Scottish Rugby Blog Podcast Episode 4 – Coupit Ewes

35 responses

1. For those interested, we found Gael Force: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gael_Force

2. Oof! Full strength Welsh team out. Looks v strong with no obvious weaknesses.

   1. Front row is not as strong as Irelands and France, but not exactly weak either, I still have doubts about Rhys Webb too, but apart from that very strong team. No offense to our Welsh friends but this is the win I want above all others lol!!

      1. Agreed. It isn’t just the number of losses to Wales but the manner of them. But no doubt, beating Wales would be a big scalp and confirm the progress we think Scotland have made.

3. I don’t like pinball for Hamish Watson’s nickname.

   May I suggest a late entry? He should be called ‘the wild boar’ . He’s small (for a pro backrow) with a low centre of gravity but extremely powerful and a bag of muscles – like a wild boar is. He’s aggressive when on the charge – like a wild boar is and he’s got a snout for a turnover like a wild boar has a snout for foodstuffs on the floor.

   1. The alternative nickname occurring to me on learning of his outside business interest was ‘Mad Hatter.’

   2. Sorry James. There was a vote and everything so it’s Pinball. I was as disappointed as you but it was a democratic decision and as with all democratic decisions we are stuck with it for good or ill. Pinball means Pinball

      1. I thought the point of democracy was that you could also change your choice a few years later? Although I would have voted for pinball…

      2. PINBALL MEANS PINBALL!

      3. Turn the Scottish Rugby Podcast into enemies of the people and deny them their democratic right and call Hamish Watson the wild boar!

4. while flipping over the sheep sounds like fun i think it would have to be done in a place with no media http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-19/sheep-tackling-video-prompts-cruelty-investigation-into-kings/7428312?pfmredir=sm

   1. No animals were harmed in the making of this podcast

5. Why do we feel there is a need for players to have nicknames? The biggest chagrin of attending Murrayfield over the past few years, has not been to do with performances, but has been the announcer introducing Stuart ‘Rambo’ McInally and Geoff ‘the beard’ Cross. Did we not grow out of this when we left school????

   1. Agree on the stadium announcer thing, it reeks of diddyness and amateurism. Can’t imagine the ABs doing it.

      I don’t mind fans forums having player nicknames though

6. Lads I really want to enjoy this pod and I know it’s early days but c’mon. Youre a rugby podcast covering matches where your analysis extends to switching a game off at half time or background watching because you are cooking. I don’t present a rugby pod but I watch more games each weekend and pay a hell of a lot more attention. You may be covering Scottish rugby but you don’t seem to be rugby fans. Even casual rugby fans know who Rokoduguni is, he is consistently the best winger in Europes top league and an England player yet you lads don’t know which club he plays for. Tommy Taylor has been the form hooker in the league for the league leaders, Wasps by the way not Sale, and you are talking about Sale Sharks, his former club. I know your not covering the AVIVA but plenty of the players for the country you claim to be covering play there. I like your features and the main presenter at least seems to understand things that happen on a pitch but do you lads even like rugby? It doesn’t come across. I know not every pod can be the Eggchasers and it’s taken them a few years but the Thistle pod, despite its own issues at least seem to enjoy rugby and enjoy doing a pod. I’ll stick with for now because Scottish rugby is lacking coverage but if between you you can’t even be bothered to watch both pro team matches fully then what’s the point? You may well think I’m a d*** but I’ve been listening every week and it could be so good. The quality of the blog is not transferring to the audio format, it’s like the pod for the “rugby die hards” who only come out for the six nations.

   1. Crazyjoe, I think you’re being a little harsh here. It’s only four podcasts in, and I’m sure I’ve read this whole blog is run by volunteers not all of whom (perhaps none of whom) is a full-time sports/rugby journalist. The people who run it, like the people who comment on it, have got other things to get on with in their lives. Which reminds me, having to reply to you has taken up some of my time to tune into BBC Radio Scotland for the Hibs Hearts replay!

      1. That’s the same as every other rugby pod I listen to, I actually prefer those to professional journos and ex pros. Egg chasers has one it thistle doesn’t as far as I’m aware. I’m. It but I can still fit in a handful of matches in a weekend and I’m not podding on them. You chose to reply, no one made you. If anything I said was said in a way which is offensive I apologise, I want it to be taken constructively as I intended it but this episode was an effort to see through.

   2. Hi Crazyjoe. Thanks for the feedback. We welcome anything positive and negative.
      I guess myself and Rory were just trying to be honest about not watching the Edinburgh game all the way through and making light of it. Brodie and Ruairidh had watched the match. We’d rather be honest than pretend we’d watched something we haven’t. To be fair to Rory he was a late addition to the pod this week after someone else had to drop out. Generally we’ll have our regular Edinburgh and Glasgow correspondents on the pod and they do tend to get to most matches.
      In terms of not knowing names of players we are trying to appeal to a broad range of rugby fans some of whom might not know the names of every player (even those who just come out for 6 Nations) so I just prompt the guys from time to time if I think a player might not familiar to everyone.
      Thanks for bearing with us in these early days. Feels like we’re getting the hang of it.

