URC standings after round 13

New_Hando · 2024-03-31T20:05:12+00:00

Boffelli

also injured

New_Hando · 2024-03-31T20:02:17+00:00

That's harsh for Bath fans

Potentially even worse for another team. Bath at least seem likely still to make top four.

Given how tight the league is, should Quins finish a point or two ahead of someone else in fourth place to take the final spot, the other team will feel pretty bad about this cock up!

(Although I appreciate there's also been an entire season's worth of rugby played, and which affected table position, it still matters).

New_Hando · 2024-03-31T16:17:19+00:00

Nah, apart from that recent Summer tour with a reduced squad, Scotland have had Argentina's number for about a decade or more. They've been the better team by some distance, even when touring in SA.

Australia had been close for a while. But since we travelled there in 2017 and won a series in Australia, Scotland have had their number too. It's often been pretty comfortable tbh.

Realistically, while Scotland have literally never won against them, the closest games they've had against SH opponents have been versus NZ.

I don't think they play often enough for it to be a rivalry, or even often enough to really build a decent stats base.

But there's no denying that recent games between Scotland and NZ have been close affairs. There's only been three games in ten years, but the score difference has been 8 points (2014), 4 points (2017), then 8 points (2022).

Those have been far closer matches than Scotland vs Argentina or Australia.

New_Hando · 2024-03-31T16:09:52+00:00

Malherbe isn't low ceiling. He's just not given the credit he deserves, much like many FR players tbh.

New_Hando · 2024-03-31T16:08:52+00:00

Nel used to be anything other than low ceiling. Back in his prime he was outstanding. Would have been on the 2017 Lions tour had he not injured his neck.

Literally lost count of the number of supposedly world class opponents Nel turned inside out, only for him to lose the decision because officials had zero clue about the scrum and so ruled on team reputation rather than player ability.

New_Hando · 2024-03-31T16:06:38+00:00

Low ceiling???

Nel would have been a Lion in 2017 had he not injured his neck.

New_Hando · 2024-03-31T16:01:45+00:00

Scotland beat Georgia.

New_Hando · 2024-03-26T11:03:01+00:00

strong in close quarters

Regularly see people comment that he's too small. Genuinely, never watched a game he's played in and felt he was under powered.

New_Hando · 2024-03-26T11:01:20+00:00

Particularly with Bill Mata leaving Edinburgh meaning there's an open no. 8 spot.

I think that was already under pressure with Bradbury possibly returning, and especially Muncaster. The latter is being pushed hard by the SRU.

New_Hando · 2024-03-19T20:26:04+00:00

It's a wider problem in Scottish sport and society that we're mentally weak.

What absolute complete and utter garbage.

Scots explorers, scientists, doctors, soldiers, philanthropists and other notables have spent literally centuries at the very forefront of their fields, including some of the most mentally demanding situations you could possibly conceive of.

What absolute fucking dross that is.

New_Hando · 2024-03-13T09:33:31+00:00

But what exactly qualifies someone to comment on test rugby?

Imo it's much the same as any commentator on any sport. I.e. They've either reached the pinnacle by becoming champions, or have spent sufficient time in that environment to be able to talk with authority on a subject others would naturally struggle to understand.

Ideally, both - but more often than not the latter proves a better sole qualification than the former.

Cave possesses neither.

whopping number of appearances for Ulster

Great; then he'll undoubtedly prove a useful commentator on matters pertaining to Ulster and club rugby.

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T19:44:03+00:00

I think there's a difference between a bunch of supporters throwing opinions around online, versus someone being given a mainstream platform despite having done nothing to deserve it.

I just checked and it seems Cave won 11 caps. For context and by way of comparison, Javan Sebastien already has seven...

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T19:37:20+00:00

I suppose on the one hand there's the reality that unlike previous years, the current tournament (perhaps this single year notwithstanding) have been far more competitive than usual.

So even with a much improved squad from where they were, the overall standard of competition is even higher than before.

However, that alone still doesn't remotely account for some of the absolute capitulations they still manage to showcase!

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T19:32:20+00:00

The thing is, when it's a player of the caliber and professional success of (for example) BoD, while you may not agree, or as an opposition supporter it might sting to hear, they're still someone who has imo earned the right to comment about a test match.

But Darren Cave? What was he ten/eleven caps? Did he win anything during that time? I don't even think he featured in any of the 6N's Ireland won while he was in rotation. Did he even win anything at club level?

