The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[Slick]

Thought Russell was very good after the first 20 minutes, Redpath was solid did a good things, Henderson a bit quiet and shunted backwards more than you'd want, Bayliss was alright.

Won't post in on their thread but what an absolutely hilarious way for Cole to end his career. What a d*ckhead!

Finn was great, just controls so much.

Hardly noticed Redpath to be honest

[Simian]

What did Cole do?

[I like neeps]

Thought Russell was very good after the first 20 minutes, Redpath was solid did a good things, Henderson a bit quiet and shunted backwards more than you'd want, Bayliss was alright.

Won't post in on their thread but what an absolutely hilarious way for Cole to end his career. What a d*ckhead!

Finn was great, just controls so much.

Hardly noticed Redpath to be honest

He mostly carried well and would beat the first man, made his tackles, avoided the horrendous handling of the Bath backline first half. Not great but good enough.

[Slick]

What did Cole do?

Stupid late shoulder into Finn after he kicked.

[Tichtheid]

Thought Russell was very good after the first 20 minutes, Redpath was solid did a good things, Henderson a bit quiet and shunted backwards more than you'd want, Bayliss was alright.

Won't post in on their thread but what an absolutely hilarious way for Cole to end his career. What a d*ckhead!

Finn was great, just controls so much.

Hardly noticed Redpath to be honest

He mostly carried well and would beat the first man, made his tackles, avoided the horrendous handling of the Bath backline first half. Not great but good enough.

Yeah, I'd agree with that. Bath didn't play in a way that showcases Redpath at his best, a broken field is where he excels.

[Yr Alban]

I seem to have read a whole bunch of uninformed opinions about Finn Russell recently, in particular about his reliability and his propensity for errors. In view of this, I am finding it particularly fitting that the GP final was settled by Russell’s quick thinking and anticipation to exploit an error by his opposite number…

[Slick]

I seem to have read a whole bunch of uninformed opinions about Finn Russell recently, in particular about his reliability and his propensity for errors. In view of this, I am finding it particularly fitting that the GP final was settled by Russell’s quick thinking and anticipation to exploit an error by his opposite number…

I’ve got over it all now, anyone claiming he is flaky and unreliable after he’s guided his team, and been brilliant, to a triple is just not well.

How anyone can even suggest he’s not the Lions 10 is just mental.

I’m going to suggest it now, Scotlands greatest ever player.

[Yr Alban]

I seem to have read a whole bunch of uninformed opinions about Finn Russell recently, in particular about his reliability and his propensity for errors. In view of this, I am finding it particularly fitting that the GP final was settled by Russell’s quick thinking and anticipation to exploit an error by his opposite number…

I’ve got over it all now, anyone claiming he is flaky and unreliable after he’s guided his team, and been brilliant, to a triple is just not well.

How anyone can even suggest he’s not the Lions 10 is just mental.

I’m going to suggest it now, Scotlands greatest ever player.

Sadly, I don’t think he can be considered our greatest ever without a 6N title. However, I’ve been saying the Lions 10 shirt was his to lose for months now and I’ve seen nothing to change my mind.

[Tichtheid]

I seem to have read a whole bunch of uninformed opinions about Finn Russell recently, in particular about his reliability and his propensity for errors. In view of this, I am finding it particularly fitting that the GP final was settled by Russell’s quick thinking and anticipation to exploit an error by his opposite number…

I’ve got over it all now, anyone claiming he is flaky and unreliable after he’s guided his team, and been brilliant, to a triple is just not well.

How anyone can even suggest he’s not the Lions 10 is just mental.

I’m going to suggest it now, Scotlands greatest ever player.

Sadly, I don’t think he can be considered our greatest ever without a 6N title. However, I’ve been saying the Lions 10 shirt was his to lose for months now and I’ve seen nothing to change my mind.

Sergio Parisse is Italy's best ever without winning a 6N title - he'd have been included in all other teams in his prime. I think Russell is in that league now.

BOD didn't win anything like the number of international titles a player of his calibre should have. Ireland got arguably better after his generation, I'm sure there are others who haven't won titles but were considered on of the best around - speaking of best, George Best from another sport springs to mind.

That is not to say I think Russell is our best ever, I'd have to think on it.

Iain Milne is a contender in my book - seriously, we wouldn't have won half the games we did without him, he let us play five back rows in the pack which was how our entire game was structured at that time, and we won a Grand Slam in the process.

