AI Coming

[whatisthejava]

Bored

So run into the AI

Ed have

Leinster A Pro14
Zebre H Pro14
London irish A MMC
Krasny Yar A MMC (Russian teams always play at home in the first half)
Benetton A Pro14
Ospreys H Pro 14
2 weeks off
Cheetahs A Pro 14

I dont think they will get anything Leinster but even after 3 straight losses I think Ed should be looking at winning the next 5 games if ospreys continue their woeful start

Glasgow
Benetton H Pro 14
Cheetahs A Pro 14
Exeter A CC
Leinster H CC
Kings H Pro14
Leinster H Pro14
2 weeks off
Ospreys A Pro14

I dont think they will take most of the squad to SA a week before the CC so i think that may be a loss , apart from that I reckon that weeg team should be looking to win the rest of their games although Exeter at home will be a hard game

Scotland have
Samoa
NZ
Australia (same week as Ospreys and Cheetahs)

[General Zod]

Good thread. I think the Cheetahs game may be a game too far for Edinburgh with the internationals away and Cheetahs' Springboks and Currie Cup team back to swell their ranks. Which is a pity, as I've been telling the Missus' family that the Scottish teams would pop down to teach them a lesson! Hopefully, Glasgow can do the business down there, but I'd imagine one or two of the bigger names (e.g. Finn) won't travel. That said, I think we could see GrayJu, Brown and Hogg go there if only to get game time.

Also, it's probably worth mentioning that Glasgow have Cardiff at home on 1st December when their Wales players will be playing South Africa the following day.

I think Glasgow will beat Exeter. Aside from winning against a mis-firing Wasps, they haven't really played too well this season, with their other 2 wins coming against the 2 weakest teams in the division. Gloucester beat them.

As an aside, I'm not really the type to get worked up about what could be termed as cultural appropriation, but I do find the sight of a load of Exeter fans imitating a good ol' injun war cry a little, er, out of place.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Also, it's probably worth mentioning that Glasgow have Cardiff at home on 1st December when their Wales players will be playing South Africa the following day.

I do find it amusing how Wales still flog their players like this. Even England don't do a 4th international.

[whatisthejava]

How many Cardiff players will be in that team

Cardiff have been rank rotten, mind you so have Ospreys and Dragons with only the Scarlets showing anything like talent

[hugh_woatmeigh]

How many Cardiff players will be in that team

Cardiff have been rank rotten, mind you so have Ospreys and Dragons with only the Scarlets showing anything like talent

in the 23? 1 or 2 at the most I imagine.

[Big D]

Bored

So run into the AI

Ed have

Leinster A Pro14
Zebre H Pro14
London irish A MMC
Krasny Yar A MMC (Russian teams always play at home in the first half)
Benetton A Pro14
Ospreys H Pro 14
2 weeks off
Cheetahs A Pro 14

I dont think they will get anything Leinster but even after 3 straight losses I think Ed should be looking at winning the next 5 games if ospreys continue their woeful start

Glasgow
Benetton H Pro 14
Cheetahs A Pro 14
Exeter A CC
Leinster H CC
Kings H Pro14
Leinster H Pro14
2 weeks off
Ospreys A Pro14

I dont think they will take most of the squad to SA a week before the CC so i think that may be a loss , apart from that I reckon that weeg team should be looking to win the rest of their games although Exeter at home will be a hard game

Scotland have
Samoa
NZ
Australia (same week as Ospreys and Cheetahs)

We've mentioned before on here, the SA tour is the worst possible timing for Edinburgh as the likely internationals wont fly out after the Oz game to play the Kings. The Ospreys will probably improve a bit over the coming weeks. I would treat the diddy cup as exactly that and make sure RC's preferred 23 are mostly ready to play away in Italy than away in Russia. The Treviso game is a must win.

For Glasgow they just need to keep doing what they are doing and they'll be fine. Exeter away is a tough starter in Europe, don't think the lose at Sandy Park very often and although not sparkling in the league they have been good enough.

When do we think Huw Jones rocks up? Does the Currie Cup have play offs? If so it may not be until after the AI's. Maybe the Blues game.

[Cameo]

Just confirmed that the matches are on BBC which I jad assumed anyway. More interesting(/worrying?) is that they are on BT too. Ccould this be the first step in a move away from BBC?

[Adder]

[Mikey Brown]

Jesus Christ Townsend. What the fucking hell is that? You stupid bastard. Why did we ditch Cotter again?

[Adder]

Chris Harris?
Byron McGuigan is an interesting call. Nathan Fowles and Phil Burleigh not so much.
What has happened to Strauss? Cornell du Prez is the only natural number 8 visible (bar McInally)
Who to capitain? I didn't know Marfo Was Scottish Qualified.

No Visser , Taylor or Maitland either. Injuries?

