The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[Biffer]

Huw saying Sione and he should be back in a few weeks, that is great news

Sione, with a month's rest, battering the crap out of the best teams in Europe and South Africa, and passing the shit out of the best teams in Europe and South Africa, and showing why he is absolutely the lions no 12 and captain? I'll take that for a dollar

[Tichtheid]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

[Biffer]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

TBH he should get it anyway. Toony’s race has to be run at this point. Scotland are standing still, at best. My main worry is that he goes to Wales and makes them better and Glasgow poorer.

Good win?+
from Glasgow tonight though. Should have been a bigger win, but good all the same.

It has to be doesn't it.

He took a good team from Vern Cotter, under demand that he wouldn't take a new contract for Glasgow.

He's taken that team to, well, consistently the same level?

With the best set of players we've had for thirty years.

Has to go. He's done. He can't do better as a coach than he did as a player. At times astonishing. But never able to do it consistently.

Hes the same as a coach as he was a player.

[fishfoodie]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

But lets face it; the two teams are very familiar with each other, & that counts for a lot !

I'd obviously still favor Leinster; but I think they'll be delighted to be +10 in the end.

It's one where home advantage & the first ~20 minutes will be critical.

Hoping a lot of Scots make the trip to visit Croaker & we all get the competitive game I expect !

[Tichtheid]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

But lets face it; the two teams are very familiar with each other, & that counts for a lot !

I'd obviously still favor Leinster; but I think they'll be delighted to be +10 in the end.

It's one where home advantage & the first ~20 minutes will be critical.

Hoping a lot of Scots make the trip to visit Croaker & we all get the competitive game I expect !

Just like Scotland v Ireland needs everything to be on point for Scotland to make it a proper competition, the same applies here. Glasgow are still without their starting midfield and their starting lock combination, plus their No.8 and fullback - that's almost the spine of the team.

The memory of shifting 70+ points to the Dubs will still be there and there is a score to settle, but I wouldn't put any money on it.

The last big rugby game at Páirc an Chrócaigh went well for a Scottish side and that was against the odds, so you never know.

[Yr Alban]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

Frankly, Leinster away seems a poor reward for yesterday’s performance. It’s the rugby equivalent of winning a tough game against, say, Aberdeen in the cup, and being handed a trip to Celtic Park in the QF. Not no chance at all, but pretty much the worst possible outcome.

[Yr Alban]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

TBH he should get it anyway. Toony’s race has to be run at this point. Scotland are standing still, at best. My main worry is that he goes to Wales and makes them better and Glasgow poorer.

Good win?+
from Glasgow tonight though. Should have been a bigger win, but good all the same.

It has to be doesn't it.

He took a good team from Vern Cotter, under demand that he wouldn't take a new contract for Glasgow.

He's taken that team to, well, consistently the same level?

With the best set of players we've had for thirty years.

Has to go. He's done. He can't do better as a coach than he did as a player. At times astonishing. But never able to do it consistently.

Hes the same as a coach as he was a player.

Your last sentence is exactly correct. However, as a player he did manage to win us a title (scoring in every game).

[I like neeps]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

Yeah would be the best result in Scottish rugby for the last twenty odd years easily.

[Dogbert]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

Yeah would be the best result in Scottish rugby for the last twenty odd years easily.

Not even close, even if Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin , it's just one game, you don't get a trophy for winning one game. (The correct answer is the game that won the Championship against the Bulls last ear )

It will be especially hard now with Glasgow having only one fit third choice hooker, we could see Seb Stephen benching and I would expect Venter to miss the Leinster game as I would expect him to be cited and get a ban after last night.

[Tichtheid]

If and its a big IF Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin Franco has to get the Scotland job.

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

Yeah would be the best result in Scottish rugby for the last twenty odd years easily.

Hmmm, Edinburgh beat a Toulouse side packed with French internationals in the quarter final of the Heineken Cup. Toulouse went on to win the Top 14 that year.

However the Edinburgh game was at Murrayfield, so I guess beating Leinster in Dublin in a knock out would be around the same level.

[Simian]

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

Yeah would be the best result in Scottish rugby for the last twenty odd years easily.

Not even close, even if Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin , it's just one game, you don't get a trophy for winning one game. (The correct answer is the game that won the Championship against the Bulls last ear )

It will be especially hard now with Glasgow having only one fit third choice hooker, we could see Seb Stephen benching and I would expect Venter to miss the Leinster game as I would expect him to be cited and get a ban after last night.

Yeah, Venter surely is looking at a long long ban.

[I like neeps]

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

Yeah would be the best result in Scottish rugby for the last twenty odd years easily.

