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Scotland player ratings: There were ten changes to the starting side that faced Japan in Scotland’s final match of the Rugby World Cup, split evenly between the forwards and backs.
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Captain Stuart Hogg and centre Sam Johnson are the only players retained in a back division that saw Glasgow scrum-half Ali Price and Saracens wing Sean Maitland start in place of recent international retirees Greig Laidlaw and Tommy Seymour.
Scotland will be kicking themselves, as a multitude of errors and turnovers conceded cost them dearly.
STUART HOGG CAPTAIN – 7.5
The new captain spoke before the game of believing his side could grab the win in Dublin and the fired up Exeter Chief did his best to drag his teammates with him. The fullback was the heart of a passionate if at times scattered performance, but looked bright in attack. He didn’t deserve the costly, cruel fumble over the line – although it was emblematic of a profligate Scottish performance.
Every Scotland fan right now… ?
Poor Stuart Hogg! #IREvSCO #sixnations2020
All second half coverage here – https://t.co/YCD81Sn2Ws pic.twitter.com/EwP6aWweKo— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 1, 2020
SEAN MAITLAND – 5.5
Looked solid under the high ball early on, but didn’t see much of it thereafter. Outshone by Stockdale. Has a remarkable ability to phone in these neither really good nor really bad performances.
HUW JONES – 5
After missing the Rugby World Cup Jones is on a mission to reassert himself in the 13 shirt. Missed an early tackle attempt on the elusive Larmour and it wasn’t his only mediocre bit of defending. Well below what he’s capable of.
Continue reading below…
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WATCH: Jim Hamilton discusses the affects Shaun Edwards will have on the French team’s hope at future success.
SAM JOHNSON – 6.5
His try against England last year gave Scotland a 36-31 lead in that Calcutta Cup game, which ended 38-38 after England had led 31-0 up to 35 minutes into the match. Looked to continue that form and did so with some hard carrying in the opening moments . A timely intercept before half-time got Scotland out of jail, although it immediately proceeded a defensive lapse on his part. Maybe not the fastest 12 to ever play the game, but he’s game.
BLAIR KINGHORN – 5
With winger Darcy Graham out with a knee injury, the 6’5 Kinghorn stepped up to the plate, but it was a largely anonymous first 40 minutes for the Edinburgh back. The second wasn’t a lot better.
ADAM HASTINGS – 7
A big day for Hasting following the background drama around Finn Russell, the heretofore first pick at 10. One of his touches was a beautiful ball out the back door and he kicked with devilish intent. A good game.
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ALI PRICE – 6
Was sold on a wraparound move for Ireland’s first try. His box kicking seems a tad pointless at times, although he sniped well from the base. Got on the ball more in the second 40.
RORY SUTHERLAND – 8
Returning from injury, the loosehead played his part in disrupting Ireland’s scrum. A brutal carry on the Irish line saw David Kilcoyne removed from the action. It epitomised his performance.
FRASER BROWN – 6
Was turned over on the Irish line in the 24th minute, and was one of a number of Scottish forwards that needs to look at their ball security.
ZANDER FAGERSON – 8
Won a penalty off Cian Healy at the first scrum in the 14th minute, winning a penalty that Hastings duly slotted. A belligerent and wonderfully violent prop.
SCOTT CUMMINGS 6
Glasgow Warriors lock Scott Cummings earned the chance to make his championship debut alongside clubmate Gray. Didn’t seem to get much change from his frequent carries in the first half and was lucky to survive a Josh van der Flier rip in the 19th minute.
JONNY GRAY 6.5
Part of a pack that did a decent job of absorbing Ireland’s ‘one and done’ attacking strategy. Managed 18 tackles.
JAMIE RITCHIE – 6
Arguably Scotland’s form backrow made a nuisance of himself early doors and did make a metres with ball in hand. Scotland still lack a truly effective ball carrier with Bradbury injured.
HAMISH WATSON – 7.5
Won a key penalty in the 30th minute and was head-to-head with Josh van der Flier all door to be crowned the breakdown king.
NICK HAINING – 7
Debutant Haining anchored an all-Edinburgh back-row with fit-again openside Watson and the Ritchie. Looked sharp (and bloodied) right out the gate and in the thick of it throughout.
SUBSTITUTES:
STUART MCINALLY – 6.5
His stock has admittedly fallen coming into the competition after a difficult Rugby World Cup. A solid outing off the bench and a well-timed pass set up Watson for an eye-catching late run.
ALLAN DELL – 6
Did well in the loose in a relatively short cameo. Another Scottish victim of an Irish turnover.
WP Nell – 6
The big man threatened with ball in hand when he came on.
BEN TOOLIS – 6
The game had tightened up by the time he came on.
CORNELL DU PREEZ – NA
GEORGE HORNE
Not on long enough to rate.
RORY HUTCHINSON
Not on long enough to rate.
CHRIS HARRIES – 6
Looked industrious on entry to the fray and was an improvement on Jones.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
81 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
3 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
3 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
3 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to comments