At the U20s World Cup, in Italy, Scotland have lost twice. Once to a pumped up South Africa side and once to an out of sorts England side.
Two losses is still the most important fact, but I feel myself looking at performances.
The scoreline above does not really do justice to what was a vastly improved performance by the Scotland team who could quite possibly (but not easily) have won this game. In the end, England’s wings showed a little more confidence on the ball than the players inside – who handed over a glut of possession to Scotland (some of which was handed straight back) – and finished a couple of simple tries to put the gloss on the score.
As the RWC looms large teams seem to be panicking. Players have been jumping on and off the Rugby Union merry-go-round as Glasgow sign up 6 players and Edinburgh only produce rumours of past players rejoining.
There is a fine line between realism and negativity. I know this myself, having been described as a wee bit *just a wee bit* negative.
In Scottish rugby we are often accused of dwelling on the negatives. Results, finances and the press almost ensure this. The outlook is usually grey.
The alternative, though, is to be optimistic.
What does a player need to develop?
For some it is competition, for others it is hard work they are not used to. Freedom comes into it but restriction and focus can be the answer for many more. Success is a something attainable but the recipe is different for every individual and establishment. The legendary Pele once said “Everything is practice”. Many people have said that what made the late Seve Ballesteros so great was his flair and tenacity: personal qualities he had freedom to express.
I’m afraid that neither of these make Graham Lowe’s life any easier.
Troubled Wales Number 8 and lover of medieval facial hair Andy Powell was announced as Sale Shark’s new signing, after a raft of players and staff were cut from the club last week. Good move for Sale, assuming Powelly finds somewhere safe in the North to hole up away from football fans and golf courses, and then finds the rampaging form that first brought him to notice.
Last night, at the RDS in Dublin, youngster Mark Bennett started his first pro game at the age of 18.
As Rory has chosen to focus on the backs he has left me with the slightly easier task of looking at the forwards.
The reason this is easier is because Andy Robinson has a pretty samey starting pack and, barring injury, I can’t imagine it will change too much for the first game in the World Cup. So this means the warm-up games against Ireland and Italy will help pick a bench, and the training sessions before hand are hugely important for individuals.
So who is a dead cert to go, and who “could do better”?
The club season is done. The pro-team season is almost over, unless you happen to be challenging for a playoff place (hint: Edinburgh and Glasgow are not). All eyes turn now to the World Cup, at least in this part of the world.
Glasgow Team to face Scarlets: Stortoni, O’Hare, Murchie, Morrison, Van Der Merwe, Jackson, Cusiter; Tkachuk, Hall, Low, Muldowney, Ryder, Eddie, Vernon, Beattie
Percentage of these players who will not be in the Glasgow team next year: 30%.
Watch it: Firhill or BBC Alba, Friday night, 8pm.
Edinburgh Team to Face v Dragons: Paterson, Webster, Thompson, De Luca, Visser, Laidlaw, M Blair, Traynor, Kelly, Cross, MacLeod, Lozada, McInally, Rennie, Denton
Watch it: at Murrayfield.
Last night Edinburgh’s hero Tim Visser scored his 13th try of the season to claim the record for most tries scored in a single Magners League season. Andy Robinson must be checking off the days ‘til this lad is available for Scotland.
Mossy returns to the squad for the first time since the Six Nations, and with Hugo Southwell in try scoring form for Stade Francais Chris’ll be looking to reassert his hold on the Scotland 15 shirt ahead of the summer. In-form inside centre James King keeps Nick de Luca on the bench.
Edinburgh (to face Aironi): Jim Thompson, Simon Webster, Ben Cairns, James King, Tim Visser, Greig Laidlaw, Mike Blair, Kyle Traynor, Andrew Kelly (captain), Geoff Cross, Scott MacLeod, Esteban Lozada, Fraser McKenzie, Roddy Grant, David Denton. Replacements: Alun Walker, Lewis Niven, David Young, Steven Turnbull, Stuart McInally, Nick De Luca, Lee Jones, Chris Paterson.
Live TV Coverage: Friday 15th April 1945 BBC Alba
Meanwhile Chris Cusiter is back for Glasgow after almost a year out of action (unless you count twitter and the BBC Pundit’s box).
Team to follow.
Things are set to get tougher for Edinburgh next year with the news that Fraser Mackenzie is leaving the club to join up with Richie Vernon at Sale Sharks. It seems that no longer is it a case of Edinburgh and Glasgow developing young players until they are established test players, now the bigger clubs are swooping to sign folk after just a season (or less) of decent performances. At the moment it really feels a bit like a closing down sale, and clubs with money are scrabbling for whatever bargains they can find left on the shelves.
Well it might not be mammoth, as it’s all in the past now isn’t it and we want to start looking forward to the World Cup, but it will be woolly. Here we look back at the feast of um, something, that was Six Nations 2011.
With the news that Scott MacLeod is off to Japan to ply his trade, those of us turning thoughts to Rugby World Cup 2011 and who should go on the plane just found our lives a lot easier. Assuming that Robbo takes 4 locks (plus a back-rower or two with a bit of time in the second row perhaps) and that the front runners are most likely Gray, Kellock and Hines, the debate was always going to be over MacLeod or Hamilton for the extra cover berth. Now MacLeod’s move has forced him to recuse himself from World Cup duty, the door is wide open for big Jim. Not always the most mobile, his undoubted contribution has always been general grunt, lineout height and some extra power behind Euan Murray in the scrum. But this news, coupled with decent form for Gloucester should see him tie up the fourth lock slot. Unless Fraser McKenzie gets back to his early season form, then it could get interesting again…