      1. Crazyjoe, I’ve missed two Hibs goals because of you! BTW, didn’t think you were being offensive at all, just a little harsh.

      2. Listen lads, I didn’t want to cause offence I’be followed the blog for years, even contemplated submitting pieces in the past and rate it very highly. Like I Said I intended to be constructive and if it came across as anything other than that I apologise.

      3. Hi Crazyjoe. Like I said thanks for feedback. Hope I didn’t come across as defensive. Just trying to explain what we’re trying to do.
         John Mc is just commenter and not part of pod or blog (although his comments are as welcome as your constructive feedback)

      4. Let’s face it, anyone who can watch an Edinburgh game all the way through nowadays is a champion.

   3. the only thing i dont like is the wierd ass fantasy league song , rest is good.

   4. Crazy Joe, I’ll echo what Cam said thanks for listening and thanks for your feedback on the podcast and the site. We’re all volunteers, none of us is a professional sports writer (some have journalism experience or training) and our coverage is limited to the games we see and time we have available. If you go back to the early blog posts in 2007/8 you’ll see I was watching every game that was available on Sky/BBC Wales, rounding up what all the exiles are up to, and generally keeping track of everything as much as possible. At that point I was self-employed, living with my parents (who had Sky) and single.

      Sadly (for the site’s level of coverage, not for me personally) life gets in the way with things like jobs, mortgages, girlfriends; several of the lads who came on board since that time now have young kids (or indeed professional sports journalism careers) to look after. In short, we watch what we can and we cover what we can. Sport falls on the weekends – but so does family life more often than not.

      So for gaps in our knowledge we apologise. I think our commenters and readers are a cut above, and very knowledgeable about the game and refreshingly lacking in squabbles compared to say the Scotsman or BBC comments sections. I’m glad when you guys point out something we got wrong or give us facts/rumours we’ve missed as it helps us to improve.

      But I hope you’ll agree that not watching every game available to man or beast via BBC, Sky and BT doesn’t mean we can’t love rugby. I think I speak for the guys when I say we will always love rugby.

      The podcast is a Six Nations experiment for us so does have a wider focus on the national team. It was also a way for the guys who maybe hadn’t been able to do as much writing but who still wanted to contribute an hour a week a way to do so.

      We’ll be asking for full feedback at the end of the tournament to decide on the format going forward.

      And you are always welcome to submit pieces that can help us expand our coverage. ;)

      Thanks for reading and listening.

7. Is anyone else getting a Beta Band vibe off the Fantasy League jingle? I mean, self-titled second album rather than 3 EPs. But still.

   1. Trying to decide if that’s a compliment or not. I have a difficult relationship with that album

8. WalesOnline is full of confidence on how they intend to deal with our front row who were ‘like an accordian against France’ and that Scotland have injurys so its there to be won.

   They are talking their side up, man by man, however they have no confidence in their bench. Fans would prefer to play youngsters but see Howley sticking to experienced old lags while the 6N remains win able!!!!! Really , so confident.

   Here’s a controversial suggestion : I would like to start this game with Reid, Ford and Berghan upfront and resort to the faster men in the last 30 minutes with Dell, Brown, Fagerson and Swinston. I would also play Pyrgos to manage the boy wonder and have Ali Price making impact early in the second half.

   They need to target Dan Bigger and I suspect that Pyrgos and Russell first half with Price & Russell letting loose in the second will be a confusing combination for his predictable style.

   Bulldog’s game plan , hold the first quarter and get ahead, frustrate Wales into penalties in the 2nd quarter and allow them to feel the pressure in the second half. Pin them in their half and allow them to make mistakes.

   Kicking , Pyrgos first half and Russell/ Weir second half. Weir to keep us in ther half in the second and our mobile pack to take the game to them.

   I suspect this will not happen for 2 reasosn , we never started that way against France, and two , what do I know anyway.

   Maybe its time to back ourselves and surprise them.

   Either way, I only wanted two wins from the 6N one, we got and this is the other.

   I could handle losing to England , they are a better side, cleaner side as well , however we will win one of these two games, and for me , I would prefer to see this lot, well beaten.

   1. I dont get why Hogg wont be first choice kicker he was 100% last time he played 10 this season for glasgow and some from difficult angles also , i genuinely dont think kicking will drop standard much without laidlaw.

      1. He didnt step up 2 weeks ago when Russell took the kicks ! why not ? I never said that the standard would drop, perhaps you need to start a post of your own if you want to make a point.

      2. There was suggestions that Hogg avoids full time kicking duties due to a managed issue with his Hamstring which flares up on occasion. Just a suggestion tho… Will try to verify with fact! :-)

9. Got it , I knew I had heard that voice before. Brodie is the narrator on BBC Scotland’s ‘Scot Squad’, no question.

10. is the next podcast out at midnight ?

    1. Most likely tomorrow at some point, we’re recording tonight.

11. All I would like to say is if this week’s episode isn’t called ‘Pinball Wizard’ in honour of Watson’s weekend performance I will be most disappointed.

    1. OK i’m happy with that new development.