Hmmm, Edinburgh beat a Toulouse side packed with French internationals in the quarter final of the Heineken Cup. Toulouse went on to win the Top 14 that year.

However the Edinburgh game was at Murrayfield, so I guess beating Leinster in Dublin in a knock out would be around the same level.

Great result no doubt but indeed the Ireland team + Jordie Barrett in Dublin with a point to prove.

Glasgow will also be without Cummings, Williamson, Tuipolotu, Jones, and McKay who are five of the first names on the teamsheet.

[Biffer]

In other Scottish sport, Bruce Mouat and his guys are in the final of the World Curling championships on Sunday.

[Big D]

I don't think GT is going to be replaced. It would likely have been announced by now. Or at least his name would be linked to every open job. His time should be definitely running out though.

I've been far from Toonys biggest fan but we really need to view what he's been up against when talking about how good we think the current squad is.

It is out strongest squad. But let's be honest our best for 30 years or more doesn't necessarily mean a lot, it has to be relative to the opposition we've faced in his tenure
- possibly the greatest Irish side ever.
- possibly the best French side of the professional era. And a side with a phenomenal set of young players coming through.
- England even in relative dissaray having more resources available and talent pipeline that GT could dream of.
- Italy having their best ever team.
- Wales being a pretty good team for part of his reign.

It's going to be very popular to piss on Toonies time as coach. There are elements that he will absolutely deserve it for such as the Japan world cup but the complaint of not winning a 6N that some on social media have is too high a bar imo.

[Big D]

Just seen the clip. Venter should be done for the season tbh.

[Slick]

Yeah would be the best result in Scottish rugby for the last twenty odd years easily.

Not even close, even if Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin , it's just one game, you don't get a trophy for winning one game. (The correct answer is the game that won the Championship against the Bulls last ear )

It will be especially hard now with Glasgow having only one fit third choice hooker, we could see Seb Stephen benching and I would expect Venter to miss the Leinster game as I would expect him to be cited and get a ban after last night.

Yeah, Venter surely is looking at a long long ban.

I’ve completely missed this, what did he do?

[Big D]

Not even close, even if Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin , it's just one game, you don't get a trophy for winning one game. (The correct answer is the game that won the Championship against the Bulls last ear )

It will be especially hard now with Glasgow having only one fit third choice hooker, we could see Seb Stephen benching and I would expect Venter to miss the Leinster game as I would expect him to be cited and get a ban after last night.

Yeah, Venter surely is looking at a long long ban.

I’ve completely missed this, what did he do?

[Kawazaki]

I've just seen the Venter eye gouge. Not good and he should be cited and banned. However, if you look at the reverse angle, it looks like Cole might well be sticking his own (unseen) fingers in Venter's face using the arm he has him in a headlock with.

[Punter15]

Definitely eye contact but wouldn’t call it a gouge. Cole is being naughty and Venter is trying to stop his head getting screwed off. Both bad, but more forwards being forwards than Schalke Burger type shenanigans. Cole milking it somewhat.

[SaintK]

Definitely eye contact but wouldn’t call it a gouge. Cole is being naughty and Venter is trying to stop his head getting screwed off. Both bad, but more forwards being forwards than Schalke Burger type shenanigans. Cole milking it somewhat.

I’m a neutral and that looks very bad whether Cole is being naughty or not

[topofthemoon]

Glasgow have never beaten Leinster in a knock out game.

It would be fucking monumental if they did it.

Yeah would be the best result in Scottish rugby for the last twenty odd years easily.

Not even close, even if Glasgow beat Leinster in Dublin , it's just one game, you don't get a trophy for winning one game. (The correct answer is the game that won the Championship against the Bulls last ear )

It will be especially hard now with Glasgow having only one fit third choice hooker, we could see Seb Stephen benching and I would expect Venter to miss the Leinster game as I would expect him to be cited and get a ban after last night.

Hiddleston was off the injured list for the Leicester team announcement. Not sure what Matthews circumstances will be as he doesn't wear an instrumented mouth guard so wasn't eligible for an off field HIA.

[Yr Alban]

Definitely eye contact but wouldn’t call it a gouge. Cole is being naughty and Venter is trying to stop his head getting screwed off. Both bad, but more forwards being forwards than Schalke Burger type shenanigans. Cole milking it somewhat.

I’m a neutral and that looks very bad whether Cole is being naughty or not

Eh, I don’t know. Cole has Venter in a headlock and Venter literally can’t see what he’s doing. His hand is flailing about, and he does make contact with Cole’s eye area, but given that he literally can’t see, I really can’t see how it could be construed as intentional. Cole makes a huge meal of it, but perhaps he shouldn’t have been holding Venter around the throat?