[Punter15]

I seem to have read a whole bunch of uninformed opinions about Finn Russell recently, in particular about his reliability and his propensity for errors. In view of this, I am finding it particularly fitting that the GP final was settled by Russell’s quick thinking and anticipation to exploit an error by his opposite number…

I’ve got over it all now, anyone claiming he is flaky and unreliable after he’s guided his team, and been brilliant, to a triple is just not well.

How anyone can even suggest he’s not the Lions 10 is just mental.

I’m going to suggest it now, Scotlands greatest ever player.

Sadly, I don’t think he can be considered our greatest ever without a 6N title. However, I’ve been saying the Lions 10 shirt was his to lose for months now and I’ve seen nothing to change my mind.

Nonsense opinion. You may not think he’s our greatest and that’s fine, but your reasoning is just ridiculous in such a team game.

[Yr Alban]

I’ve got over it all now, anyone claiming he is flaky and unreliable after he’s guided his team, and been brilliant, to a triple is just not well.

How anyone can even suggest he’s not the Lions 10 is just mental.

I’m going to suggest it now, Scotlands greatest ever player.

Sadly, I don’t think he can be considered our greatest ever without a 6N title. However, I’ve been saying the Lions 10 shirt was his to lose for months now and I’ve seen nothing to change my mind.

Nonsense opinion. You may not think he’s our greatest and that’s fine, but your reasoning is just ridiculous in such a team game.

No need to be like that. I just think that if you’re discussing who our best player of all time is, the fact that the other candidates had a GS to their name would count against Finn. Sure, it’s a team game, but I think that in most sports, the ‘greatest ever’ players would be ones who won things. Unless there aren’t any such players (eg Parisse).

I’m not dissing Finn at all. Just saying this is the way it tends to go.

[Slick]

Sadly, I don’t think he can be considered our greatest ever without a 6N title. However, I’ve been saying the Lions 10 shirt was his to lose for months now and I’ve seen nothing to change my mind.

Nonsense opinion. You may not think he’s our greatest and that’s fine, but your reasoning is just ridiculous in such a team game.

No need to be like that. I just think that if you’re discussing who our best player of all time is, the fact that the other candidates had a GS to their name would count against Finn. Sure, it’s a team game, but I think that in most sports, the ‘greatest ever’ players would be ones who won things. Unless there aren’t any such players (eg Parisse).

I’m not dissing Finn at all. Just saying this is the way it tends to go.

I do get your point , but it does rather narrow down the field for us. But I guess that is the point.

It’s obviously a fools game to compare players from different eras, but in my time of watching rugby only Gavin Hastings comes close to being respected around the world and I do think Finn walks into any team in the game at the moment.

[Tichtheid]

Gary Armstrong.

[Begbie]

https://www.springboks.rugby/news-featu ... bok-squad/

Boan Venter called up to the Boks.

[clydecloggie]

https://www.springboks.rugby/news-featu ... bok-squad/

Boan Venter called up to the Boks.

I guess we should be proud the SARU deigns us worthy of the middle finger treatment.

[Tichtheid]

So he’ll get ten minutes to stop him having an international career.

What a bunch of wankers

[Yr Alban]

So he’ll get ten minutes to stop him having an international career.

What a bunch of wankers

Well, that sucks. As you say, he’ll get a cameo off the bench purely so that we can never use him. He must be aware of that, of course, but I expect he will still go for it.

[Slick]

So he’ll get ten minutes to stop him having an international career.

What a bunch of wankers

Well, that sucks. As you say, he’ll get a cameo off the bench purely so that we can never use him. He must be aware of that, of course, but I expect he will still go for it.

Well yeah, he must be going into it with his eyes open wide. To be fair I’d rather have 1 Scotland cap than 30 for any other nation

[KingBlairhorn]

It’s a dangerous game for him though, as soon as he takes a Boks cap he is unlikely to be offered a new Edinburgh deal. That, as far as I can tell, is what we should expect to be the new normal here.
Edit: he has 1 year left on his deal. I suppose as a Bok he might be able to pick up a lucrative contract elsewhere, but you would think it would be in his thoughts.

[Tichtheid]

As far as I recall, the laws around this are that if the country you qualify for calls you up you have to go, he can’t say no thanks, I’ll get several years for Scotland

As has been said, this jeopardises any contract extension with Edinburgh too in the light if the move towards SW players

[Jock42]

Good for him and good luck to him. Wouldn't be bad to have a springbok in the squad.

