Steamin Beamin wrote:
Big D wrote:
Steamin Beamin wrote:
https://scrummagazine.com/barclay-could-miss-edinburghs-european-quarter-final-says-cockerill/
Bradbury back for the Dragons game and will get plenty of minutes but the France game will be too soon for Watson.
Barclay is also back running

The France game may be a little too soon for Bradbury. Will need to see how he follows up after a game on Friday. He has been out for a while.
On a separate note, the 1014 rugby boys were pretty critical of Laidlaws leadership. Was interesting to see someone totally impartial offer an opinion.
I just watched that and they're not wrong. The only game I can think of where I thought Laidlaw really stood up and "out captained" the opposition was against Italy a few years back. And even then I think it was only because Parisse really pissed the ref off and was told to shut it.
The other bit that really stands out for me is how they point out we have all the ingredients but they haven't been mixed together properly and we are "brittle". Surely that's the coaches job, to blend it all? Is this a coaching failure?
I am aware I have long been a critic of Laidlaw so I have tried to strip it back a bit lately. I understand what he brings to the table but I think Russell is now beginning to try and control games better so is he as needed? Is that because of Laidlaw being a steadying influence or because Finn has finally clicked and knows he is in control? Laidlaw doesn't sweep defensively (game plan or game plan due to his lack of speed?) and it hurts us defensively and he offers no break from 9. So if we accept his limitations the rest of his game needs to be on point including captaincy. Are we getting that?
I think I'd give Horne or Price a go in France or Wales, or wait for it even Pyrgos v France (best box kicker we have and the French struggled). But I am of the opinion better to die trying than dying wondering. I understand why people would be reluctant to try someone other than Laidlaw but Townsends job is safe and lets see how the others go under pressure.
On the coaching, I had one of those time hop thingmys today from 7 years ago:
"The one thing I was disappointed today with was not the 2 sin bins but our inability from the start to handle the Welsh blitz defence. Why didn't Townsend spot this in tapes of the Welsh".
He really needs to show he has learned something from previous games and I think that leads to our away performances in the 6N, if plan A fails where is plans B, C and D? The France and Wales games will be telling, France are beatable and Wales do the same thing in defence and we in the last two games couldn't beat it. Townsend has been involved in the Scotland set up for more 6Ns than he gets credit for and should have been able to learn lessons from before to use now. This is what his 5th or 6th 6N involved in a national position? In those championships against teams not Italy we have 1 away win in Ireland and none elsewhere.