Scotland vs New Zealand - 13/11/2022

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I don't care who Scotland was playing, to not put a visitor away who is playing that badly is pretty embarrassing. I don't even count that as a glorious Scottish failure, just massive underperformance from minute 30-80 against a side that will be lucky to reach a RWC semi. I'll take the moral victory by having made Scotland favourites for this back in June as it's clear the 23 players they have available combined with their coaching staff were favourites on the day if they had executed. They'll never face a Foster ABs again and I think they'll never beat the ABs in my lifetime.

The ABs did well enough with TJ on the park to control the match. Funny how some scrumhalves just transform the play of the pack like that.

Praise be for Italy yesterday or I'd be having an attack of the grumps. There is no way NZ should be 3-0 in their last three games under Foster - Wales and Scotland completely blew their chance at history and blew the chance of the ABs having a coach capable of winning the RWC next year.

Funny how there's one Scottish scrumhalf in the 46 today and he's playing for New Zealand

In fairness he played like a true Scotsman in a big match at Murrayfield. No wonder the ABs are favouring 33 year old Aaron Smith.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

How did Wales blow their chance at history last week? They scored 2 tries to ABs 8.

 

[Crash Hamster]

How did Wales blow their chance at history last week? They scored 2 tries to ABs 8.

8 lucky tries though...

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Oh Scotland……

What could have been. What should have been.

 

[retired9]

That was sore, but, I know it ain't often these games come around if we can build on performance like that then there is hope again.

Hoggs interview before the game confirmed what I suspected about captaincy and the leadership group for him - it's too much of a distraction and gets in the way of his game. He was superb today and has found some pace again, he and Russell are best when on the same pitch it just works.

Finn was great, I hope this draws a line under the in/out/in/out debacle. So long as he is consistent and good then Toonie has to play him. Nurture Hastings to succeed him in the future, there is enough years yet to produce what you want for the next decade.

The forwards have really upped their game, Brown did his best at hooker but sadly doesn't have the impact of Turner. Zander and Shoey are a serious pairing.

I think with recent performances being able to batter out way over the line and stay clinical has got forgotten slightly because we weren't putting ourselves in a position to do it often enough. At least the discipline today meant we had chances, it's easier to build on going forward than where we were a week ago.

But well done NZ, you dug yourselves back out of a mare. The change at 9 helped hugely

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

How did Wales blow their chance at history last week? They scored 2 tries to ABs 8.

By being really, really sub-par. Far inferior to all three tests in SA in June. By giving a 35 year old game manager like Priestland his first start in aeons and throwing in new blood like Dyer and Castellow in a match which Wales should have been targeting as their biggest priority since the 6N. In fairness Wales were kind of stuffed if Biggar, Halfpenny, Adams and Liam were all unavailable (given Patchell's bizarre anonymity this year). So it is more like a combination of bad luck and crapping the bed saw them blow their chance. Whereas Scotland 100% crapped the bed.

 

[Welsh Exile]

By being really, really sub-par. Far inferior to all three tests in SA in June. By giving a 35 year old game manager like Priestland his first start in aeons and throwing in new blood like Dyer and Castellow in a match which Wales should have been targeting as their biggest priority since the 6N. In fairness Wales were kind of stuffed if Biggar, Halfpenny, Adams and Liam were all unavailable (given Patchell's bizarre anonymity this year). So it is more like a combination of bad luck and crapping the bed saw them blow their chance. Whereas Scotland 100% crapped the bed.

Pivac said we lost because the players are fat and weak.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Pivac said we lost because the players are fat and weak.

Would just like to take this moment to reaffirm that I am NOT Wayne Pivac, we simply share similar views on certain things

 

[Bada-Bing!]

A word on Doddie Weir at the game. Was sad to see how his MND has deteriorated. Such a brave man.

 

[retired9]

A word on Doddie Weir at the game. Was sad to see how his MND has deteriorated. Such a brave man.

My feelings also, 5 years ago just seems like yesterday when he was last at the same fixture. In my limited knowledge of the situation I think he is beginning to defy the odds of the original timescale he was given. His courage and bravery is humbling.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Now I hope the selectors will see the light; Christie is not a test level halfback, TJ is. Plus, the number of games tj has come on, calmed, energised, and inspired his fellow teammates to win a tight one is ridiculous.

Poor game from BB.

, pretty good Scottish team.

All European teams can pass and catch the ball these days, usually better than the all blacks too. The times have changed.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

So during the game the commentators gave a stat that the all blacks had scored 50 tries in 2022, the next best is Ireland with 35. Problem is we concede a lot.

 

[retired9]

One wonders if Scotland could do with a new voice in the camp to get that extra 5% killer instinct out of them. I'm not saying Toonie is needing to go, he ain't perfect but the blanket calls for his resignation are short sighted. under GT we have got a few monkeys off our back, the AB's were one of the remaining big ones but Twickenham, Wales and Paris are all under his command and should not be discounted.

Is Sir Fergie free in January/Feb for a wee bit of teeth sharpening?

 

[retired9]

Now I hope the selectors will see the light; Christie is not a test level halfback, TJ is. Plus, the number of games tj has come on, calmed, energised, and inspired his fellow teammates to win a tight one is ridiculous.

Poor game from BB.

, pretty good Scottish team.

All European teams can pass and catch the ball these days, usually better than the all blacks too. The times have changed.

TJ was a revelation when he came on, think thats what killed us off TBH your whole team lifted and we were unable to get back into it.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Now I hope the selectors will see the light; Christie is not a test level halfback, TJ is. Plus, the number of games tj has come on, calmed, energised, and inspired his fellow teammates to win a tight one is ridiculous.

Poor game from BB.

, pretty good Scottish team.

All European teams can pass and catch the ball these days, usually better than the all blacks too. The times have changed.

Pivac isn't interested in developing any skills re wales. All you hear out his mouth is physicality and then, when we lose, how we lack physicality. Which, if true, you'd think developing and evolving core skills like passing and catching might be a good idea.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Pivac isn't interested in developing any skills re wales. All you hear out his mouth is physicality and then, when we lose, how we lack physicality. Which, if true, you'd think developing and evolving core skills like passing and catching might be a good idea.

Sure but the all blacks passing skills are worse than they were In the nineties and even wales passing skills right now are far better than they were In the nineties

 

[Welsh Exile]

Sure but the all blacks passing skills are worse than they were In the nineties and even wales passing skills right now are far better than they were In the nineties

True, but the 90s was the 90s. Game wasn't professional then and Wales were the worst team in the world.

I'm happy with our players core skills in most areas but, as always with Wales, we lack front 5 forwards with these skills. You look at Ireland with players like Furlong and Beirne or NZ/Australia and their props can all pop pass, have great hands, offload in the tackle etc etc and we clearly have this gap but Pivac doesn't care. He was literally meant to bring in this high tempo, offloading counter attack game and he just sacked it off after a few months of trying and just reverted back to smash them up/arm wrestle rugby. I actually hate him. Lol.

Actually that's not true, I respect his hustle getting such a position when his CV was average at best. Just so desperate for Robertson now but resigned to the fact we're stuck with Pivac the coward.

 

[retired9]

True, but the 90s was the 90s. Game wasn't professional then and Wales were the worst team in the world.

The Welsh team of '99 looked after Scotland very well

 

[Welsh Exile]

The Welsh team of '99 looked after Scotland very well

Only good thing about 99 was beating England at Wembley.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Wales were the worst team in the world.

Ahem....