Lions v Lions
Scots shine in tour opener, summer tour cancellations, SRU strategic plan released, U20s disaster and transfer market heating up
WELCOME: once again a week off at Thistle HQ has left us with plenty to catch up on in the world of Scottish rugby. The main event of the last seven days was undoubtedly Saturday’s Lions tour opener against the, er, Lions, with the five Scots in the starting fifteen showing exactly what they were capable of in a comfortable victory. Elsewhere we saw the Scotland summer tour opener fall victim of Covid, the SRU release their much awaited strategic plan, Sean Lineen’s U20s falling short once again and some interesting moves in the transfer market. As ever, if you like what you are reading each week, please subscribe and share with your friends.
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LIONS v LIONS: the British and Irish Lions kicked off their South African tour with a comfortable 56-14 victory over the confusingly named Sigma Lions, with the Scottish contingent all performing superbly to give Warren Gatland plenty of food for thought. While the opposition were perhaps average at best, the Lions looked solid in defence and impressed in attack, despite inevitable rustiness in patches. Eventual player of the match Hamish Watson crossed the whitewash with a typical close range breenge, while Russell and Harris also provided try-scoring assists.
In truth every Scot on show did their test chances the world of good. Watson was a deserved player of the match, topping the tackle charts and mopping up well on the deck, whilst carrying with his usual gusto. This was a test match-like performance.
Harris showed his typical workrate and organizational skills in defence, whilst his chip for Rees-Zammit to score required no little skill. He finished with a 10/10 tackle stats and 9 carries for 59m. Although Henshaw is perhaps the current favourite for the test 13 jersey, Harris is definitely Gatland’s type of player. While the 10-12 axis failed to fire at points, Russell turned in a composed performance, displaying both control and flair at points, and as ever seemed undeterred when things went awry. His kick-pass for Josh Adams to score was vintage Finn.
Yet perhaps the most quietly impressive performance was that of Ali Price, who showed that despite the decision to award Connor Murray the tour captaincy, the race for the test 9 jersey is far from over. From the off his box kicks were absolutely on the money and his service looked razor sharp, whilst taking his set piece try well.
LIONS LED BY HOGGY: Hogg should be commended for both his performance and leadership. Despite his club selection issues in recent weeks, Hogg put in an assured display from the back, and was solid under the high ball and in defence (with his cover tackle in the 49th minute a particular highlight). Competition in the back three is brutal, but hopefully another similar display will secure him the fullback shirt.
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NO-MANIA: it was perhaps inevitable, but still hugely disappointing to see that Scotland’s summer tour match against Romania, scheduled for 10th July, has been called off after several members of the Scottish squad tested positive for Covid. Following the cancellation of last week’s ‘A’ fixture, ‘Blair’s babes’ were placed in an enforced period of self-isolation, but still had hopes of fulfilling the tour opener. Fingers crossed the Georgia test goes ahead, and spare a thought for those players who have had now had two chances to represent their country taken away from them.
SRU STRATEGIC PLAN: Scottish Rugby unveiled its much anticipated strategic approach for the next three years. Given the last strategic plan had ‘Win the World Cup’ as a KPI, the Scottish rugby public were excited to see how Dodson and co wanted to be judged…maybe we should just reduce expectations and aim to get out the group stages this time.
The strategic plan brought us a varying selection of exciting categories/corporate jargon (see below) which all had their own slightly different objectives:
Key Themes - Wellbeing, Women and Winning
Strategic Priorities - Rugby Performance, Financial Performance, Transformation, People
Our Ambitions (some have been shortened) - To serve our rugby community, to focus on building men’s and women’s winning teams at all levels, to develop the community game, to showcase and nurture the many ways in which rugby can improve everyday health and to build on the model of the international and professional game
The Game Changers - Future proofing the Community Game, Winning at Every Level and Off the Field
The three W’s - Winning, Wellbeing and Women appear to be the predominant objectives for the SRU and are not the worst broad brush priorities to focus on.
However, how do we judge success in 3 years time? Dodson noted that they didn’t want “put quantitative or numeric targets in because we’re coming into a post-Covid world and a new championship we don’t know the strength of yet”. Few questions the clubs should be throwing the way of Dodson:
Do senior management have quantitative or numeric targets that unlock any future bonus? because that will tell you what the SRU’s is focused on (The answer to this might be no)
How can we not assess the strength of the URC? Its a name change and the addition of two additional South African teams…not the reinvention of rugby itself
What needs to change for the SRU to feel comfortable enough to give clear targets? If the UK is broadly back to normal by September will they release a set of KPI’s
SUTHERLAND(S) AT SIXWAYS: yet another of Edinburgh’s Lions contingent is on his way to Worcester Warriors next season, after confirmation this week that Rory Sutherland is set to join Duhan Van der Merwe at Sixways. It was long rumoured that several suitors (in both England and France) were eyeing up a move for the loose head prop, who still had a year left on his contract at Murrayfield it would appear. On the one hand the move makes sense: Cockerill has decent replacements in the form of Pierre Schoeman and Boan Venter, while Sutherland is relatively injury prone and often absent on international duty. He also deserves the chance to make the most financially of a career that can be swiftly ended at any point due to injury. However, losing two of Edinburgh’s premium players isn’t the most encouraging signal for the rest of the squad, while it feels like both Duhan and Sutherland are a cut above Worcester.
QUINSY JONES: Glasgow discard Huw Jones appears to have landed on his feet with a move to Harlequins in the Gallagher Premiership confirmed yesterday. Having exercised a break clause in his Bayonne contract (which he was entitled to terminate if his new employers were relegated from the Top 14), Jones has been picked up the new English premiership champions. We have long believed that Jones was selling himself short with a move to the French strugglers, and on paper his style is perfectly suited to the free-wheeling Quins. While he will have his work cut out to displace the in-form Joe Marchant at 13, his ability to cover multiple backline positions makes him an attractive option for incoming head coach Tabai Matson. A Care-Smith-Esterhuyzen-Jones midfield - sign us up.
U20s PUMPED: Scotland U20s suffered yet another disappointing defeat in this year’s U20 Six Nations, going down 43-3 (yes you’ve read that correctly) to their Italian counterparts. Sean Lineen’s men have looked eager if underpowered so far this season, yet the manner of this defeat was particularly worrying, with the Scots barely at the races. The absence of key men like Jamie Dobie, Rufus McLean and Dan Gamble didn’t help the cause, yet is not enough to explain away such a large loss.
More worrying is the fact the Italians have now won 5/6 games against the Scots in the U20 Six Nations and World Championship since 2018, suggesting we are close to falling behind yet another Six Nations opponent.
It really was the final straw in a tough day for all Scottish rugby fans:
WARRIORS REMINISCE: the video below, posted on the Warriors Twitter this week, is well worth a watch. Pete Horne, Chris Fusaro, Tommy Seymour and Ryan Wilson all reminisce on their time at Scotstoun (and Firhill), with the highlight being the story of Fusaro’s debut selection under the lesser-spotted Scott Johnson - more proof if needed, of the fact he is an absolute cowboy.
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