[Biffer]

As far as I recall, the laws around this are that if the country you qualify for calls you up you have to go, he can’t say no thanks, I’ll get several years for Scotland

As has been said, this jeopardises any contract extension with Edinburgh too in the light if the move towards SW players

You can absolutely refuse a call up. We can't refuse it for him.

[Simian]

Gary Armstrong.

Would still get my vote too

[topofthemoon]

As far as I recall, the laws around this are that if the country you qualify for calls you up you have to go, he can’t say no thanks, I’ll get several years for Scotland

As has been said, this jeopardises any contract extension with Edinburgh too in the light if the move towards SW players

You can absolutely refuse a call up. We can't refuse it for him.

Not certain about that. Regulation 9 only provides for non-release for:

Injury or illness;
Retirement from international rugby;
Dual eligibility.

For the latter there needs to be a written agreement with a nation the player is eligible for to then turn down another nation he is eligible for. As things stand, Venter is not eligible for Scotland so this wouldn't be relevant.

[I like neeps]

It’s a dangerous game for him though, as soon as he takes a Boks cap he is unlikely to be offered a new Edinburgh deal. That, as far as I can tell, is what we should expect to be the new normal here.
Edit: he has 1 year left on his deal. I suppose as a Bok he might be able to pick up a lucrative contract elsewhere, but you would think it would be in his thoughts.

Venter is a great player and Springbok looseheads are in demand.

Good on him, he'll get to live his dream. 10 minutes for the Boks will mean more than 100 caps for Scotland.

[TheNatalShark]

As far as I recall, the laws around this are that if the country you qualify for calls you up you have to go, he can’t say no thanks, I’ll get several years for Scotland

As has been said, this jeopardises any contract extension with Edinburgh too in the light if the move towards SW players

You can absolutely refuse a call up. We can't refuse it for him.

Hold on, Tichtheid is on to something.

Reinstate Russia on condition that they call up Putin and start him at 10. Have them play against a Ukraine/Poland/Georgia combine

He can't refuse a call up, after all!

[robmatic]

You can't blame the guy but it is probably annoying for the SRU when I am pretty sure the rationale of his last contract offer involved him being SQ by the end of it.

It might be doubly annoying for Everitt at the beginning of next season when Schoeman will be enjoying his rest after the Lions tour and Venter could be away for TRC.

[robmatic]

It’s a dangerous game for him though, as soon as he takes a Boks cap he is unlikely to be offered a new Edinburgh deal. That, as far as I can tell, is what we should expect to be the new normal here.
Edit: he has 1 year left on his deal. I suppose as a Bok he might be able to pick up a lucrative contract elsewhere, but you would think it would be in his thoughts.

Venter is a great player and Springbok looseheads are in demand.

Good on him, he'll get to live his dream. 10 minutes for the Boks will mean more than 100 caps for Scotland.

He probably doesn't get the plaudits he deserves as "Schoeman's understudy" but I think he would easily be the number 1 at most clubs. I can't imagine him being short of offers.

[I like neeps]

It’s a dangerous game for him though, as soon as he takes a Boks cap he is unlikely to be offered a new Edinburgh deal. That, as far as I can tell, is what we should expect to be the new normal here.
Edit: he has 1 year left on his deal. I suppose as a Bok he might be able to pick up a lucrative contract elsewhere, but you would think it would be in his thoughts.

Venter is a great player and Springbok looseheads are in demand.

Good on him, he'll get to live his dream. 10 minutes for the Boks will mean more than 100 caps for Scotland.

He probably doesn't get the plaudits he deserves as "Schoeman's understudy" but I think he would easily be the number 1 at most clubs. I can't imagine him being short of offers.

He had a better season than Shoeman did. Venter is an unreal player, I always wondered why the Boks didnt call up Duhan, maybe they did.

[Big D]

It's great for Venter.

He's been good for Edinburgh and Edinburgh has been good for him.

[Dogbert]

Gary Armstrong.

Would still get my vote too

Although Russell is certainly a generational talent, and trying to compare players of different times and eras is nigh on impossible John Rutherford still edges the best Scottish 10 for me. Helped of course that he had an exceptional scrum half in Roy Laidlaw

[dkm57]

Laidlaw, Rutherford, Renwick

[Yr Alban]

It’s a dangerous game for him though, as soon as he takes a Boks cap he is unlikely to be offered a new Edinburgh deal. That, as far as I can tell, is what we should expect to be the new normal here.
Edit: he has 1 year left on his deal. I suppose as a Bok he might be able to pick up a lucrative contract elsewhere, but you would think it would be in his thoughts.

