Scotland Player Form Thread

[Mikey Brown]

Right, it's that time again. I'm bored senseless at work right now and thought it would be interesting to look at the (potential) depth Scotland have right now. I'm sure I've forgotten some, but is this about right for the current (decent) crop of players?

The idea was to keep this updated regarding form and fitness but I'm sure I'll give that up almost immediately.

Loose-head
Alan Dell - injured
Gordon Reid - injured
Alistair Dickinson - injured
Rory Sutherland
Jamie Bhatti
Olli Kebble - injured
Kyle Traynor
Alex Allan

Hooker
Fraser Brown
Ross Ford
Stuart MacInally
George Turner


Tight-head
Zander Fagerson
WP Nel
Jon Welsh
D'Arcy Rae
James Malcolm

Lock
Jonny Gray - injured
Richie Gray - injured
Ben Toolis
Tim Swinson
Grant Gilchrist
Scott Cummings

Flanker
John Barclay
Hamish Watson
John Hardie
Callum Gibbins
Matt Fagerson
James Ritchie

No. 8
Ryan Wilson
Adam Ashe
Josh Strauss
David Denton - injured
Magnus Bradbury
Cornell Du Preez

Scrum-half
Ali Price
Greig Laidlaw
Henry Pyrgos
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
George Horne

Fly-half
Finn Russel
Ruahrid Jackson
Duncan Weir
Adam Hastings

Centre
Alex Dunbar
Huw Jones
Matt Scott
Duncan Taylor
Mark Bennet
Peter Horne
Nick Grigg
Chris Dean

Wing
Tommy Seymour
Sean Maitland
Tim Visser
Lee Jones
Damian Hoyland
Rory Hughes
D'Arcy Graham - injured

Fullback
Stuart Hogg - injured
Greig Tonks
Blair Kinghorn

I've included a few who are either just promising, yet to establish themselves or potential poaches. Others excluded like Grant, Low, Cowan, McKenzie, Vernon etc. I just struggle to see being involved again. Weir would be one of those but that's a position we really lack the depth to discard many players.

I'm sure there's some I've missed. Smith at Glasgow? That other Burgh front-rower?

Does this look like a group that can mount a serious challenge in 2 years?

[whatisthejava]

it really depends on how they go, some of those guys will be journeymen, we really dont know what the affect of both Edinburgh and Glasgow having decent coaches and a winning mindset will play out for Scotland.

As an interesting side note this i think is the worst team we could field out of those players and it aint awful

in fact the only reason it is bad is because the young guys have very little experiance, that team with a good coach would do well in the 'A' 6N


1 Bhatti
2 mcInally
3 Rae
4 Gilchrist
5 Cummings
6 Bradbury
7 Gibbons
8 CDP

9 Pyrgos
10 Weir
11 Graham -
12 Chris Deans
13 Grigg
14 - Hoyland - Struggled against Fiji
15 - Kinghorn - Potential is nowt until proved

[Cameo]

Agreed. We just need to take that extra step up. Im confident we can be competitive and scare a lot of big teams. Can we win consistently and when it really matters though.

Think the real improvement needs to come in the forwards where we need a few players to become able to stamp their authority a wee bit more

[General Zod]

Is Gibbins Scottish? If not, how long until he is?

For some reason, I thought he was tied to the ABs.

Edit to say "good thread". I have literally been shirking from home all day, so please know this was a valuable use of your time.

[Big D]

Kebble has 3 years to do 1st.

I can't see Welsh being involved again.

SHC deserves a mention on the list of SHs. He seems to be slowly getting form back.

Mccallum has potential. Bresler is SQ.

Kinghorn might just be potential at the moment but he's ahead of Tonks for me. He can't crack the starting line up for his club and Kinghorn has looked handy.

[Mikey Brown]

All fair enough. I'm not an enormous fan of it but I was assuming Kebble Gibbins were "projects". But we're not actually looking too shabby in those positions.

Burleigh and Bresker I couldn't bring myself to include, work that one out.

McCallam is the guy I was thinking of. What's his story? What is his best position? I feel like he's moved about a bit but not sure.

Kinghorn I'd very much hope is ahead of Tonks. But GT isn't that simple is he.

[General Zod]

Agree re: Kinghorn.

Was D'arcy Graham not struck by the knee fairy last week?

