2008 6 nations - general review

Post by **niall** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:03 pm

So it's all over, we played pretty shit but we beat england!

What would be your strongest Scotland XV if you were having another round of games, and what would be your Six Nations XV?

I'm still working on mine (as well as uni work), so i'll post it soonish.

Post by **teenwolf** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:30 pm

SCOTLAND XV

15. Hugo Southwell
14. Rory Lamont
13. Graeme Morrison
12. Andy Henderson
11. Simon Webster
10. Chris Paterson
9. Mike Blair

1. Alan Jacobsen
2. Fergus Thomson
3. Euan Murray
4. Nathan Hines
5. Jason White
6. Al Strockosch
7. Ally Hogg
8. Simon Taylor

6 NATIONS XV

15. Lee Byrne (W)
14. Aurélien Rougerie (F)
13. Yannick Jauzion (F)
12. Gavin Henson (W)
11. Shane Williams (W)
10. Francois Trinh-Duc (F)
9. Mike Blair (S)

1. Martin Castrogiovanni (I)
2. Dimitri Szarzewski (F)
3. Gethin Jenkins (W)
4. Nathan Hines (S)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (W)
6. Al Strockosch (S)
7. Thierry Dusautoir (F)
8. Sergio Parisse (I)

So I'd go with 5 Welshmen, 5 Frenchmen, 3 Scots & 2 Italians.

My front 5 are enormous and the backrow are mobile and hard hitting. In the backs I've got people who make space and people who exploit it. Trinh-Duc was very good for the French and is definitely one to watch for the future.

I think I'm probably a bit blinkered when it comes to my countrymen, but what the hell!

rossi9!! · Post by **rossi9!!** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:26 pm

scotland

15.lamont
14.evans
13.de luca
12.morrison
11.webster
10.paterson
9.blair

1.jacobsen
2.thompson
3.murray
4.white
5.hines
6.strokosch
7.hogg
8.taylor

6 nations

15.byrne
14.clerc
13.noon
12.henson
11.williams
10.hook
9.blair

1.castrogiovanni
2.szarzewski
3.jenkins
4.nalet
5.gough
6.strokosch
7.williams
8.jones

Post by **MAFIE** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:45 pm

6 nations team
15.byrne
14.clerc
13.shanklyn
12.henson
11.williams
10.cipriani
9.blair

1.castrogiovanni
2.szarzewski
3.jenkins
4.shaw
5.gough
6.strokosch
7.williams
8.paressie

Post by **teenwolf** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:22 am

SKY SPORTS TEAM OF THE 6 NATIONS

LINK TO FULL STORY http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 84,00.html

15. Byrne (Wales)
14. Clerc (France)
13. Shanklin (Wales)
12. Henson (Wales)
11. Williams (Wales)
10. O'Gara (Ireland)
9. Blair (Scotland)

1. Sheridan (England)
2. Szarzewski (France)
3. Castrogiovanni (Italy)
4. Nallet (France)
5. Wyn-Jones (Wales)
6. Thomas (Wales)
7. Williams (Wales)
8. Parisse (Italy) captain

So there's quite a bit of agreement over Parisse making the team and the sole scots representative is Blair. They include Blair for his performance against England.

rossi9!! · Post by **rossi9!!** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:10 pm

the bbc top team had hook or jones at 10!! o'gara didnt do much for ireland!! everyone has near enough the same backs and forwards!

Post by **teenwolf** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:50 pm

It was the constancy of O'Gara that got him the nod ahead of the 2 welshmen. I suppose he is a top notch player and there's not much between them.

I thought Trinh-Duc was pretty special.

A lot of pundits are saying that this, the 1st 6Ns post-World Cup, is the least important of all. Lots of teams are in transition and it is much more important to blood up-and-coming players than play the old guard that are more likely to win the thing.

I think the French could have tried to play a more settled team and may have beaten England and been in a winner takes all encounter with the Welsh on Saturday. However, they're trying to bring on young talent (of which they have droves) and will be stronger for it in future.

If the Scots had played youngsters like Cairns, Evans and the like then I'd have been happy enough with our final position in the tournament, the most dispiriting thing is that these guys are supposed to be the most experienced and tried and tested we have.

Hopefully the Summer tour will allow Paterson a few tests at 10 and get some of the young exciting prospects around him blooded ahead of the Autumn Internationals.

Maybe we'll get lucky and Parks will break his ankle or something like that just ahead of them heading out to Buenos Aires!

AndyHill · Post by **AndyHill** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:25 pm

Eddie how can u say you would like 2 c them blood youngster for the future RWC and have paterson playing 10? He's 30 in 2 weeks so unless your positive he's gonna be there for then a dont think you can select him at 10. Granted we have fuck all else but surely u jst have 2 stick with Godman for the autumn international's if dat's the case? A hink he is crap and Gordon Ross is 30 and has bn gash in a Scotland jersey as well.