[Biffer]

In other Scottish sport, Bruce Mouat and his guys are in the final of the World Curling championships on Sunday.

Scotland are World Champions again

[Simian]

Leicester have put in a complaint about Venter

[Slick]

Definitely eye contact but wouldn’t call it a gouge. Cole is being naughty and Venter is trying to stop his head getting screwed off. Both bad, but more forwards being forwards than Schalke Burger type shenanigans. Cole milking it somewhat.

I’m a neutral and that looks very bad whether Cole is being naughty or not

I agree, lets not get all Irish about this.

[Tichtheid]

The word "gouge" doesn't appear in the laws, it's "contact with the eye or the eye area" Law 9.12.

There is definitely contact with the eye area from Venter, it's very clear. Cole might face separate charges if it's possible to see what was going on. Venter won't be able to claim any kind of self defence in this, I wouldn't have thought - it's not the way these things work.

[Simian]

Cited

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-un ... ie-5071738

I’m guessing it will be deemed reckless rather than deliberate. But the video does look really bad.

[Yr Alban]

Definitely eye contact but wouldn’t call it a gouge. Cole is being naughty and Venter is trying to stop his head getting screwed off. Both bad, but more forwards being forwards than Schalke Burger type shenanigans. Cole milking it somewhat.

I’m a neutral and that looks very bad whether Cole is being naughty or not

I agree, lets not get all Irish about this.

Oh, I think he’ll cop a ban for it. I just don’t think it will be at the ‘deliberate gouging’ end.

[I like neeps]

I’m a neutral and that looks very bad whether Cole is being naughty or not

I agree, lets not get all Irish about this.

Oh, I think he’ll cop a ban for it. I just don’t think it will be at the ‘deliberate gouging’ end.

He'd be very lucky to get off with reckless. I'd be surprised if he played for Glasgow again.

[Big D]

In other Scottish sport, Bruce Mouat and his guys are in the final of the World Curling championships on Sunday.

Scotland are World Champions again

Arguably have two of the five best teams in the world.

[KingBlairhorn]

Reuben Logan is off to Sale next year, so we can strike the Glasgow speculation (that mostly came from me).

[SaintK]

Reuben Logan is off to Sale next year, so we can strike the Glasgow speculation (that mostly came from me).

Very odd move! I'm assuming Saints didn't offer him a deal he (or his agent) thought he was worth coming out of the Senior Academy. He'll struggle to get game time with the strength and depth of the backrow at Sale.

[Big D]

With Chapman apparently signing for Exeter, it takes another potential SQ 9 for Edinburgh off the table.

With Price going and Shiel OOC and not really doing much to merit a new one that leaves Vellacott as the only 9 under contract for next year. Most/all the decent SQ 9s are under contract elsewhere. So where do Edinbugh go at 9 from here?
- Resign Shiel? For a 27 year old, he only has 15 starts in the league or big European Cup and 22 starts in total. He's been the "young 9" of the Edinburgh trio forever. Does he merit a spot blocking the academy guys?
- One of the Glasgow guys? That would hurt Glasgow.
- Use the academy?
- A decent NSQ 9 to help bring structure and maybe help Thomson and Scott?
- A journeyman NSQ 9 to fill a jersey?

[robmatic]

With Chapman apparently signing for Exeter, it takes another potential SQ 9 for Edinburgh off the table.

With Price going and Shiel OOC and not really doing much to merit a new one that leaves Vellacott as the only 9 under contract for next year. Most/all the decent SQ 9s are under contract elsewhere. So where do Edinbugh go at 9 from here?
- Resign Shiel? For a 27 year old, he only has 15 starts in the league or big European Cup and 22 starts in total. He's been the "young 9" of the Edinburgh trio forever. Does he merit a spot blocking the academy guys?
- One of the Glasgow guys? That would hurt Glasgow.
- Use the academy?
- A decent NSQ 9 to help bring structure and maybe help Thomson and Scott?
- A journeyman NSQ 9 to fill a jersey?

The gig is surely up for Shiel? He's not going to make it now so his place may as well go to whoever is promising in the academy. Vellacott, a steady NSQ, and the academy lads stepping up should be fine.

Price coming to Edinburgh was a waste of time. He is capable of a much higher ceiling performance-wise but he has mostly been mediocre. We would have been better off starting Vellacott most of the time.

[KingBlairhorn]

With Chapman apparently signing for Exeter, it takes another potential SQ 9 for Edinburgh off the table.

