Wales V Scotland 6 Nations

[Bzzzz]

Typical Scotland. Sick to death of hearing "we are almost there" etc etc. 

Aye, really... 

[bonzo]

Refereeing decision cost us again if the TV presenters can spot an offside why can't the TMO?

[weekevie04]

3 hours ago, Hendricks said:

2016  2 games 0 wins

2015  5 games 0 wins

2014  5 games 1 win (Italy)

2013  5 games 2 wins (Ireland and Italy)

2012  5 games 0 wins

2011  5 games 1 win (Italy)

2010  5 games 1 win (Italy)

2009  5 games 1 win (Italy)

2008 5 games 1 win (England)

2007  5 games 1 win (Wales)

 

 

Just looked back at the last 10 years of 6 Nations. This is our record. 47 games with England, France and Italy to come in this years Championship......we have won 8 games (and 5 of them against Italy). Remarkable.

 

Holy cow.

I did not realise it was that bad.

We need put down (to the Six Nations B). Give Romania/Georgia a chance to see if they can improve.

[tartanlad]

3 hours ago, Hendricks said:

2016  2 games 0 wins

2015  5 games 0 wins

2014  5 games 1 win (Italy)

2013  5 games 2 wins (Ireland and Italy)

2012  5 games 0 wins

2011  5 games 1 win (Italy)

2010  5 games 1 win (Italy)

2009  5 games 1 win (Italy)

2008 5 games 1 win (England)

2007  5 games 1 win (Wales)

 

 

Just looked back at the last 10 years of 6 Nations. This is our record. 47 games with England, France and Italy to come in this years Championship......we have won 8 games (and 5 of them against Italy). Remarkable.

 

I watch both Scotland football and rugby I knew it was bad but never knew it was that bad.That is truly a pathetic record.

[Orraloon]

2 hours ago, bonzo said:

Refereeing decision cost us again if the TV presenters can spot an offside why can't the TMO?

We didn't lose because of that decision. We lost because we keep on making the same basic mistakes in every game. Nearly every time we force a turnover we just kick the ball straight back to the opposition. Our line out is shyte and we just keep on missing tackles. Ok, some decisions go against us but you only dwell on them because we are continually losing. If we ever manage to eventually win a game again the bad decisions will hardly be noticed.

 

[bonzo]

20 minutes ago, Orraloon said:

We didn't lose because of that decision. We lost because we keep on making the same basic mistakes in every game. Nearly every time we force a turnover we just kick the ball straight back to the opposition. Our line out is shyte and we just keep on missing tackles. Ok, some decisions go against us but you only dwell on them because we are continually losing. If we ever manage to eventually win a game again the bad decisions will hardly be noticed.

 

Fordes line outs went from bad to worse and the missed tackles were down to concentration /tiredness so agree with you there. but if that try had been disallowed going by the final score we would have won the game and maybe that the bit of luck we need. 

[Toepoke]

6 hours ago, Barney Rubble said:

The facts don't lie.

Last Scottish 5 nations win 1999 (we've never been close to a 6 nations win).

Last football tournament qualification 1998.

Our record in both codes in this millennium is beyond pathetic.

The rise in our political identity mirrors the fall in our sporting performance!

 

[SMcoolJ]

On 13 February 2016 at 11:20 PM, Orraloon said:

We didn't lose because of that decision. We lost because we keep on making the same basic mistakes in every game. Nearly every time we force a turnover we just kick the ball straight back to the opposition. Our line out is shyte and we just keep on missing tackles. Ok, some decisions go against us but you only dwell on them because we are continually losing. If we ever manage to eventually win a game again the bad decisions will hardly be noticed.

 

We definitely started making too many mistakes and to a degree shot ourselves in the foot. However (and I know I keep going on about this), some of the officiating was absolute nonsense. Two of Wales three tries were wrongly given. The first was pretty clear without even the need for TMO. The second - the Scotland scrum overcomes the Welsh, Clancy refuses to blow (because you don't give the little teams a decision and he knew it was match changing), the Welsh manage to keep the ball by lying on it (another penalty). They go over for a try.  Just wrong.  Moments later he's about to blow for a Scotland penalty (you can see him motioning) but Wales come out with ball so he just carries on. We are right to think that the Scotland mistakes are bad and all add up, but so do these decisions week in week out. They completely change momentum and thinking. Rugby refs have too much power with the awards of penalties and all too often determine the outcome of games. 

[Rossy]

Just got back last night.

Can only echo what everyone else said....there's an utterly hollow feeling where there should be the pride of a hard-fought win.

For one minute on Saturday...around the 60th minute, when FoS was ringing round the ground and we were winning and playing with confidence....I foolishly started to believe that this was going to be the time. 

But it wasn't to be. Ho hum. Off to Rome we go.

