Scotland Autumn Series thread

[Big D]

Over the whole NIs I don't think we've learned a lot we didn't already know. We know our attack really depends on Russell, we give too many penalties away etc.

Hard to really judge anything from yesterday given the shambles that was the Argentinian discipline.

Our lack of discipline both in terms of conceding penalties and in out play continues to be mind numbing. We have a scrum on their 5 v 12 men and they somehow end up scoring. It was a sequence of ill discipline from Dempsey not controlling at the base of the scrum all the way through to Dempsey thinking he was Fijian.

[Cameo]

Though Blair's comments after were interesting. First that we've shown that we can attack against teams where we can get the ball wide but have yet to do so against a really aggressive defence, namechecking Ireland and South Africa. Of course, who do we have in the RWC?

Also that they try not to coach Graham too much, just tell him to get his hands on the ball and do what comes naturally. It's evidently working atm. Such fun to watch.

At the moment South Africa look the more beatable of the two. They're aggressive and physical but they go through phases in games where they drop off. They also turn over more ball. Ireland just have this inevitability about them once you lose the ball to them (although the evidence suggests there is a big drop off if Sexton isn't there).

Agree on Graham, he is dynamite. I don't think I would swap our back three for any other back three in the world at the moment.

[General Zod]

Though Blair's comments after were interesting. First that we've shown that we can attack against teams where we can get the ball wide but have yet to do so against a really aggressive defence, namechecking Ireland and South Africa. Of course, who do we have in the RWC?

Also that they try not to coach Graham too much, just tell him to get his hands on the ball and do what comes naturally. It's evidently working atm. Such fun to watch.

At the moment South Africa look the more beatable of the two. They're aggressive and physical but they go through phases in games where they drop off. They also turn over more ball. Ireland just have this inevitability about them once you lose the ball to them (although the evidence suggests there is a big drop off if Sexton isn't there).

Agree on Graham, he is dynamite. I don't think I would swap our back three for any other back three in the world at the moment.

Duhan seems to agree with the positive vibes..!

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-un ... 23-3925058

[Cameo]

It's strange, isn't it. I think we are very likely to go out in the group stages and are probably around the 7th (at best) most likely team to win it.

But, I also think we have more of a chance than since the game turned pro (at least). That's partly because we have some star power, more depth than usual, and less obvious weaknesses. But it is more because of the state of international rugby. Teams have converged. Ten years ago, the thought of us beating the All Blacks in a Rugby World Cup was outlandish. Now, it would be a huge surprise but we would go in thinking we have an outside chance. Ireland and France are clearly better than us but we would go into a big World Cup game against them with more confidence that in the equivalent game when the Southern Hemisphere seemed light-years ahead.