2024 Autumn Internationals

[BaldiePete]

Praying Rowe is fit. Back 3 of DVDM, Rowe and Kinghorn would still be a decent selection. If Rowe isn’t fit, then it gets scary ( or scarier).

[Cameo]

Yeah, that seems key.

Other interesting calls are at 9 and on the bench. Would love 2nd row to be interesting too but suspect it will just be Gilchrist and Cummings.

At 9, reckon it'll be White starting and I can live with that. Hope Dobie gets the bench spot.

Bench may be 6-2 with just Dobie and Jordan or may be 5-3 with maybe McDowall. Front row subs are slightly up in the air.

[BaldiePete]

Assuming Rowe is fit, I’d go with this team. It’s hard on George Horne but I think White should start and a 6:2 split necessitates Dobie on the bench since he can play on the wing.

Blair Kinghorn, Kyle Rowe, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, Dylan Richardson, Zander Fagerson, Scott Cummings, Grant Gilchrist, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey

Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, D'Arcy Rae, Max Williamson, Jamie Ritchie, Ben Muncaster, Jamie Dobie, Tom Jordan

[Cameo]

Yeah, that's probably the likely 15 (if Rowe is fit). Despite the Tombola reputation continuing, Townsend is fairly predictable nowadays.

Think the bench might be a bit different though. Bhatti might be ahead of Sutherland and, while I still like him, not sure Ritchie provides the biggest impact off the bench. I also remain unconvinced by 6-2 for us.

[sharvey44]

Scotland team to face South Africa on Sunday, 10 November 2024, kick-off 4.10pm at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, live on TNT Sports

15. Tom Jordan – Glasgow Warriors (1)
14. Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (53)
13. Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (51)
12. Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (28) CAPTAIN
11. Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (42)

10. Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (80) VICE-CAPTAIN
9. Ben White – Toulon (22)

1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (35)
2. Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (20)
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (68)
4. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (73)
5. Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (40)
6. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (48)
7. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (23) VICE-CAPTAIN
8. Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (21)

Replacements

16. Dylan Richardson – The Sharks (4)
17. Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (33)
18. Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (5)
19. Max Williamson – Glasgow Warriors (5)
20. Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (7)
21. Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby (52)
22. Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (7)
23. Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (6)

[BaldiePete]

South Africa side. Not their top team but I’m not sure that’ll make much difference. 7:1 split on a very impressive bench.


Le Roux, Moodie, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi, Pollard, Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, T du Toit, Etzebeth, Mostert, Van Staden, Louw, Smith.
Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, Snyman, Kolisi, PS du Toit, Wiese, Williams.

[paddy no 11]

South Africa side. Not their top team but I’m not sure that’ll make much difference. 7:1 split on a very impressive bench.


Le Roux, Moodie, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi, Pollard, Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, T du Toit, Etzebeth, Mostert, Van Staden, Louw, Smith.
Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, Snyman, Kolisi, PS du Toit, Wiese, Williams.

Is that really not their top side!!

[paddy no 11]

I'm an SMB refugee this evening, looking forward to some expert cheating tonight

[Cameo]

Shame Graham and Rowe are out and Jordan at 15 is a risk, but I like the boldness. Game after game he impresses so let's give him a chance.

[Cameo]

On the other hand, not convinced by the bench. Never a huge fan of 6-2, but if you are doing it, I think you want punch which I'm not sure we really have (though Ritchie might be very handy if we are defending a lead).

SA's 7-1 bench does offer us a chance though if they get a couple of injuries.

[Mikey Brown]

Good side running out, but yeah the gulf between the benches is ridiculous. About 400 SA caps to maybe 100 on ours.

Not convinced by both Bayliss + Ritchie on the bench, will we even want to take two of our starters off?

Great to see Dobie get the nod but fear he’ll end up on the wing.

[BaldiePete]

South Africa side. Not their top team but I’m not sure that’ll make much difference. 7:1 split on a very impressive bench.


Le Roux, Moodie, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi, Pollard, Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, T du Toit, Etzebeth, Mostert, Van Staden, Louw, Smith.
Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, Snyman, Kolisi, PS du Toit, Wiese, Williams.

Is that really not their top side!!

Their top side would start (not bench) du Toit, Kolisi and Wiese. Other missing starters from their best team are Kolbe, Kriel, De Allende and Arendse. Pollard and Le Roux probably wouldn’t be in there either.

[paddy no 11]

South Africa side. Not their top team but I’m not sure that’ll make much difference. 7:1 split on a very impressive bench.


Le Roux, Moodie, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi, Pollard, Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, T du Toit, Etzebeth, Mostert, Van Staden, Louw, Smith.
Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, Snyman, Kolisi, PS du Toit, Wiese, Williams.

Is that really not their top side!!

