Game 4 : Scotland v Ireland

[BaldiePete]

This is the team I’m expecting from Townsend for this game. Basically what has become his first 15.

Kinghorn
Graham
Jones
Tuipolotu
Van Der Merwe (lots of talk about Steyn but I don’t think he’ll change wingers now)
Russell
White (I’d prefer Horne)
Schoeman
Turner
Fagerson
Gray
Gilchrist (I’d prefer Cummings)
Ritchie
Darge (definitely an argument for Watson but again I don’t think he’ll change)
Dempsey

Sutherland
Ashman
Nel
Cummings
Fagerson
White
Steyn
Smith

[Big D]

I think he needs to change tact with the bench. I think we need a goal kicker as the back up 10. I know Horne can kick but he might not be on be on the park when needed.

I'd go with what you have for. The starting XV with Price starting and a bench of
Sutherland, Ashman, Nel, Cummings, Fagerson, Horne, Healy, Redpath.

[Mikey Brown]

I think he needs to change tact with the bench. I think we need a goal kicker as the back up 10. I know Horne can kick but he might not be on be on the park when needed.

I'd go with what you have for. The starting XV with Price starting and a bench of
Sutherland, Ashman, Nel, Cummings, Fagerson, Horne, Healy, Redpath.

I’d be happy with that I think.

[BaldiePete]

He’s not been picking a replacement stand-off so far. I suspect the whole point of Kinghorn playing at 10 last season was to have him ready to be cover for Finn at RWC. Will he change that now? I think the Toony Tombola might have been retired.

[Donny osmond]

Nic Berry is the ref, and I think Ritchie might already have got on the wrong side of him.....

[septic 9]

Nic Berry is the ref, and I think Ritchie might already have got on the wrong side of him.....

Don't know about Richie but think I have. Well anyway Berry has always got on my wrong side. Totally useless

[septic 9]

Nic Berry is the ref, and I think Ritchie might already have got on the wrong side of him.....

Don't know about Richie but think I have. Well anyway Berry has always got on my wrong side. Totally useless

[septic 9]

Nic Berry is the ref, and I think Ritchie might already have got on the wrong side of him.....

Don't know about Richie but think I have. Well anyway Berry has always got on my wrong side. Totally useless

[Cameo]

I don't really see the point of Healy on the bench as a goalkicker. It's not like we can bring him on just for a kick, and barring injury I don't think we would want to bring him on if we are chasing points late on.

I'd be happy with the normal first team, but I'd also be tempted to swap Gilchrist out for Cummins. Not if it is going to make the line-out even worse though.

[septic 9]

Price will start with Horne on bench. Kicker solved

[BaldiePete]

Price starts, Horne on bench. 6:2 split.

[Mikey Brown]

Errr...

Hmm.

[Mikey Brown]

I'm not so sure what our plan is with the extra forwards on the bench. Crosbie to stop big Irish runners and provide an extra line-out option? Fagerson as a straight swap for Dempsey then. Maybe we'll be defending an enormous lead at that point, I dunno.

Smith covers 10/15 essentially. No idea what happens if a centre goes down.

Happy with the team other than that. A slightly plodding second row but if that's our best hope at the lineout then fine.

[BaldiePete]

If Russell goes off injured I’d expect Kinghorn to go to 10 and Smith to 15. Similarly if one of the wingers goes off, Kinghorn will move and Smith will play 15. Fuck knows what’ll happen if one of the centres goes down. Russell to 12, Kinghorn to 10 and Smith to 15?? That would be mental.

[Croft_No.5]

Would have probably had Redpath instead of Smith (Jones to cover 15) and Watson over Crosbie in the 6-2 bench option, but expect they will move Ritchie to 7 if Darge goes off

[switchskier]

Called it in the other thread (sort of). I guess that some players are being told that they're not playing the full 80 - they just have to empty the tank around 60 minutes. Either that or they're messing around with Ritchie's concussion, which would be awful and which I don't think that they'd do - we're generally one of the better teams in that respect.

God I hope that the lineout is much better.

[Big D]

I am a bit surprised at Crosbie over Skinner or Watson.

Price deserves the start as White has been a little off it after his injury.

[Cameo]

Smith has played 13 (when he was younger) so maybe that's the plan.

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah I like Smith but I'd be much happier with Jones covering fullback than Smith covering centre, and not having to mess around with Russell/Kinghorn to solve an issue in the centres.

Whatever. We haven't got time for injuries.

[Cameo]

I can see the logic of Crosbie to some extent, and I don't think Watson did anything extraordinary against Romania, but if we are looking for impact in attack off the bench, it is hard not to think Watson offers more. He had a few games a couple of years ago where he came off the bench and was bouncing people for fun.

[stevedog1980]

Not going to lie, that bench has drained my enthusiasm for this game.

I would have liked to see Townsend hit the gamble button on this game and really gone for it, load the bench with talent and win the game from it. Not sure how we are going to impact the game at all. People won't agree with me here but I'd have gone for

1. Schoe
2. Turner
3. ZF
4. Gray
5. Cummings
6. Ritchie
7. Darge
8. Dempsey

9. Horne
10. Russell
11. Duhan / Steyn
12. Redpath
13. Harris
14. Graham / Steyn
15. Kinghorn

16. Matthews
17. Sutherland
18. Nel
19. Skinner
20. Fagerson
21. Tuipulotu
22. Jones
23. Steyn / Duhan / Graham

[Mikey Brown]

Hit the gamble button and start Harris. Lol. And is that Sione covering scrumhalf?

I really like Redpath, and think he works quite well with Harris actually, but I feel like we've built our attack around the Huwipulotell midfield combo. Though admittedly it hasn't fired like in the 6 nations.

I see what you mean, but switching things up and assuming we'll be neck and neck at 60 minutes to bring on our impact players (and there is a very handy Irish bench to worry about) just won't cut it I don't think.

[Big D]

Redpath/Harris doesn't get near the Huwipulotu combo at the moment. I can see a situation where Russell and Redpath gel well at Bath and it makes sense to continue that combo but we are not there yet or close to it.

I admire the way Harris has worked hard to become a test match Lion (made a nice bit of money out that) but there is an argument that at 33 in December his time is done at international level. Although there are of course reasons he may hang around.

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah I’d agree after the World Cup we ditch Harris and have Redpath/McDowell challenging. Doesn’t really matter right now though. I don’t particularly want Harris in the XV but he’s got a role to play at the moment.

I feel like Jones has worked well against the Irish defence in the past, so hopefully we can make something of that. Can hardly remember him being able to get on the ball vs SA.

[stevedog1980]

Hit the gamble button and start Harris. Lol. And is that Sione covering scrumhalf?

I really like Redpath, and think he works quite well with Harris actually, but I feel like we've built our attack around the Huwipulotell midfield combo. Though admittedly it hasn't fired like in the 6 nations.

I see what you mean, but switching things up and assuming we'll be neck and neck at 60 minutes to bring on our impact players (and there is a very handy Irish bench to worry about) just won't cut it I don't think.

I probably don't disagree with anything you've said. I think this is a case where we've tried the same approach time and again without achieving a result. I think it was 2017 the last time we beat Ireland in the 6 nations, we've come close but fallen short. As good as the players are at this moment, I just feel we have to try something a bit different