Venter is a great player and Springbok looseheads are in demand.

Good on him, he'll get to live his dream. 10 minutes for the Boks will mean more than 100 caps for Scotland.

Well, I guess this is how we find out. If he wants to go down the plenty of caps for Scotland route, he’ll pick up a diplomatic injury that keeps him out of the tour. I suspect he’ll go for it though. I’ve been told that if you play for them even once, the first words in your South African obituary will be ‘former Springbok.’

Edit: I guess this is probably an unexpected consequence of SA teams joining the URC. When they were in Super Rugby, the South African selectors probably wouldn’t have been paying much attention to a guy at Edinburgh, but now he’ll have been very much on their radar.

[Dogbert]

Laidlaw, Rutherford, Renwick

Add in the Mighty Mouse himself - 3rd choice prop at the start of the 71 NZ Lions tour , the started all Test games , winning the series , scoring a momentous try - then went to RSA in 74 Lions tour - again played in all the tests , winning the series.

8 lions test games . 22 non test lions games, Triple crown winner

[BagfordViper]

Mighty Mouse was a great player, no doubt about that, but I'm pretty certain he never won a triple crown. Came close in 1973 and 1975, but England probably deservedly won the crucial matches. I vaguely recall he played in one, possibly 1975? with a hairline leg fracture or something along those lines, probably rather unwisely.

He did win a shared championship in 1973, when all the sides tied on two wins apiece, but also of course, tied for the wooden spoon. Bit of a technicality in both instances.

On the subject of great players, let's not forget Andy Irvine. Not perhaps the world's best tackler, but more than made up for it in other ways.

[Dogbert]

Mighty Mouse was a great player, no doubt about that, but I'm pretty certain he never won a triple crown. Came close in 1973 and 1975, but England probably deservedly won the crucial matches. I vaguely recall he played in one, possibly 1975? with a hairline leg fracture or something along those lines, probably rather unwisely.

He did win a shared championship in 1973, when all the sides tied on two wins apiece, but also of course, tied for the wooden spoon. Bit of a technicality in both instances.

On the subject of great players, let's not forget Andy Irvine. Not perhaps the world's best tackler, but more than made up for it in other ways.

Of course you are quite right Maclaughlin did not win a Triple crown - in fact Scotland have only won 2 TC's since WW2 ( the same years that they won the 2 Grand Slams )

[Tichtheid]

Mighty Mouse was a great player, no doubt about that, but I'm pretty certain he never won a triple crown. Came close in 1973 and 1975, but England probably deservedly won the crucial matches. I vaguely recall he played in one, possibly 1975? with a hairline leg fracture or something along those lines, probably rather unwisely.

He did win a shared championship in 1973, when all the sides tied on two wins apiece, but also of course, tied for the wooden spoon. Bit of a technicality in both instances.

On the subject of great players, let's not forget Andy Irvine. Not perhaps the world's best tackler, but more than made up for it in other ways.

I thought I'd written about Irvine earlier today but I seem to have managed to not post it

The gist of what I wrote was that he was the only Scot included in Bill McLaren's All Time Great XV.

Even if he did lose out to JPR Williams in the Lions selection at fullback, there were few who were such a delight to watch in attack.

[Biffer]

Bit of good news, Perpignan won their playoff on Saturday, so Jamie Ritchie will be playing Top14 rugby next year.

[Yr Alban]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... e4l7xjx3ro

TBH this is a bit depressing. The SRU saying they’re keen to give Toony another go at the World Cup. I was hoping that there might be some substance to the rumour they were going to replace him with Smith.

We have the players to put in a real 6N challenge, but I just can’t see it ever happening with Toony in charge. The last time we beat Ireland was in 2017, when Cotter was still in post.

[Biffer]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... e4l7xjx3ro

TBH this is a bit depressing. The SRU saying they’re keen to give Toony another go at the World Cup. I was hoping that there might be some substance to the rumour they were going to replace him with Smith.

We have the players to put in a real 6N challenge, but I just can’t see it ever happening with Toony in charge. The last time we beat Ireland was in 2017, when Cotter was still in post.

His team as a manager has the same flaws he did as a player.