6N 2017: Scotland vs Wales, 25th Feb

Scotland vs Wales


Date: Saturday 25th February 2017
Venue: BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Kick Off: 2:25pm
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
TV Coverage: Live on BBC

Weather Update


Teams

Scotland

1. Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors)
2. Faiser Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
4. Richie Gray (Toulouse)
5. Johnny Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
6. John Barclay (C) (Scarlets)
7. John Hardie (Edinburgh)
8. Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)

9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors)
10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors)
11. Tim Visser (Harlequins)
12. Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors)
13. Huw Jones (Stormers)
14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)
15. Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)

Replacements

16 Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
17 Allan Dell (Edinburgh)
18 Simon Berghan (Edinburgh)
19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Hamish Watson (Edinburgh)
21 Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Duncan Weir (Edinburgh)
23 Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors)


Wales

1 Rob Evans (Scarlets)
2 Ken Owens (Scarlets)
3 Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs)
4 Jake Ball (Scarlets)
5 Alun Wyn Jones (C) (Ospreys)
6 Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues)
7 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys)
8 Ross Moriarty (Gloucester)

9 Rhys Webb (Ospreys)
10 Dan Biggar (Ospreys)
11 Liam Williams (Scarlets)
12 Scott Williams (Scarlets)
13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets)
14 George North (Northampton)
15 Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon)

Replacements

16 Scott Baldwin (Ospreys)
17 Nicky Smith (Ospreys)
18 Samson Lee (Scarlets)
19 Luke Charteris (Bath)
20 Taulupe Faletau (Dragons)
21 Gareth Davies (Scarlets)
22 Sam Davies (Ospreys)
23 Jamie Roberts (Harlequins)

KO 2:25PM?

Why the odd ko time?

TightHEAD wrote:KO 2:25PM?

Why the odd ko time?

Dunno, but I'll be at this one. Can't wait. If both teams go out and attack it could be an absolute belter.

TightHEAD wrote:KO 2:25PM?

Why the odd ko time?

Same as every week so far (and previous years).

Scotland have 7 players out if Maitland and barcs dont make it

Scottrf wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:KO 2:25PM?

Why the odd ko time?

Same as every week so far (and previous years).

That's why I keep missing the start!

Ireland France is at 16:50

I can only think that this year the kick off times have been bonkers due to the shared coverage with ITV and BBC!

At the start of the tournament - and especially after the Ireland game - I rated our chances for this game (appreciating that we haven't won it in 10 years).

However since the France game I am worried we have had the wind completely taken out of our sails.

We are still without our 1st and 2nd choice loosehead, our first choice tighthead, we've lost our captain and kicker and now our biggest ball carrier. There is a chance we could now lose Miatland too and Barclay is a doubt. We don't have the strength in depth to cope with losing too many players and our resources are starting to look stretched in some positions.

I still think we stand a chance of beating Wales though, especially since Price and Russell will have had 2 weeks to get used to the fact that they have to run the game and hopefully will have been working hard in training.

So assuming that Maitland and Bennett will be out (ribs and head knock respectively) and Barclay will be fit, I'm expecting:

1 Dell
2 Brown
3 Fagerson
4 Gray
5 Gray
6 Barclay
7 Watson
8 Wilson

9 Price
10 Russell
11 Visser
12 Dunbar
13 Jones
14 Seymour
15 Hogg

Subs Reid, Ford, Berghan, Swinson, CDP, Pyrgos, Weir, Scott

Haha. Annoyingly this game clashed with the Prem so will be the first one I miss.

tigertattie wrote:Ireland France is at 16:50

I can only think that this year the kick off times have been bonkers due to the shared coverage with ITV and BBC!

I'll tune in at 5pm then as its takes 10mins for the Irish president to walk the red carpet and sing the anthems etc..

Well considering the Scotland training camp this week will probably be in Ward 7 of the Spire Murrayfield hospital it'll be an interesting choice of who VC starts.

