Scots Abroad VIII (or let's spot the new messiah)

[BaldiePete]

Saturday Games

Playing in England

Leicester
Henderson - starts against Harlequins
Hurd - not in squad
Whitcombe - bench

Bath
Russell - bench against Newcastle. They must feel they can afford to rest him.
Redpath - starts
Bayliss - bench

Newcastle
McCallum - bench against Bath
McDonald - not available
Leatherbarrow - bench
Gordon - not available

Northampton
Rory Hutchison - starts against Bristol
Elliot Millar-Mills - bench
Charlie Savala - not available

Playing in Wales

Scarlets
Hepburn - starts against Leinster
Craig - starts

Cardiff
Litterick - bench against Munster

Playing in France

Toulon
White - not in squad

Toulouse
Kinghorn - starts at 15

Bordeaux-Begles
Gray - starts

Sunday Games

Playing in England

Gloucester
Harris - starts against Exeter
Charlie Chapman - not in squad

[BaldiePete]

Arron Reed 95m try at about 1’15”.

[Mikey Brown]

Sounds as though the knee fairy has paid Kinghorn a visit.

Horrible timing for him. Gutted.

[Cameo]

Sounds as though the knee fairy has paid Kinghorn a visit.

Horrible timing for him. Gutted.

Sounds like it might be okay according to the assistant coach:

“Blair Kinghorn suffered a direct blow to the knee,” the former scrum-half said.

“We don’t know if there’s a twist or not. We’ll see what the tests do. But it didn’t seem too serious.”

[Mikey Brown]

Great news. From what I’d read it sounded 100% like he’d be out for the rest of the season. Fingers crossed.

[septic 9]

Sounds as though the knee fairy has paid Kinghorn a visit.

Horrible timing for him. Gutted.

Sounds like it might be okay according to the assistant coach:

“Blair Kinghorn suffered a direct blow to the knee,” the former scrum-half said.

“We don’t know if there’s a twist or not. We’ll see what the tests do. But it didn’t seem too serious.”

hope the coach is right, cos I didn't see a blow to the knee. Kinghorn jumped and turned as he came down to take a high ball, seemed to twist his knee on impacting the ground.
He was clearly worried at the time

[Mikey Brown]

Apparently will miss most of May but should be back for playoffs. Not sure how that leaves his Lions chances though.

[BaldiePete]

Apparently will miss most of May but should be back for playoffs. Not sure how that leaves his Lions chances though.

I might just be being paranoid but I fully expect his injury to be used as an excuse not to pick him. Similarly for Tuipolotu, Jones, VDM and quite possibly Fagerson (Z).

[Mikey Brown]

What happened to Zander?

Possibly another paranoid thought, but it never feels like it does anything good for Scottish players to go with the Lions.

Maybe I’m misremembering but Grant, Sutherland, Watson, Price, Seymour, Hogg all seemed to be pretty much done as internationals after touring. I’m trying to think of anyone beyond Laidlaw and VDM who ever looked the same afterwards. Granted, Sutherland had a load of injuries anyway.

[Which Tyler]

Finn?

[Cameo]

Finn?

He wasn't permanently harmed by the Lions but he did seem knackered the next season and it culminated in his falling out with Townsend. Dunno how much of that was a lions hangover though.

[septic 9]

What happened to Zander?

Possibly another paranoid thought, but it never feels like it does anything good for Scottish players to go with the Lions.

Maybe I’m misremembering but Grant, Sutherland, Watson, Price, Seymour, Hogg all seemed to be pretty much done as internationals after touring. I’m trying to think of anyone beyond Laidlaw and VDM who ever looked the same afterwards. Granted, Sutherland had a load of injuries anyway.

Zander IIRC picked up a knock but then did his calf in training. Seen in a moon boot, which I think was a precaution. He was wandering around behind Jake white during the Bulls game

Many players from all countries have poor seasons after touring with the Lions.
Of those you mention
Grant was a late call up, but it was the change in the engage rules that did for him. He was good at "the hit"
Sutherland - injuries were horrendous series. TBH he has never recovered to his earlier levels
Watson - unpopular view I know, but he was lucky to be picked, but form did dip and consistently so until a few weeks back when he thought he wasn't getting anew contract, then upped his game.
Seymour - disagree. Had injury issues off on on but had his best season in terms of try scoring anyway 2 years after Lions tour
Hogg - an odd one. Hogg toured 3 times First as a kid, played well for many years after that. Then toured but injured before a match was played. Again, played well after that. Last one, flashes but TBH I think he lost a yard of pace and probably that was due to his private life catching up with him

Laidlaw and Duhan. Agree, no change. TBF it would be difficult to see of Laidlaw got slower, and Duhan is still an athlete in a rugby shirt

[Mikey Brown]

Ha. I did write something similar for Laidlaw but seemed unsporting.

Fair enough on the rest though. Sounds like you remember it a bit more clearly. I thought Watson was playing fantastically though. Seemed neck and neck with Tom Curry, but once the SA A game became a full test (and that stupid yellow) it kind of set the test team in place.

[Cameo]

Price was an odd one. Played fantastically on tour, but seemed tonslowly fade afterwards.

My memory on Seymour was same as yours. Try scoring continued (was actually top try scorer on tour I think), but seemed to lose a bit of spark/confidence.

None of this is tonsay I don't want players picked.

[septic 9]

Price was an odd one. Played fantastically on tour, but seemed tonslowly fade afterwards.

forgot to mention Price I think. As I did say man plaers have a poor season following a Lions tour; but generally they get back to where they were
In the 18 months before the tour and during it Price was IMHO absolutely the best 9 bar Dupont
Then he fell off his perch. I think initially his form at Glasgow was not as bad as portrayed at the time, but after moving along the M8 to that wonder zone of coaching exertise.....................

He has shown something of his old self at times this season, could be wrong but I think when Edinburgh click he is on the park organising, controlling, cajoling. I really hope he does well in France, he isn't Dupont, he isn't George Horne and that f**K he isn't Ben Vellacott or Greig Laidlaw
Complete 9 at his best