Jst shows how bad Scottish Rugby is we have 4 stand off's 2 choose 4rm and no1 else and most likely none will be at the next RWC apart 4rm Godman. The likes of England could have the boy Lamb, Cipriani, Geraghty and thats jst who a can think off of the top of ma head.

Post by **teenwolf** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:44 am

AndyHill wrote:Eddie how can u say you would like 2 c them blood youngster for the future RWC and have paterson playing 10? He's 30 in 2 weeks so unless your positive he's gonna be there for then a dont think you can select him at 10.

You've got a point andy, but the reason why you have paterson there is cause he'd provide a steadying influence. The french approach which I'm pretty much suggesting we should copy was to mix experience with younth. Yachvili, Traille, Jauzion and Skrela were all in the squad and in the pack the front five had 2 or 3 boys who've been around a while.

Godman can be brought into it with time and a bit of luck.

But hopefully someone else will hold his hand up for the 10 shirt prior to the RWC. That said Big Gav was 33 and a half at the 1995 world cup and played very well. Paterson could keep it going another few years and he too will be 33 at the RWC in 2011.

Post by **MAFIE** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:35 am

We need to get a young bloke, around 19/20 years old in and that way we will get two good world cups out of him. Scotland have wasted Paterson. He should have played stand-off ten years ago when people were still saying the same things about him. We haven't moved on from the 1999 word cup.

AndyHill · Post by **AndyHill** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:38 am

I a understand wot ure saying about providing a steadying influence but look at the positions France are developing its 2, 9 and 10 which are the most important positions on the park as they are involved with the set pieces and running of the game. So they can use someone like Jauzion or Traille who are experineced heads to help Tin-Duch (or wotever his name is) to help him develop. Granted we dnt really have any world class players, especially in the backs, to help the likes of Godman develop.

Wot am really getting at is people ave been saying to develop a team for the next world cup and its possible for the likes of France and England to do so but we dnt have the man power to do so. If we could find a guy who is a solid player at 10 can play the kicking game like Parks and have the attaching ability of Paterson then we could have something 2 build off, of but we dnt.

AndyHill · Post by **AndyHill** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:41 am

Totally agree Mathie. If we could find someone like that and blood him in gradually on this tour then that would be great. And your correct with the Paterson comment he's not an out and out 10 cause he's never had the opportunity to become one.

Post by **teenwolf** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:13 pm

IF we don't have the world class players coming through it's really pretty academic whether paterson is retained or not.

At the moment there isn't a viable alternative and as with Gavin Hastings (after the 1991 RWC) there's still a lot of rugby left in Paterson.

Andy - I agree with your views around developing the spine of the team as these are key players - 2, 8, 9, 10 and 15. Scotland have very good options in 2 of the three positions (8 & 9) of the other 3 there's no one playing there who's of international class (although Rory Lamont could develop into a great 15) . Paterson is a good stop-gap @ 10 until someone else emerges who can play there.

As is in France we need to develop these players away from the cauldron of the 6Ns and then bring them through gradually. But there are 8 or 9 teams in the Top 14 who'd take Glasgow or Edinburgh to the cleaners so there's a much stronger 2nd tier propping up the French game.

barryts · Post by **barryts** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:37 pm

I totally agree with everything said by you guys, but i feel that we have to play the form players. Southwell doesn't start with Edin so why does he play for Scotland. He is guff!

I think this is because hadden has his favourites and may feel bad dropping them. In my opinion Hadden should go as his comments that he is content with the way we performed are a disgrace. We were tipped as dark horses for the tiltle before it started and pretty much got wooden spoon!

If England or Welsh or French coach had got this 2 years running, do you think he would still be in a job!!!

Sorry to say it but i think we have to be cruel here and get rid of him and bring in a fresh face with a more attacking style. Even if we get beat at the start, give it a go instead of playing this boring northern hemisphere rugby that nobody wants to pay to watch. Throw the ball around and give the crowd something to cheer and maybe glasgow and Edinburgh will get people turning up for games.

Who the coach would be is a big Q? but i would look at Pat Lam as he was here before and is doing well in NZ. Also look at Andy Robinson as he has done wonders with Edinburgh as they have lost a lot of key players and still have confidence to throw ball around.

Post by **teenwolf** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:07 pm

On Coaches:

Robinson is doing well - but i dunno if he's the man, good coach but when push came to shove at England he wasn't up to it so it does represent a gamble.

Pat Lam, Budge Poutney and Sean Lineen are all good guys and could maybe get involved. Bryan Redpath could do something for us, he's doing well at Gloucester.

I'd take Jake White if he were interested.