His best games have been with Kngi at 12. He played very well vs LI where his game management was excellent. he played an excellent kicking game. But let's face it, LI are shit and that score could have been in the 50s. Houston got in the way plenty of times - stifling Laidlaw. I'd still play Laidlaw ahead of others for his kicking game alone. But for him to really deliver on his potential he needs a decent 12.

Just because we dont have a world class 12 doesnt me we should go with Parks, Robinson is a useless wanker with this.

The crowd shouldnt be booing Parks they should be booing Robinson, its not Parks fault he is fucking useless but it is Robinsons fault for picking him when we have a decent option warming the bench.

I wasn't far off OJ.


Good pack, should edge the whiney cunts. How's Jammy at running the lineout? Gray seems to do ok but Kellocks absence is noticable at lineouts for Glasgow.

Pack will be fine- the only question marks are over the backrow mix and whether Hamilton turns up with ball in hand (seems to disappear in the loose sometimes).
Parks selection is the one that beggars belief. What does he offer for the future? Laidlaw was worth a shout, and Weir on the bench would have been a gamble worth taking.

my money is in Scotland, could be a drubbing.

Did you drop it somewhere?

England ought to have a pretty good kicking game - beyond Parks is there anyone in the Scottish side likely to be influential with the boot?

Greeeeeeeeeeg

That's a fair point, apart from cuntface peaheart there is nobody in that Scottish back division that can kick.

Why am I not surprised. The optomist tells me that Parks will have his last 50 minutes as a Scotland starter to steady the ship and then Laidlaw will continue from there. Other than that quite happy with the team.

No I bloody well didn't. You're not pinning that on me

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck FUUUUCCCCKKKK!

Even though this was telegraphed, I still just cannot believe Robinson has the fucking cheek to start with Parks when there are clearly far better options available. There is just no excuse. None.

The only possible explanantion is that he is still 100% an England fan at heart and wants us to lose to them.

Just can't believe it.

If I was looking to pin it on you, I would have spelt it correctly!!

Step forward

(Puts hand up)

Sadly yes.

If I remember rightly the A team had given the ABs a good game the week before. Who was little hooker from Stirling County?

Kevin? MacKenzie

Correct - I think he is still playing, for Falkirk maybe? For money for sure

My old midi coach tells a great story about the first time he ever remonstrated with an opposition coach - Midget MacKenzie booted me in the back of my head right in front of our coaches and the ref - the ref ignored it but our coach didnt. He went to the Stirling coaches to complain was laughed at and at half time he told us to do what we wanted.

He he.

Still cant believe cuntface peaheart is playing.

Stop stressing. It's set up for a hollywood Racing style last 30 with Greeeg and Blair ripping the arse out of the Sassenachs

Robbo hasn't won many friends with this selection.

However,
Parks plays. Rest of team is mostly as we'd like it. England are pish. Crowd are baying for Saes blood. Parks kicks a few points. Boring. Parks makes a few fuck ups. England still pish. Scotland lead by virtue of some drop goals and a try through sheer hatred of their enemies. England threaten to breach the half way line. Laidlaw steadies the ship with a penalty or two. England are by this point utterly shite. Scotland scrape a win. Joy, unbridled joy. Laidlaw the new poster boy. Parks an uninspiring pariah once again. Laidlaw gets the controls for Wales. Scotland tear Wales a new one with some Embra esque running rugby. Laidlaw is the new messiah. All hail the new messiah.

I'm telling you

Would have preferred Blair and Laidlaw to be starting at half-back but on the whole very pleased with the selection.

The front-five should be really strong at set-piece and I imagine Robinson will be looking to play territory and put pressure on an inexperienced England team. Always happy to see Jacobson, Ford and Murray packing down together, especially with Hamilton and Gray behind them providing plenty of grunt.

Delighted with the back-row considering who is available, was worried Robinson would revert to Barclay and Vernon. Strokosch will give 100% as always and get stuck into the dirty stuff, Rennie really deserves a start and I think he's going to have a big impact at the break-down, fingers crossed the front-five can give Denton a good platform to work off and that he gets his hands on the ball in the loose.

Parks may limit the backs outside him but at least he'll enable us to use our forward strength to best effect and he has a habit of taking points with they're on offer. The rest of the backs are all good with ball in hand but none of them are particularly renowned for their creativity or distribution. So off first phase look for position, then force a mistake or turnover and get it to our broken field runners.

I think people are being a tad harsh on Robinson on the Parks selection, Laidlaw has never started a game for Scotland at scrum-half let alone stand-off. He has been in good form for Edinburgh and deserves a chance but there have been games this year where he has disappeared a little. Looking forward to seeing him and Blair getting a chance later on in the game, hopefully after Parks has helped build a lead.

