Scotland Player Ratings Against Wales

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My assessment of the Scotland players against Wales:

1.Jacobsen - 7 Lively throughout the game and stood up ok against A Jones in the scrum - no mean task. Docked a point for the knock-on in the first half yards from the Welsh line.

2.Ford - 8 Very strong performance. Excellent ball carrier and flawless at the lineout. Proving a good choice of captain.

3.Cross - 7 Mobile prop, plenty of workrate. One silly penalty for diving in from the side off his feet, but given Poite's reffing of the breakdown it was worth a go. Struggled on his side against Jenkins but not far short of parity.

4.Gray - 9 Awesome. Consistently crosses the advantage line, even from a standing start. A menace at the lineout as well. Seems to have endless energy.

5.Hamilton - 7 Better than against England. Used his power at close quarters and got through more work.

6.Strokosch - 6 Slightly disappointing. Should have been more influential at the breakdown and got isolated on a couple of carriers. When Brown returns he'll be jetisoned I think. Not bad, but we have too much talent in the back row for back to back average performances to keep you in the side.

7.Rennie - 9 Wonderful. A complete menace to the Welsh at the breakdown, great hands and punches well above his weight carrying the ball. No firmly first choice at 7.

8.Denton - 8 Once again a powerhouse with ball in hand, and made some excellent carries.

9.Cusiter - 6 A couple of great tackles and appealled effectively to the ref on several occassion when the Welsh hands in the ruck were too obvious even for Poite to ignore. Horrible mistake at the restart docks him a point, although his passing was better than against England. Should lose his place against France though.

10.Laidlaw - 7 Neat, tidy and always looked to create. Deserved his try after being robbed last week and nearly created something further with another well judged chip and chase. Certain to start the rest of the tournament.

11.Evans - 5 Not on long enough to register.

12.S Lamont - 7 I liked his performance. Carried strongly and tackled himself into oblivion against the meaty Welsh backs.

13.NDL - 5 A couple of sharpish bursts but the yellow card was silly and really cost us. Needs a good game against France otherwise one of Scott, Ansbro, Grove or Evans will steal his jersey. A shame after a really strong season with Edinburgh.

14.L Jones - 7 Tackled well enough against bigger men and when the game opened up he looked a real threat. Great pace and great feet. Hopefully he can play the rest of the tournament.

15.R Lamont - 6 Decent, nothing more. Secure at the back and kicked ok. I'd like him on the wing against France with him playing the same sort of roving role that Wales got from Cuthbert.

16.Kalman - 5 Didn't see much from him. A substitution for the sake of it.
17.S Lawson - 6 Lively when he came on.
18.Kellock - 6 No improvement on Hamilton. One nice lineout take but he isn't doing much to earn promotion.
19.Barclay - 6 Not a blindside flanker and the wrong choice of player for the bench. No real impact.
20.Blair - 8 Excellent impact, raised the tempo nicely and brought some Edinburgh style ambition to the backs. Must start against France.
21.Weir - didn't feature
22.Hogg - 8 Excellent impact, did exactly what he's been doing all season and proved his initially non-selection a complete farce. Wonderful balance, solid catching, good kicking and composed hands. Must start at 15 against France.

I agree Robinson's selections have been poor and he has to pay with his job. It's no coincidence that the best players for Scotland were the youngsters.

We have talented youngsters waiting in the wings but they just don't get the chances their performances have merited because Robinson is terrified of playing them.

For me at the moment the Scotland Backline should pick itself :

9. Blair
10. Laidlaw
11. S. Lamont
12. Scott
13. NDL
14. Jones
15. Hogg

Robinson needs to grow a pair and pick on form rather than reputation. And for the love of God put Lamont on the wing!

RubyGuby wrote:You've got it nobbled, a few more charge downs and you're there, who needs running rugby eh

Well, so far - not England!
I'm a little worried what'll happen when finally try it.

RubyGuby wrote:Dowlais - nobody forced De Luca to tackle JD without the ball and Lamont's offside tackle was shambolic and unprofessional. I guess you can argue that we had them under pressure in both cases which lead to the aberrations but I think Scotland let themselves down crucially on these 2 occasions. Conversley if Scotland had gone in HT leading 10-3 who's to say we wouldn't have come out and put them to the sword, we'll never know. We can only comment on what we saw and to a large extent Scotland played a significant part in their own downfall.

Very true

Higher_Ground wrote:P.s. Mr Hogg, I know you're new to this game, but when trying to buy a decision from the ref, lying on the floor with your head in your hands isn't the way to do it! Great catch by the way.

