6N starting team

[Edinburgh in Exile]

I'd have gone for Scott. Better hope Nel doesn't need to come on too early. Would have Denton and Wilson other way round. No issue with Kinghorn being involved again.

I personally have no issue with Kinghorn. My issue is Toony didn't use him the other week because he didn't trust him as much as the options on the pitch.

We will need impact off the bench against England. I'd have gone for someone else as I don't think he'll bring Kinghorn on unless it's an injury.

Was it a trust thing, or just a continuity thing? He changed what wasn’t working last week and left the rest as is. I don’t think most coaches would have messed too much with the team in the second half. Particularly after you’ve just pulled your starting fly half and moved your scrum half there. That’s enough disruption for 30 minutes for any team to handle.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I'd have gone for Scott. Better hope Nel doesn't need to come on too early. Would have Denton and Wilson other way round. No issue with Kinghorn being involved again.

I personally have no issue with Kinghorn. My issue is Toony didn't use him the other week because he didn't trust him as much as the options on the pitch.

We will need impact off the bench against England. I'd have gone for someone else as I don't think he'll bring Kinghorn on unless it's an injury.

Was it a trust thing, or just a continuity thing? He changed what wasn’t working last week and left the rest as is. I don’t think most coaches would have messed too much with the team in the second half. Particularly after you’ve just pulled your starting fly half and moved your scrum half there. That’s enough disruption for 30 minutes for any team to handle.

Valid point. Would love to see him get a few mins. He'd be great on the end of some of those kicks that Finn does.

[General Zod]

I think the plan is broadly similar to v France - stay in touch whilst tiring them out until 60, then start punching holes when they’re knackered and we’ve brought on a bit more beef, all without taking the fly-half off.

Anyway, it’s usually now that I go from ridiculous pessimist to hopeless optimist. I can feel it now...

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I think the plan is broadly similar to v France - stay in touch whilst tiring them out until 60, then start punching holes when they’re knackered and we’ve brought on a bit more beef, all without taking the fly-half off.

Anyway, it’s usually now that I go from ridiculous pessimist to hopeless optimist. I can feel it now...

It will be really interesting to see what Toony does with the 9 replacement. Laidlaw is the best goal kicker in the squad by a country mile.

[ARM]

Happy with that.

Seems fair reward for outstanding performances from Swinson and Grigg for Glasgow.

Swindon is not as adept at setpiece and maul as Toolis but brings huge work rate. Likewise Grigg in attack and defence. Clearly Toony wants to keep running hard at England late in the game. Not sure we have the physicality or any advantage in fitness to prevent the English strangling our game plan.

Grigg is also probably a better defender in the channels than Scott or Bennett but we’ll have to see how he handles the step up. Plus he’s match fit unlike the other two.

[sharvey44]

Ahh. The emotional rollercoaster of Scottish rugby has just left the station and is embarking on its steady climb up to the first summit. Estimated time of arrival 15:59 Saturday where it will immediately free-fall into the first drop hitting the bottom at around 3 minutes after 4pm. It will then start its slow rise up the next peak which has a number of smaller highs and lows and should arrive somewhere close to 40 minutes after departure. There will be a short rest for everyone to get their emotions back under control and any required bathroom breaks. Once underway again, we will follow a similar route with a final destination undetermined but either a summit higher than the initial starting position or a familiar low that has been visited on frequent occasions.

[General Zod]

Ahh. The emotional rollercoaster of Scottish rugby has just left the station and is embarking on its steady climb up to the first summit. Estimated time of arrival 15:59 Saturday where it will immediately free-fall into the first drop hitting the bottom at around 3 minutes after 4pm. It will then start its slow rise up the next peak which has a number of smaller highs and lows and should arrive somewhere close to 40 minutes after departure. There will be a short rest for everyone to get their emotions back under control and any required bathroom breaks. Once underway again, we will follow a similar route with a final destination undetermined but either a summit higher than the initial starting position or a familiar low that has been visited on frequent occasions.

[Mikey Brown]

Absolute nothing article here but that stat is horrendous.

http://sport.bt.com/rugby-union/hamish- ... 4253166854

[whatisthejava]

I just want to point out that I called Laidlaw at 10, Swinson and WP Nel being in the team

I am Gregor Townsend and I claim my £10


Im pretty sure he is fucking mental

[OptimisticJock]

Just having a wee think as I folded my entire away, with (potentially) all of Price, Grigg and Kingblair coming off the bench to run at a tiring defence surely it would make more sense for Wilson to do the same after Denton had smashed his way through England like a pished up Jock running through RAF Reg lines?

[Cameo]

Just having a wee think as I folded my entire away, with (potentially) all of Price, Grigg and Kingblair coming off the bench to run at a tiring defence surely it would make more sense for Wilson to do the same after Denton had smashed his way through England like a pished up Jock running through RAF Reg lines?

Im not sure. When I'm knackered I think I'd rather face a workhorse number 8 than a destroyer. It's not like Wilson will run round you

[Mikey Brown]

Just having a wee think as I folded my entire away, with (potentially) all of Price, Grigg and Kingblair coming off the bench to run at a tiring defence surely it would make more sense for Wilson to do the same after Denton had smashed his way through England like a pished up Jock running through RAF Reg lines?

