How the hell were Scotland "easily" the worst team of the tournament when they thrashed Italy and finished 3rd?
Italy are fast becoming an overrated team. True they beat France and Ireland and deserve credit, but it doesn't mean they should be elevated to a level above Scotland and Tonga. Tonga have beaten France the last time they played (and more convincingly without having to hold on at the end I might add, plus without home advantage), and that Ireland team was the most vulnerable Ireland team we have seen for years full of crocked players with a dour coach that Scotland beat. All those three are on a level.
All of them are below Samoa anyway.
Oh, I beg to differ there...
the fact of a team finishing 3rd or wtvr can be misleading, as in this case. To me Scotland are the one team that hasn't demonstrated any
substance since the November test the most.
They survive matches.
They survived an overwhelmingly predominant Irish performance at home (like 80% Irish ball or smt crazy), got crushed in England to start the tournament (
only side England managed to score tries against, the Tuilagi France try was illegal), lost easily at home against Wales in a very poor showing, beat the worst form Italy of the past year on a bunch of easy tries/interception try, and looked poor again against France despite leading at half and that Visser try was illegal.
In June they beat Australia, fair enough, but 9-6 was it. All penalties. Again, surviving matchups.
In November they lived off interception tries/charge downs etc. against NZ, got SMASHED at home, highest score of the tour. Showed little resistance against a very weak Boks team, and then completed the perfect 0-3 at home against Tonga, 2 tries to none.
The fact that they finished 3rd isn't an argument, if one actually watches every single Scotland performance since June '12. And let's not forget they came off a miserable Wooden Spoon year in '12 losing every single one.
By contrast:
France sure sucked like hell in the 6N, certainly not in November, no doubt, no question. But it's France, on paper we can be scary and when we wake up, watch out.
Wales and
England clearly the best right now in Europe according to the last we've seen.
Italy managed some tremendous resistance in November, and then beat France, held England TRY-LESS AT HOME and put up a fantastic performance before beating (a weakened) Irish team for the first time ever, but looked like total **** against Wales/Scotland. And
Ireland resisted valiantly in November despite being DECIMATED, and crushed Argentina at home, then played an amazing first half in Cardiff for the only Welsh defeat in the 6N.
Considering all this I come out with the conclusion Scotland isn't simply the least good of the 6N, but easily so. Good for them they grinded out wins with very little/barely anything to show and made the 3rd, it's a quasi-miracle in fact. But Italy is a better team:
- Scotland looked like absolute children in Twickers compared to Italy there
- Scotland didn't show an Italy-Versus-France form in years
- Scotland's defense hasn't looked anything like Italy's when playing elite (remember that Italy NZ game in Nov ? the Italy Aus game ?)
- Scotland's attack is simply those speedy wingers catching the opponents off guard, haven't seen a constructed try in very long. Scotland
cannot do what Italy has against France/England, have no flair, can't go wide and dangerous.
- Scotland's scrum holds, but isn't an Italian scrum either.