Ah, an apologist.

Well allow me to be the first to say, I agree with your post. Even if I do get a little bit of sick in my mouth when I see Parks' name on the team sheet. Hope to see the pack dominate the Saes, set piece to be strong, and Parks to play territory and put pressure on the English noobs. Points will come after that.

Clearly one of the morons from the weegie or embra sites.

Sadly I agree with this.

Although I disagree with the selection of Parks I understand it. I don't imagine that he'll lose us the game in the first 50-60 mins although we likely won't have our BP by then either. We'll get a lot of territory and our pack will ensure we have plenty possession to go with it.

Grieg will change the pace of the game when he come on, for the better, and seal the win. Looking forward to his first start v Wales.

13 out of 15 isn't too bad considering a few of the selection brain farts Robinson has produced in the past.

How Parks is still in with a shout says more about the number of quality options we have who are fit and on form rather than anything else.

Greg is lacking experience so a tiny part of me understands the Parks call, but god the quicker he goes the better. Greg off the bench for the last 20-25mins to get some game time and seal the win would be best all round. Fingers crossed if this happens Parks can pack his bags for good.

How many games has Laidlaw actually started at fly-half for Edinburgh this season? Can't be anymore than 5 considering Hunter, Leonard and Godman have all started a few this season.

Off the top of my head 3 or 4 plus a number of second half cameos and a move to 10 mid-first half in one of the HEC matches.

That said his performance v the not nots last time out was one of the finest stand-off performances by a Scotsman in many a year.

This is his biggest issue. Doesn't matter how well he has done for Edinburgh in the H-Cup, he simply hasn't had game time at Club level

I can't wait for the day that Parks finally ends his Scotland career and we get a fly-half that gets our back-line moving but sadly this Saturday isn't the day.

Of the fly-halves coming through I've really liked the look of Leonard, looked pretty composed for a young guy and attacked the line with his head up which would be refreshing.

Fly half has been our problem for how long? I had hoped this would be the start of something new there, but it seems were destined to more of the same with Parks.

Disappointed but Robinson's made his choice, and it's his choice to make so....

Come on Scotland!

Cusiter had played 9 pro games when he started for Scotland, and look how badly that went. I don't accept that Laidlaw hasn't had enough game time at 10.

There are some players who need eased in, De Luca was one. He was superb for Edinburgh and was a rabbit in the headlights for Scotland. Others take to to international rugby like a duck to water. I think Laidlaw is the latter. He wasn't phased in the slightest when he played in his one match so far, he's the form player at 10 no matter how few games he has had, so chuck him in. I'd rather Parks was on the bench in case it went sour for Laidlaw than the other way round.

I understand why Parks was picked. He has had his moments for Scotland and if it all goes wrong Laidlaw is in the wings. But he has generally stepped up when he's been dropped and had to step in as a stop gap. Which is another good reason to start Laidlaw.

It's bizarre there are still some people peddling this myth about Parks - it's probably the reason he has 67 fucking caps. Ooooh he kicks so well, he puts the opposition on the back foot - blah blah blah blah.

England look like they are going to pick a back 3 who run the ball. They know what Parks is going to do so all they need to do on Scotland's ball is sit deep and field the kicks. Parks is negated and we've given open field ball to England. If Park's does decide to pass, he'll be so far behind the gain line the defence will be ready and waiting.

He'll do that shovelling shit pass he has specialised - whilst drifting.

Based on what I've seen of the expected England team there isn't a player from 1-9 of theirs that I would pick ahead of ours, their 10 is every bit as flaky as Parks, Centre combination works at Club level but untested internationally, back three is potentially superb but 2 of the 3 are not in top form.

I am not unhappy.

England look like picking an inexperienced back row, a flaky 10, an inexperienced centre pairing. Laidlaw would ask all sorts of different questions of their defence and maybe find a chink in their armour. Parks will ask one, and an easy one at that.

When I phoned my 11 year old son to tell him the team his response was, and I quote, 'Fucking Dan Parks, what the fuck? We've lost the fucking game. What the fuck is Robinson thinking'. He gets his vocabulary from his mother.

I'm going to stop talking about Parks now, it's just upsetting me. Which is a shame as otherwise I think we've as good a chnace as we've ever had.

That's a public school education for you.

You should have waited until he was sober before breaking the news.

to both of you.

And to Spanks and the other apologists, just stop it there is no rational whatsoever for including Parks even if the other selctions are by and large the best we could put out but that is only because there arent any other options either through injury or form or ability.

Parks is gash, has always been gash and will contine to be gash, the only reason the fucker never gets injured is that is never anywhere remotely close to contact. The selection should have been Laidlaw with Weir on the bench - end of.