AlfieMoon

Last 15 mins was very positive. Shame they couldn't get another try right before half time given the position they had. Need to make sure we get the bonus point so we don't end up regretting that one.

Slippy ball causing lots of problems and stopping Scotland getting any fluidity in the first half. Too many passes going just a bit too high and making it even more difficult. Great kick there from Russell for the try from Maitland.

General sale today. Seems to be loads of tickets available on the e-ticketing website for WRU. Albeit that they're all in the upper tiers towards the back. Hopefully you get sorted.

Very disappointing from Scotland this morning. Fair play to Ireland - seemed to get their game plan spot on. Never gave Hogg or Russell a sniff and absolutely smothered our forwards any time we tried to gain ground. Defensively they are very good. Handling errors are frustrating but it’s just a reality when you’re under the cosh and chasing a game. Not enough from Laidlaw and I’m not sure Barclay is the player he was. Overall feels like we’re not as dangerous as we were a couple of years ago when Huw Jones was flying and we seemed to have a better blend. Shame to seen Hamish Watson get a bad one. Up to them to pick it up now and get out of the group. I notice that Japan have an extra 4 days rest before the final game. It’ll really need the whole squad to step up!

🤣 This thread has been thoroughly more entertaining than could otherwise have been expected.

So.. what's the latest? Is climate change happening or not?

Anyone known if there's anywhere with an early license to watch the Rugby World Cup games in Glasgow? I'd normally go to Coopers on Great Western Road but neither there nor The Crafty Pig across the road are opening. Ireland game on Sunday is a 08:45am kick off. Seems that there are a few places in Edinburgh if any east coasters are interested: https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/food/drink-food/rugby-world-cup-7-pubs-to-watch-the-rugby-in-edinburgh/

The majority of Scots will not care a jot if NI get a differential deal. If UK leaves on a soft Brexit with no major damage then the cautious no voters from 2014 will be happy to continue with business as usual. Trying to make noise about a differential deal for NI being undemocratic to Scotland by not supporting our demands, etc. is just bullshit political spin from the SNP for me. It’s completely different circumstances. Good luck to them with it but I don’t think your average person cares too much.

Who is considering scrapping them? SFA or the education authorities? Or both?

How many members are in the SSC now? I don't remember seeing it reported in ages. I think it peaked about 30k in the late 2000's but have no idea what the tail off has been since.

I recognise that is always the counter argument but for me it's worth it. The priority has to be getting a winning team on the park. If playing in front of a packed 20,000 crowd helps that cause then I'm happy for the rest to be locked out. Others may disagree.

I haven't read any conspiracy theories to that affect but wouldn't believe that. Those guys have simply pushed the game to a completely different level. In doing so they have developed experience and a mental strength that now gives them a huge advantage - particularly in slams over 5 sets. They tend to get through each round with far less time on court than the competition and if someone goes 1 or 2 sets down against any of the top 3 guys then the opponent is more often than not mentally broken. The status, seedings and experience that the top 3 have earned in the game serves them well. I know there's some that would have the men's slams stripped down to best of 3 sets but I think that would be a pretty poor decision and is unlikely to happen. I think you're right about Murray not having quite the same level of talent and his body having not coped but a bit of that might just be misfortune - who knows. It's fairly obvious that Nadal has given his body an absolute battering as well but he's still competing. Murray is still arguably Scotland's greatest ever sportsperson though to achieve what he has. Zverev is definitely a talent but his serve fell to bits in the US. Other guys like Tsitsipas, Medvedev, Thiem are pretty good and I like Kyrgios even though he's total marmite and self destructs more often than not. I think there's high hopes for the young Canadian guy Auger-Aliassime as well. Will be interesting to see who rises to the top.