He's only a youngster!!

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:Dowlais - nobody forced De Luca to tackle JD without the ball and Lamont's offside tackle was shambolic and unprofessional. I guess you can argue that we had them under pressure in both cases which lead to the aberrations but I think Scotland let themselves down crucially on these 2 occasions. Conversley if Scotland had gone in HT leading 10-3 who's to say we wouldn't have come out and put them to the sword, we'll never know. We can only comment on what we saw and to a large extent Scotland played a significant part in their own downfall.

Very true

Firstly, I agree with what you are saying here, but it is all if's and but's. Was it Wales's fault that Scotland could not convert their pressure at the end of the first half, or was it because Scotland were just not good enough ? We all know what happened in the second half, and again was it Wales's fault that Scotland did not take their re-start, or was it down to Scotland not being good enough ? Also, was it down to Scotland not being good enough to stop Wales converting their chances or was it down to the fact that Wales had the ref on their side for the two yellow cards that maybe in other people's eye's were just down to the players being silly ? The Welsh backs were running at the Scottish all game and were always breaking the gain line, when Wales were defending, Scotland for the most of it were going backwards. Also, if the Scottish players tried as hard at playing rugby as they did trying to ref the game, perhaps they would reap more rewards. Look, I really am not dissing Scotland, I am very impressed with the way the stood up and came to Cardiff to play rugby, it is just that on the day however impressive they were, they were not good enough to beat Wales over the eighty minutes. Which in a nutshell sums it up for me, despite all the winging on here from other fans(not just the Scottish) could you honestly say Wales looked like loosing yesterday ? Scotland hit Wales with everything they had yesterday and still lost, because "on the day" they just were not better than Wales.

LordDowlais wrote:Firstly, I agree with what you are saying here, but it is all if's and but's. Was it Wales's fault that Scotland could not convert their pressure at the end of the first half, or was it because Scotland were just not good enough ?

Scotland's fault (with a thick slice of Welsh chicanery! But dems da breaks)

LordDowlais wrote: We all know what happened in the second half, and again was it Wales's fault that Scotland did not take their re-start, or was it down to Scotland not being good enough ?

Nope, poor mix-up between Cusiter and Denton and then poor execution by Cusiter - all Scotland

LordDowlais wrote:Also, was it down to Scotland not being good enough to stop Wales converting their chances or was it down to the fact that Wales had the ref on their side for the two yellow cards that maybe in other people's eye's were just down to the players being silly ?

Woah, haven't seen anyone suggest that the 2 YCs weren't spot on?

LordDowlais wrote:The Welsh backs were running at the Scottish all game and were always breaking the gain line, when Wales were defending, Scotland for the most of it were going backwards.

That simply can't be the case otherwise the game would not have been so close for 65 mins? The Scottish pack ran hard and straight at their Welsh counterparts and invariably got over the gain line (see Ford, Gray, Rennie & Denton)

LordDowlais wrote: Also, if the Scottish players tried as hard at playing rugby as they did trying to ref the game, perhaps they would reap more rewards.

Really? Really? Think you're making stuff up now

LordDowlais wrote: Look, I really am not dissing Scotland, I am very impressed with the way the stood up and came to Cardiff to play rugby, it is just that on the day however impressive they were, they were not good enough to beat Wales over the eighty minutes. Which in a nutshell sums it up for me, despite all the winging on here from other fans(not just the Scottish) could you honestly say Wales looked like loosing yesterday ?

Yes, at the end of the first half the game was poised beautifully and could have gone either way. Full credit to Wales for capitalising on 15mins of Scottish madness, Wales are a very good side

LordDowlais wrote: Scotland hit Wales with everything they had yesterday and still lost, because "on the day" they just were not better than Wales.

Yes, that is what the scoreline says

Asbo, I am not making stuff up, all I hered all game was the Scottish players screaming at the ref for offside and slowing it down, even your captain was constantly in the ref's ear (which is not a bad thing), if you watch the game again and as you will now be aware of it, you will probably see for yourself. As for the yellows, people are saying it was down to silly play by Scotland, I think it was due to Welsh pressure, but I cannot force people to think the same as me, after all you are free to think as you like in theis country

LordDowlais wrote:Asbo, I am not making stuff up, all I hered all game was the Scottish players screaming at the ref for offside and slowing it down, even your captain was constantly in the ref's ear (which is not a bad thing), if you watch the game again and as you will now be aware of it, you will probably see for yourself. As for the yellows, people are saying it was down to silly play by Scotland, I think it was due to Welsh pressure, but I cannot force people to think the same as me, after all you are free to think as you like in theis country

And thank goodness for that!

