Scotland RWC 2011

[Will]

And Ansbro potentially? Or am I the only one who rates him...

Certainly not, I'd have him in my team. He's been playing well for Saints and Scotland recently. Yes he had a very poor game against the Welsh, but he certainly wasn't the only one....

And as for Murray, I wouldn't have him in my squad. He's gone downhill since 2009 and doesn't seem the player he once was. Plus, his beliefs might be "noble" and all, but that doesn't make them any less ridiculous in my opinion. I don't have much time for religion at all, but I'm not going to start a debate on that topic on a rugby forum. However, the thought that a particular version of a particular god is going to get all upset if someone plays rugby on a Sunday....? Wouldn't this god be too busy giving African babies malaria at the time or something...?

 

[Seaton]

You say you are not going to start a debate, and then proceed to mock ones beliefs?

Fair enough...

 

[Will]

Indeed, it's still a valid point though. And given the number of Sunday days that Scotland could potentially be involved in, Murray would only become a passanger in the squad, taking the place of a player who was able to be involved and do a job. As such I wouldn't have him travel to NZ.

 

[Tom943]

The 30 man squad that i would have on the plane would be:
1 Geoff Cross
2 Moray Low
3 Allan Jacobson
4 Euan Moray
5 Ross Ford
6 Scott Lawson
7 Richie Gray
8 Al Kellock (C)
9 Nathan Hines
10 Fraser Mackenzie
11 Kelly Brown
12 John Barclay
13 Richie Vernon
14 Johnnie Beattie
15 Ross Rennie
16 Alasdair Strokosch
17 Mike Blair
18 Chris Cusitar
19 Rory Lawson
20 Dan Parks
21 Ruaridh Jackson
22 Duncan Weir
23 Sean Lamont
24 Joe Ansbro
25 Nick De Luca
26 Graeme Morrison
27 Max Evans
28 Simon Danelli
29 Chris Paterson
30 Rory Lamont

 

[Tom943]

4 Euan Murray*

 

[Seaton]

Indeed, it's still a valid point though. And given the number of Sunday days that Scotland could potentially be involved in, Murray would only become a passanger in the squad, taking the place of a player who was able to be involved and do a job. As such I wouldn't have him travel to NZ.

Which point is valid? That of his beliefs being ridiculous, or his beliefs making him less of any asset at t'he WC?

Obviously you mean t'he latter, and I agree, its not something we can aford, a 'luxury'.
Just saying that you can convey your thoughts of why he shouldn't be at t'he WC, without having to belittle his religion

Curse these apostrophes appearing in t'he

 

[ella1985]

Great information over here guys.

 

[RedRoseDave]

I think we have a great 45 there and will have an even better 30 once the weaker players are chipped away.
Being an English man and a follower of rugby since the early 1990's Im saddened at how our international team looks more like a club team then an international team.
We have 13 players that grew up dreaming of playing rugby for their home countrys and then due to not being good enough or migration then end up in England and then all of a sudden it was their dream as young boys to play for England??? Give me a break.

Although these guys are good, they will never risk their neck for their team as its just a job to them. No matter what they say its not their country or homeland so they dont have that pride for England like Johnny had or Johnson had. They will do enough to keep their place and get paid.

All the while we have amazing talent coming through (look at our u20s) and yet only a small percentage will make the international squad because there is no room for them to develop as players as all the spots are taken by guys who flew in 3 years ago and are now eligable to play.

Its killing English rugby! This is the reason we dont play with the passion like we did in 2003 and before!​

 

[Dougydeluxe]

My squad:1. Moray Low (Euan Murray is going to ****)2. Ross Ford3. Alan Jacobsen*4. Richie Gray (Next Lion Star)5. Ali Kellock (c)6. Kelly Brown (Killer B’s)7. John Barclay (Killer B’s)8. Johnnie Beatie (Killer B’s)9. Rory Lawson10. Ruaridh Jackson 11. Simon Danielli**12. Sean Lamont (Has more heart than anyone on the team)13. Joe Ansbro (Still think he has room for improvement)14. Max Evans (Need to clone him)15. Chris Paterson (Legend)16. Alasdair Dickenson17. Scott Lawson18. Nathan Hines19. Richie Vernon (Has had some amazing “Impact†plays for Scotland, would be great off the bench)20. Mike Blair21. Dan Parks22. Rory Lamont *if he can stop turning in during scrums, we had quite a few penalties called against us in the 6N for it. At first I thought it was the refs, but you can clearly see Chunk going for the hooker, not cool. Also he needs to turn his work rate up just a bit, but I think his experience still warrants a start.**So much better than Nikki Walker, that guy is not great. But by that I mean that his style of play is just not at all what Scotland needs, he is a big power winger. I am a fan of guys like him, but at the end of the day we need someone that can run off of guys like Evans, Ansbro, Lamont and even Paterson to finish off the play. Not someone to go barreling over tacklers… we do have the Killer B’s for that. Would love to hear what you guys think of my thoughts.