Backrow is obviously the biggest concern with Barclay 50-50, Hardie out and Strauss out. Personally I'd like to see a backrow combination of

6. Barclay
7. Watson
8. Bradbury

but I'd expect Wilson and CDP in the mix somewhere and I wouldn't rule out Dozer getting called up from Bath after a reasonable couple of games returning from injury.

The loss of Laidlaw is a biggie, but Russell has known since Monday last week that he'll have to control this game, which is better than the ambiguity that would have been caused by a "will he or won't he" recovery period for Laidlaw.

The familiarity of the Glasgow backline will now be key. Did anyone know if Maitland was ok after his knock in the game against Glaws? Wouldn't want to lose him for this one. If we do, think he'll go for Taylor on the wing or Bennett?

Certainly if people think Hogg's tackling is weak they haven't seen big Tim Visser flap at defenders as they ghost past him untouched.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Well considering the Scotland training camp this week will probably be in Ward 7 of the Spire Murrayfield hospital it'll be an interesting choice of who VC starts.

Backrow is obviously the biggest concern with Barclay 50-50, Hardie out and Strauss out. Personally I'd like to see a backrow combination of

6. Barclay
7. Watson
8. Bradbury

but I'd expect Wilson and CDP in the mix somewhere and I wouldn't rule out Dozer getting called up from Bath after a reasonable couple of games returning from injury.

The loss of Laidlaw is a biggie, but Russell has known since Monday last week that he'll have to control this game, which is better than the ambiguity that would have been caused by a "will he or won't he" recovery period for Laidlaw.

The familiarity of the Glasgow backline will now be key. Did anyone know if Maitland was ok after his knock in the game against Glaws? Wouldn't want to lose him for this one. If we do, think he'll go for Taylor on the wing or Bennett?

Certainly if people think Hogg's tackling is weak they haven't seen big Tim Visser flap at defenders as they ghost past him untouched.

I'm pretty certain if Maitland is injured Visser will start.

Dunbar and Bennett are both doubtful anyway - the only reason Maitland played is because Taylor failed a late fitness test!

Big game this. We've beaten every other 6 Nations team more recently than Wales.
10 in a row would be very embarrassing, plus win this & we're pretty much nailed on to equal our best ever return in the 6 Nations (3 wins) and in theory better it.

Also World Cup seedings at stake as well!

Come on Scotland stop p*ssing around! It's time to beat Wales at home in front of sellout Murrayfield crowd!

The 2016 Lineup

1 Alasdair Dickinson
2 Ross Ford
3 Willem Nel
4 Richie Gray
5 Jonny Gray
6 John Barclay
7 John Hardie
8 David Denton
Backs
9 Greig Laidlaw (Captain)
10 Finn Russell
11 Tommy Seymour
12 Duncan Taylor
13 Mark Bennett
14 Sean Lamont
15 Stuart Hogg

16 Stuart McInally
17 Gordon Reid
18 Zander Fagerson
19 Tim Swinson
20 Blair Cowan
21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
22 Duncan Weir
23 Ruaridh Jackson

Pack is somewhat more powerful but Lamont at 14? No Dunbar or Jones with jackson on bench .. I think the backline is better this year! More clinical although Maitland would be a big loss. Also, SHC and Cowan on bench last year this year it will most likely be CDP or Hardie or Harley + Pyrgos.

Scrums though, they're going to be targeted by Wales big time. Have to have to tighten the ship! or find a way to keep Wales away from that option.

It's a bit of a shame that your pack has been hit with so many injuries, I still feel that it will be a strong, close game however.

If Maitland is out, would you like us to loan you Cuthbert for the day?

scrums are easy to fix.

Just do what the other teams we've faced have been doing!

Cheat

We've been too honest. We need to put the ball in at the second rows feet. Our loosehead needs to bore in on the angle. Our tighthead needs to pull their loosehead down.

chris_501 wrote:It's a bit of a shame that your pack has been hit with so many injuries, I still feel that it will be a strong, close game however.

If Maitland is out, would you like us to loan you Cuthbert for the day?