Yes, i do want my captain in the ref's ear, but will rewatch the game tonite and respond re other Scots players - my hunch would be that both sides were 'commenting' on the rather poor officiating of the breakdown, but I'll get back to you. I see where you're going with the YC thing now, but I honestly don't think it matters - Scottish stupidity (which you must admit that it was - Jones had Davies's kick covered in all likelihood, Lamont should have left well alone knowing that 14 was already a mountain to climb, and 13 players would be in the feicing Andes) or Welsh pressure (Roberts' knock down/Davies' fly hack & making extra men count) - the result is the same

There was a lot of reffing going on from both sides throughout the match, the main reason was that Poite wasn't properly policing both the breakdown or the offside line. Once players realised that it was a free for all the infringements got worse until they got so obvious that Poite had to step in.

I personally think both sides got some rough calls and similarly got away with quite alot. Rennie in particular got away with murder at the breakdown, often coming in from the side, without being spotted by the ref.

It's wasn't a good ref performance, but I don't think either side really suffered net, the Hogg try perhaps aside (although it didn't take Scotland long to convert shortly afterwards).

I don't get why other Scotland fans like Strokosch. I remember when he first played and I thought he was good. He's not impressed me since. Distinctly underwhelming, we really are missing Kelly Brown right now, he is a class 6. I think Harley or McInally would be worth a punt, Strokosch just isn't that great. Sean Lamont was appalling, he has no ability to pass whatsoever, so if he's on the pitch he should definitely be on the wing. He even made Morrison look good (God help us all). Laidlaw was okay but he didn't bring in the flair that Edinburgh have, I don't know if he was limited by the players around him, but at least he got a nice little try. Hogg must start, that one is simple. Rory Lamont, bench or out of the 22, he's got to get better form before he can put on a blue jersey again. Everybody says put Joe Ansbro in at 13, he's a very good player undoubtedly, but he's not been playing for a good month or 2 or 3 (don't know but I know he's not been playing for a while), I don't think that's the best idea especially with the amount of players who have been forced to have early retirements, we don't want to lose Ansbro or an Ansbro out of form, he's too valuable a player. Why not pair up either Scott and De Luca, or Scott and Grove (like for the A team)? Grove is a pretty solid player and can tackle well. I don't know, just a thought really. Jones will be better with better players around him, Max Evans looks a little lost right now, he's possibly better in the centres.

All Strokosh has just tweeted a picture of his hand - fracture I think!

Potentially rules him out of the France game.

I just hope Robinson doesn't do something silly like put Barclay at 6. That just wouldn't be the right balance to play France at all. They'll have Picamoles and Bonnaire (or Harinordiquy) in the back row, two strong ball carriers. It'll put a huge onus on Denton to make yards, and there would be no-one coming in hard off Laidlaw's short inside passes, I can't see Barclay playing that role effectively. Of course it'll make us very competitive on the floor, but if we get another ref like Poite then what's the point.

Official Scotland Twitter feed now saying Strokosh it probably out for the rest of the 6N.

Max Evans having a scan.

I don't actually remember being at the game (that's corporate hospitality for you) but looking at the highlights, it was actually an unbelievable piece of skill from Hogg to prevent the knock on.

Denton's technique at getting low going into contact is fantastic to watch as well. In fact, a lot of the Welsh boys out last night all said that Denton is the potential Lions No 8.

The one thing I do remember is the amount of times a Welsh straggler was dawdling around the Scot's side of the ruck. I'm sorry but they should have been launched right out of the way.

A few dinks of the top would have also made the Welsh think twice about flying up into the tackle.

Defo need a backs coach who can teach our guys how to judge when to do what and be a bit smarter when making decisions.

All in all though, they team played much better than last week but instead of showing a promise but then playing god awful the next week, they need to improve again.

And I agree with one of the previous posts - someone, someday is going to take a real hiding from Scotland.

Fully agree tattie. Not this season or next but after that when the likes of Jones, Weir Denton, Gray, Gilchrist, Hogg, Scott, Leonard come of age we'll have a very good side.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Asbo, I am not making stuff up, all I hered all game was the Scottish players screaming at the ref for offside and slowing it down, even your captain was constantly in the ref's ear (which is not a bad thing), if you watch the game again and as you will now be aware of it, you will probably see for yourself. As for the yellows, people are saying it was down to silly play by Scotland, I think it was due to Welsh pressure, but I cannot force people to think the same as me, after all you are free to think as you like in theis country

And thank goodness for that!

