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Follow all the action from the World Cup warm-up match on RugbyPass as Scotland host France at Murrayfield.
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Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw is coming into the match insisting that the team chosen last weekend by Gregor Townsend did not disgrace the jersey in the 32-3 defeat to France. He is now is confident that they will give a more accurate account of themselves against the same opponents.
The veteran scrum-half sat out last weekend’s defeat in Nice and is one of 14 players brought back into the starting line-up for the return match in Edinburgh. The five-try loss provoked a big backlash even though it was only the first of four World Cup warm-up games for Townsend’s squad.
Laidlaw is sure that lessons have been learned, claiming that the players last time out had not let themselves or their country down. “That’s certainly not the case,” Laidlaw said at the end of the week where it was confirmed that Jim Mallinder will become the new SRU director of rugby.
Tommy Seymour took no pleasure from seeing positional rivals in the Scotland squad flop last Saturdayhttps://t.co/JOnDIlqUlj
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 22, 2019
“The group are tight-knit. I’ve been involved in performances that have not gone to plan before and it’s for a number of reasons. We’d probably rather it happened last week than going into a World Cup.
“We’ll take it on the chin and whether that be from how we trained all week or how we travelled, we need to look at all of that for away games. But this week is not an away game, we’re home at Murrayfield and we simply need to concentrate on that and make sure we get the next 80 minutes right.”
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Scotland were on the back foot from the opening minutes in last week’s five-try loss and Laidlaw knows that tightening up in defence is a major job. “We learned we can’t be soft defensively, especially against a team like France who have world-class attackers within their ranks, as I know well from playing out in France,” he said.
Which is it Scotland fans? pic.twitter.com/fwQTV6dD8Y
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 21, 2019
“We need to be defensively really sound. We come back to the basics of the game, being really aggressive, holding each other accountable and defending properly.
“If we do that, we can get our hands on the ball and impose our game in attack on any opposition. We have proved that in the past and this is another opportunity for the playing group selected to go out and do that.”
Townsend will name his RWC squad after the first of the two games against Georgia that have still to come, and assistant coach Mike Blair said that some places have yet to be decided.
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Too severe a sanction is the feeling of the French who will appeal Paul Gabrillagues' six-week suspensionhttps://t.co/nJJkCTD22m
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 21, 2019
“You know, we’ve got a decent amount, a number that we’re fairly sure about, but there are a couple of positions that are still potentially up for grabs,” Blair said. “I won’t give it much more than that.
” It might have been last week that a couple of guys didn’t take their opportunity and they’ve opened for the 23 that are involved in this game. We’re really looking forward to seeing how these guys seize their opportunity and put their hands up for later selection.”
WATCH: A six-week ban has put the World Cup participation of French lock Paul Gabrillagues in jeopardy
Comments on RugbyPass
The side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
4 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
4 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
4 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
4 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to comments