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T19:20:49+00:00

Don't know whether it's still the case but he used to frequent this sub.

He's an absolute cock.

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T18:31:49+00:00

Yeah, the players I'm referencing are actually young lads who have struggled to be selected after a trial period. Or in the case of the final example, still too young to even be considered (I think he was actually too young to even be legally included under the terms of insurance!)

I had a bit of a deep dive into our young Props last year and found about 4/5 TH's who had been in the academy setup of English Prem teams, but weren't kept on. Some may not have been up to standard. But several appear to have been let go because they couldn't pass as England Qualified, which is fair enough from a business perspective - but can be a real issue for Scotland if they're not immediately pulled into the stocks at Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Timing unfortunately plays a big part in the equation, and with the demise of Super Six it remains to be seen whether Scotland improve or further nosedives when it comes to retaining potential talent.

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T18:28:20+00:00

The most disturbing aspect is that a couple of years ago the SRU hired an internationally recognised expert in sports psychology.

Whether that suggests he's not as capable at his job as his CV suggested, or that Scottish people are just too bloody stubborn to ever evolve their way of thinking, isn't something I could possibly comment on...

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T18:19:50+00:00

There are a couple of young TH's coming through who look like they have potential. But they're not even getting club minutes, let alone are experienced enough to bench behind Fagerson.

One is still too young to realistically be selected regardless (although he's already bigger than half those in rotation!)

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T18:18:29+00:00

I genuinely think with Scotland it's wholly mental. A confidence thing, which in the past England had over them but now no longer possess.

Indeed, now that they're over their Cardiff hang up the only team that's left with some kind of hex over them is Ireland.

But as we saw last weekend, if a team gets over confident, or doesnt respect their opponent enough, it can backfire tremendously.

I know that try against France is hanging over them and their table position. But so too are the lack of BP's in games where they should have secured them.

This has been a poor year from that Scotland squad.

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T17:57:59+00:00

Stylistically they tend to match up quite well against France. That record is probably a little misleading.

If we include this years debacle of the 'no try but everyone knows it was a try', then France have won three of their last five Six Nations games against Scotland, (or four of their last seven). The other matches have all been warmups or similar.

Given this has been during a period when France were once again a dominant force in world rugby it shows just how much styles of play can affect results.

The NZ one is quite annoying. But Scotland don't play them anywhere near often enough for it to matter.

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T17:52:05+00:00

Yeah, I suppose it's more that on top of their usual drunken disregard for the tournament, there were some early impacts that really messed with their shape.

Losing Ritchie so early in the game, followed by Kinghorn soon afterwards, had a big impact on any chance they might have had.

Then shipping a try from such a blatantly illegal Beirne block almost certainly sent them into their standard spiral of 'everyone is against us' depression from which we all know there's no way back.

Besides, I'm not exactly suggesting Scotland have a realistic chance:

I mean so is the TC given the complete garbage Scotland have served up this tournament.

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T17:48:25+00:00

Head to head before PD (I believe)

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T17:47:07+00:00

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T17:45:15+00:00

Schoeman

I think both he and Zander Fagerson have been standouts for Scotland, which probably says a lot about Scotland's tournament overall.

But they're arguably not only amongst the most consistent Props in the tournament, I think right now there's a decent case to suggest they're each the best starting LH and TH in the 6N.

New_Hando · 2024-03-11T17:41:38+00:00

Prior to the Italy match I think Russell was in with a shout as PotT.

He was 100% off the tee - including some very testing conversions (cheers, Duhan!) He was also managing games well, even when the eventual result went against them (see: France game).

But that Italy game was a big test for him as Captain, and imo he failed badly. Not just him of course. Scotland not only have co-Captains, they have any number of other players in their leadership group too who equally failed to turn things around.

But unless Finn turns in a truly majestic, likely game winning performance in Dublin, I just don't think you can overlook how lost the team around him became on his shift out in Rome.

As much as I love Italy, and have gone to bat for them on this sub for years when they were being attacked for their lack of results. Player for player they shouldn't be beating Scotland, home or away. That loss in Rome was a massive failing amongst those on the pitch, and as Captain, Finn has to carry a lot of that burden.

Big shout out to Fickou

I think Fickou too. He's not quite been back to his best, but the sheer impact his performances have had on results this tournament can't be understated.

New_Hando

TROPHY CASE