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Grand Slam chasing new world number 3 side- Scotland vs Argentina

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Incredible Schalk

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After being the first of the home nations to take down a Tri Nations side this Autumm, Northern Hemisphere powerhouse Scotland take on rugby artists Argentina in what should be an open game, with Barbarian like length of the field tries and minimal kicking. Im off to watch this rugby masterclass on Saturday. Can Scotland make it 3 from 3 or will the Puma's step up after their poor performance on Saturday.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
After being the first of the home nations to take down a Tri Nations side this Autumm[/b]

Really ? What happenned to South Africa in Toulouse two weeks ago <_< ?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aout @ Nov 23 2009, 01:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE
After being the first of the home nations to take down a Tri Nations side this Autumm[/b]

Really ? What happenned to South Africa in Toulouse two weeks ago <_< ?
[/b][/quote]

Unless France is British/Irish...then that one doesn't count as a ''Home Nation'' vs Tri Nation :p
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aout @ Nov 23 2009, 01:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE
After being the first of the home nations to take down a Tri Nations side this Autumm[/b]

Really ? What happenned to South Africa in Toulouse two weeks ago <_< ?
[/b][/quote]
I meant British Isles, its not a surprise to me when France beat SA or Australia at home. It is of the other home sides though.
 
Scotland team for Saturday:

15 Rory Lamont (Toulon)
14 Sean Lamont (Scarlets)
13 Ben Cairns (Edinburgh)
12 Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors)
11 Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors)

10 Phil Godman (Edinburgh)
9 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) CAPTAIN

1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh)
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors)
4 Nathan Hines (Leinster)
5 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors)
6 Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester)
8 Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors)
7 Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh) *

Substitutes

16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors)
17 Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh)
18 Jason White (Clermont Auvergne)
19 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Rory Lawson (Gloucester)
21 Chris Paterson (Edinburgh)
22 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
 
I've had a sneak peek at the Argentine team sheet. Not going to name any names but there are a few young guns being pushed to the fore for this game and many are highly physical at the breakdown.

Unlike Deans, I think Phelan actually bothered to look out of his hotel window and upon seeing that it was raining hard and would be for the next few days took swift action.

Its gonna be trench warfare at Murrayfield on Satruday.
 
Mike Blair would be ideally suited to playing Argentina. A shame that he is therefore injured. I like the Scottish back three very much but am not so convinced of the centres. I do think Graeme Morrison is very underrated but he did make too many knock-on´s against the Wallabies. Carins is Scotland´s top 13 so its great to see him starting. Tiesi will start for Argentina and he is maybe the most underrated Argentina player in the World. He is very dangerous and with a full strength Argentina should be able to combine very well. So, I am interested in seeing how Cairns does against him. I did like Grove´s performance at 13 vs Australia so will focus heavilly on how he does at 12, probably vs Rodriguez. Great to see Thom Evans starting. He is a great player with huge potential.

The forwards look to be much like an English pack with a solid front five and a huge backrow. I think it will be tough for the backrow to get the better of Argentina though. Lobbe is playing so well and should be up against the slowest back row of the tour and certainly the least rated. If he can play well again it should be crucial to his teams chances. I cannot understand why Jason White is on the bench and not starting this match. I would go for him at 6 and Strokosch at 7, which has the makings of a perfect combination to play against Argentina.

It looks like Argentina are altering their game plan for this match and will rotate a number of players. Mario Ledesma is out for personal reasons which may not be a bad thing as he was not so good vs Wales or England. Good, but not fast enough around the park. Roncero has not been used as the loosehead prop ion training this week so far. Instead it has been Marcos Ayerza who is probably the better scrumager. Certainly in the GP he is very noteworthy. In place of Ledesma Toulouse´s Alberto Vernet Basulado has been training at hooker and will start with Scelzo retaining his spot at tighthead prop. Finally it looks like the giant and underused second rower, Manuel Carizza (Biarritz) will start alongside Albacete in the second row and Campos in the backrow. Two changes which should have happened vs Wales. But Tomás Leonardi is in doubt for the game. A shame as he is one of the youngsters on his first tour to shine.

The mising wingers have not recovered yet either. Both Camacho and Amorisino remain out of action. It looks like Comuzzi has been dropped and will be repalced by Fede Martin Aramburu, a player I am not too keen on at all. Lalanne has taken back the 9 spot in the other change at training thus far.

So the team being used in training is: 1 Ayerza, 2 Basualdo, 3 Scelzo, 4 Carizza, 5 Albacete, 6 -----, 7 Campos, 8 Lobbe, 9 Lalanne, 10 Fernandez, 11 Aramburu, 12 Rodriguez, 13 Tiesi, 14 Borges, 15 Agulla.

Scotland will tour Argentina for two tests in June 2010. This test will be very interesting as a viewing point for that tour because it is the last chance for these young Pumas players to play before then. They are playing for places that should be taken back from the injured players who amount to over 10 certainties in the squad.

Sure, Scotland defeated Australia but they hardly threatened did they? I was watching the game on my tv yelling encouragement for the Scot´s but really they didn´t do so much with ball in hand. It worked as the conditions were poor and Australia clealy messed up in their planning for the match in this regard.
 
C'mon Scotland, get in!!!
Anybody who beats the Aussies is alright in my books (except Wales)
 
Paterson as to start somewhere if scotland want to compete.Maybe at 10 great mamories of im playing there
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Nov 24 2009, 03:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
I've had a sneak peek at the Argentine team sheet. Not going to name any names but there are a few young guns being pushed to the fore for this game and many are highly physical at the breakdown.

