Australia tour

[af73]

I think Gregor might have found a interesting solution on Saturday with WP and Fagerson. Zander started to get the tempo up from the off with Nel coming on to solidify the scrum (when Barnes was started to get on Fagerson's case) and/or press home an advantage.

If that knowledge is banked for future opponents then this tour has served its purpose in that regard.

Likewise Scott. Played really well from the bench perhaps having seen the pattern of the game develop instead of trying to force it when starting.

Saturdays game will be like 7's at times - it's inevitable. Jones' experience reading of that type of game (in attack and defence) could be useful.
Would like to see Grigg at some point, perhaps outside Taylor which might be a preview of Taylor/Jones type combination.

Horne and Jackson - perhaps a half each with Price?
Strauss & Gray might be favoured to tie in defenders close to the breakdown, Hardie as well if in one piece!

End of a long season in which the rugby playing ability of our players has really started to flourish. We've also seen the concentration and application improve to much closer to a full 80 minutes than before. If they go out and "enjoy" Saturday the rewards hopefully will follow.

[Big D]

I'm not sure we can go wrong with either of Nel and ZJRF starting. Either can be good from start or off bench. Which is very positive.

[whatisthejava]

I'd start Nel too. He could probs do with the game more and Fagerson probably has more impact off the bench.

Otherwise makes sense (I didnt see the Aus game so cant say if Jones should be ahead of Hoyland/Hughes but from the highlights that seems fair)

Actually, is Grigg not on the tour? What are the chances of him starting with Taylor back to full back?

No point rushing Nel back, he is going to play either 50 or 30 mins and then have a holiday and then start pre season

A good pre season is more important than picking up a niggle

[Mikey Brown]

Agree. I would be interested to see how Ford/Fagerson and Brown/Nel go together in the scrum though.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

First time I've been able to get on the PC since being away so my thoughts if anyone is interested...

Two players shut me right up as I'm often critical of one and wrote off the other before the game started. Russell - I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that is his best game in a Scotland shirt to date is it? He did very little wrong. Aussies looked so dangerous with the ball in hand, whenever one of their big strike runners got the ball in space and started to accelerate he was soon mowed down. When looking to see who kept rushing out to stop them dead in their tracks, more often than not it was Finn Russell. Brilliant all round game. The other is Tonks - superb game in defence and in open play he was solid, he drew his man and made his passes. I don't think anyone would have stopped Folau - the question is why were we drawn so tight to begin with?

On the whole, I thought we played mindlessly at times but still got the result. A very odd game for me. Not specific to the toony regime but over the last couple of years I think we've got a lot more 'dog' that has been missing from the team in the form of Swinson, Hughes, Wilson, etc...

Thought bringing Pyrgos on took the wind right out of our sails. Finn wasn't taken off because the drop off between him and Horne is huge. I'd argue it's even better between Price and any other scrum half in Scotland. Pyrgos is capable but he has been in rotten form for a few months now - he almost cost us the game with some of those box kicks.