Nah we got Visser who also can't defend. Admittedly Visser scores tries and makes runs as well as wins attacking ball in the air (at least against Bath) and speaks Dutch, other than that he is like Cuthbert.

This is THE big one for me! This is the game before the tournament that I said I really didn't want to lose. It will be MASSIVE! It is also the game pre-tournament that I said Scotland would/should win due to our different trajectories over the last couple of years. Saying that, after the first 2 games my confidence is a bit higher for Wales.

If we can play like we did last week against England then I think we could win it. Can we get to that intensity again though away from home? Not sure. Scotland have some injuries. We seem to have a clean bill of health. Who knows.

Head says Scotland, heart says Wales. I'm going to stick my neck on the line and predict:

Scotland 18-25 Wales!

Fair call by Griff

I'm waiting until the teams are announced before I predict anything!

Our injuries will have a bearing on the game but also if Cuthbert is picked then in practice that's a 7 point head start for us

What are the bookies saying about this game? they are usually right...

(Apart from when they made Edinburgh favourites against Munster recently)

The news on our injury front seems encouraging.

Dunbar, Barclay, Wilson and Hardie (this one is amazing) all seem to be fit. Nothing on Bennett or Maitland yet though.

If that is the case the back row will likely be Watson, Barclay and Wilson with Hardie on the bench. Though I do feel the value of having a proper No.8 on the field has been shown by the way Strauss played in the two games.

Wales are likely to stick with the same three as against England and then have Falatau come rampaging off the bench for the last 25 minutes.

My gut tells me that we should have CDP in there somewhere. No-one else has been called up so he is the only genuine 8 left in the squad, though Wilson can do a job.

Really missing a ball carrier if we go with Wilson, Barclay and Watson.

Hardie is a good player but he was totally out of his nugget after tackling a Frenchman with his face last week. Save him. I dare say he'll be needed down the line and there's no point in rushing him back too early when head injuries are involved!

Have CDP on the bench. He covers 6 and 8 and Barclay would cover 7 if Watson had to come off!

I know the Taffs don;t have the biggest backrow but that doesn't mean we should play with a lightweight bunch too!

I didn't manage to watch the Edinburgh match on Friday (cooking my first lasagna, don't you know) - was CDP actually, you know... good? I ask in hope rather than expectation, but I'm just desperate for that CDP we saw against Glasgow last season (you know, the Sherman tank fitted with nitrous-oxide) to suddenly turn up again.

Well, my confidence has quickly evaporated following the last round of fixtures - Wales played very well and seem to have everybody in full health, while I thought our game management and obviously the scrum was very poor against France.

I agree with those calling for CDP, without him we look very, very lightweight in the backrow. I know he doesn't necessarily deserve it on club form, but I think it's worth the punt. If we can gain some sort of parity up front, then I still think we can edge this one....just.

IanBru wrote:I didn't manage to watch the Edinburgh match on Friday (cooking my first lasagna, don't you know) - was CDP actually, you know... good? I ask in hope rather than expectation, but I'm just desperate for that CDP we saw against Glasgow last season (you know, the Sherman tank fitted with nitrous-oxide) to suddenly turn up again.

No, in a word. He looked as disinterested as the rest of them in the second half, which is surprising as he has long been a standout in a poor side. The malaise seems finally to have got to him.

We can only hope that a Scotland cap will snap him out of his stupor!

BigGee wrote:The news on our injury front seems encouraging.

Dunbar, Barclay, Wilson and Hardie (this one is amazing) all seem to be fit. Nothing on Bennett or Maitland yet though.

If that is the case the back row will likely be Watson, Barclay and Wilson with Hardie on the bench. Though I do feel the value of having a proper No.8 on the field has been shown by the way Strauss played in the two games.

Wales are likely to stick with the same three as against England and then have Falatau come rampaging off the bench for the last 25 minutes.

My gut tells me that we should have CDP in there somewhere. No-one else has been called up so he is the only genuine 8 left in the squad, though Wilson can do a job.

