6N starting team

[paddy no 11]

Is there any chance he'll start Denton? Is he even in the squad, ye need a bit of oomph

[Mikey Brown]

I thought he was in the squad but maybe not.

I’d like to see him back. But I’m not sure whether that’s on merit or desperation.

Any idea if Dunbar is actually fit? He’s in the training pics and wasn’t mentioned alongside Gray/McGuigan/Taylor as injured. I’m not totally sure how match-fit he could be though.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Considering Horne is doing most of the media duties he either starts at 10 or 12 surely?

Bit weird to chuck him in like that and then bench him.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

A timely article on a sports psychologist being used in the scotland camp...

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-un ... -1-4684625

I appreciate everyone is different and will deal with the aftermath differently but that was a mental failure of the highest magnitude as a collective group. It shouldn't be done on an individual basis as an option...

Would be interested to know whether he has been with the camp since the start or brought in after Wales.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Reid
McInally
Berghan
Gilchrist
Gray
Barclay
Watson
Wilson

Laidlaw
Russell
Maitland
Horne
Jones
Seymour
Hogg

Lawson
Bhatti
Welsh
Toolis
Denton
Price
Harris
Kinghorn

[hugh_woatmeigh]

So much right but cannot explain how disappointed I am with Townsend to have brought Berghan straight into the starting XV.

[OptimisticJock]

Berghan lulz

Other than that pretty good shout. Would have Bennet for Harris and Denton over Wilson

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Berghan lulz

Other than that pretty good shout. Would have Bennet for Harris and Denton over Wilson

Modern day Gavin Kerr.

In an injury crisis, absolutely, start Berghan. But to think he is better than Welsh is very concerning.

[Mikey Brown]

Usual mix of good and bad.

What do folks make of Gilchrist in?

Very curious how the talk of not changing our game aligns with starting Laidlaw.

I was of the opinion he could definitely adapt to the quicker style but Saturday didn't reinforce that at all.

[Mikey Brown]

Also who do France have at loosehead? Still that stumpy little bastard? He'll turn Berghan inside out, surely?

[Big D]

Concerned about Laidlaw tbh. Yes Price was pish but he's been involved in several good wins and offers a threat that Laidlaw doesn't have.

My problems with Laidlaw are he has so little game time so there are fitness issues, has not shown he can play high tempo rugby in a while and has not offered a serious threat from 9 in a long time which means the defence can drift onto Finn and the centre's easily.

[Big D]

So much right but cannot explain how disappointed I am with Townsend to have brought Berghan straight into the starting XV.

That will be Macfarlane making that call.

[Big D]

Usual mix of good and bad.

What do folks make of Gilchrist in?

Very curious how the talk of not changing our game aligns with starting Laidlaw.

I was of the opinion he could definitely adapt to the quicker style but Saturday didn't reinforce that at all.

Townsend/DMac has flipped flopped between BUT and GG fairly regularly.

I thought BBT had money in the bank but have no issue with GG.

[Big D]

great to see Kinghorn on the bench

[hugh_woatmeigh]

So much right but cannot explain how disappointed I am with Townsend to have brought Berghan straight into the starting XV.

That will be Macfarlane making that call.

Find that hard to believe myself.

I suspect they see Berghan as a stop-gap between Nel and the younger THs coming through but I still cannot fathom why that puts him ahead of Welsh.

[Big D]

So much right but cannot explain how disappointed I am with Townsend to have brought Berghan straight into the starting XV.

That will be Macfarlane making that call.

Find that hard to believe myself.

I suspect they see Berghan as a stop-gap between Nel and the younger THs coming through but I still cannot fathom why that puts him ahead of Welsh.

So you think Townsend consistently overrules his trusted forwards coach with regards to tightheads?

Every squad picked under them has had Berghan ahead of Welsh where possible. That is not just down to the head coach. Selection meetings don't happen that way.

Macfarlane will at the very least have a big say in who is playing up front. Especially when the pattern is repeated over and over again.

[General Zod]

Have been reasonably quiet since last week - they were just shite, played like they had forgotten the fundamentals (earn the right to play, etc), and had no confidence or backbone. That aside, they were excellent for the first six minutes.

Anyway, Laidlaw doing lots of pointing and generally telling them to wind it in a bit is probably no bad thing.

Whilst I was disappointed with Harris on Saturday, he did get some terrible ball. Benching, as opposed to dropping entirely is probably fair. Good to see King Blairhorn in line for a debut, and Gilcho will hopefully bring a bit more nastiness.

Also keen to see Denton’s new barnet.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

That will be Macfarlane making that call.

Find that hard to believe myself.

I suspect they see Berghan as a stop-gap between Nel and the younger THs coming through but I still cannot fathom why that puts him ahead of Welsh.

So you think Townsend consistently overrules his trusted forwards coach with regards to tightheads?

Every squad picked under them has had Berghan ahead of Welsh where possible. That is not just down to the head coach. Selection meetings don't happen that way.

Macfarlane will at the very least have a big say in who is playing up front. Especially when the pattern is repeated over and over again.

Given how Macfarlane turned the Glasgow pack around in his final season, I find it hard to believe he is pushing Beghan.
Perhaps he is - in which case I retract my comment. Either way given how awful he is and the fact he is going from no rugby in two months to the coal face against an excellent and bruising scrummaging team... it reflects badly on whoever selects him.

[sharvey44]

Also keen to see Denton’s new barnet.

Its truly horrific.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I mean, even assuming Berghan is a superior player to Welsh in every aspect. Why would you not introduce him off the bench? Going from rugby to the most forwarded-oriented test match competition is idiotic whatever way you want to paint it.

[ARM]

Have been reasonably quiet since last week - they were just shite, played like they had forgotten the fundamentals (earn the right to play, etc), and had no confidence or backbone. That aside, they were excellent for the first six minutes.

Anyway, Laidlaw doing lots of pointing and generally telling them to wind it in a bit is probably no bad thing.

Whilst I was disappointed with Harris on Saturday, he did get some terrible ball. Benching, as opposed to dropping entirely is probably fair. Good to see King Blairhorn in line for a debut, and Gilcho will hopefully bring a bit more nastiness.

Also keen to see Denton’s new barnet.

Gilchrist...nastiness? He’s many things but hard and nasty is not of them. Still a better pick that the massively over-rated Toolis. Yet again it’s a soft and underpowered team but guess you can only piss with the c0ck you’ve got.

[whatisthejava]

I seriously don't get why people don't want our best scrummaging TH on the pitch in the last 20. How many games has France snatched from defeat because they were propping against a shit scrummager.

I can count 3 against Scotland and at least 2 against Wales.

[sharvey44]

Welsh was out on his arse last week with the pace of the game. I'm assuming they think Berghan can deal with the pace for 60min and then Welsh can close it out.

[Mikey Brown]

I seriously don't get why people don't want our best scrummaging TH on the pitch in the last 20. How many games has France snatched from defeat because they were propping against a shit scrummager.

I can count 3 against Scotland and at least 2 against Wales.

Right. And we’ll be ahead at 60 due to... Berghan?

Wasn’t everybody knackered after the first 20 minutes? They played like fucking maniacs.

[Cameo]

I think all the changes are fair enough. I am not sure I would have dropped Price or Toolis but no one can really complain. We could really do with Dunbar back though