RugbyRebels

Couldnt agree more on Laidlaw. I quite like the guy and he has made a big success of Clermont but I just dont think he is our best nine.

On the sweeping in D though, I was reading that less and less northern hemisphere teams are doing it as they prefer to get another man in the line. At least with Horne he does a bit of both with his speed and fitness. I think it's a no brainer to pick him if fit.

McInally looks like the next captain too

Cameo wrote:Couldnt agree more on Laidlaw. I quite like the guy and he has made a big success of Clermont but I just dont think he is our best nine.

On the sweeping in D though, I was reading that less and less northern hemisphere teams are doing it as they prefer to get another man in the line. At least with Horne he does a bit of both with his speed and fitness. I think it's a no brainer to pick him if fit.

McInally looks like the next captain too

Re sweeping, I get that. But we miss so many tackles (see Italy and 2 tries last week) that we are conceding tries from miles out too often. We need to look be able to look at alternatives and a 9 that can't sweep can not help change the plan.

The above is also part or my issue with Taylor. Our defence has been poor for a while with no obvious attempt to change things or innovate.

Couldnt agree more on Laidlaw. I actually quite like him and it's undisputable that he has made a great success of his Clermont move but he just isnt our best scrumhalf option. I think France could find Horne (if fit) a nightmare to play against.

On the specific sweeping point, I was reading that more and more northern hemisphere teams like to have their 9 up in the line. The difference with Horne is that with his pace and fitness he can do a bit of both.

Laidlaw is crippling you. You have an average pack, but a superb set of backs. What you need is a SH who is able to think and move fast enough to bridge the gap in capability. I thought that Laidlaw made it to about a third of the breakdown in the Italy game, perhaps a little less against us. Get a scrum half on the park who has an appetite for the work and the synaptic reflexes to actually do something when they get there and your 10-15 are capable of scoring so many tries that converting them isn't an issue. If its the captaincy that is tipping the balance, then WTF. He's the most ineffectual captain in the 6Ns.

Mikey Brown wrote:An interesting comment here, from an Irish guy no less.

It's time-stamped if you hit play.

Gareth Dineen has a fecking degree in Design. His Da and Old Belvedere would be proud as feck of the hat, but I suspect little else. He does have a point about Laidlaw, mind.

I'm starting to come around to the idea of ditching Laidlaw, or at the very least dropping him to the bench, and making Rambo capt.

And another thing. Agin the Italians ye had some thick calved womanly thing blowing the pipes fae flooorascotlin on the roof. Come the game last Saturday ye'd reverted to some wee poof on the pitch all cos a bit o wind.

Is it any wonder that ye got bate?

Aye, don't know why the didn't use her again. Nae shifting her like.

OptimisticJock wrote:Aye, don't know why the didn't use her again. Nae shifting her like.

As Private Frazer would say, "She`s got big, strong thighs" .

SerjeantWildgoose wrote:And another thing. Agin the Italians ye had some thick calved womanly thing blowing the pipes fae flooorascotlin on the roof. Come the game last Saturday ye'd reverted to some wee poof on the pitch all cos a bit o wind.

Is it any wonder that ye got bate?

The roof widnae tak’ her two weeks in a row

OptimisticJock wrote:I'm starting to come around to the idea of ditching Laidlaw, or at the very least dropping him to the bench, and making Rambo capt.

There is an easy out for Townsend. "Just want to see Ali/George/Henry in a competitive match with the world cup in mind".

Big D wrote:

OptimisticJock wrote:I'm starting to come around to the idea of ditching Laidlaw, or at the very least dropping him to the bench, and making Rambo capt.

There is an easy out for Townsend. "Just want to see Ali/George/Henry in a competitive match with the world cup in mind".

Was hoping for a wee ban for Laidlaw's shocking comments about Poite. Will no one think of the children??

Pyrgos is a good backup if Laidlaw gets injured and we want a more senior guy in there (or for some reason want to slow things down to a glacial pace as Laidlaw sometimes likes to) but giving him time ahead of Price/Horne would be a waste to me.

We all know we can get done by the blitz because we don't have enough threat in the middle of the pitch (on the days we can even catch the ball) but GT seems to want to double-down on going wide quickly without the service from 9 to really do it, or one that will even worry defences with a break. It it perhaps dawning on him that having some carriers make a few dents infield might be useful too.

Mikey Brown wrote:Pyrgos is a good backup if Laidlaw gets injured and we want a more senior guy in there (or for some reason want to slow things down to a glacial pace as Laidlaw sometimes likes to) but giving him time ahead of Price/Horne would be a waste to me.

We all know we can get done by the blitz because we don't have enough threat in the middle of the pitch (on the days we can even catch the ball) but GT seems to want to double-down on going wide quickly without the service from 9 to really do it, or one that will even worry defences with a break. It it perhaps dawning on him that having some carriers make a few dents infield might be useful too.

Horses for course my friend. If we want to box kick them to death then Henry is your man.

Don't get me wrong, he is probably my 4th or 3rd choice in the pecking order but he has been great for Edinburgh this year and that is a massive shock to me.

I don't actually disagree. I think he had a new lease of life since being there (still think Price going might actually have been a better fit but whatever) and is playing well, but his selection doesn't fit with how we supposedly want to play. Though neither does Laidlaw, so...

I love the idea of developing a plan B, such as a good, efficient kick & chase game, but we barely seem to be able to get on the same page about the current one.

I'm sure you're all sick to death of me saying it, but I'm definitely feeling we need to attack early and as fast as possible, if Price or Horne aren't getting anywhere with that then fine, bring on Laidlaw/Pyrgos. But we're neutering our backs from the kick-off at the moment. Also Laidlaw always seems to be super fired up when he's come off the bench.