Unlike Deans, I think Phelan actually bothered to look out of his hotel window and upon seeing that it was raining hard and would be for the next few days took swift action.

Its gonna be trench warfare at Murrayfield on Satruday.[/b]

The weather's been miserable up here for the last 2 weeks. Soggy as f***, windy as f***.
 
And Phelan I think has picked the right squad for it. They're wanting to dominate the set peice and push Scotland hard at the breakdown.
 
Game will depend on if Scotland can get any territory. Our back three aren't renowned for the kicking game, and Godman doesn't have a great boot either. The only joy might be box kicks from Lawson, which with Evans chasing, could cause some havoc.

If we get territory I'm sure we'll win. Even if we don't there's still a chance we can grind another victory out.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (seanAF @ Nov 24 2009, 04:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Paterson as to start somewhere if scotland want to compete.Maybe at 10 great mamories of im playing there[/b]

I dont think we need him to compete with Argentina, they imo are not a good side but have a good tight five and Lobbe. Thats about it.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Nov 24 2009, 12:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Mate you almost got the squad right except for two positions :)[/b]

So, what was the team list you had? The one I listed was 14 correct players with Campos starting at 7 rather than 6 and I named no player at 6 because of Leonardi´s injury. So the team named is as follows with the changes in red:

15 Horacio Agulla (Brive, France)
14 Lucas Borges (Albi, France)
13 Gonzalo Tiesi (Harlequins, England)
12 Martin Rodriguez (Atletico de Rosario, Argentina)
11 Federico Martin Aramburu (Dax, France)
10 Santiago Fernandez (Hindu Club, Argentina)
9 Alfredo Lalanne (London Irish, England)

1 Marcos Ayerza (Leicester, England)
2 Alberto Vernet Basualdo (Toulouse, France)
3 Martin Scelzo (Clermont Auvergne, France)
4 Manuel Carizza (Biarritz, France)
5 Patricio Albacete (Toulouse, France)
6 Alejandro Campos (Montauban, France)
7 Alejandro Abadie (Rovigo, Italy)
8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Toulon, France, capt)
Replacements: 26 Agustin Creevy (San Luis), 17 Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Francais), 18 Estaban Lozada (Toulon), 19 Tomas Leonardi (SIC), 20 Agustin Figuerola (CASI), 21 Benjamin Urdapilleta (CUBA), 22 Horacio San Martin (Cordoba)

I am satisfied with the team sheet but cannot hide or ignore my frustration that Argentina has not been able to field there incredibly good looking back three combination of 15 Agulla, 14 Amorisino, 11 Camacho. Instead, Aramburu gets a chance at 11 in place of Comuzzi who has not had many opportunities on this tour. Borges has done well and is back playing well. He will be tested vs Scotland as they will kick everything.

Campos is a good weapon for Argentina to have in this game. He is good at the turnover and it is really surprizing that he has not started so far on this tour. A similar situation for Carriza who is a better player than both Sambucetti and Lozada but is only starting now in the final match. He is my pick to be Argentina´s 4 at the World Cup with Albacete, of course, being the 5. Therefore they should have had the chance to form a combination earlier. Perhaps, Phelan wanted to give each of the three a chance to play with Albacete to analyze them this way? It is certainly, to me the logical explanation. Carizza is the best of the three to go up against Scotland´s forward power and excellent lineout. Sambucetti did work well vs Wales but Lozada was not good at all vs England.

Ledesma has had a lot to say about himself not playin in this game. Basualdo could really overtake him now. it is the perfect opportunity. Roncero should also be worried because Ayerza is younger and the better scrumager. He is not a penalty machine at all. He leaves all the illegal play for his Leicester team mate, Julian White. So its a new front row. I have never seem Scelzo pair up with Ayerza in a run on XV. They have played together but always with one coming off the bench. For instance, vs England in 2006 when Scelzo came off the bench to replace Hasan. Roncero was out with a broken jaw at the time.

This is a XV picked deliberatley to defeat Scotland and could very well do so. Vs Fiji, Scotland were unable to do much at all and vs Australia they made 200 odd tackles, over twice the number that Australia did. So, Argentina should not be to concerned, they are the weakest of the three opponents this month and should be tired after such a heavy defensive workload vs Australia. This really is a game build for the front five´s which is why it is great to see Carizza starting. Albacete should really shine while the youthful Basulado and Ayerza will definetly want to justify their places in this team over the experienced players they are replacing. Santiago Fernandez will finally have the opportunity to play a running game. He will be the player to watch and should really allow Gonzalo Tiesi to come to life. For Scotland, their strength is actually out wide but in wet conditions and playing with the centres they have I do not expect to see them doing so much. It will definetly be a forwards contest.

My prediction is Argentina to win by 5. I foresee a try to Tiesi under the posts in the first half.

In related news, Argentina hooker / part time prop, Guinazu, has signed to play for the Stormers in the Super 14 in 2010. Very good news for everybody, inc South Africans.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Melhor Time @ Nov 25 2009, 03:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Prestwick @ Nov 24 2009, 12:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Mate you almost got the squad right except for two positions :)[/b]

So, what was the team list you had?
[/b][/quote]

The one from the horses mouth of course! :lol:

Please excuse me, it was mostly correct apart from 6 and another position which has now slipped my mind due to a combination of mad cow disease and alcohol.

For more intruige, there is rumours of a big exodus down under next season with many players already in talks with South African and Australian S14 franchises. They'd prefer SA though as Australia's food is mainly based on lamb and fish which, as we all know, is for p*ssies. ASADO FTW!
 

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