Training squad for Ireland

[Mikey Brown]

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Superb news! We have a strong looking squad now.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Head coach Gregor Townsend today named a revised Scotland squad for the NatWest 6 Nations ahead of this Saturday’s Round 4 Test against Ireland in Dublin (10 March, kick-off 2.15pm) - live on ITV.

The squad – which increases in size from 36 to 40 for the forthcoming rounds – welcomes 10 players into the group at the expense of six, with five of the seven new faces fit-to-play for the first time in the current campaign.

Toulouse lock Richie Gray (calf) [pictured right], Glasgow Warriors hooker Fraser Brown (head), prop Zander Fagerson (foot), centre Alex Dunbar (thigh) and Edinburgh Rugby prop Darryl Marfo (back) have recovered from their respective injuries to be deemed eligible for selection for the first time.

The new additions are completed by Edinburgh Rugby back-row John Hardie and impressive young scrum-half George Horne, whose 10 tries in 14 games for Glasgow Warriors this season has helped him secure his first senior international call-up.

The final three amendments see Sale Sharks and Glasgow Warriors wings Byron McGuigan (hamstring) and Lee Jones (head) return from their respective injuries to re-join the group, while Edinburgh Rugby back-row Magnus Bradbury is reselected.

Not considered through injury: Harlequins wing Tim Visser (head), Glasgow Warriors back-row Rob Harley (wrist).

SCOTLAND SQUAD FOR 2018 NATWEST 6 NATIONS

FORWARDS (22)

John Barclay (Scarlets) CAPTAIN
Simon Berghan (Edinburgh Rugby)
Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors)
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby)
Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
David Denton (Worcester Warriors)
Cornell du Preez (Edinburgh Rugby)
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby)
Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
Richie Gray (Toulouse)
Luke Hamilton (Leicester Tigers)
John Hardie (Edinburgh Rugby)
Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons)
Darryl Marfo (Edinburgh Rugby)
Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby)
Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby)
Gordon Reid (London Irish)
Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors)
Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby)
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby)
Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)

BACKS (18)

Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby)
Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors)
Nick Grigg (Glasgow Warriors)
Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons)
Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)
George Horne (Glasgow Warriors)
Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors)
Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors)
Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors)
Lee Jones (Glasgow Warriors)
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby)
Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne)
Sean Maitland (Saracens)
Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks)
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors)
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors)
Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors)
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)

[hugh_woatmeigh]

The journalism could be better. Who are the 6 dropped?

Harley, Visser, McCallum, Taylor, Welsh ...? Rae?

[sharvey44]

I'm not sure what to expect from us this weekend. We played exceptionally well against England but have been spectacularly bad away from home.

I think if we get a LBP then that would be a good result. If we win that would be a great result.

I'm not quite ready to board the hype train just yet.. It is only Monday.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I'm not sure what to expect from us this weekend. We played exceptionally well against England but have been spectacularly bad away from home.

I think if we get a LBP then that would be a good result. If we win that would be a great result.

I'm not quite ready to board the hype train just yet.. It is only Monday.

They need to perform and execute the game plan as a bare minimum.

Nobody is angry about losing in Cardiff but the performance was unacceptable. It cannot happen again.

If that happens, we could be in the mix. We are going to have a hell of a bench ... Brown, Fagerson/Nel, R Gray, Dunbar are huge, huge additions.

Horne Jr won't be near the squad but will surely push Laidlaw and Price on.

[Mikey Brown]

The journalism could be better. Who are the 6 dropped?

Harley, Visser, McCallum, Taylor, Welsh ...? Rae?

...Scott.

[Big D]

I'm not sure what to expect from us this weekend. We played exceptionally well against England but have been spectacularly bad away from home.

I think if we get a LBP then that would be a good result. If we win that would be a great result.

I'm not quite ready to board the hype train just yet.. It is only Monday.

They need to perform and execute the game plan as a bare minimum.

Nobody is angry about losing in Cardiff but the performance was unacceptable. It cannot happen again.

If that happens, we could be in the mix. We are going to have a hell of a bench ... Brown, Fagerson/Nel, R Gray, Dunbar are huge, huge additions.

Horne Jr won't be near the squad but will surely push Laidlaw and Price on.

Playing devils advocate I wouldn't be in a rush to bring many of them back in over other squad options. Mostly as due to lay offs we can't be sure how they'll go and can't bring them all back.

