British and Irish Lions: Lee Byrne, Tommy Bowe, Brian O’ Driscoll, Jamie Roberts, Ugo Monye, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips, Jamie Heaslip, Paul Wallace, Tom Croft, Paul O’Connell, Alun Wyn Jones, Phil Vickery, Lee Mears, Gethin Jenkins Replacements: Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Donnacha O’ Callaghan, Martyn Williams, Harry Ellis, Ronan O’ Gara, Rob Kearney Pretty much [...]

Read more >>

I probably still wouldn’t put any Scots in there, save for Big Nathan – the only man to step up his game on tour so far. With the Springboks picking the Beast in the front row, its a real shame Murray is not fit as he was starting to come onto a game, and he [...]

Read more >>

The Cheetahs flanker Heinrich Broussow, who almost single handedly buggered up the Lions perfect tour record, has been given a late call up to the Springbok squad as cover for possibly injured Schalk Burger. He may yet have to fight for a place behind utility forward Danie Roussow but hopefully the extra B in his [...]

Read more >>

With a wee ankle strain keeping him out of Saturday’s game, it looks like Tuesday may be Mike’s last chance to try and sneak on to the bench for the test. With Mike Phillips now a certainty for the 9 shirt and Harry Ellis playing solidly if unspectacularly, Mike has been short of opportunities to [...]

Read more >>

I must be talking about a Welshman, you imagine. Correct: British & Irish Lions Tour Manager, Gerald Davies, and Head Coach Ian McGeechan, tonight announced that Ospreys and Wales backrow forward Ryan Jones has been called into the Lions’ squad for the remainder of the tour. He will replace Ireland’s Stephen Ferris. Commenting on the [...]

Read more >>

But it could be no picnic against the Sharks. Blair makes the bench: other Scots vanish without trace. Fitzgerald and Williams are given chances to show what they can do in a team that in sections (centres, back row) is starting to look like the probable test combinations. Halfpenny and Blair may get more of [...]

Read more >>

Scotland 14 – 17 Samoa (view coverage here) Scotland U20s battled bravely but an inability to find the cutting edge in slippery conditions saw them beaten with a last play of the game drop goal. For large parts of the game Samoa survived on instinctive handling rather than any particular shape to their game, and [...]

Read more >>

Nature metaphors continue: Lions vs Cheetahs – who will win? All four Scots in the touring party are selected to play tomorrow, with Hines and Blair on the bench and as expected our front row boys get a start alongside fellow beast Andrew Sheridan. After this match, everyone in tour will have played or at [...]

Read more >>

British & Irish Lions Tour Manager, Gerald Davies, and Head Coach Ian McGeechan, today announced that Leinster and Irish centre Gordon D’Arcy has been called into the Lions’ squad for the remainder of the tour. Commenting on the call up, Ian McGeechan said, “Gordon has been called up due to the fact that we have [...]

Read more >>

As anyone who can remember the BBC footage from inside Scotland’s 2006 Calcutta Cup winning dressing room will attest to, Mikey Blair loves to do little dances with as few clothes on as possible. Seems he goes by the nickname Blade – a new one for the Rugby nicknames page – and has been at [...]

Read more >>