Yes, i do want my captain in the ref's ear, but will rewatch the game tonite and respond re other Scots players - my hunch would be that both sides were 'commenting' on the rather poor officiating of the breakdown, but I'll get back to you. I see where you're going with the YC thing now, but I honestly don't think it matters - Scottish stupidity (which you must admit that it was - Jones had Davies's kick covered in all likelihood, Lamont should have left well alone knowing that 14 was already a mountain to climb, and 13 players would be in the feicing Andes) or Welsh pressure (Roberts' knock down/Davies' fly hack & making extra men count) - the result is the same

Rewatched the game for you, your Lordship, and there certainly is plenty of Scots chatter - I think we were quick to recognise that Poite needed all the help he could get, not sure why your Welsh lads were being so slack!

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Fully agree tattie. Not this season or next but after that when the likes of Jones, Weir Denton, Gray, Gilchrist, Hogg, Visser , Scott, Leonard come of age we'll have a very good side.

Added one more name to that list in an understated and low-key manner, Radge.

Whilst I'm very excited about the prospect of Visser coming into the back, and he will make a difference, the key emerging talents for my money are Laidlaw, Scott, Leonard and Bennett.

It's the 10/12 axis that has been so horribly lacking in recent times. Like it or not, we've actually had some very good wingers in the last half decade. It's not because of the wingers that we haven't been scoring tries. They have their detractors, but Danielli and Walker are not bad wingers. When they play for their clubs you can see how good they are when given thoughtful and quick front foot ball. Not even Thom Evans, a great finisher and very sharp player, could help much with the try scoring problems we faced.

What makes the new crop so promising is that we have ball players coming through in the key decision making positions, and I didn't even mention Jackson and Weir.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Asbo, I am not making stuff up, all I hered all game was the Scottish players screaming at the ref for offside and slowing it down, even your captain was constantly in the ref's ear (which is not a bad thing), if you watch the game again and as you will now be aware of it, you will probably see for yourself. As for the yellows, people are saying it was down to silly play by Scotland, I think it was due to Welsh pressure, but I cannot force people to think the same as me, after all you are free to think as you like in theis country

And thank goodness for that!

Yes, i do want my captain in the ref's ear, but will rewatch the game tonite and respond re other Scots players - my hunch would be that both sides were 'commenting' on the rather poor officiating of the breakdown, but I'll get back to you. I see where you're going with the YC thing now, but I honestly don't think it matters - Scottish stupidity (which you must admit that it was - Jones had Davies's kick covered in all likelihood, Lamont should have left well alone knowing that 14 was already a mountain to climb, and 13 players would be in the feicing Andes) or Welsh pressure (Roberts' knock down/Davies' fly hack & making extra men count) - the result is the same

Rewatched the game for you, your Lordship, and there certainly is plenty of Scots chatter - I think we were quick to recognise that Poite needed all the help he could get, not sure why your Welsh lads were being so slack!

Thank you for your reply Asbo, I am glad you agree about the chatter, at least you came on here and pointed out that I was right(on that topic).

LordDowlais wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Asbo, I am not making stuff up, all I hered all game was the Scottish players screaming at the ref for offside and slowing it down, even your captain was constantly in the ref's ear (which is not a bad thing), if you watch the game again and as you will now be aware of it, you will probably see for yourself. As for the yellows, people are saying it was down to silly play by Scotland, I think it was due to Welsh pressure, but I cannot force people to think the same as me, after all you are free to think as you like in theis country

And thank goodness for that!

Yes, i do want my captain in the ref's ear, but will rewatch the game tonite and respond re other Scots players - my hunch would be that both sides were 'commenting' on the rather poor officiating of the breakdown, but I'll get back to you. I see where you're going with the YC thing now, but I honestly don't think it matters - Scottish stupidity (which you must admit that it was - Jones had Davies's kick covered in all likelihood, Lamont should have left well alone knowing that 14 was already a mountain to climb, and 13 players would be in the feicing Andes) or Welsh pressure (Roberts' knock down/Davies' fly hack & making extra men count) - the result is the same

Rewatched the game for you, your Lordship, and there certainly is plenty of Scots chatter - I think we were quick to recognise that Poite needed all the help he could get, not sure why your Welsh lads were being so slack!

Thank you for your reply Asbo, I am glad you agree about the chatter, at least you came on here and pointed out that I was right(on that topic).