Brown is a gimmie.
Marfo hasn't played in months. Reid has been steady if quiet and Bhatti going fine.
Fagerson - hasn't played on a while and Berghan and Nel did well.
Gray to bench maybe if he's had gametime. Toolis should be ahead of Swinson for bench spot.
Hardie - nope
Dunbar - does he offer much impact from the bench?

Wing selection with Vissers injury will be interesting.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

R Gray is fit and played this weekend.

I take your point about Berghan and I need a large slice of humble pie - he was one of the best players on the pitch against France and put in a heroic shift against England.

Having said that Nel is a superior scrummager and Fagerson carries like a number 8. Both brilliant players in their own right. I think Berghan should keep the shirt but Toony has a serious selection headache at 3. All 3 could viably start. Fagerson has at least had some bench time with Glasgow wo will not be coming in from the "cold" the same way that Nel and Berghan did.

[Mikey Brown]

I'm not sure what to expect from us this weekend. We played exceptionally well against England but have been spectacularly bad away from home.

I think if we get a LBP then that would be a good result. If we win that would be a great result.

I'm not quite ready to board the hype train just yet.. It is only Monday.

They need to perform and execute the game plan as a bare minimum.

Nobody is angry about losing in Cardiff but the performance was unacceptable. It cannot happen again.

If that happens, we could be in the mix. We are going to have a hell of a bench ... Brown, Fagerson/Nel, R Gray, Dunbar are huge, huge additions.

Horne Jr won't be near the squad but will surely push Laidlaw and Price on.

Playing devils advocate I wouldn't be in a rush to bring many of them back in over other squad options. Mostly as due to lay offs we can't be sure how they'll go and can't bring them all back.

Brown is a gimmie.
Marfo hasn't played in months. Reid has been steady if quiet and Bhatti going fine.
Fagerson - hasn't played on a while and Berghan and Nel did well.
Gray to bench maybe if he's had gametime. Toolis should be ahead of Swinson for bench spot.
Hardie - nope
Dunbar - does he offer much impact from the bench?

Wing selection with Vissers injury will be interesting.

That’s a fairly good summary. Marfo and Dunbar I would prefer a starters if anything but really can’t be sure how sharp they would be. I don’t see Fagerson as worth the risk really. I think an average Gray is still better than Swinson though so I’d like him on the bench.

12 is the really tricky one. Heart says Horne but head says Dunbar. Would picking Dunbar just be accepting that we’re trying nullify Ireland rather than beat them?

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Who would you bench ahead of Dunbar? Price, Dunbar and Kinghorn covers 9, 12/13, wing/15 with Horne/Laidlaw able to slot in at 10 if needed. I'd be happy bringing Dunbar off the bench whether defending a lead or chasing a game.

R Gray is a gimme. Toolis seems to be falling out of favour and Swinson just isn't in the same class.

[Big D]

One of my main concerns would be half filling the bench with players who are not match sharp.

Gray played his first game in a while at the weekend. If he recovers ok and it's him v Swinson then fair enough I'd pick Gray

Grigg and Bennett would be ok off the bench. Dunbar would be fine but as I mentioned I'm not keen on 4 of 8 bench players having so little game time before playing away in Ireland.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

One of my main concerns would be half filling the bench with players who are not match sharp.

Gray played his first game in a while at the weekend. If he recovers ok and it's him v Swinson then fair enough I'd pick Gray

Grigg and Bennett would be ok off the bench. Dunbar would be fine but as I mentioned I'm not keen on 4 of 8 bench players having so little game time before playing away in Ireland.

But RG has played the same amount of rugby as Swinson? Granted, a few of Swinson's minutes were at test match level.

There is not much between Fagerson and Nel in terms of game time either.

Brown is twice the player Lawson is match sharp or not. Whether he should have been included or not is another question entirely.

I take your point on someone like Marfo or potentially Dunbar though.

[whatisthejava]

My team I suppose

1 Reid (Marfo isnt fit)
2 Rambo
3 Berghan
4 JG
5 GG
6 Barclay
7 Watson
8 Wilson

Laidlaw
Russell
Maitland
Horne
Jones
Hogg

Bench
Bhatti
Brown
Z F
Swinson
Denton
Price
Dunbar
Lee Jones

wanting to bring on ball carriers in the last 20 mins and speed the game up, ive got a feeling we wont see alot of hte ball for the first 20 - 30 mins so stay away from the rucks, spread out hit them behind the gain line and hold on to the ball, after 60 bring on the bench and start running down Earls/Rinrose channel

Thats my plan and thats what im sticking to

[OptimisticJock]

I don't watch much AP so what does Harris bring that Scott doesn't?