On a side note, that's the last time I'm going to Cardiff for the rugby. The sheer mental intensity of a weekend night out in the city just wears me down. Every pub rammed with utterly pished dickheads, drinking out of plastic glasses having your elbow knocked every 10 seconds. 

Not ma bag anymore, looking forward to the relative civility of Rome. 

 

 

[biffer]

12 minutes ago, Rossy said:

Just got back last night.

Can only echo what everyone else said....there's an utterly hollow feeling where there should be the pride of a hard-fought win.

For one minute on Saturday...around the 60th minute, when FoS was ringing round the ground and we were winning and playing with confidence....I foolishly started to believe that this was going to be the time. 

But it wasn't to be. Ho hum. Off to Rome we go.

On a side note, that's the last time I'm going to Cardiff for the rugby. The sheer mental intensity of a weekend night out in the city just wears me down. Every pub rammed with utterly pished dickheads, drinking out of plastic glasses having your elbow knocked every 10 seconds. 

Not ma bag anymore, looking forward to the relative civility of Rome. 

 

 

Try Paris. Most of the city doesn't even realise there's a rugby match on from my experience.

 

[Rossy]

4 minutes ago, biffer said:

Try Paris. Most of the city doesn't even realise there's a rugby match on from my experience.

 

Yeah, we've going to that one for years now. 

You're right. It's like every single French fan buggers off back to Toulouse or wherever whenever the game finishes. Weird.

I still prefer Rome to Paris though (in general). And both of them to Cardiff.

A Saturday night out in Cardiff is like the last days of Sodom and Gomorrah...I'm actually amazed that the police and licensing authorities don't clamp down a bit on things. I suppose it's all about money. 

 

[CTV]

If rugby matches lasted 40 minutes we would be sensational.  Even last season at Twickenham we were winning at half time.  I think the phrase '80 minute performance' must have been used in every Scotland press conference for the last 5 years.  Or longer.

It looked like we came out in the second half and decided to start playing percentages, ie kicking it away every time until they finally got a hold of it and did some damage.  As has happened before, when we started to think we might be able to win this, we stopped doing what had put us in that position and froze up.  Crap refereeing aside (Clancy - must be getting paid by the word), it was difficult to escape the conclusion that our line-out cost us the game.  That and our painful lack of strength in depth, particularly in the front row.  In the world cup and so far this time we have been relatively lucky wi injuries, but if that changes we will be exposed still further.

On the bright side, two cracking tries and what a difference to see Seymour completely dominating the kick reception, both defensively and going forward.  That has been such an area of weakness recently.

The bookies have us 4/9 to win in Rome which seems to rate us incredibly highly to me.  Although of course wi the usual daft optimism that always prevails I am already thinking not of the seemingly inevitable 1/4 or 0/5 record, but that we can win against Italy, and surely we're looking better than France to win the next home game, and then well of course Ireland are suffering badly wi injuries for the match in Dublin...

[SMcoolJ]

If we avoid an Irish ref - I think we should win in Italy.  

[CTV]

It's Jaco Peyper for the Italy game.  Reffed us when we won 9-6 in Australia.  Maybe a good omen although he should have given us a penalty for the winning kick one scrum before he did! 

[Rossy]

I got the train back from Cardiff to Bristol yesterday. Dave Denton was sitting across from me (heading back to Bath).

Scotland were apparently 'furious' with the refereeing on Saturday. Officially of course, nothing will be said.

[Rossy]

6 minutes ago, CTV said:

It's Jaco Peyper for the Italy game.  Reffed us when we won 9-6 in Australia.  Maybe a good omen although he should have given us a penalty for the winning kick one scrum before he did! 

Yeah, Jaco's been OK for us in the past. Also whistled the game against Samoa in the world cup.

He didn't please the Irish very much on Saturday though 

 

[biffer]

4 minutes ago, Rossy said:

Yeah, Jaco's been OK for us in the past. Also whistled the game against Samoa in the world cup.

He didn't please the Irish very much on Saturday though 

 

Yeah, but that's because he told them there was actually an offside line. They generally like refs who don't think it exists. Like Clancy. Or Lacey. Or every other Irish ref.

[Pool Q]

I was bemused by the optimism before the start of the 6N, sadly it is panning out as feared. Scotland have the core of players good enough for international rugby, but not enough to cope with injury.  All the more so as rugby is now a 22 man game, quality coming off the bench ('game finishers' being the wanky phrase of the moment) is essential. Too many of our backs have either been injured or off form this season, and the lack of depth in the pack (particularly the tight-five ) is frightening. Against England all of the subs came on and our forwards crumbled; against Wales Cotter held back from changes as much as he could, but a few (Nel and Ford in particular) looked out on their feet by the end. This is a poor 6N, with not one top side in it, and yet again we are in a wooden spoon play-off with Italy.