It would be great news if Dunbar, Barclay, Wilson and Hardie were fit - did I miss an announcement?

I think I saw somewhere that Maitland replaced Taylor at fullback for Sarries at the last minute - so I'm assuming Taylor is now out, along with Maitland

That suggests we may see Visser like a few people have posted, but I would be tempted to go for Huw on the wing with Scott coming in at 13:

Reid
Ford
Fagerson
Gray
Gray
Barclay
Watson
Wilson
Price
Russell
Huw Jones
Dunbar
Scott
Seymour
Hogg

Dell
Brown
Berghan / Welsh
Swinson
Hardie
Pygros
Weir
Visser

Here we go. Bennett and Maitland not necessarily out (yet!) http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39030542. Taylor pictured in the piece (looking like he might have been running around) and Denton mentioned in dispatches...

Hmmmmmmmmm

Is that a library picture? Taylor looks like a hermit!

Also, Matt Scott is in the picture! Wasn't he left out of the initial training squad???

Nah, Scott's been with the squad from get go this time

From the BBC report, it sounds like they are all likely to be fit, even Maitland and Bennett.

That is better than we dared hope.

Taylor was pulled out of the game at the weekend because he hadn't sufficiently recovered from a head knock so he's probably still able to run about at training just now.

There is absolutely no justification for him being picked over Scott though - by all accounts Matt Scott had another strong game in Gloucester's win at the weekend.

for what it is worth, my team for Wales would be:

Dell
Ford
ZooZander

Gray x2

Wilson
Barclay
Watson

Price
Russell

Huw (Or Matiland if fit)
Taylor
Scott (or Huw if Maitland is fit on the wing)
Seymour
Hogg

Reid
Brown
Berghan
Swinson
CDP
Sam HC
Weir
Bennett (or Scott if Huw starts at centre)

Brown has played very well when he has been on but I think Ford stops the scrum going back just that little bit better and has been playing rather well of late. I'm not picking Hardie because he needs another week to recover in my medical opinion. Plus I still think we need some CDP grunt in the mix.

Also, Wales defend very narrow so the aim of our game is to tie the taffs in then go wide when it's on! I also don't fancy seeing any Welsh winger, other than maybe Cuthbert, running passed can't tackle, won't tackle Tim

RDW_Scotland wrote:There is absolutely no justification for him being picked over Scott though - by all accounts Matt Scott had another strong game in Gloucester's win at the weekend.

Agreed with big bells on - let us not forget that Gloucester just beat Saracens. Frankly, I don't care if Scott scratched his bum for 80 minutes, that is some achievement.

Can't see Taylor playing in all honesty, he has hardly played this season. Scott will be next in line if either Dunbar or Bennett not fit. It kind of looks like the backline won't change from the last game (other than GL) and probably not any reason why it should.

Henry P has not been playing well, but they have not brought any more SHs into the squad, so it will be Price to start, Henry to close it out. SHC had his chance to put his hand up for inclusion last Friday and failed the test miserably.

Good work Bsando. 

Tattie - Scott and Taylor in your starting line-up? What fresh hell is that? It's not a 'most broken XV' feller. 

Some big calls for Cotter to make:

1. Pyrgos or Price. I say Price with Henners to steady the ship later. 
2. Yes to Watson, Barclay and Wilson. But Hardie or CDP on the bench? I say CDP. 
3. Dingly Dell or a real prop? Almost certainly Dell. 
4. Purple beanie hat or traditional blue? Doesn't matter - nobody is going to laugh at him.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/just-how-good-scotland-tactical-12629604

I think that the SRU stationery cupboard must be out of sellotape now given how many guys are being held together by it. Good news about so many now being available but how many will be as resilient to "new" bumps and knocks as they would otherwise be?

Honeslty nervous about this game as i think Welshmen expect to win it, have had some great games but have always prevailed and yet Scotland are a side transformed.

With our clueless kicking game - which for me is reason enough to pick Sam Davies - against Hogg it could be a long afternoon.

