Japan Tour

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Too hungover to watch. Has Pyrgos been USA game levels of pish?

You an I both. Ah, he wasn't gash, but nobody is showering themselves in glory the day.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Greg you aren't wrong about the ref, he seems to be looking after us today alright. Not a good look.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Greg you aren't wrong about the ref, he seems to be looking after us today alright. Not a good look.

It's making me very uncomfortable. Japs are playing against 16 since the first whistle.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I know it was advantage to us but how can we be so consistently bad at getting the ball into our fellow players' hands? This is what the game is all about...

[sharvey44]

we make too many basic mistakes. intercept passes, passing into touch, knock-ons. too many brain fart moments.

[Big D]

Considering they have reasonable skills Japan going to effectively unthreatening one out rugby in the 22 this half is surprising.

At one point it was like a Gray was in every tackle/ruck.

[Big D]

Not sure I'll watch the 1st 50min....

Although their two tries were long range I think we are way too passive in defence.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Glad we've got the win but we were pathetic in both games. We didn't cut the Japanese open once in 160 mins of rugby and they are not a defensive team.

Very worried about the season ahead as I don't think we have the beating of any 'top' teams besides Italy or the PIs and even then we make it incredibly difficult for ourselves.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Not sure I'll watch the 1st 50min....

Although their two tries were long range I think we are way too passive in defence.

This is coached.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Good shift from the subs there. Needed them. It's ugly, but it's really effective.

That cat from the stormers got a cracking turnover on our try line.

Good defence. Not much else really.

[Big D]

Not sure I'll watch the 1st 50min....

Although their two tries were long range I think we are way too passive in defence.

This is coached.

I know. I've been saying since the RWC I think Taylor should go.

The only real positives I can see are:
2 wins and gametime in Japan.
Sutherland and Rambo getting starts.
We have a lot of players to potentially come back into the match day 23; Dickinson (bar 5min last week), Ford, Gilchrist, Finn, Dunbar, Bennett, plus some back row options for the AIs to come in.

Would like to have Jones get a start.

[Stones of granite]

I hope somebody in the Sclotland camp learned something from that utterly shat performance, although I couldn't begin to guess what that would be. I'd hate to be Japanese after that, they thoroughly deserved to win.

[Tobylerone]

Would like to have Jones get a start.

At least he belongs to us now..

[ARM]

Well played Japan - they must feel a bit sore at that result. That try they scored was a peach. They just looked far better rugby players. Lacking a little nous.

Until we get players that can consistently perform even the most basic catch-pass skills, and a forward pack that isn't soft as shit in contact then we're never going to progress.

Still - the whole tour was a waste of time for a bunch of knackered players. The only thing at stake was ranking points - so mission accomplished I suppose.

[Mikey Brown]

I hope somebody in the Sclotland camp learned something from that utterly shat performance, although I couldn't begin to guess what that would be. I'd hate to be Japanese after that, they thoroughly deserved to win.

Just finished watching. Absolutely awful. Totally agree with this and ARM above.

Swinson desperately trying to throw an interception on our line but having the whistle blow pretty much sums up these victories.

I actually feel sort of resentful over Laidlaw coming on and putting some pace on the game for 5 minutes, looking like a handy little player, and then reverting to type.

Just awful.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Does anyone think VC and his team might be the problem here?

[Mikey Brown]

Does anyone think VC and his team might be the problem here?

If they're not coaching certain things in fundamentally the wrong way, then they're failing to fix the issues that the players are creating. Neither is good, which would you rather the be the case? I imagine it's a bit of both.

They just keep doing the same relentlessly stupid things, and appearing to be shocked that we can't consistently win tests. The Seymour/Scott blundered restart is a prime example. A great piece of skill followed by some combination of poor execution and poor communication with Scott not holding his depth. Players holding their depth, communicating their position or the pass they (don't) want, presenting the ball, guarding the ruck etc. are not things we should be struggling with to this degree in every game.

I get that they're knackered and injury struck, but these guys know each-other pretty well now don't they? I'm torn between thinking;

a) I (and many here) am completely deluded as to how talented this group of guys are

or

b) They have no belief that they are actually good, or how good they could be. Who in the team looks truly confident of themselves (rightly or wrongly) and what they do? Hogg, the Grays, Hardie, Nel?

