Way too early RWC Squad

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Anyone know what the deal is with the seating arrangements for the France game? Is the East stand completely closed? Can't imagine it's sold out... Can only find crap in the corners atm.

They had sold 50,000 tickets a month ago so yes I imagine East stand is sold out and corner tickets are all that are remaining.

Cracking result for a RWC warm up - I'll snap them up then. Italy was barely half full in 2015.

[General Zod]

I’ll admit I was tempted this year, as I enjoyed the Italy game last time out. However, having just got the prices through for the 6 Nations, I will be keeping my money in my pocket for this summer.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I suppose the name is a dead giveaway but despite being born & bred in England but Ruaridh McConnochie was in fact SQ before his 7s capping. Dad is as Scottish as any of us. How did he slip through the net? Or was it before we got good at this kind of stuff?

Apparently dad took him along to London Scottish as a boy while working in the city so he must have been in some kind of exiles program?

[Big D]

No idea.

Maybe he wasn't that good at 15s before. As seemingly a 7s specialist, it makes sense to play for England if at all qualified.

Late bloomer on the 15s scene, I doubt even he would have predicted this.

[Mikey Brown]

Yep, he's quite a new addition to the Bath starting team as it is. Making the World Cup squad is quite a surprise indeed.

[Cameo]

Just seen highlights of the England Wales game. England looked good but did emphasise we shouldnt get too carried away either way after this weekend. Teams dont prepare for these games in the same way as a must win and it shows I think.

[General Zod]

Just seen highlights of the England Wales game. England looked good but did emphasise we shouldnt get too carried away either way after this weekend. Teams dont prepare for these games in the same way as a must win and it shows I think.

Wales started like they’d been on the piss and we’re expecting a training run. By the time they started to play a bit, it was too late. May well be different this weekend, albeit without Anscombe.

[Big D]

Looked like Wales had a hard weeks training.

I expect England to be good at the RWC though.

[whatisthejava]

I’m surprised how bad Wales looked at the start but Gatland is well known for flogging the guys.

Surprised that Anscombe was left on rather than precautions. Who is the next patchell I suppose

[hugh_woatmeigh]

[Adder]

Clearly looks like a test team. Could be a fun game to watch.

Hopefully second and back row will perform.
Half backs could go either way.

Cummings + Fargerson will be nice to check at that level.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

It's a 1.5 team but still a test team that should give France a game which is a testament to our strength in depth. No Skinner or Thomson is interesting - he's gone with dedicated locks & back rows.

Also 10 cover will be interesting. I guess Kinghorn/Hutchison/Hogg but Hastings should get the full 80.

[General Zod]

Love how Gordon Reid is listed as “Ayrshire Bulls” on the official site.

Happy with that - a chance to look at a few people. Would be great if Taylor comes through the full 80 after having played well.

Agree Hastings should get the full game, but would be interested to see who plays 10 if he is replaced or carded.

[Mikey Brown]

Ditto all of that. Shame to see no Chib or Skinner, but it’s a good looking side.

I’d love to see Hastings/Taylor get 80 and give Hutchinson a chance to show Jones that he needs to be hitting top form to hold onto that 13 shirt.

[ARM]

Potentially only six of that team first choice.

Depth chart stylee:

Dell Bhatti Reid
McInally Brown Turner Stewart
Nel Berghan Fagerson
Gilchrist Toolis Cummings
Gray Skinner
Barclay Thomson
Watson Ritchie
Wilson Bradbury Strauss Fagerson
Price Laidlaw Horne
Russell Hastings
Seymour Graham
Johnson Taylor Horne
Jones Hutchinson Harris
Maitland Mcguigan
Hogg Kinghorn

And yes, I've put Wilson in as first choice 8 for giggles. Still think he's nailed on as a Toony pick. And Darcy is probably close to first choice - look forward to seeing him again this weekend

I would say that Stewart, Cummings, McGuigan, Strauss, Harris, Fagerson (M), one LH prop, one of Bradbury or Thomson, one of Hutchison/Horne P are goosed and not going to RWC. So Strauss, McGuigan, Bhatti, Hutchinson playing for a spot this weekend / cannon fodder.

[Mikey Brown]

That’s a baffling way of wording it, but there’s a chance we’re thinking roughly the same thing here?

Bugatti vs Reid
Stewart likely gone
Cummings v Toolis v Skinner
Strauss v Bradbury v Chib v Fagerson (for 2 spots)
Hutchinson v Harris v McGuigan for versatile back spot?

We all agree Wilson doesn’t seem to cut it as a player but everyone in camp seems to deem his influence very important for whatever reason.