Oh aye, nae worries - was going to point out all the topics you were wrong on, but the list was too long and I ran out of time

basically we need a team that can cheat well, all the best teams do it (look at New Zealand!) but the ruthless streak will come as soon as we start scoring and winning, I'm not going to put a time frame on it, I think we're pretty much guaranteed the wooden spoon this year (although I hope I'm proven wrong). Playing the ref is one part of being a good side (if a bit sneaky too), Wales capitalised on the decisions, if Scotland have decisions they don't capitalise. The ref usually votes in favour of the team going forward, and I'd say Wales looked more effective.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Asbo, I am not making stuff up, all I hered all game was the Scottish players screaming at the ref for offside and slowing it down, even your captain was constantly in the ref's ear (which is not a bad thing), if you watch the game again and as you will now be aware of it, you will probably see for yourself. As for the yellows, people are saying it was down to silly play by Scotland, I think it was due to Welsh pressure, but I cannot force people to think the same as me, after all you are free to think as you like in theis country

And thank goodness for that!

Yes, i do want my captain in the ref's ear, but will rewatch the game tonite and respond re other Scots players - my hunch would be that both sides were 'commenting' on the rather poor officiating of the breakdown, but I'll get back to you. I see where you're going with the YC thing now, but I honestly don't think it matters - Scottish stupidity (which you must admit that it was - Jones had Davies's kick covered in all likelihood, Lamont should have left well alone knowing that 14 was already a mountain to climb, and 13 players would be in the feicing Andes) or Welsh pressure (Roberts' knock down/Davies' fly hack & making extra men count) - the result is the same

Rewatched the game for you, your Lordship, and there certainly is plenty of Scots chatter - I think we were quick to recognise that Poite needed all the help he could get, not sure why your Welsh lads were being so slack!

Thank you for your reply Asbo, I am glad you agree about the chatter, at least you came on here and pointed out that I was right(on that topic).

Oh aye, nae worries - was going to point out all the topics you were wrong on, but the list was too long and I ran out of time

The scary thing is, you are now starting to sound like my wife

Tell me she's not got the same hairy legs, pls?!

NeilyBroon wrote:basically we need a team that can cheat well, all the best teams do it (look at New Zealand!) but the ruthless streak will come as soon as we start scoring and winning, I'm not going to put a time frame on it, I think we're pretty much guaranteed the wooden spoon this year (although I hope I'm proven wrong). Playing the ref is one part of being a good side (if a bit sneaky too), Wales capitalised on the decisions, if Scotland have decisions they don't capitalise. The ref usually votes in favour of the team going forward, and I'd say Wales looked more effective.

To be fair Rennie got away with quite a bit of cheating at the weekend, as did Gray at the lineout.

Difficult to describe Scotland's problems in a nutshell, but getting the selection decisions right in the backline would be a big start.

George Carlin wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Fully agree tattie. Not this season or next but after that when the likes of Jones, Weir Denton, Gray, Gilchrist, Hogg, Visser , Scott, Leonard come of age we'll have a very good side.

Added one more name to that list in an understated and low-key manner, Radge.

I want to say that we do seem to have some good talent coming through at the moment and I am as excited as everyone else but I do have a sense of deja vu about some of the posts lately. Wasn't there people saying exactly the same sort of things after 2007 when we had a great nucleus of a team that were going to come right as they grew together (ford, the killer B's the Lamonts etc) I just hope and pray that I don't have the same feeling in another 4 years. I just hope that the 2 home teams keep performing and hopefully success will bread success.
.

I am starting to get a little worried about the Visser hype - in fact the more I read about it the more it makes us sound a little bit like our slightly orange neighbours

Lets wait until he has proven himself at International level before we start quoting him the worlds greatest (even see people putting him in the starting lions team without playing one international match) -

I hope he steps up, but there is not certainty - and we are going to look very foolish if he dosn't

Riskysports wrote:I am starting to get a little worried about the Visser hype - in fact the more I read about it the more it makes us sound a little bit like our slightly orange neighbours

Lets wait until he has proven himself at International level before we start quoting him the worlds greatest (even see people putting him in the starting lions team without playing one international match) -

I hope he steps up, but there is not certainty - and we are going to look very foolish if he dosn't

All joking aside Risky - I agree with this. Talk about the pressure of expectation.
It wouldn't be Scotland if we weren't hopelessly optimistic.

By the same token, if you're going to have any winger about to become available for selection into your national squad, you might as well have the Robocop's leading touchdown monkey for the last 2 years.

