RWC: SCO v USA (LEEDS): POOL B

[waiopehu oldboy]

Ref: Pollock
AR's: Lacey & Fraser
TMO: Skeen

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Henry Pyrgos (c), 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Ryan Wilson* 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Richie Gray, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 3 Jon Welsh, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Ryan Grant.
Replacements: 16 Ross Ford, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Willem Nel, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 Ryan Wilson, 21 Greig Laidlaw, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Matt Scott.

*John Hardie originally named but has been ruled out with a head injury.

USA: 15 Chris Wyles (c), 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 13 Seamus Kelly, 12 Thretton Palamo, 11 Blaine Scully, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Mike Petri, 8 Samu Manoa, 7 Andrew Durutalo, 6 Al McFarland, 5 Greg Peterson, 4 Hayden Smith, 3 Titi Lamositele, 2 Phil Thiel, 1 Eric Fry.
Replacements: 16 Zach Fenoglio, 17 Oli Kilifi, 18 Chris Baumann, 19 Cam Dolan, 20. John Quill, 21 Danny Barrett, 22 Shalom Suniula, 23 Folau Niua.

 

[Highlander35]

Ford starts, Fraser Brown covers openside from the bench, and Kevin Bryce comes in to be reserve openside. Thats the other change from Hardie ruled out.

Still a good side about 8 or so of the best 15 compared to 11 or so against Japan, 10 changes to the starting 15 means we're somewhat fresh.

Need a win first and foremost.

 

[mxyzptlk]

Okay, the USA can scrum on occasion.

EDIT: But they can't seem to manage a lineout.

 

[mxyzptlk]

Scrum feed hooked by the prop.

 

[mxyzptlk]

Patience..... patience.....

TRY USA

6-10 USA

 

[Highlander35]

Same bloody issues as last week. Miss a kick, penalty conceded, try to opposition off the lineout.

Playing slightly better than we were at this stage last game, but need to cut out the mistakes.

 

[galumay]

I am listening to the WC radio coverage via the RWC App as I am on a ferry between Greek Islands, not sure how well it synchs with the video coverage on fox, but it is a massive relief not to have to listen to those moronic australian 'commentators'


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[Highlander35]

The handling has just been nothing short of abysmal. Fix that up and we should be on top.

 

[Slim 293]

When USA kick the ball they sometimes have a decent chase, but then don't compete for the ball............

 

[Groucho]

This is great! Not great skills but what a contest. This RWC is fantastic.

 

[qwerty51]

USA's technical ability at the breakdown is 1000x what it was 1 year ago. Incredible. Fitness too.

 

[light]

USA by far the better team in the first 40.

Scotland have been disappointing

 

[Highlander35]

Being given nothing at the defensive breakdown again.

2 missed shots, plenty of missed try scoring opportunities.

Eagles still probably deserve to lead.

Might see Laidlaw and the front row on fairly early in the 2nd half. Gilchrist was a big loss, was having a good un.

 

[mxyzptlk]

Hey Highlander35, question: I'm betting only Irish supporters here saw this, but last week Gordon D'Arcy had an article in the Irish Times about the offload and why Ireland aren't doing it as much (if it doesn't come naturally in the flow of the game, don't use it). He basically claimed it's something that takes so much work and practice that if you're not at peak efficiency with it, the offload isn't worth the risk at Test level. Aussie-coach-in-Ireland Matt Williams has a differing opinion in this week's Irish Times, arguing that the offload can be coached and it's how rugby's meant to be played, but it just hasn't been coached much at a younger age in recent years -- and that's why we're not seeing it done as much at Test level from Ireland.

Which brings me to you: Scotland has really tried to incorporate an offloading game in the past year. It's something Glasgow can manage at the Pro 12 level, but how effective do you think they are with it at Test level? They made 10 offloads against Japan, but I'd have to go back to see if any of their 5 turnovers came from missed offloads. But even then, a team can flub and offload and still maintain possession while killing their own attack.

You got an opinion on this? Scotland just seems like a good Test-case scenario for how a team might go at trying to coach and incorporate offloads as a relatively new tactic.

 

[galumay]

I think Scotland will run over them in the 2nd half, but good to see the USA taking the game up to them.


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[PaarlBok]

USA look much more of a threat then Scotland. Josh Strauss the best Scot.

 

[Groucho]

USA look much more of a threat then Scotland. Josh Strauss the best Scot.

Chicken runners run fast.

 

[mxyzptlk]

I think Scotland will run over them in the 2nd half, but good to see the USA taking the game up to them.

That would follow the recent Tier-1-v.-Minnow pattern, but some of those teams who played in the Pacific Nations Cup don't really see themselves as that far outside Tier 1 anymore.

I think the USA can count on their fitness to hang in there, and if they can just maintain their composure and keep their heads, pressure Scotland into forcing some play and making a mistake. I don't expect much scintillating play out of the USA though, except maybe a few more pinball-game-runs up the middle.

 

[Highlander35]

The short answer is that it's better than the alternative.

The medium answer is that I think we are doing it a bit much. A couple of times even tonight we've lost good momentum because of forcing the offload. Bennett has lost one looking for the offload, Hoggs lost one, think one of the forwards bundled one too. We need to be more intelligent about using it.

The longer answer is that I like it a lot. We've suffered from a combination of inept play and monstered forward packs. Glasgow has one of the "weaker" packs in Europe especially when it comes to the set piece, but despite both that, and the sheer amount of rotation in the Glasgow squad, we get that exciting offload game going. With better props, Gilchrist and Richie combining with Jonny, Denton and a few more good backs in the mix, I don't see why we wouldn't be able to get it working. Aside from 3 or 4 incidents, the problem with the game in the first half is poor handling and execution. There'll be teams who'd be much better at it than us, in particular the Kiwis, but the Aussies and the Welsh too, especially if they were fully fit and dropped Roberts in the midfield. But Glasgow gives a good base for trialing it.

 

[mxyzptlk]

Apparently in previous World Cups, when the USA have been ahead by more than 7 points at the half, they haven't lost.