Scotland - Six Nations 2012

[TRF_Cymro]

Head coach Andy Robinson has selected six uncapped players in Scotland's 36-man squad for the opening two matches of the Six Nations.


The new faces are Edinburgh wing Lee Jones, the Glasgow trio of fullback Stuart Hogg, fly-half Duncan Weir and flanker/lock Robert Harley, Sale flanker/lock Fraser McKenzie and London Irish centre Steven Shingler. All 28 available players from last year's Rugby World Cup squad are included with Chris Paterson and Nathan Hines having now retired from international rugby.

http://www.espnscrum.com/scotland/rugby/story/157029.html​

Scotland squad:


Backs: Joe Ansbro (London Irish), Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Max Evans (Castres), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson (both Glasgow Warriors), Lee Jones, Greig Laidlaw (both Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Lamont (Glasgow Warriors), Sean Lamont (Scarlets), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues), Steven Shingler (London Irish) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors)


Forwards: John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton (both Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Dickinson (Sale Sharks), Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby), Richie Gray, Dougie Hall (both Glasgow Warriors), Jim Hamilton (Gloucester), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Fraser McKenzie (Sale Sharks), Euan Murray (Newcastle Falcons), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester) and Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks).

* ___ - Denotes new cap

 

[dullonien]

Interesting to see Steve Shingler involved. I hadn't realised untill now that he was qualified to play for Scotland.

He could be exactly what they're looking for at 12, someone who can get the dangerous Scottish outside backs into the game a little more.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie Fraser McKenzie


Made up for him, he's on great form atm, and it's great to see it recognised

 

[Seaton]

Yay, no Shug!

Boo Barclay and Sidazzle.

So this Shingler, born in Wales, plays in England for an Irish team, Scottish Interntional.

Surely there would be no greater candidate for the Lions?

Edited to say: Anyone else think having a certain player outside Shingler had any bearing on his decision?

From that squad, I'll be looking for

1. Chunk
2. Ford
3. Murray
4. Gray
5. McKenzie
6. Denton/ Harley
7. Rennie
8. Brown

9. Cusiter
10. Weir/ Laidlaw (latter if AR wants a high tempo game)
11. Sean Lamont
12. Shingler
13. Ansbro
14. Ramont
15. Hogg

Probably a little too revolutional as opposed to the evolutional that AR wants, but hey.

 

[Me 1]

Steven Shingler (London Irish)

Wales could have used him.

Edit: Just thought, wouldn't his Wales U20 cap block him from playing for them as it is our second team.

 

[Draggs]

Shingler? Well, I thought Scotland would stop their poaching after Visser, but there you go. Anyone remember how he was going on about how much he wants to play for Wales and impress Gatland??
Shows how the game is professional at all levels, if a U20's cap will go to another nation if it suits them better (Jarvis, Rhys Llewellyn, Loxton)

 

[Peat]

Wales could have used him.

Edit: Just thought, wouldn't his Wales U20 cap block him from playing for them as it is our second team.

This is a valid point as I never saw a resolution to the previous case on this.

 

[Draggs]

Yes, it would block him. The biggest problem we had with the case against Jarvis, et al was the fact they we didn't inform them of the status of our second named team.
Shingler has played for Wales U20 in June 2011, well after this was aware. Therefore he knew.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

And ...

1745 RUGBY UNION: Steven Shingler's eligibility for Scotland is called into doubt just hours after the London Irish back was named in head coach Andy Robinson's squad for the Six Nations. Robinson believes Shingler qualifies as a result of his Dumfries-born mother. However, Shingler played at full-back for Wales Under-20s against France in the 2011 Six Nations, when both nations declared the age-group squads as their second XVs, effectively handcuffing the players involved to those nations.

 

[Peat]

El-Oh-El.

 

[Irishflanker]

Yeah the whole Jarvis/Loxton debacle was a major cock-up, maybe AR is just trying to push his luck?

