Road to RWC 2023

[Adder]

Training squad has been announced :

Scotland training squad for Rugby World Cup 2023


LHP
Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) 28 caps
Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 21 caps
Rory Sutherland (Ulster Rugby) 23 caps

Hooker
Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks) 7 caps
Dave Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby) 8 caps
Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) 47 caps
George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) 35 caps

THP
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 58 caps
WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 54 caps
Javan Sebastian (Scarlets) 3 caps
Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps

Locks
Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 25 caps
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) 62 caps
Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 73 caps
Cameron Henderson (Leicester Tigers) uncapped
Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby) 25 caps

Backrow
Andy Christie (Saracens) 4 caps
Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) 4 caps
Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) 7 caps
Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 9 caps
Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 33 caps
Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) – CAPTAIN – 41 caps
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) 57 caps

SH
Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap
George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 20 caps
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) 61 caps
Ben White (London Irish) 14 caps

FH
Adam Hastings (Gloucester Rugby) 27 caps
Ben Healy (Munster Rugby) 1 caps
Finn Russell (Racing 92) 69 caps

Centers
Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby) 42 caps
Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 36 caps
Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) 5 caps
Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 16 caps

Wingers
Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) 33 caps
Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 10 caps
Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 28 caps

FB
Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) 100 caps
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 43 caps
Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps

*edited for better display

[Big D]

Shame there is no space in camp for Hutchison given there are only 18 named so only 2 or 3 will be cut in the backs.

No Brown or Bradbury (Bristol's player of the year) potentially a surprise for an expanded training camp. Bradbury's time has probably been and gone but would prefer him on call as a 3rd 8.

41 players named there aren't many who will miss out when it is cut to 33 or what ever the number is given there will be wastage through inevitable injuries and/or suspension.

And no bolter, which is a surprise.

[Adder]

Shame there is no space in camp for Hutchison given there are only 18 named so only 2 or 3 will be cut in the backs.

No Brown or Bradbury (Bristol's player of the year) potentially a surprise for an expanded training camp. Bradbury's time has probably been and gone but would prefer him on call as a 3rd 8.

41 players named there aren't many who will miss out when it is cut to 33 or what ever the number is given there will be wastage through inevitable injuries and/or suspension.

And no bolter, which is a surprise.

Good Catch on the Bradbury, Brown and Hutchinson omissions.
Jonny Gray out due to his injury

[Which Tyler]

Have to say, I'm a little surprised Bayliss didn't make this squad. I didn't expect him to go to the RWC, but I thought his versatility might have made him worth a look.
Then again, as an injury backup - how useful is versatility?

[Big D]

Have to say, I'm a little surprised Bayliss didn't make this squad. I didn't expect him to go to the RWC, but I thought his versatility might have made him worth a look.
Then again, as an injury backup - how useful is versatility?

In terms of versatile back rows, only Watson and Darge don't cover two of the three back row spots or more. With Skinner also capable of covering 6 it is a really competitive area of the squad. I really feel that Watson should be in danger of missing out.

[Which Tyler]

I was thinking versatility in terms of being able to cover all 3 backrow slots (IIRC his gametime is about equal between all 3), and lock (at a push).
Fair enough though if everyone is broadly equally versatile.
But as mentioned, versatility is only really a benefit for the initial touring party, not so much for injury replacements.

[septic 9]

Have to say, I'm a little surprised Bayliss didn't make this squad. I didn't expect him to go to the RWC, but I thought his versatility might have made him worth a look.
Then again, as an injury backup - how useful is versatility?

In terms of versatile back rows, only Watson and Darge don't cover two of the three back row spots or more. With Skinner also capable of covering 6 it is a really competitive area of the squad. I really feel that Watson should be in danger of missing out.

Can't see him playing anywhere but openside for Scotland but Darge does actually cover across the back row. Watson should miss out IMHO, tough but Darge is a class above any other forward we have and I really don't think we should carry 2 who will only wear the 7 shirt when we can have Crosbie and Christie.
In terms of Bayliss, I also think he is very unlucky not to make this extended squad, but always unlikely to go further than that

[septic 9]

I was thinking versatility in terms of being able to cover all 3 backrow slots (IIRC his gametime is about equal between all 3), and lock (at a push).
Fair enough though if everyone is broadly equally versatile.
But as mentioned, versatility is only really a benefit for the initial touring party, not so much for injury replacements.

I really like Bayliss. I don't think he is big enough to seriously cover lock (I think I recall him filling in for Bath during a game there once?) and the reason I focus on that is because I do think had he been a bit taller and heavier his chances would have been much increases. We do not have aback row who covers lock, just a couple of locks who cover 6 at a push. There was IMHO an opening for the former

[Mikey Brown]

I’ve never really got it with Bayliss, considered versatile because he is fast and works hard but I’m not sure I see anything else that gives him a push at this level. I don’t think he’s even first choice for Bath really.

I agree it’s hard to argue Watson deserves the backup flanker spot ahead of Crosbie, but I suppose offers a more like-for-like replacement for Darge if that’s required. You feel like Crosbie could be a useful option with the very physical pool we have.