[Mikey Brown]

Unavailable through injury: Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors), Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby), Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Allan Dell, Alasdair Dickinson (both Edinburgh Rugby), Richie Gray (Toulouse), Rory Hughes (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Gordon Reid (London Irish), Matt Scott (Gloucester), Duncan Taylor (Saracens).

I know that's some injury list but fucking hell, that is the worst squad I've seen in a while. That and we'll presumably be trying to play two of our best players (Barclay and Dunbar) straight off the back of injuries. Strauss seemed to start well for Sale then disappeared out of the 23, seemingly without injury. When did Ashe even manage to get injured? What is wrong with that boy. FFS.

Maybe he just wants to look at some of these guys. Maybe he's planning to adjust the squad, but fuck me, you could almost make an entire XV of players out of that who are undisputedly not up to this level.

[Adder]

Unavailable through injury: Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors), Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby), Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Allan Dell, Alasdair Dickinson (both Edinburgh Rugby), Richie Gray (Toulouse), Rory Hughes (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Gordon Reid (London Irish), Matt Scott (Gloucester), Duncan Taylor (Saracens).

I know that's some injury list but fucking hell, that is the worst squad I've seen in a while. That and we'll presumably be trying to play two of our best players (Barclay and Dunbar) straight off the back of injuries. Strauss seemed to start well for Sale then disappeared out of the 23, seemingly without injury. When did Ashe even manage to get injured? What is wrong with that boy. FFS.

Maybe he just wants to look at some of these guys. Maybe he's planning to adjust the squad, but fuck me, you could almost make an entire XV of players out of that who are undisputedly not up to this level.

That is some hell of an Injury list. Still no answer to Strauss's omission.

[Mikey Brown]

No Kinghorn either.

[General Zod]

Um...WTF?

Was Toonie out with Hardie last night?

[wanderingjock]

Um...WTF?

Was Toonie out with Hardie last night?

Haha

[wanderingjock]

Got smashed then doing lines of bradbury's face

[Mikey Brown]

Greig? Where are you? Nobody else seems as pissed off as they should be.

[Adder]

Greig? Where are you? Nobody else seems as pissed off as they should be.

Knocked out. He thought Cotter was bad enough,

[Matt Ha]

Some curious choices. Fowles who, if Kennedy wasn't injured, would be third choice 9 at Edinburgh. Fife, who has never been more than ok for Scotland, and McGuigan over Hoyland. Has Scott been teleported to another planet? I thought Strauss was doing fine at Sale. ps Luke Hamilton. A name I'm not familiar with. As is Chris Harris.

[Mikey Brown]

Scott has been out a few weeks, after looking in pretty good form again, from a fairly innocuous looking leg injury. So... the usual.

Luke Hamilton is one third of the most underwhelming Leicester Tigers backrow of the last two decades.

Chris Harris seems a tidy enough player, but can't say anything screamed international quality about him from what I've seen.

Strauss is a mystery.

[Adder]

Some curious choices. Fowles who, if Kennedy wasn't injured, would be third choice 9 at Edinburgh. Fife, who has never been more than ok for Scotland, and McGuigan over Hoyland. Has Scott been teleported to another planet? I thought Strauss was doing fine at Sale. ps Luke Hamilton. A name I'm not familiar with. As is Chris Harris.

McGuigan seems to be Scoring a lot with Sale.

[Matt Ha]

I guess he is so perhaps I'm being a tad unfair on Byron. But he never really impressed me at Glasgow while Hoyland is always scoring tries.

[Numbers]

Scott has been out a few weeks, after looking in pretty good form again, from a fairly innocuous looking leg injury. So... the usual.

Luke Hamilton is one third of the most underwhelming Leicester Tigers backrow of the last two decades.

Chris Harris seems a tidy enough player, but can't say anything screamed international quality about him from what I've seen.

Strauss is a mystery.

He's actually playing out of his skin at the moment, he also has played for Wales U20s so not sure why he has been selected in your squad as that ties him to Wales.

[switchskier]

Weird squad. Fowles ahead of SHC is the weirdest one for me. I'd also have Steele ahead of him, just don't quite see it there. Same with Burleigh (Dean) and Hamilton (Ritchie). Hopefully this is just toonie wanting a chance to train with a wide selection of players but he has always been a bit mad. Don't think that I've ever seen Harris play, or at least can't remember him.

[Big D]

Weird squad. Fowles ahead of SHC is the weirdest one for me. I'd also have Steele ahead of him, just don't quite see it there. Same with Burleigh (Dean) and Hamilton (Ritchie). Hopefully this is just toonie wanting a chance to train with a wide selection of players but he has always been a bit mad. Don't think that I've ever seen Harris play, or at least can't remember him.

Ritchie is in the squad.

Burleigh is apparently a ball playing 12 where as Dean has been playing well at 13. If Burleigh lines up at 13 ahead of Jones and Grigg then Toony would need sectioned. I would say Dean is unlucky though, from what I have seen he and Grigg should have been a close call.