With Price going and Shiel OOC and not really doing much to merit a new one that leaves Vellacott as the only 9 under contract for next year. Most/all the decent SQ 9s are under contract elsewhere. So where do Edinbugh go at 9 from here?
- Resign Shiel? For a 27 year old, he only has 15 starts in the league or big European Cup and 22 starts in total. He's been the "young 9" of the Edinburgh trio forever. Does he merit a spot blocking the academy guys?
- One of the Glasgow guys? That would hurt Glasgow.
- Use the academy?
- A decent NSQ 9 to help bring structure and maybe help Thomson and Scott?
- A journeyman NSQ 9 to fill a jersey?

The gig is surely up for Shiel? He's not going to make it now so his place may as well go to whoever is promising in the academy. Vellacott, a steady NSQ, and the academy lads stepping up should be fine.

Price coming to Edinburgh was a waste of time. He is capable of a much higher ceiling performance-wise but he has mostly been mediocre. We would have been better off starting Vellacott most of the time.

Afshar does need more gametime and Dobbie needs more time at 9. It wouldn’t be the stupidest move to have Horne as the senior pro, Dobbie as the deputy and a new academy 9 as cover at Glasgow.

That would give Edinburgh Vellacott, Ashfar and an academy 9 in their squad.

No doubt we will see a NSQ journeyman turn up and shart his way through 3 seasons for considerably more money instead though.

[Simian]

With Chapman apparently signing for Exeter, it takes another potential SQ 9 for Edinburgh off the table.

With Price going and Shiel OOC and not really doing much to merit a new one that leaves Vellacott as the only 9 under contract for next year. Most/all the decent SQ 9s are under contract elsewhere. So where do Edinbugh go at 9 from here?
- Resign Shiel? For a 27 year old, he only has 15 starts in the league or big European Cup and 22 starts in total. He's been the "young 9" of the Edinburgh trio forever. Does he merit a spot blocking the academy guys?
- One of the Glasgow guys? That would hurt Glasgow.
- Use the academy?
- A decent NSQ 9 to help bring structure and maybe help Thomson and Scott?
- A journeyman NSQ 9 to fill a jersey?

The gig is surely up for Shiel? He's not going to make it now so his place may as well go to whoever is promising in the academy. Vellacott, a steady NSQ, and the academy lads stepping up should be fine.

Price coming to Edinburgh was a waste of time. He is capable of a much higher ceiling performance-wise but he has mostly been mediocre. We would have been better off starting Vellacott most of the time.

Afshar does need more gametime and Dobbie needs more time at 9. It wouldn’t be the stupidest move to have Horne as the senior pro, Dobbie as the deputy and a new academy 9 as cover at Glasgow..

So when Dobie and Horne are with Scotland Glasgow would play with two academy nines? And does Afshar need more game time? He’s figured in, what, half of the match day squads this season? I think his development is being managed very well at Glasgow. All of that’s before we get to the fact that, at least in recent years, Edinburgh have consistently brought in SHs who have played much more poorly after joining than they did before…

[Simian]

Now I think about it, clogging up Edinburgh with NSQ 9s might be the best thing the SRU can do to develop SQ 9s

[SomersetJock]

Henko V - 12 week ban reduced down to 6.

Didn’t expect much different tbh.

[Dogbert]

Henko V - 12 week ban reduced down to 6.

Didn’t expect much different tbh.

Henco got the same

[KingBlairhorn]

The gig is surely up for Shiel? He's not going to make it now so his place may as well go to whoever is promising in the academy. Vellacott, a steady NSQ, and the academy lads stepping up should be fine.

Price coming to Edinburgh was a waste of time. He is capable of a much higher ceiling performance-wise but he has mostly been mediocre. We would have been better off starting Vellacott most of the time.

Afshar does need more gametime and Dobbie needs more time at 9. It wouldn’t be the stupidest move to have Horne as the senior pro, Dobbie as the deputy and a new academy 9 as cover at Glasgow..

So when Dobie and Horne are with Scotland Glasgow would play with two academy nines? And does Afshar need more game time? He’s figured in, what, half of the match day squads this season? I think his development is being managed very well at Glasgow. All of that’s before we get to the fact that, at least in recent years, Edinburgh have consistently brought in SHs who have played much more poorly after joining than they did before…

No, I was being simplistic with the depth pool. Glasgow also have Kennedy in the squad who would step in should he be required. If Dobbie is a 9 and only a 9 then I would expect him to have a high chance of being released back to Glasgow in international windows anyway. He is 3rd choice for Scotland (White --> Horne --> Dobie).

Obviously it's not ideal, but it is equally not ideal if Ashfar gets insufficient gametime to properly develop as a Scotland contender in his own right.