I think Horne will definitely go.

I’m assuming we’re going 17/14 though, which may mean 1 more forward and back need to make way.

[ARM]

That’s a baffling way of wording it, but there’s a chance we’re thinking roughly the same thing here?

Bugatti vs Reid
Stewart likely gone
Cummings v Toolis v Skinner
Strauss v Bradbury v Chib v Fagerson (for 2 spots)
Hutchinson v Harris v McGuigan for versatile back spot?

We all agree Wilson doesn’t seem to cut it as a player but everyone in camp seems to deem his influence very important for whatever reason.

I think Horne will definitely go.

I’m assuming we’re going 17/14 though, which may mean 1 more forward and back need to make way.

Yeah, tried to space into columns by position with first name being first choice, second name in same row being second choice in that position etc etc. Formatting didnt work and I cant be ersed to work out how to do it.

But think we're more or less aligned other than its possible that all of Hutchinson, Harris, McGuigan will miss out if Toony picks Johnson, Jones, Horne, Taylor plus back three selections of Hogg, Maitland, Seymour, Graham, Kinghorn.

[Cameo]

I wonder if the lack of 10 cover is partly so we can see other options filling in there (i.e. what life is like without Horne in the squad)

[Cameo]

Decent team. We have 4 matches so cant read too much into it just now but would hope Skinner and Thompson start next week

[sharvey44]

I never thought I'd see Super Dunc in a Scotland shirt again. Fair play to him and I hope he shows some of his previous form

[Mikey Brown]

That’s a baffling way of wording it, but there’s a chance we’re thinking roughly the same thing here?

Bugatti vs Reid
Stewart likely gone
Cummings v Toolis v Skinner
Strauss v Bradbury v Chib v Fagerson (for 2 spots)
Hutchinson v Harris v McGuigan for versatile back spot?

We all agree Wilson doesn’t seem to cut it as a player but everyone in camp seems to deem his influence very important for whatever reason.

I think Horne will definitely go.

I’m assuming we’re going 17/14 though, which may mean 1 more forward and back need to make way.

Yeah, tried to space into columns by position with first name being first choice, second name in same row being second choice in that position etc etc. Formatting didnt work and I cant be ersed to work out how to do it.

But think we're more or less aligned other than its possible that all of Hutchinson, Harris, McGuigan will miss out if Toony picks Johnson, Jones, Horne, Taylor plus back three selections of Hogg, Maitland, Seymour, Graham, Kinghorn.

Sorry if that sounded like a dig. Agreed on the squad. I actually meant the latter part about Hutchinson (etc.) already being goosed. I hope not and that he gets a fair chance.

There’s a lot of flexibility in that back division though. You might well be right it’s Harris/McGuigan gone with Hutchinson battling Kinghorn for that last spot in the end.

It’s weird thinking of Kinghorn not making it, but Mark Palmer said Hutchinson has been very impressive in camp so far.

I’ll only really believe Taylor is back when I see him still upright and uninjured at the final whistle. I do worry his reputation has grown a whole lot since he’s been injured.

[Cameo]

I’ll only really believe Taylor is back when I see him still upright and uninjured at the final whistle. I do worry his reputation has grown a whole lot since he’s been injured.

I have that fear too. As far as i remember there was never a time when he was one of our star players but the jounalists seem to think he is the first name on the teamsheet if fit.

[Big D]

Hutchinson was one of the best players in the prem over the last 6 months. No surprise he is seemingly done well.

What worries me is that Harris is a favourite of that staff and frankly isn't as good an option as his peers.

Taylor as a 13, Jones and Hutchinson all miles better at centre and I'd rather see any of them as an emergency wing than Harris because they are that much better in their core position.

[Mikey Brown]

I still can't recall seeing enough of Harris to really decide. If he'd had nearly as many minutes as Grigg we'd probably know by now whether he could cut it. It may that he's had some minutes vs lower tier nations in awful games that I've simply wiped from memory.

At times he's looked like he'd be a handy combination of hard running, aggressive defence and with a pretty cool head. Other times he just looks a bit clumsy. I think some people forget how erratic Taylor tends to be as well, but he can be a real game-changer when the mood strikes him. I've never, ever seen him look as good in the premiership as Hutchinson has in the last few months though.

I'm looking forward to see how the killer Js get on in the backrow.

[sharvey44]

The wife informed me that I really should take up the Georgia trip offer as in her words "Its a once in a lifetime, when else are you going to have a chance to do it". After recording her saying it I am now booked on the team charter to Tiblisi.