Paterson backed as Scots fly-half

[NewsBot]

Former Scotland captain David Sole says Chris Paterson must be recalled at fly-half to return his country to a global force.{br}{br}View the Entire Article{br}

[Flat-top]

I can have some sympathy with that view after seeing two very different sides of Dan Parks when we (Bath) played Glasgow home and away in the Heineken Cup recently. Dan was sublime at Bath but absolutely clueless and directionless in Glasgow. I watched Ross have a couple of average games this season for Leeds so have less insight on his ability.

I have not seen Edinburgh or Paterson play "live" this season so can't comment on the man but what I think David Sole meant to say was..." Scotland's Chris Paterson must be selected at fly-half and all of the other nations need to play uncontested scrums and with fewer than 7 men on the field at any one time...to return his country to a global force"... It's shocking how journalists take what someone says out of context isn't it.....or maybe the word he meant to use was global farce?

[Burgs]

maybe the word he meant to use was global farce?

Hey, that's our punch line mate

Even six generations on I still have a bit of Scots blood running through the veins FT, what do you think are the real reasons that Scotland can't match it with the rest in this modern era? Is it purely the professional nature of the game today, player depth etc or what?
Would they be better served only having two pro teams with the very best players and spreading the others out through English Premier League?
I have probably more Irish blood (but that's on me muthers side) so don't be too scathing in your attack

[Flat-top]

Strangely enough the last rumour I heard about the Scottish Regions was that they were considering a fourth professional side based in Aberdeen, sadly the country can't aford those sort of ambitions.

I understand that the SRU are £23m in debt, they simply lack the finances to invest in their product which of course creates the vicious circle of failure to attract the best players, poor performance on the field, lower crowds as a result, less revenue from the turnstiles, less money to invest in the clubs, and so on... Players who rise to the top despite these hurdles will invariably move down South where they can earn a better wage at a Guinness Prem side, though unfortunately for them they become a small fish in the big GP pond and lack first team outings as a result...form drops and Scotland suffer!

Both Glasgow and Edinburgh are doing just OK, the Borders less so...the problem in my opinion lies with the competition against poofball. The clubs in Scotland are all chasing the same supporters and where the Scots see English professional clubs making a profit by having 10-12,000 each week Glasgow Warriors are lucky to get 2,000 watching them while down the road 40-50,000 regularly watch Rangers or Celtic.

The fixture lists don't help either, within the Celtic League a team like Glasgow can have a home game on a Friday night followed maybe by 4 or 5 away games in Wales or Ireland and this won't make any fan commit to the club.

All of this has to compound the problems in the National set-up where there is without doubt several very talented Scots but just no depth in the squad and therefore not enough competition for places. I think in recent years (with a NZ coach) they have tried to bolster that by asking any "foreigner" who maybe once in his previous life tasted Irn'Bru to become Scottish and perhaps we will have to wait and see if that was a wise move.

On a very personal note and as I have said on another thread I have a great liking for the Scots but with the rapid improvement in Italy it is comforting to know there will always be someone keeping Ireland from being last!

[The EnForcer]

"Global Farce" get f'cked!!!! Maybe true but just can't stand by and let some foreigner (even fellow celt) deride my dearest love and insult one of our greatest captains....the man that ripped the heart out of the english not so long ago.

Matt Williams, Scotland's ex coach is Australian.

Declining to comment on anything else until after 6 nations.

[Burgs]

How about if we stay away from the Internationals and just talk domestic TEF?
I really am interested in your thoughts re the state of the game in Scotland at the moment?
To get your sense of humour back, my full blood Scot distant cousin was visiting Australia a couple of years ago.
The story was related to me by her father, who I only know by e-mail.
She went into the Canterbury shop in Sydney and bought a Scottish jersey.
Behind her some bloke said, "don't by that rubbish, by yourself a Wallabies jersey"!
(He was said to be joking by her friends)
She turned around and gave him an absolute blasting and tore strips off him as she apparently knows a couple of the players.
As her group walked out the store she was asked if she knew who it was.
"I don't give a stuff who it was!" was the polite version of the reply.
It was David Campese doing a promo day for the Wallabies!!!
I've never met her but I'd be interested to know if she has red hair.....

[The EnForcer]

OK, touchy subject.

Basically, in Scotland, we have had years of the old school boys running the show and in a more ruthless business orientated environment this just does not wash anymore. Unfortunately, these people have had such a strangle hold on our rugby that it has taken the brick through the window of being 20 odd million in debt for them to wake up and smell the shit they are in.

The link below will take you to an article published in a Scottish paper that sums up what is happening now. I believe it is a positive approach and is the only way forward for Scottish rugby. It's very easy to be critical, it's a lot harder to come up with solutions.

I am more positive about our National side than I have been for years. We may not set the world on fire but we should start to look a bit more cohesive. As for our professional sides, Edinburgh are sitting equal top of the league on points and with the Borders and Glasgow mid table we are not looking that shabby. If you look at the table I think you would agree that Wales have a lot more to be concerned about.

I agree with Flat-top that Scottish rugby does have to compete with football (soccer) but this does not mean that rugby can't have its piece of the pie, we just need to market it properly. Something not achieved in the past and something we could learn from The Force.

http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby.cfm?id=2475372005

[The EnForcer]

On a very personal note and as I have said on another thread I have a great liking for the Scots but with the rapid improvement in Italy it is comforting to know there will always be someone keeping Ireland from being last!

I said I'd wait until after the 6N but can't.....On a very personal note, you can take you chariots and shuv them up your arse.