusi Pisi
11. David Lemi (captain)
12. Paul Williams
13. Fautua Otto
14. Paul Perez
15. Fa'atoina Autagavaia

16. Ole Avei
17. Logovi'i Mulipola
18. Joe Tekori
19. Afa Aiono
20. Jeremy Su'a
21. Ki Anufe
22. Lolo Lui


can't help thinking that they may regret leaving Mapusua and Tuilagi out for political reasons, Mapusua in particular would have boosted that backlien

I'm unaware of the political reasons for their omission what's the story with that?

 

[ZeFrenchy]

P.S Can' get to the games at Murryfield any more (live in Norfolk) so selling my class A debentures (expire 2045).
South stand S11 seats T11 and T12. £500 each to genuine fans only please (get ready for 10 questions on Scottish rugby to prove ur a fan). They are worth about £850 each. They cost £1200 each new in 1995.

I like your way of doing business.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm unaware of the political reasons for their omission what's the story with that?

I believe its because they backed up Schwalger after the WC when he wrote that piece about how incompetent the coaches/staff/whatever were.


Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk 2

 

[psychic duck]

I'm unaware of the political reasons for their omission what's the story with that?

http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on...samoa-suffering-internecine-warfare-1-2360022

In brief summary:

1. Officials from the Samoan Rugby Union were "highly unprofessional, disappeared for days on end during drinking binges and treated the entire tournament as a holiday" at the World Cup

2. After the World Cup captain Mahonri Schwalger (with backing of some other players Mapusua, Tuilagi, Fuimaono-Sapolu) writes a report to the prime minister of Samoa (also chairman of the SRU) saying how unprofessional they were and asking for change at the SRU

3. Schwalger, Mapusua, Tuilagi and Fuimaono-Sapolu were all left out of the Samoan squad for this summer, many wondered why as Schwalger has been on good form for the Chiefs in Super Rugby, Mapusua is one of Samoa's best backs, Tuilagi is one of Samoa top try scorers and Fuimaono-Sapolu is also good enough to get in the team on merit (Schwalger actually predicted on his report it would cost him his international career)

4. SRU dismiss suggestions they were dropped due to Schwalger's letter, and make excuses, Schwalger and Mapusua (dropped because too old), Tuilagi (dropped because mouthguard fine at the RWC "embarrassed Samoa"), Fuimaono-Sapolu (dropped because the IRB said so)

5. However these excuses to cover up the obvious truth as to why they are not in the squad were lame and soon got found out, as the IRB didn't like being accused of dictating Samoa's selection policy and denied it and basically forced Samoa to admit it wasn't true, then the coach then said Fuimaono-Sapolu was dropped because of "things said" of him, something Eliota denied (see Tweet below)

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-in-reply-to="203368364947673088"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/barbaradreaver">barbaradreaver</a> odd? Ive publicly in the media supported him and asked the sru to leave him alone. oh well. f him too. lair.</p>&mdash; fuimaono-sapolu (@Eliota_Sapolu) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eliota_Sapolu/status/203369278299312128" data-datetime="2012-05-18T06:19:49+00:00">May 18, 2012</a></blockquote>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

So in summary:
Players criticise the SRU,

SRU don't like and drop players,

Fans don't like as they are good players and guess the obvious reason why they were really dropped,

SRU deny this is why they were dropped and make up excuses,

The excuses soon get exposed as simply sh*t,

The whole situation turns into a farce, and in the end it is Samoa hurting themselves