 

[Dougydeluxe]

My squad:
1. Moray Low (Euan Murray is going to ****)
2. Ross Ford
3. Alan Jacobsen*
4. Richie Gray (Next Lion Star)
5. Ali Kellock (c)
6. Kelly Brown (Killer B’s)
7. John Barclay (Killer B’s)
8. Johnnie Beatie (Killer B’s)

9. Rory Lawson
10. Ruaridh Jackson
11. Simon Danielli**
12. Sean Lamont (Has more heart than anyone on the team)
13. Joe Ansbro (Still think he has room for improvement)
14. Max Evans (Need to clone him)
15. Chris Paterson (Legend)

16. Alasdair Dickenson
17. Scott Lawson
18. Nathan Hines
19. Richie Vernon (Has had some amazing “Impact†plays for Scotland, would be great off the bench)
20. Mike Blair
21. Dan Parks
22. Rory Lamont

*if he can stop turning in during scrums, we had quite a few penalties called against us in the 6N for it. At first I thought it was the refs, but you can clearly see Chunk going for the hooker, not cool. Also he needs to turn his work rate up just a bit, but I think his experience still warrants a start.

**So much better than Nikki Walker, that guy is not great. But by that I mean that his style of play is just not at all what Scotland needs, he is a big power winger. I am a fan of guys like him, but at the end of the day we need someone that can run off of guys like Evans, Ansbro, Lamont and even Paterson to finish off the play. Not someone to go barreling over tacklers… we do have the Killer B’s for that.

Would love to hear what you guys think of my thoughts.

EDIT: First post had line issues, so I re-posted for easier reading. Also RedRoseDave, you are in the wrong place, must have clicked on something wrong.

 

[Seaton]

That's the team I'd go with Dougy, maybe just swap out Hines for another backrower, want to see more of this Hartley kid, and we can't afford to have a fairly immobile player like Hines when playing against fast paced teams like Argentina, and dare I say England.

We also need to keep an eye out for Cusiter, Blair has been a shadow of his former self of late

 

[Dougydeluxe]

I did not really watch the JRWC, but I was wondering if there were any Scots that really blew people away and might get considered into the RWC training squad, or at least could be the future of Scotland Rugby with Gray.

I am also going to ask this question in the International Thread.

 

[Seaton]

None of the forwards impressed me in particular, we pretty much got thrashed in the scrums, line-outs were a mess and they were just basically bullied.

In the backs, as with his performances this season might haved suggested, Duncan Weir was a class apart from any other Scottish player, performed excellently with the little, erratic ball he got. His kicking was very competent.

The lad that went to train with Clermont, Mark Bennet, wasn't to shabby either, and Kerr Gossman showed a bit of pace and had some good runs.
I liked the look of the scrummy as well, can't recall his name though.

 

[Dougydeluxe]

cool, good to hear we have some future in the backs. Since we have no real issue right now with our forwards.

 

[robbsumm]

Got a couple of good young scrum halfs coming through who played in the JWC and the u20 6N. Mark Bennett was incredible against Italy in the u20 6N with the ball in hand, but he missed 5/6 kickable penalties which lost Scotland the game.

 

[OptimisticJock]

1. Chunk
2. Ford
3. Cross
4. Gray
5. Hamilton - Harsh on Kellock but Scotland/Embras scrum was far superior with him in it.
6. Brown
7. Barclay
8. Brown

9. Cusiter
10. Jackson
11. Evans
12. Lamont
13. Ansbro
14. Lamont/Danielli
15. Mossy

16. Hall
17. Moray
18. Hines/Denton/Harley/Kellock
19. Rennie
20. Laidlaw
21. NDL
22. Lamont/Danielli

 

[Seaton]

Ndl?

 

[OptimisticJock]

Nick De Luca

 

[grantyboyh14]

1. Chunk
2. Ford
3. Cross
4. Gray
5. Hamilton - Harsh on Kellock but Scotland/Embras scrum was far superior with him in it.
6. Brown
7. Barclay
8. Brown

9. Cusiter
10. Jackson
11. Evans
12. Lamont
13. Ansbro
14. Lamont/Danielli
15. Mossy

16. Hall
17. Moray
18. Hines/Denton/Harley/Kellock
19. Rennie
20. Laidlaw
21. NDL
22. Lamont/Danielli

i wouldnt have de luca anywhere near that squad and i dont know why you would have hamilton starting ahead of kellock and hines :S

 

[OptimisticJock]

i wouldnt have de luca anywhere near that squad and i dont know why you would have hamilton starting ahead of kellock and hines :S

It's stated in the post you quoted why.