The partiality of the refs, and their favouring big sides, is ridiculous as well. Scotland were well on top in the scums throughout the first 60 minutes, but the ref did nothing. For those who watched the Italy vs England game, if one of our players takes out a player in the air as Haskell did on Sunday do you reckon he'll get off with a warning? Will he shite.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Pool Q

[fringo]

2 hours ago, Pool Q said:

I was bemused by the optimism before the start of the 6N, sadly it is panning out as feared. Scotland have the core of players good enough for international rugby, but not enough to cope with injury.  All the more so as rugby is now a 22 man game, quality coming off the bench ('game finishers' being the wanky phrase of the moment) is essential. Too many of our backs have either been injured or off form this season, and the lack of depth in the pack (particularly the tight-five ) is frightening. Against England all of the subs came on and our forwards crumbled; against Wales Cotter held back from changes as much as he could, but a few (Nel and Ford in particular) looked out on their feet by the end. This is a poor 6N, with not one top side in it, and yet again we are in a wooden spoon play-off with Italy.

The partiality of the refs, and their favouring big sides, is ridiculous as well. Scotland were well on top in the scums throughout the first 60 minutes, but the ref did nothing. For those who watched the Italy vs England game, if one of our players takes out a player in the air as Haskell did on Sunday do you reckon he'll get off with a warning? Will he shite.

Guilty m'laud 

[SMcoolJ]

13 hours ago, Pool Q said:

I was bemused by the optimism before the start of the 6N, sadly it is panning out as feared. Scotland have the core of players good enough for international rugby, but not enough to cope with injury.  All the more so as rugby is now a 22 man game, quality coming off the bench ('game finishers' being the wanky phrase of the moment) is essential. Too many of our backs have either been injured or off form this season, and the lack of depth in the pack (particularly the tight-five ) is frightening. Against England all of the subs came on and our forwards crumbled; against Wales Cotter held back from changes as much as he could, but a few (Nel and Ford in particular) looked out on their feet by the end. This is a poor 6N, with not one top side in it, and yet again we are in a wooden spoon play-off with Italy.

The partiality of the refs, and their favouring big sides, is ridiculous as well. Scotland were well on top in the scums throughout the first 60 minutes, but the ref did nothing. For those who watched the Italy vs England game, if one of our players takes out a player in the air as Haskell did on Sunday do you reckon he'll get off with a warning? Will he shite.

Good post.  I agree that our biggest issue here is strength in depth.  We largely competed with England until they started taking on like for like - something we can't do.

As for the refereeing - I actually said out loud to someone while watching that Italy game that if Haskell was Scottish he would have been yellow carded.  Unfortunately, the officiating so far has been dreadful, albeit expected. 

[bonzo]

Question. At one point in the first half on Saturday we had a maul in the Welsh half. Alan wyn Jones was in the middle of it with his feet clearly off the ground and he was still trying to pull Scottish players away. Is this legal? 

[biffer]

2 hours ago, bonzo said:

Question. At one point in the first half on Saturday we had a maul in the Welsh half. Alan wyn Jones was in the middle of it with his feet clearly off the ground and he was still trying to pull Scottish players away. Is this legal? 

 

No. Not in the slightest. Should have been a penalty Scotland. Wasn't really Alun Wyn Jones fault as he landed there after the lineout, but he chose to stay there and try to take part in the maul, so that wasn't legal. Clownshoes was looking right at it and did nothing. 

[bonzo]

4 hours ago, biffer said:

 

No. Not in the slightest. Should have been a penalty Scotland. Wasn't really Alun Wyn Jones fault as he landed there after the lineout, but he chose to stay there and try to take part in the maul, so that wasn't legal. Clownshoes was looking right at it and did nothing. 

Cheers was thinking that but was not sure 

[Pool Q]

Not long arrived in Rome, looking forward to a good weekend, just hearing about the team.

Scotland team: Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Mark Bennett (all Glasgow), Duncan Taylor (Saracens),Tim Visser (Harlequins); Finn Russell (Glasgow), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester, capt); Al Dickinson, Ross Ford, Willem Nel (all Edinburgh); Richie Gray (Castres); Jonny Gray (Glasgow); John Barclay (Scarlets), John Hardie (Edinburgh), Dave Denton (Bath).

Replacements: Stuart McInally, Rory Sutherland (both Edinburgh), Moray Low (Exeter), Tim Swinson, Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Peter Horne, Sean Lamont (both Glasgow).

Not too many changes after the Wales game in the starting XV (just Visser for Lamont from what I can remember) which is probably fair enough, our starting XV is actually not too bad. I'd have Strauss at 8 with either Denton or Barclay at 6, and the other on the bench, and on recent form Bennett is a bit lucky, although he is a player of real potential. Where this selection does look at bit better is on the bench, in particular in the forwards - Low, Sutherland and Wilson are all better players than those they replace in my opinion. Weir and Jackson maybe a bit unlucky but delighted Peter Horne is back.

 

Edited February 25, 2016 by Pool Q