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Scotland player ratings versus Russia

By Ian Cameron
Scotland players celebrate another try

Scotland made 14 changes to the XV which started against Samoa last week. Only Darcy Graham, who switches wings, remained. It was the most changes Scotland have ever made between matches at a Rugby World Cup.

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Despite the mass changes, it was an excellent and convincing performance.

The opening 22-minutes were as close to perfect from this Townsend’s side as any Scottish fan could hope, although ratings must be tempered against the quality of the opposition, or lack there of. Scotland ran riot, and if it wasn’t for a few questionable forward pass calls would have doubled Ireland’s score against the same opposition.

1. GORDON REID

The slimmed-down prop has now started at loose-head prop in 13 of his last 19 test appearances. Got about the park well and even made himself useful in a few attacking moves.

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2. GEORGE TURNER

He’s the only hooker to score a hat-trick while representing a Tier 1 nation in a test match this century and grabbed the Scottish bonus point with a clever break off a rolling maul.

7.5

3. ZANDER FAGERSON

Looked bullish in the loose. Taken off at halftime, which hopefully isn’t an injury concern.

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4. SCOTT CUMMINGS

One of eight players to have made their test debut for Scotland in 2019 and one of three to have been
included in their RWC 2019 squad. A solid outing.

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5. BEN TOOLIS

Not in the match-day 23 in Scotland’s opening round defeat against Ireland at RWC 2019, or for their second match against Samoa. Part of a dominant pack here.

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6. JOHN BARCLAY (CAPT.)

The last time John Barclay captained Scotland was in the 2018 Six Nations against Italy. A solid shift for the talisman. Strolled in unopposed for a try with five minutes to spare.

7.5

7. FRASER BROWN

Smiled when taken off after 30 minutes. It’s hard to rate a player playing out of position, even if it is one that he’s familiar with. David Pocock won’t be losing sleep but it was a solid impersonation of an openside none-the-less, his first appearance for Scotland in the position.

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8. RYAN WILSON

Technically excellent at the base of the scrum, making those around him look great. Industrious.

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9. GEORGE HORNE

Took an opportunistic try in the 22nd minute. Picked up a second after benefitting from a superb run from Graham. Scampered in for a third in the 59th minute. Attacked the line with a menace too often lacking in a number 9 jersey. Doesn’t look like a third choice scrumhalf. An outstanding performance.

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10. ADAM HASTINGS

Scored two tries in under 20 minutes, Hasting has shown himself to be a realistic rival for the 10 jersey, and not just an able stand-in. Cruelly denied a hattrick by Warne Barnes’ odd interpretation of what constitutes a forward pass.

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11. DARCY GRAHAM

Was too often asked to make metres in traffic in the first half, which is a flagrant misuse of the Edinburgh tyro. Finally cut loose early in the second half with a 70 metre run from his own 22 – setting up Horne.

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12. PETE HORNE

He and his brother were starting their first Rugby World Cup match together. Made metres with every carry, albeit against an at times disinterested Russian defence. Unselfishly put those around him into space with some savvy passing.

7.5

13. DUNCAN TAYLOR

Played a key role in Hasting’s first try, the Saracen was as busy off the ball as on it. Kicked intelligently. A real return to form.

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14. TOMMY SEYMOUR

Got his first try of the tournament, a well-taken chase down of a grubber. Why do we still feel we continue to await the arrival of the 2017 Seymour?

6.5

15. BLAIR KINGHORN

The powerful fullback was eager to take the ball to line but did the more subtle stuff too. Great decision making in attack and a proverbial rock at the back too.

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16. STUART MCINALLY

Came on the second half. Spilled the ball once. Took a late try well even if he did let the ball bounce. Other than that, a forgettable personal performance on this occasion for Scotland’s first-choice hooker.

5.5

17. SIMON BERGHAN

Came on after halftime. Lovely soft hands for Barclay’s try.

7.5

18. WILLEM NEL

Carried like a wild boar in the second half. Looks in the shape of his life too.

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19. GRANT GILCHRIST

Started in Scotland’s opening round defeat against Ireland at RWC 2019, as well as in their second match against Samoa. Had little more than a cameo role here.

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20. MAGNUS BRADBURY

With Hamish Watson gone, Bradbury is one of the few Scottish forwards that can be depended upon to make the gain line (and then some in his case). His bullocking runs and his ability to put others into space make him a standout whenever he’s on the pitch. You wonder why he didn’t make the original RWC squad.

7.5

21. JAMIE RITCHIE

NA

22. HENRY PYRGOS

Not in the original 31-man squad, but called up as an injury replacement for Ali Price. Linked up for one Scottish try and looked useful.

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23. CHRIS HARRIS

Spilled his first ball and looked a bit over-eager to impress.

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J
Jon 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

36 Go to comments
A
Adrian 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

36 Go to comments
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