Im not sure. When I'm knackered I think I'd rather face a workhorse number 8 than a destroyer. It's not like Wilson will run round you

Yep. If Denton can get us on the front foot and Price is on we might even get to attack a bit. I just don't get what the plan for Grigg/Kinghorn is when our most crucial attacking threats are at 13/15.

[OptimisticJock]

Fair point

[Tobylerone]

Just having a wee think as I folded my entire away, with (potentially) all of Price, Grigg and Kingblair coming off the bench to run at a tiring defence surely it would make more sense for Wilson to do the same after Denton had smashed his way through England like a pished up Jock running through RAF Reg lines?

My concern is that Scotland may not have enough possession to make an English defence tire, Farrell and co. not Brylcreem boys, unfortunately.

[switchskier]

love a bit of toonie tombola. Unpredictable as a player and unpredictable as a coach.

Anyone very nervous at the thought of Teo running at a Laidlaw, Horne, Grigg midfield? He probably weighs more than the three of them combined.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Just having a wee think as I folded my entire away, with (potentially) all of Price, Grigg and Kingblair coming off the bench to run at a tiring defence surely it would make more sense for Wilson to do the same after Denton had smashed his way through England like a pished up Jock running through RAF Reg lines?

Im not sure. When I'm knackered I think I'd rather face a workhorse number 8 than a destroyer. It's not like Wilson will run round you

Yep. If Denton can get us on the front foot and Price is on we might even get to attack a bit. I just don't get what the plan for Grigg/Kinghorn is when our most crucial attacking threats are at 13/15.

Grigg covers 12/13 and Kinghorn covers 15 plus wing (in Toony's mind) this allows Horne to cover 10. I assume that's the thinking.

I suspect Kinghorn will be on for Maitland at some point and Grigg on for Russell if he has a mare again.

[OptimisticJock]

Im not sure. When I'm knackered I think I'd rather face a workhorse number 8 than a destroyer. It's not like Wilson will run round you

Yep. If Denton can get us on the front foot and Price is on we might even get to attack a bit. I just don't get what the plan for Grigg/Kinghorn is when our most crucial attacking threats are at 13/15.

Grigg covers 12/13 and Kinghorn covers 15 plus wing (in Toony's mind) this allows Horne to cover 10. I assume that's the thinking.

I suspect Kinghorn will be on for Maitland at some point and Grigg on for Russell if he has a mare again.

I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up price laidlaw again

[ARM]

love a bit of toonie tombola. Unpredictable as a player and unpredictable as a coach.

Anyone very nervous at the thought of Teo running at a Laidlaw, Horne, Grigg midfield? He probably weighs more than the three of them combined.

Yeah, but think of it the other way round. Grigg, the wee scamp, will run through his legs.

Russell to play full 80 and have a stormer. We’re also due a performance from Hogg and Seymour. Think we’ll see it from Hogg this week.

[Big D]

I can almost see why ToonMac think Swinson should bench over Toolis even though I don't agree with it. I like his enthusiasm but think he leaves us liable to be over powered.

But I just don't see how Grigg will have any impact at international level. I'd prefer Scott who would cover the 12/13 better.

There was possibly an argument for Denton and Strauss on the bench and going with a 6/2 split with Russell/Horne being an emergency 12/13 partnership or Hogg an emergency 13.

[Stones of granite]

Just having a wee think as I folded my entire away, with (potentially) all of Price, Grigg and Kingblair coming off the bench to run at a tiring defence surely it would make more sense for Wilson to do the same after Denton had smashed his way through England like a pished up Jock running through RAF Reg lines?

Is that the famous 50 metres of death?

[hugh_woatmeigh]

England: Brown; Watson, Joseph, Farrell, May; Ford, Care; Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Itoje, Lawes, Robshaw, Hughes.

Replacements: George, Marler, Williams, Kruis, Underhill, Wigglesworth, Te'o, Nowell

Move that pack about the park and they'll all be blowing out their arse besides a couple.

Anything else? No? Yeah... this will be a tough ask. Finn owes the fans a performance after the lats two matches and I hope we get it. We won't win without it.

[whatisthejava]

Its all going to go terribly,

although that pack isnt that talented they know full well Owens wont penalize the breakdown unless they do stupid things and will just destroy the breakdown, get some penalties hope for 1 or 2 tries and basically build a lead.

I dont think thats a great England team but if they get a grove on and with a ref who doesnt want to be a bad guy they will rinse and repeat what they did to us last year.

Every breakdown will just be 3 English players lying all over the shop and farrell telling ownes that the scottish backrow is offside

[Mikey Brown]

Pretty much yeah. Got to use our forwards wisely, not just fling it about but keep shifting the point of attack away from a pretty pedestrian England pack.

Can Russell take charge and get the forwards running off him, and pressure the Ford/Farrell channel, with Laidlaw at 9? This is a big test for both. Farrell has been more restrained in defence recently but I feel he may quite fancy shooting out of the line trying to cut out Russell’s wild passing game. If that happens Scotland must be ready to take advantage of it.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Maul defence will be interesting. First thing to do is test how Owen's reacts to the 'no defence' tactic from a fair distance. If he penalises England, adopt it in the 22.

I remember we thought it would be a good idea to test out theory a few yards out from the try line (i think against Aus). Idiotic.

[Big D]

I worry about our defence. We are often slow off the line (bar one or 2 players), miss a stupid amount of tackles and concede ground too easily. We must try and stop them at or behind the gainline.

Make the England backs be creative to beat us not simply having to over power us.