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Archives for February 2010

Analysing Scotland's defeat in Rome

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John Beattie | 17:03 UK time, Sunday, 28 February 2010

What did you think of ?

Once upon a time it was thumbs up for survival in the Colosseum, thumbs down for death. Now, I am a realist and I know that rugby is not life and death, but that was painful to watch.

I am sitting in Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, but let's go through this bit by bit.

Scrums. With and Chunk (Allen) Jacobsen on the pitch Scotland had supremacy. My understanding is that Murray was injured, but he did well and both props earned their corn with Jacobsen my man of the match.

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How can Scotland defeat the Italians?

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John Beattie | 20:08 UK time, Sunday, 21 February 2010

have always scared me. And how do you think we can beat them at the weekend? Come on - tactics, my friends?

I had to interview Martin Castrogiovanni live on TV once as man of the match. He pretended he couldn't speak English for the duration of the interview after the Italians had beaten Scotland in 2000 and we had an interpreter.

But then I handed him the champagne. "Thank you very much," he said in perfect English and with a wink. "I will drink this tonight." Bad boy.

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Is rugby getting too rough?

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John Beattie | 12:48 UK time, Sunday, 14 February 2010

There is gutted and there is absolutely and utterly gutted - and that's how I feel. I feel so bad I want to steal a golf buggy and go for a ride or lift my kilt in the wrong place.

Rugby reporter Jim Mason and I have just been to the Scotland team hotel to interview the doctor, James Robson, and thankfully , though Thom Evans did have a very bad injury.

As for the game? . Sean Lamont delayed his pass and so it went forward when Kelly Brown was running in for the try.

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Parks in as Godman carries the can for France failure

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John Beattie | 12:20 UK time, Tuesday, 9 February 2010

What do you think of ? Let's discuss, as Phil Godman carries the can after being dropped by Andy Robinson following the defeat by France on sunday.

And his replacement, Dan Parks? What a story. The once discarded man who is moving to Wales next season, to play for Cardiff, plays against them on Saturday.

Parks will try to build on his Glasgow form and play closer to the gain line, there will be runners off 10 and I foresee mayhem in the middle of the pitch, but Parks will play flat. Parks is a confidence player and, if it does well for him, he can win this game.

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Scots must say 'no more Mr Nice Guy'

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John Beattie | 09:59 UK time, Monday, 8 February 2010

I love rugby. It's a match with violence. So here goes.

. And Scotland were a bit "nice" at times. I watch the Irish and the English mump and moan and push the laws to the limit while we are too honest. But, then, it's a national trait.

The scrum: A fair assessment is that the French were superior in the scrum. I thought Moray Low did well, as did "Chunk" Jacobson when he came on. But, when your scrum creaks, the whole team feels fragile and we weren't hostile enough.

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