The thing about the wing position is that you only need one person who is special and can change matches. Shane Williams has dragged Wales out of all kinds of holes, for example, and it's possible that his Timness has the same qualities.

I hope.so i really.do

Risky, you are right that we should not pin all our hopes on MacVisser - so I have decided that he can share the load with Sean Maitland - it's only a matter of time before he sees the thistly light

Great Tweet by Visser this morning responding to some of the abuse NDL has been getting on twitter :

Ask @Timbovisser who one of the biggest contributors to his try tally is? @NickDe_Luca

Radge, not surprised, but he's got to deliver on the international stage

Hard to do when all your possesion comes from a Player who is not in his prefered position.

How great would it be to see an entire Scotland team with everyone playing where they are supposed to play?

I'm braced to see Barclay at 6. 2 Opensides against Bonnaire and Dusatoir?

I'm pleased Visser has come out in support of NDL. It's not easy playing outside Parks and S Lamont or Parks and Morrison, in another era, say outside Townsend and Leslie, I suspect most fans would have an entirely different view of NDL.

His performances for Edinburgh this season have been outstanding, and he deserves to be in the Scotland jersey.

funnyExiledScot wrote:I'm pleased Visser has come out in support of NDL. It's not easy playing outside Parks and S Lamont or Parks and Morrison, in another era, say outside Townsend and Leslie, I suspect most fans would have an entirely different view of NDL.

His performances for Edinburgh this season have been outstanding, and he deserves to be in the Scotland jersey.

Maybe his performance with ball has suffered with the people inside, but his abiltity to do stupid things and get send off is all down to him I am afraid - he does not seem to have the temperment for International Rugby - there I said it...

Surely you would have to apply that logic to Rory Lamont, Scott Lawson and all the other Scots who have had a yellow card.

Wagga got a Red Card but that didn't mean he did not have the temperment for international rugby.

Yes, but I feel (and may be wrong) that NDL is a brain fart waiting to happen

In fact in our household even my English GF rolls her eyes every time his name is mentioned due to his continual bits of silly play

I previously felt that about NDL but given just how good he has been for Edinburgh this season and the lack of centre options I am happy for him to have a place now. He has been in the form of his life.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Surely you would have to apply that logic to Rory Lamont, Scott Lawson and all the other Scots who have had a yellow card.

Wagga got a Red Card but that didn't mean he did not have the temperment for international rugby.

Completely agree. A silly yellow card does not a bad player make.

I think NDL will forever be tainted by that dreadful start to his international career. If Robinson and Townsend can get Scotland playing that open style of game adopted on Sunday for the 4th quarter then I think we'll see alot more from NDL. He'll have to step up as well, he faces stern competition for his jersey from Grove and Ansbro, and let's not forget about Ben Cairns, who must be relishing competing to get back into the Edinburgh team. The style of play adopted this season would suit him down to the ground.

Ndl has closed down his twitter account after receiving parks style comments from twits .

Not good

You know it is going to far when it gets that personal. I guess you have to take it with modern media but there is no way this is going to help their performance. If I am honest I think this has allot to do with the reason he has never really produced at international with his debut and the pressure that must bring.

You can't blame the "media" for individual idiots posting personal nonsense on Twitter.

Well ok you can't blame the media as such but I guess it is more the social networking that allows these idiots to get to the players, but before you say it I know they should know the consequences before they join.

I guess I just feel sorry for him as I am sure he gives his all

I feel sorry for him as well, and it's hugely disappointing that there are members of the Scottish rugby community that spend time actually emailing players to tell them how rubbish they are.

That's what 606v2 is for!

Pretty sad state of affairs really for NDL to be forced into closing down his twitter account. He made a silly mistake and you could argue it Cost Scotland the match.

The level of personal abuse he took though was utterly terrible. One tweet aimed at him hoped he contracted incurable diseases. Shocking stuff.

The truth of the matter is he is the best we have at the moment and the biggest shame is he can't show what he can do with someone like Sean Lamont inside him.

Worrying elements of yobbish behavior from so called supporters creeping in to rugby that would have had no place in this game before and shouldn't be allowed to become the norm.

Riskysports wrote:Yes, but I feel (and may be wrong) that NDL is a brain fart waiting to happen

Must remember to wheel that one out in a meeting.

MacKnocked-on wrote:Worrying elements of yobbish behavior from so called supporters creeping in to rugby that would have had no place in this game before and shouldn't be allowed to become the norm.

It'll be the Rangers fans moving on.