One of the most worrying things (on a very sketchy and unreliable first viewing) was what a great Laidlaw impression Pyrgos was doing at times. If Laidlaw has been playing the way VC has wanted (from any 9) all this time then we're in trouble.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Does anyone think VC and his team might be the problem here?

If they're not coaching certain things in fundamentally the wrong way, then they're failing to fix the issues that the players are creating. Neither is good, which would you rather the be the case? I imagine it's a bit of both.

They just keep doing the same relentlessly stupid things, and appearing to be shocked that we can't consistently win tests. The Seymour/Scott blundered restart is a prime example. A great piece of skill followed by some combination of poor execution and poor communication with Scott not holding his depth. Players holding their depth, communicating their position or the pass they (don't) want, presenting the ball, guarding the ruck etc. are not things we should be struggling with to this degree in every game.

I get that they're knackered and injury struck, but these guys know each-other pretty well now don't they? I'm torn between thinking;

a) I (and many here) am completely deluded as to how talented this group of guys are

or

b) They have no belief that they are actually good, or how good they could be. Who in the team looks truly confident of themselves (rightly or wrongly) and what they do? Hogg, the Grays, Hardie, Nel?

One of the most worrying things (on a very sketchy and unreliable first viewing) was what a great Laidlaw impression Pyrgos was doing at times. If Laidlaw has been playing the way VC has wanted (from any 9) all this time then we're in trouble.

The other potentially relevant thing is you have two groups of players that play very, very different styles of rugby. They just don't look like they're singing from the same hymn sheet, ever.

It's still no excuse for such a passive, disorganised and ineffective defence though. That combined with the fact the players appear to be content to sit back and watch the other team build up insane possession stats - that only works if you've a resolute defence that can soak up the pressure and force mistakes. That is entirely down to the coaching team.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Does anyone think VC and his team might be the problem here?

Must be, before that it was Andy Robinson, Frank Haddan, and Matt Williams.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Does anyone think VC and his team might be the problem here?

Must be, before that it was Andy Robinson, Frank Haddan, and Matt Williams.

Different players. Surely you must agree on the defence coaching at the very least? That is coached and it is a problem.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Does anyone think VC and his team might be the problem here?

Must be, before that it was Andy Robinson, Frank Haddan, and Matt Williams.

Different players. Surely you must agree on the defence coaching at the very least? That is coached and it is a problem.

Ah ignore me cat man, I'm just narky as fuck about the referendum, I'm being a fierce fud to everyone today.

[Stones of granite]

Does anyone think VC and his team might be the problem here?

When I hear the words "processes" and "systems" I do tend to think "fuck you"

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Must be, before that it was Andy Robinson, Frank Haddan, and Matt Williams.

Different players. Surely you must agree on the defence coaching at the very least? That is coached and it is a problem.

Ah ignore me cat man, I'm just narky as fuck about the referendum, I'm being a fierce fud to everyone today.

Yes. Pretty concerning. Brexit isn't without merits and there are definitely some intelligent people in that camp but the truth is the majority of support came from moronic, racist xenophobes or a bunch of old bags that have the financial clout to survive the economic fallout just cause they were born in the right generation.

The Scotland performance didn't perk me up either.

[Adder]

Different players. Surely you must agree on the defence coaching at the very least? That is coached and it is a problem.

Ah ignore me cat man, I'm just narky as fuck about the referendum, I'm being a fierce fud to everyone today.

Yes. Pretty concerning. Brexit isn't without merits and there are definitely some intelligent people in that camp but the truth is the majority of support came from moronic, racist xenophobes or a bunch of old bags that have the financial clout to survive the economic fallout just cause they were born in the right generation.

The Scotland performance didn't perk me up either.

Overall, This might be the kick the EU needed. Unfortunately, the continent is currently lacking strong leaders ready to seize opportunities. What is left of the UK might be better off outside the EU but there will be a need for big structural changes.

What is scary however, is that the leave campaign now seem completely lost.
On the other side, European leaders are in a similar position

Sent from my LG-H320 using Tapatalk

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Ah sorry lads, didn't mean to thread-jack. It is what it is.

Back on subject, we were baws the day, but fuck it, we won whilst being baws...thats something right?