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ON rugby forums I am on the consensus is its a row over tactics. Townsend has been sticking to his guns despite being shown to be wrong. Russell basically mutinied in the second half against England last year and played how he wanted to not how Townsend wanted to and Russell was right.
So the suspicion is its a row between Russell and Townsend over tactics that ended up as "back me or sack me" and Townsend won
I would not be surprised if Townsend does not survive the 6N. He should have gone after the WC
Speaking after Scotland’s remarkable comeback against England during last year’s Calcutta Cup, Russell told ITV: “I actually had an argument with Gregor [at half-time]. I said to him ‘you’re telling us to kick and when we kick, they just run it back and cut us open, and when we run it, they’re just hitting us behind the gain line and winning the ball back’.
“Second half, we just came out with nothing to lose, played our rugby, kicked out of our half and scored some great tries. We played good Scottish rugby.”
Too early?
he broke team protocol.
By laughing out loud when the new defence coach was!!!
We now have " it is understood that" ie some third hand info leaked) that Russell got pissed on sunday night ( all the team had a few beers but he went OTT) (this is the night after the sarries game and they had all met in Scotland) Missed training on monday, was told he was dropped to the bench for the ireland game as a result, then took a big huff and stomped off.
To me this does not seem like the whole truth. More to come I am sure. Whatever Russell may be I have never heard a hint of that sort of behaviour from him - indeed the other way - first to traiing last to leave sort of chap
whatever - its an effing mess and worst of all gives Townsend an extra excuse when we have another below par performance " I lost three senior players and my 10 is a dick" which could save the useless burks job
According to the Guardian, Finn got pissed and ignored people when they asked him to stop...
‘He spent the evening drinking in the team’s hotel but when approached by teammates and members of Scotland’s backroom staff declined to stop and later left to return to his parents’ home in Stirling.
Russell missed training the next morning but did report later. He was then told he would not be selected for duty against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday week. Townsend left it open to the 49-cap stand-off to decide whether he wanted to stay in Edinburgh but Russell decided to return to Paris.‘
More bits and pieces of info are dribbling out. How true we do not know. Russell left the hotel at 10 pm. Not 2 am. NOt pissed as a fart. He was pictured chatting with his teammates not long before. Everyone looked happy. Townsend told him he would phone him on Tuesday morning but didn't until the evening. this all apparently happened Sun - tuesday. Wednesday HOgg was talking with journalists and Russell was being talked about as the ten.
I do think there was an underlying row with Townsend behind all this. Townsend is no international coach and his tenure has been a disaster. Russell knows this. I bet Russell told him so - the drink just made a volatile situation more volatile.
Russell is no Cipriani. He has always been a model professional. He does not miss training, he is clearly absolutely passionate and committed to playing for Scotland
We do not know the whole truth yet on this but I am absolutely certain there is more to come and that Townsend is not blameless.
I'd put it 50 / 50 Townsend is out before the end of the 6N.
I’d put it 50 / 50 Townsend is out before the end of the 6N.
Is that in part because it’s 50:50 whether they’ll beat Italy?
We do not know the whole truth yet on this but I am absolutely certain there is more to come and that Townsend is not blameless.
I think you have to stop jumping to the conclusion it's down to Townsend until we have more information. If I was Finn I'd be a lot more pissed off that the guy who royally ****ed over my Dad just got paid a million quid.
Plenty for Finn to be pissed off within the Scotland set up.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/44428170
Scottish Rugby has amateur hour written all over it. Maybe Finn has just had enough.
Fair point Bruce
Oh FFS - Darcy Graham is broken!
Oh FFS – Darcy Graham is broken!
That is pish. Whilst I find it hard to truly take to someone with such awful hair, he’s exciting to watch and I presume not easily replaced. Hopefully it won’t keep him out for long.
Unlike Owen Lane who appears to be out Of the Wales squad for a long time with a hamstring injury.
Is it inevitable that so many rugby union players get injured?
Sad about Graham, looks like he’ll be bust for the England game too.
Interesting and to read a bit more about Sarries and their cap fiddling like underpaying Itoje who apparently would t have made it into the top ten best paid locks in the prem...but he was then paid a load of cash for appearances that he never made.
Shame about Lane he's a good young player, seems more 13 than wing I think, or maybe just hope.