[Big D]

All fair enough. I'm not an enormous fan of it but I was assuming Kebble Gibbins were "projects". But we're not actually looking too shabby in those positions.

Burleigh and Bresker I couldn't bring myself to include, work that one out.

McCallam is the guy I was thinking of. What's his story? What is his best position? I feel like he's moved about a bit but not sure.

Kinghorn I'd very much hope is ahead of Tonks. But GT isn't that simple is he.

McCallum 21 year old prop who can play both sides just about equally as well.

Played loads at THP last season.

[kk67]

Has Blair Cowan retired from international rugby..?. He looked in good nick 2 weeks ago.

[Mikey Brown]

Nah. Everyone just suddenly remembered John Barclay is wicked.

He did look great the other day though.

[Cameo]

Cowan was quite popular for Scotland when he first came through but went downhill in peoples estimations very quickly. Always tried hard but seems like a popular club player more than someone who will make a big difference internationally. That may be harsh but I remember some people commenting on him missing too many tackles.

Watson and Barclay help too!

[Mikey Brown]

Can someone just humour me and sticky this? Also reading that Kyle Traynor may be in with a shout again is slightly alarming. Which looseheads are actually fit then?

[whatisthejava]

Can someone just humour me and sticky this? Also reading that Kyle Traynor may be in with a shout again is slightly alarming. Which looseheads are actually fit then?

Bhatti
Grant
Traynor
Allan

not sure anyone else

[AL.]

Can someone just humour me and sticky this? Also reading that Kyle Traynor may be in with a shout again is slightly alarming. Which looseheads are actually fit then?

Just got a contract at Leicester:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/41337025

Doesn't actually mean much though.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Jon Welsh still plays regularly for Newcastle although he starts at 3. He was always a far better LH though.

[Big D]

Can someone just humour me and sticky this? Also reading that Kyle Traynor may be in with a shout again is slightly alarming. Which looseheads are actually fit then?

Bhatti
Grant
Traynor
Allan

not sure anyone else

McCallum is fit, technically Marfo too.

Dell shouldn't be miles away.

Grant has been playing with Ayr so isn't a realistic option.

[General Zod]

Reports on Twitter that Jonny Gray will be fit for Autumn - wrist healing well.

Good news for the lad. If my wrist were broken, particularly the right one, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

[hanuman]

Greg Tonks can only get on the bench for a poor London Irish squad. Surely we must have an alternative at 15

[Mikey Brown]

To be honest I wouldn't have included him at all of Townsend hadn't done so recently, in fairness he was quite good, but not good enough for LI should not be good enough for Scotland. You're right.

Mainland can certainly play/cover there, Kinghorn is due his shot I think, and I consider all of Taylor/Horne/Jackson guys who may get a spot for versatility but aren't really frontline options there.

[whatisthejava]

Jackson is playing well for Glasgow, even willing to take contact, he may well cover for Hogg if he isnt fit

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I have always believed that Jackson was better than he has shown us over the last few seasons. The missing ingredient? Consistent game time to play himself into form. He had a couple of bomb scares early on in the season but is getting better and better.

[Big D]

Jackson is playing well for Glasgow, even willing to take contact, he may well cover for Hogg if he isnt fit

He probably will be. He'll always look good in a side that plays with the style and space Glasgow do, he looked good at times for Wasps too. It may even be that 15 is really his best position. But even when getting decent game time at club level as he was for Wasps for a wee bit he has been inconsistent on the international stage because he doesn't get the time he needs.

He isn't as good it teams where they don't create the space as well at Weeg/Wasps and that sort of translates to the international stage where there generally isn't that time and space he thrives in.

[Big D]

Given Dell and Sutherland are in the Embra euro squad it would suggest the LHP injury crisis is easing. Match sharpness may be an issue though.

Hastings not in Weeg euro squad.

With no Dunbar the partnership of Taylor and Jones may get a look.

[Mikey Brown]

Call me predictable, but if Scott's fit I'd love to see what he and Jones could do. Taylor is pretty handy on the outside break, but I don't think that really works with Russell and Jones either side, Scott offers that threat that won't allow defences to simply drift alongside. His injury the other day looked pretty awkward though and not actually seen how Taylor is playing this season, just think he's a fantastic bench option.

[OptimisticJock]

Greg Tonks can only get on the bench for a poor London Irish squad. Surely we must have an alternative at 15

Kinghorn must surely have played his way into the squad now.