[Edinburgh in Exile]

I'm not sure what to expect from us this weekend. We played exceptionally well against England but have been spectacularly bad away from home.

I think if we get a LBP then that would be a good result. If we win that would be a great result.

I'm not quite ready to board the hype train just yet.. It is only Monday.

They need to perform and execute the game plan as a bare minimum.

Nobody is angry about losing in Cardiff but the performance was unacceptable. It cannot happen again.

If that happens, we could be in the mix. We are going to have a hell of a bench ... Brown, Fagerson/Nel, R Gray, Dunbar are huge, huge additions.

Horne Jr won't be near the squad but will surely push Laidlaw and Price on.

You and I remember the reaction to that Cardiff game very differently.

[Stones of granite]

My team I suppose

1 Reid (Marfo isnt fit)
2 Rambo
3 Berghan
4 JG
5 GG
6 Barclay
7 Watson
8 Wilson

Laidlaw
Russell
Maitland
Horne
Jones
Hogg

Bench
Bhatti
Brown
Z F
Swinson
Denton
Price
Dunbar
Lee Jones

wanting to bring on ball carriers in the last 20 mins and speed the game up, ive got a feeling we wont see alot of hte ball for the first 20 - 30 mins so stay away from the rucks, spread out hit them behind the gain line and hold on to the ball, after 60 bring on the bench and start running down Earls/Rinrose channel

Thats my plan and thats what im sticking to

I would have thought that having 15 players starting would be a better plan.

[Big D]

My team I suppose

1 Reid (Marfo isnt fit)
2 Rambo
3 Berghan
4 JG
5 GG
6 Barclay
7 Watson
8 Wilson

Laidlaw
Russell
Maitland
Horne
Jones
Hogg

Bench
Bhatti
Brown
Z F
Swinson
Denton
Price
Dunbar
Lee Jones

wanting to bring on ball carriers in the last 20 mins and speed the game up, ive got a feeling we wont see alot of hte ball for the first 20 - 30 mins so stay away from the rucks, spread out hit them behind the gain line and hold on to the ball, after 60 bring on the bench and start running down Earls/Rinrose channel

Thats my plan and thats what im sticking to

I'd have Kinghorn on wing, Nel for Fagerson and Toolis/Gray for Swinson but other than that I'd agree.

[ARM]

I love the fact that the Beeb go with a picture of Hardie that makes him look completely addled. What a mutant.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43287665

For me, Richie is ahead of Toolis as he has slightly better hair. Unless Toolis can stop looking like a huge ineffectual fairy then he doesn't deserve to play. Denton likewise, bench at best for that lad. Brown, Dunbar, Fagerson - all sensibly coiffed Weegies - they may join the bench.

[General Zod]

I love the fact that the Beeb go with a picture of Hardie that makes him look completely addled. What a mutant.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43287665

For me, Richie is ahead of Toolis as he has slightly better hair. Unless Toolis can stop looking like a huge ineffectual fairy then he doesn't deserve to play. Denton likewise, bench at best for that lad. Brown, Dunbar, Fagerson - all sensibly coiffed Weegies - they may join the bench.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I'm not sure what to expect from us this weekend. We played exceptionally well against England but have been spectacularly bad away from home.

I think if we get a LBP then that would be a good result. If we win that would be a great result.

I'm not quite ready to board the hype train just yet.. It is only Monday.

They need to perform and execute the game plan as a bare minimum.

Nobody is angry about losing in Cardiff but the performance was unacceptable. It cannot happen again.

If that happens, we could be in the mix. We are going to have a hell of a bench ... Brown, Fagerson/Nel, R Gray, Dunbar are huge, huge additions.

Horne Jr won't be near the squad but will surely push Laidlaw and Price on.

You and I remember the reaction to that Cardiff game very differently.

How? I'm saying nobody has a right to be angry about a L in the result column in Cardiff. It could happen even if we played well? It's the performance that was unacceptable not the result...

[Cameo]

It would be harsh on Wilson but I would be tempted to start Denton for this one. It's just based on a feeling we won't get as much joy at the breakdown this week so could do with a bit more heft.

His hands are still the worry though. I would basically fire 20 balls at him in training this week and if he can catch them all he starts.

[Mikey Brown]

I’ve been wanting that too but I have this feeling Wilson may be what is needed to get in Sextons face and disrupt things.