God Dammit takes another step closer to the team.
So a week to go, any team predictions, Wales first up v Italy is an ideal time to experiment but Pivac will want to go out and win his first proper game well.
1/2p
McNicol
North/Tompkins
Parkes
Adams
Biggar
Davies/Williams, I'd pick the latter
Faletau
Tipuric
Wainwright
Ball/Beard
AWJ
Lewis
Owens
Jones
Rhys God Dammitt
Evans
Williams/Davies
Ball/Beard or maybe the new poach
Moriarty/Jenkins
Rob Evans
Dee
Brown/John
Sarries getting absolutely battered by Quins. Good.
Dombrandt has had a bloody good game. How he hasn’t made the 6N squad is beyond me especially with Billy bust.
Dombrandt has had a bloody good game. How he hasn’t made the 6N squad is beyond me
Because his own coach has always questioned his fitness. Properly soft hands yesterday.
Some interesting thoughts on what is going wrong in the Scotland camp. Morrison usually seems to have a good line on insider info
https://www.theoffsideline.com/gregor-townsend-man-management/
Morrison usually seems to have a good line on insider info
Or he just makes shit up and attributes it to 'sources'.
Morrison has an axe to grind with Townsend for some reason. And that's on top of his general level of negativity about all things Scottish pro rugby.
Fir point Bruce but he is usually right about selections and so on so must have some sources
https://www.scottishrugbyblog.co.uk/2020/01/which-type-of-scotland-fan-are-you/
Superficial Optimist here. Although the SRU is doing its best to deflate my balloon early. Its the only thing they are doing well at them moment.
Anyone hear Ashton talking about his deal with the Saracens boss, was it me or did it sound very shady? I may be biased as I have no time for either.
Anyone hear Ashton talking about his deal with the Saracens boss, was it me or did it sound very shady? I may be biased as I have no time for either.
Not listened to it yet, but I’d imagine it sounds shady...the whole thing does. I still struggle to believe that any of the players really thought it was above board.
Because his own coach has always questioned his fitness. Properly soft hands yesterday.
He didn’t look too shabby yesterday and surely it’s better than playing someone who doesn’t really play in that position there?
In other news, Sinkler is off to Bristol for a reported £500k. That’s a big salary.
Anyone hear Ashton talking about his deal with the Saracens boss, was it me or did it sound very shady?
The bit where the Sarries boss "invested" in Ashton's house and Ashton "...had no idea..." the payment had anything to do with his connection with the club?
Oh c'mon, has anyone here has their boss pay their deposit / mortgage for them? Its blatantly a financial incentive for club attendance / performance.
I am willing to believe Ashton is as thick as shit!!
Sam Moore from Sale to Cardiff, hope he can deliver on his early promise.
Well, having been really mean about Cai Evans a few pages ago I found myself in the queue in Aldi right behind him last night. Polite young man - and he looks very young! - he apologised for not putting the 'Next Customer' thing down for me and then chatted away to the cashier. I didn't have a conversation with him in case I put my foot in it! 😀
Exciting looking back three for Ireland, combined with solid midfield and very strong pack.
So, Sarries new boss has quit already! He lasted less than a month. Looks like their ill gotten rise to the top has crumbled very very quickly. Oh well.
Listened to the Ashton pod; I don’t buy it at all. He knew it was shady as.
Another 75 point deduction for Saracens, courtesy of a rule change applied retrospectively if the Guardian reporting is accurate. Does rather feel like the EPL are making this up as they go along.
Well they certainly want them relegated 😂
They definitely want them out of the league which in all fairness has been bobbins this season.
Saracens, through their cheating over the years, have basically put other businesses in a situation where they've lost money by not hitting their own targets. (Losing revenue from advertisers, loss of support, income, sales by not reaching expected levels of competitions, etc.) Some of these businesses are now struggling. Some may have even gone broke because of loss of revenue.
Relegation seems a little light when they've achieved their own success by deliberately cheating others off the field.
Since rugby clubs are businesses, is there a fraud charge to be answered?
https://www.theoffsideline.com/2010-croke-park-hero-johnnie-beattie-ready-to-tackle-new-challenges/
Didn't realise Johnnie Beattie had retired. He's one of those players where I feel the game passed him by, a bit. Saying that, I don't follow French rugby that closely so maybe he was setting the world on fire over there after his move from Glasgow.