Previoulsy we have won the physical battle up front and as the game opened up tended to run riot but i expect to see a Scots side at home with the bit firmly beneath their kilts.

Welsh side I'd go with

Evans, Ken, Lee, Ball, AWJ, Moriarty, Sam, Faletau
Webb, Davies, North, Scott, JD2, Liam, Half.

Smith, Dacey, Frances, Charteris, Tipuric, Davies, Biggar, Roberts.

Gwlad wrote:Welsh side I'd go with

Evans, Ken, Lee, Ball, AWJ, Moriarty, Sam, Faletau
Webb, Davies, North, Scott, JD2, Liam, Half.

Smith, Dacey, Frances, Charteris, Tipuric, Davies, Biggar, Roberts.

Pretty much the first XV I'd go for. How was Francis vs England? Can't remember! But if he was fairly solid I'd go for him again. Lee struggled badly against Italy. Also, I'd probably go with Biggar again on the strength of last week's performance.

Also, credit where it's due: Cuthbert had a very good game against Treviso on the weekend. A bit of the old Cuthbert back, perhaps   But I'd still start North, obvs.

After watching the regions in action this weekend this is the squad I would go for now:

1. Rob Evans
2. Ken Owens
3. Tomas Francis
4. Jake Ball
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Sam Warburton
7. Justin Tipuric
8. Ross Moriarty
9. Rhys Webb
10. Dan Biggar
11. Liam Williams
12. Scott Williams
13. Jonathan Davies
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Leigh Halfpenny

16. Nicky Smith
17. Kristian Dacey
18. Samson Lee
19. Luke Charteris
20. Taulupe Faletau
21. Gareth Davies
22. Sam Davies
23. George North

What's happened to Samson Lee? I thought when he first burst on the scene he was fantastic and a great scrummager

Gwlad wrote:Welsh side I'd go with

Evans, Ken, Lee, Ball, AWJ, Moriarty, Sam, Faletau
Webb, Davies, North, Scott, JD2, Liam, Half.

Smith, Dacey, Frances, Charteris, Tipuric, Davies, Biggar, Roberts.

I think Francis has been well above Lee since the AI's.

I would agree with that back row, but so tough on Tips!

Davies showed the good and the bad on Saturday night. He has that ability to bring runners flat into the game, and Ospreys attack in the first half looked great, but I don't feel he had that command of the team and control that you get with Biggar. For me, I'd still choose Biggar, he was immense against England, but Davies offers a great option, and I expect a battle for the 10 shirt for the next few years, much the same as in the Jones/ Hook days.

Finally, I'd have Stef Evans on the bench, Roberts offers little impact, North can cover centre.

Fair play, I was in more than 2 minds about Doc….seems such a brutal exit for him from the international stage and i still think there is a place for route 1, he seems to offer little else anymore. But when you think he was brought in off the wing to do that very job back in what 08? then perhaps it is his time. What a servant the man has been though.

I agree, one of the great professionals, a thoroughly good guy, and at his best, a hell of a player.

I just prefer to have guys on my bench that can come on and create something in a bit of unstructured carnage, that we seem to do when chasing a game.

Cuthbert wasn't actually that good Sunday, he just did two things well (the assist and the try). Aside from that, he was still doing things like being caught narrow in defence etc. It's hard to truely gauge how well he did, as after 60 or maybe before that Treviso were woeful.

I dont care how he did against the mighty Treviso after last week he has no place in international rugby.

Time to stick with Williams, Half and North and bring on the youngsters like Hewitt, Giles and Evans.

RiscaGame wrote:Cuthbert wasn't actually that good Sunday, he just did two things well (the assist and the try). Aside from that, he was still doing things like being caught narrow in defence etc. It's hard to truely gauge how well he did, as after 60 or maybe before that Treviso were woeful.

Morgan was superb in that game, created at least four of the tries and scored one as well.

So Welsh fans are pretty confident then? 

I'll be betting on Scotland.