 

[Draggs]

Hah! Now wouldn't it just be tragic/hilarious if Gatland refused to select him.
Anyway, we will see how this plays out, but the IRB would be foolish to try and challenge the WRU. I believe they reneged on Jarvis and Loxton in the end, but they followed protocol for the U20's afterwards and Shingler is rightly bound.

 

[Peat]

Hah! Now wouldn't it just be tragic/hilarious if Gatland refused to select him.
Anyway, we will see how this plays out, but the IRB would be foolish to try and challenge the WRU. I believe they reneged on Jarvis and Loxton in the end, but they followed protocol for the U20's afterwards and Shingler is rightly bound.

It will be the Scottish union, not the IRB. While I have previously stated my disagreements with the way it is, Shingler was an idiot if he didn't know and deserves what's coming to him.

 

[Draggs]

It will be the Scottish union, not the IRB. While I have previously stated my disagreements with the way it is, Shingler was an idiot if he didn't know and deserves what's coming to him.

Yes, my mistake. The SRU would have to go to the IRB, who would make the ruling.
While Jarvis' Irish eligibility was debatable, Shingler's Scottish qualifications are simply nonexistent. I can't really see him being a popular choice with the Gatland and the coaching staff, as well as the players if he ever does get selected for Wales.

 

[Peat]

Yes, my mistake. The SRU would have to go to the IRB, who would make the ruling.
While Jarvis' Irish eligibility was debatable, Shingler's Scottish qualifications are simply nonexistent. I can't really see him being a popular choice with the Gatland and the coaching staff, as well as the players if he ever does get selected for Wales.

Dunno, I get the feeling players and coaches are a lot more philosophical about this than we fans, after all they know better than us what its like to choose between two nationalities with livelihoods on the line. Certainly you can point to similar (but not identical) see-sawing cases where they've been forgiven fairly swiftly. Ben Morgan's a good example actually. If Shingler turns out to be the best option, I imagine Gatland and the Welsh team will forget about this rather swiftly (until Kangaroo court, when he'd be crucified).

 

[Draggs]

All foreign-born Welsh internationals of recent times have spent the majority of their life in Wales and played rugby throughout the clubs and age levels.
Fortunately Morgan and Patchell are bound through sevens, so that will stop England and god knows who else from sniffing around.

 

[Peat]

All foreign-born Welsh internationals of recent times have spent the majority of their life in Wales and played rugby throughout the clubs and age levels.
Fortunately Morgan and Patchell are bound through sevens, so that will stop England and god knows who else from sniffing around.

While we will nick anything that isn't nailed down in rugby teams, tiny fly-halves with skill just aren't very English, so Morgan will be safe enough (besides, he'll have played U20 against France last year). Patchell I've never heard of and can't see any signs of him being English-born.

And yes, so they have. But a lot of them have an English parent, the thought probably crossed their minds. Faletau's watched his dad play for another country. I imagine the Scarlets lads will have talked to Morgan about his decision. Aaand so on.

Apropos of nothing, how are the Ellis brothers getting on?

edit: Same question about Jamie Smith too

 

[Draggs]

Right so:
Arthur Ellis, released by Newport RFC and now playing for Bridgend Ravens.
Hugo Ellis has made a few NGD appearances but failed to make an impact. Jevon Groves of Cross Keys is seen as the better option during internationals.
Jamie Smith has been plagued by injuries (hamstring, now back) and only appeared once.

Toby moved to Ebbw when he was seven, and has played most of his rugby in Wales. (Was spotted at Filton college, but apart from that)
Patchell follows Jarvis and Shingler in being another rangy standoff, except he is as pale and ginger as they come. Nipper was born in England, but nothing like an English standoff.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Makes me laugh when Wales fans (not on here, mind) moan about Manu Tuilagi, then go on about Tangaki Taulupe Faletau as if his name was Gethin Jones or something

 

[Draggs]

How old was Tuilagi when he moved to England, out of curiosity. Like I said, Faletau learned his rugby in the Gwent valleys, and pretty much grew up there.
I understand Tuilagi's situation, and don't complain about it. Now Waldrom and Botha...