Scottush Rugby 2013/2014

[IanD]

Edinburgh rugby appoint Solomons and Scott in coaching roles

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/23503881

Edinburgh Rugby have appointed the former Springboks assistant Alan Solomons as their new head coach.
Solomons previously steered the Barbarians to wins over five top tier nations, and led clubs to success in the northern and southern hemispheres.
He will be joined by Stevie Scott, whose has been given a full-time assistant role as forwards coach.
Edinburgh finished third bottom of the Pro12 last season, leading to the exit of head coach Michael Bradley in March.
Scott and Duncan Hodge took over at Murrayfield as interim head coach and assistant coach, respectively, with Scott also working as Scotland's skills coach.
Solomons will take up his new role at Murrayfield on the 9 August.


Seems a bit late to taking over but the guy has experience to burn.

[jimbobjoe]

Won't make a difference either way. Scottish rugby is one of the worst run organisations I've ever seen. Until they do a complete overhaul, there's no hope for the sport in Scotland.

[simonokeeffe]

Edinburgh to play with a bit more mongrel to them if his previous teams anything to go by

[IanD]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/23550840

Glasgow Warriors: Niko Matawalu to miss start of season

Big blow for Glasgow at the start of the season.

[IanD]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24726771

Tim Visser: Scotland and Edinburgh wing out until 2014

[artaneboy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24726771

Tim Visser: Scotland and Edinburgh wing out until 2014

Bad news. Only possible consolation is a broken leg- once not too mangled, can recover better than softer tissue injuries. Best of luck to the guy.

[simonokeeffe]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24726771

Tim Visser: Scotland and Edinburgh wing out until 2014

Bad news. Only possible consolation is a broken leg- once not too mangled, can recover better than softer tissue injuries. Best of luck to the guy.

plus wing is the one position they have decent cover in with Maitland, Lamont, Evans, Cuthbert

[JB1973]

Hogg Maitland and Visser would be a handy back 3 , shame for the scots two of them are injured.

Still a question mark over their midfield though, lack of out and out pace and not really any exceptional footballers who can put that back 3 into space.

Scotland will give anyone a game but I don't see them scoring enough points to beat the better sides.

Also think Scott Johnson will end up upsetting the apple cart sooner or later, the guy always ends up falling out with people, he can't help himself

[simonokeeffe]

Hogg Maitland and Visser would be a handy back 3 , shame for the scots two of them are injured.

Still a question mark over their midfield though, lack of out and out pace and not really any exceptional footballers who can put that back 3 into space.

Scotland will give anyone a game but I don't see them scoring enough points to beat the better sides.

Also think Scott Johnson will end up upsetting the apple cart sooner or later, the guy always ends up falling out with people, he can't help himself

Mark Bennet at Glasgow ex of Clermont is looking handy

[JB1973]

Scotland team to face Japan: Sean Maitland, Tommy Seymour, Nick De Luca, Matt Scott, Sean Lamont, Ruaridh Jackson, Greig Laidlaw, Ryan Grant, Ross Ford, Euan Murray, Tim Swinson, Alastair Kellock, Alasdair Strokosch, Kelly Brown (capt), David Denton.

Replacements: Pat MacArthur, Alasdair Dickinson, Geoff Cross, Richie Gray, John Barclay, Henry Pyrgos, Duncan Weir, Duncan Taylor.


Bennett not in the 23 ? Grey on the bench?

Handy enough looking pack, Laidlaw will kick his goals but that back line doesn't strike me as being good enough to score many trys at test level

[tigerburnie]

I will be at Murrayfield this weekend, my grandson won a prize draw at his clubs minis the other sunday, he will be one of the mascots running out with the team. Wonder what the Scots might make of an English lad being one of their mascots.....................................?

[JB1973]

I will be at Murrayfield this weekend, my grandson won a prize draw at his clubs minis the other sunday, he will be one of the mascots running out with the team. Wonder what the Scots might make of an English lad being one of their mascots.....................................?

well soon spot him when he runs out in a tigers kit TB!

Great day for the lad, hope he enjoys

[tigerburnie]

I'll be the one in the Tigers shirt,getting dogs abuse no doubt..........................
JB are you going to Welford Road for the Tigers v Ospreys game?

[johng]

You mean a Scottish kid with an English Grandad?

[tigerburnie]

You mean a Scottish kid with an English Grandad?

No he's only been living in Scotland for a short time, my daughters lad is Scottish born, so I've got family that are either part or wholey Irish, Welsh, English,Latvian, Russian and Scottish.......................but mostly from Leicester

[JB1973]

I'll be the one in the Tigers shirt,getting dogs abuse no doubt..........................
JB are you going to Welford Road for the Tigers v Ospreys game?

Not this time, would have liked to it's a great place to watch a match.

Hope you don't break too many of our youngsters!!!

[jhc99]

The new Scotland shirts are the best thing to happen to Scottish rugby in a generation.

[simonokeeffe]

From the BBC

Scotland rugby players face assault charge

Four Scottish international rugby players are expected to appear in court in Glasgow next month over an alleged serious assault, it has emerged.

The BBC understands the players involved are Ryan Grant, Sean Maitland, Ryan Wilson and Rory Hughes.

Grant and Maitland were both part of the British and Irish Lions tour this summer.

The charges relate to an incident in Glasgow's west end in October, when another man was injured.

Maitland and Grant are both in the Scotland squad that will play South Africa at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Wilson has played four times for the national team, while Hughes is a member of the Scotland Sevens squad.

All four players are contracted to Glasgow Warriors.

[JB1973]

Scotland team to face South Africa: Sean Maitland; Tommy Seymour, Nick De Luca, Duncan Taylor, Sean Lamont; Ruaridh Jackson, Greig Laidlaw (capt); Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, Moray Low, Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton, Alasdair Strokosch, John Barclay, David Denton.

Replacements: Scott Lawson, Ryan Grant, Geoff Cross, Jonny Gray, John Beattie, Chris Cusiter, Duncan Weir, Max Evans.


South Africa: Willie le Roux, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Pat Lambie, Fourie du Preez; Gurthro Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, Frans Malherbe, Bakkies Botha, Flip van der Merwe, Francois Louw, Willem Alberts or Siya Kolis, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira, Coenie Oosthuizen, Eben Etzebeth, Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Pienaar, Morne Steyn, JJ Engelbrecht.


Du plesis the best and Etzebeth all on the bench , wouldn't fancy facing that lot after 60 minutes of rugby! Lambie at 10 seems a strange one, I don't rate him there at all

[tigerburnie]

The Scots pack was only just ok in the scrums last week, tidy in the lineout and good with ball in hand going forward,Denton in particular. But apart from Strokosh, they didn't compete in the rucks and mauls that well against Japan and I would expect the Boks to turn them over with ease up front. The Scots backs got a bit lateral at times and struggled with the quick line speed and tackling. Again I would expect the Boks to better still at this, I fear the Scots may lose this one.