Their top side would start (not bench) du Toit, Kolisi and Wiese. Other missing starters from their best team are Kolbe, Kriel, De Allende and Arendse. Pollard and Le Roux probably wouldn’t be in there either.

You're right

[paddy no 11]

Ireland match is gash

[Cameo]

Looking at the England Australia game, it's another example of a growing number of international games with big momentum swings (Argentina's win against SA was another one).

I sometimes think there is too much focus on Scotland not being able to put it together for a full 80. Of course we don't want to have spells where we concede 15 points in 10 minutes, but let's not kid ourselves that we can stop it ever happening and, most of all, let's back ourselves to recover if we do have that kind of spell.

This is prompted by hearing Borthwick talking about the first 20 being 'how England want to play'. I just think that's too simple. That's a period where England had all the ball and it was on the front foot. How you want to play has to include how you deal with bad ball or the other team having a good plan which works sometimes.

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah I think realistically we have to approach this knowing SA will have at least one dominant period, and can we react to it (mentally and tactically) in a positive way? The awareness of the qualities of our benches will be a big one.

I think we often see Scotland refusing to accept when momentum isn’t with us, just battling away with maximum effort and little gain, to then concede a completely deflating turnover try.

It’s simple stuff, but on the good days we see White and Russell take ownership of getting us out of our half, or the defensive leaders relishing the chance to take the pressure off. We need one of those days.

There’s a big old hoodoo over Scotland beating SA and this is as good a chance as any. Frankly I just want to see us look like we deserve to be in the fight with the world champions.

[septic 9]

Yeah I think realistically we have to approach this knowing SA will have at least one dominant period, and can we react to it (mentally and tactically) in a positive way? The awareness of the qualities of our benches will be a big one.

I think we often see Scotland refusing to accept when momentum isn’t with us, just battling away with maximum effort and little gain, to then concede a completely deflating turnover try.

It’s simple stuff, but on the good days we see White and Russell take ownership of getting us out of our half, or the defensive leaders relishing the chance to take the pressure off. We need one of those days.

There’s a big old hoodoo over Scotland beating SA and this is as good a chance as any. Frankly I just want to see us look like we deserve to be in the fight with the world champions.

yes, we need a good day. Most of all we need to believe.
We lost in the RWC, clear result in the end but we were in the fight. We were under pressure first half, but pretty much survived still in the game. Then we could easily have stolen a march going down the tunnel but for our golden boy Graham fucking up an overlap.

We need the aggression and belief Glasgow showed in SA for the URC final. We need their ruck speed, fastest in the URC. Which is why I worry about having 3 Edin forwards starting, from the team with the 2nd lowest ruck speed in the URC

[septic 9]

Looking at the England Australia game, it's another example of a growing number of international games with big momentum swings (Argentina's win against SA was another one).

I sometimes think there is too much focus on Scotland not being able to put it together for a full 80. Of course we don't want to have spells where we concede 15 points in 10 minutes, but let's not kid ourselves that we can stop it ever happening and, most of all, let's back ourselves to recover if we do have that kind of spell.

This is prompted by hearing Borthwick talking about the first 20 being 'how England want to play'. I just think that's too simple. That's a period where England had all the ball and it was on the front foot. How you want to play has to include how you deal with bad ball or the other team having a good plan which works sometimes.

good post.
the 80minute performance really does get twisted.
Its rare, even in a giant v minnow game that your opposition does not have a period where they have momentum. The 80min performance is not about preventing that (although we try to) its how we deal with it when it happens. Its about stopping that momentum becoming dominance. Then regaining control of the game, whether that be in possession or without it - and without possession that means working really hard and sticking to structures, discipline in another sense

[Mikey Brown]

Game ruined. What in the fucking hell was that?

[switchskier]

Big opportunity for Max Williamson now.

[paddy no 11]

Getting a bit of a riding here

[Mikey Brown]

That was pretty rough. Lots of good, but lots of annoying errors and bad luck too.

[Mikey Brown]

Jesus Christ this ref is pissing me off. Who cares about SA head contacts when you’ve got people brushing arms in the lineout.

[Mikey Brown]

Excruciating. Ref was utter dog shit, but it’s hard to complain about that when we blew about 10 chances. Final score line is cruel.

[Cameo]

Yeah, a bit of a different game than the World Cup. Felt like we dealt with the rush defence better (and SA gave us lots of chances with their errors). On the other hand:

- we gave away a penalty every scrum
- we blew a lineout on their 5 (though we got back up their easy enough)
- we made a lot of little mistakes of our own.

My biggest issue with the forwards at the moment is their handling. Pull backs to the 10 or 12 are a huge part of rugby nowadays but our forwards routinely miss them altogether or make the receiver scamper about to get them. Ruins so many attacks. We were making ground in the 13 channel but we need to be able to get it their smoothly.