[Cameo]

Brown seems the big surprise given he was backup for much of the 6N. I don't know if there is a fitness issue or if Townsend just decided the alternatives are just a bit more reliable

[Cameo]

The Glasgow game on the weekend has made more a bit more nervous for the big World Cup games. It just seems that when things go wrong, we find it tough to turn hem around. The England, Wales and France games were reasonably encouraging in that respect, but we rely more than SA or Ireland on everything going right for most of the game.

I suppose that is just a feature of being the underdog (and Ireland do sometimes go from being clinical and world beating to a bit scrappy).

Also, have only just noticed Berghan isn't in the squad. Not a big deal, but it is a bit strange that two of our backups from the 6N are now out this wider squad. I'm not sure Sebastien has played any of our bigger games.

[Big D]

Think the boys are back in camp this week, with Glasgow player back next week and England based players the week after.

Block 1 of a long old preseason leading into the RWC.

[Cameo]

Think the boys are back in camp this week, with Glasgow player back next week and England based players the week after.

Block 1 of a long old preseason leading into the RWC.

Seems a bit strange. Given how long there is to go, you'd think they could have waited for two weeks til they are all available.

No doubt they've thought about burnout. Probably just a bit of fitness and gear fitting this week.

[Cameo]

I'm interested about moves, both lineouts and attack. When there is a big block of training like this will they refresh everything and present the players with a new 'playbook' or will they value continuity more.

There always seems a danger with World Cups that what worked a few months ago might stop working when the other teams have had months to analyse it. Equally, you don't want to beat yourself by forgetting what you are good at.

[Big D]

Think the boys are back in camp this week, with Glasgow player back next week and England based players the week after.

Block 1 of a long old preseason leading into the RWC.

Seems a bit strange. Given how long there is to go, you'd think they could have waited for two weeks til they are all available.

No doubt they've thought about burnout. Probably just a bit of fitness and gear fitting this week.

The info came from one of the coaches who I bumped into. Didn't ask too much about rugby as it wasn't a rugby thing we were at. I might have been one week out in my timings but the staggered returns are correct.

He was saying they have it set up in blocks of training. So this will all be early stage installation of plans type stuff. It isn't unusual as they'd normally be getting together at this time of year. Most are going to see Springsteen too apparently.

I see the mental coach has been kept on for the RWC so probably a bit of mindset stuff too.

Conditioning will be huge. I think they got it wrong last time.

[Cameo]

Yeah, it'll be interesting to hear one day quite what went so wrong. On the BBC Scottish Rugby Podcast a few weeks ago, Townsend said one learning was to have a smaller squad from earlier. The goal seems to be improve continuity and combinations, though I suppose that could backfire if there are injuries and someone needs to come in from outside. I wonder whether they also feel it impacted on training having too many people worried about their space in the squad rather than trying to make the team itself/preparing.

One big improvement since then is the settled nature of the team. At this point last time out there were about 8 different possible centre combinations. I still find it strange that some people think our issue was we were too attacking in that World Cup whereas, to me, it looks like we abandoned that when we went for Taylor and Harris as our centre partnership. Unfortunately, to me, having a rusty Taylor and what looked like a half fit Barclay on the pitch was symptomatic of all that went wrong in that tournament.

[Cameo]

Don't normally like SA whining about referees but I think the point made in this video is a good one.

https://supersport.com/rugby/united-rug ... in-the-urc

There are two issues, the ball carriers hand on the ground allowing him to get artificially low and drive beyond the gainline, and the supporting player wiping out tacklers ahead of the ball carrier.

[Mikey Brown]

Don't normally like SA whining about referees but I think the point made in this video is a good one.

https://supersport.com/rugby/united-rug ... in-the-urc

There are two issues, the ball carriers hand on the ground allowing him to get artificially low and drive beyond the gainline, and the supporting player wiping out tacklers ahead of the ball carrier.

Yep, I was ready for the usual SA youtuber 'analytics' bullshit but that is a pretty valid complaint. Irish teams do consistently find these clever, but infuriating, ways to dominate the contact area. My instinct is to say we should ban Peter O'mahoney for life.

Anybody noticed the national team doing this?

[Tobylerone]

we should ban Peter O'mahoney for life.

I`m sure this simple, and entirely justified, action would find universal approval.

[Mikey Brown]

Some handy players in there.

[Cameo]

Simon Berghan retired. Not long ago I would have presumed he would have been in the squad!

Never a top top international but had some great moments.

[Mikey Brown]

Anyone else read that weird (now deleted) Reddit thread suggesting Hogg has gone AWOL and been booted from the squad?

[Cameo]

No!

Please no drama like that!

[Puja]

Anyone else read that weird (now deleted) Reddit thread suggesting Hogg has gone AWOL and been booted from the squad?

Well, this just adds fuel to the fire of those rumours: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66148182

Puja

[Big D]

Such a shame to miss out on the world cup. His body must be fucked for him to miss it. I doubt he's just went AWOL tbh.

Legend. 100 caps, 3 lions tours, top Scots try scorer and was imo a good captain. We are going to miss him.