I can't get the point of keeping deducting points from Sarries, I accept why etc, but to keep doing it and then letting them carry on playing for the remainder of the season in the Prem and Champions Cup is beyond me. Kick them out, they are non-compliant with the competition rules and it has already skewed significantly the outcomes of them.
God Dammit not selected!!
Real shame that Navidi is injured again.
Wales: 15. Leigh Halfpenny (85 Caps), 14. Johnny McNicholl (*Uncapped), 13. George North (91 Caps), 12. Hadleigh Parkes (25 Caps), 11. Josh Adams (21 Caps), 10. Dan Biggar (79 Caps), 9. Tomos Williams (16 Caps), 1. Wyn Jones (22 Caps), 2. Ken Owens (73 Caps), 3. Dillon Lewis (22 Caps), 4. Jake Ball (42 Caps), 5. Alun Wyn Jones (C) (134 Caps), 6. Aaron Wainwright (18 Caps), 7. Justin Tipuric (72 Caps), 8. Taulupe Faletau (72 Caps)
Replacements: 16. Ryan Elias (9 Caps), 17. Rob Evans (36 Caps) 18. Leon Brown (6 Caps), 19. Cory Hill (24 Caps), 20. Ross Moriarty (41 Caps), 21. Rhys Webb (31 Caps), 22. Jarrod Evans (3 Caps), 23. Nick Tompkins (*Uncapped).
I’m a little surprised Gareth Davies is not playing and a little disappointed Rees-Zammit is not on the bench. Is this what would be regarded as the best team available, or a somewhat experimental side to play Italy? Would the best team to play against Italy necessarily be the best team to play against England, France or Ireland?
Ah, I didn’t realise G Davies was injured.
So, I’m getting quite excited now we’re almost there. I know people on here are rather reticent to make predictions, but make my waiting a little easier - what d’ya reckon we can expect this weekend?
Is the France v England game the toughest to call?
What would be a good outcome for each team?
What would be a good outcome for each team?
A win surely??
Wales to win the 6N in my opinion, tough call between England and Ireland 2nd/3rd but the Jnr upstarts inn the French team may be the decider in that.
I'm still thinking England could go to pieces given whats going on with the disruption in the team and the Sarries issues, so it could be worse than being beaten by Wales.
What would be a good outcome for each team?
A win surely??
I suppose so, but I was hoping someone would provide a little more, as there are people who know a lot more than me here. ie is a narrow win enough for Wales against Italy? If Wales run in 6 tries will that be seen as an excellent start, or put down to a poor Italy performance? Would you not know until more games have been played?
A win for Scotland would obviously be a good result, but will they be happy just not to be nilled, since they lost 27-3 on neutral ground in the World Cup and don’t have Finn Russell or Greg Laidlaw playing.
I’m still thinking England could go to pieces given whats going on with the disruption in the team and the Sarries issues, so it could be worse than being beaten by Wales.
England could ‘go to pieces’, but I think it’s more likely they’ll play really well in most of their games. But, but... who knows? Tell me to stop, I can’t wait!
Wales to win the 6N in my opinion
Based on?
England World Cup Finalists with a settled team and consistent coachingvteam should be major favourites.
Wales have Ireland and England away this season, have a new coach and only 1 experienced centre fit. 3 wins at home and sneak a win v Ireland or England away will be a cracking result.
If Wales run in 6 tries will that be seen as an excellent start, or put down to a poor Italy performance?
That could happen as the backline has serious pace and North given plenty of ball could go well. Cant see him doing so well v better teams though. He will also have a lot of pressure on him to organise the defence, when to blitz and when to drift and that wasnt a strength of his on the wing, he often bites in early and gets done round the outside.
Love the look of the backrow, if those 3 hit form thats a seriously good backrow.
I wonder how important Shaun Edward's defence will be for France? That may well be the factor they need to start being consistent again.
I suppose so, but I was hoping someone would provide a little more, as there are people who know a lot more than me here
Sorry, was being flippant.
I reckon its grand slam or wooden spoon for England. They either want to show they should have done better in the WC final and Sarries players want to prove how good they are, or they go to pieces....
Ireland have got something to prove as well though and France have nothing to loose with their young team.