Was a great final indeed. I fell asleep midway through the 3rd set, thinking it was almost over. Woke up shortly later and it was 2-2 in the 4th. All the commentators thought it would be an easy win for Rafa and that it was getting wrapped up quickly given the first couple of sets. Medvedev obviously had other ideas - fair play to him. He's had a great hard court season and is some competitor. He's far from spectacular when compared to Fed, Nadal, etc. but he's pretty damn effective. Will be interesting to see how long the top 3 last and how many more slams each of them will get. It's remarkable that all three have come back from extended injury/recovery breaks and made it right back to the very top. Nadal particularly has amazed me with the intensity that he plays at that he's made it this far. He's done well to manage himself through to win the US after struggling physically at the start of the year. Not to mention his RG title and SF at Wimbers. Unbelievable! Would really love one of the younger guys to step up now and properly mix it with these guys and take a few titles.

While I think that the pricing for this campaign is finally where it needs to be - I'd suggest that for the play-off game(s) the SFA could gain themselves a lot of good PR by selling tickets at £5 for adults and £1 for kids. Get the place sold out well in advance and build anticipation. It would also be a welcome reward to the long suffering fans. If the current crowds continue I'd suggest we play qualifiers at Easter Road or Tynie. We need to start thinking about what incremental changes we can make to give us a better chance. Teams must absolutely love coming to Hampden to play on a perfect, wide open pitch with a half-empty stadium.

Nope. I don’t think it is enough. Nations league is a damp squib which will get scrapped. Fair enough we might sell out Hampden for the play off match but that’s a one off.

Disappointing crowd. UEFA/FIFA week of football is dreadful but the main thing is how crap we’ve been for so long. Get a consistently competitive, winning team on the park that has a realistic chance of qualifying and the crowds will be there. SFA have got their pricing to a reasonable level for the first time in this campaign. Clarke has a job on his hands.

Considering the midfield is the area of the park where we are actually strong and have options I think it was a pretty depressing night. Other problems like the RB, centre half’s and strikers are clear as day but last night it was really disappointing to see the midfield completely hide after we went a goal up. Nobody showed for the ball. Nobody was willing to be brave and take it into feet. (Except Christie when he came on and maybe Fraser in flashes). It really showed that we need a midfielder in the Ferguson/Brown mould who can really take grip of a game and control it. None of the current blend are up to that. I think the hope is that McTominay will grow into that player but he doesn’t look like it just now.

I was thinking about going to one of these games when I heard that they're planning to replace the San Siro. (don't know how quickly that's happening though)

What's the thoughts on using AVC's (Additional Voluntary Contributions) into a private pension provider as an approach to retiring early while having a Defined Benefit (career average) untouched until as close to official retirement age as possible in order to avoid penalty/reduction on your main pension. Positives? ... if you're in a position to do so you could put as much of your earnings as possible (up to £40k pension limit) in via AVC's and avoid paying income tax on those earnings - then have access to the money via taking that private pension any time from 55. Seems like a sensible idea for a 20% tax payer and an absolute no brainer for a 40% tax payer. Drawbacks?

I got 2x €50 tickets for the middle group game at Hampden in the first round of allocations. Got the email yesterday with more availability so managed to get the same for the additional 2 group games. It didn't give me the option for the R16 game at Hampden I assume because I hadn't originally applied for that. Also had the option Baku games. Must be due to complete lack of demand for that particular venue. Overall seems a reasonable system.

Yeah, it's dreadful coverage from Sky. As I've stopped going to as many games in recent years it is really starting to become a pain in the tits having to listen to them. The commentary team have been around for far too long and need freshened up. The Sky studio and combined analysis team covering other home nations is just cheapness and crap. The anchor is rubbish as well. I coughed up for a one day NowTv pass for last night as I refuse to give Sky recurring money. I think I'll go to the bother of heading for the pub in future and maybe put some headphones in so I don't need to listen to the crap.

Current representation in Scotland: 2x SNP 2x Labour (1 of which is currently vacant as Catherine Stihler has chucked it early) 1x Conservative 1x UKIP What do we expect it to be if we end up in Euro elections? I imagine that votes will be up for the SNP (brexit), Conservatives (indyref effect), UKIP/Farage party (brexit), and LibDems (brexit). The only party I can see nosediving is Labour vote. I can only imagine that SNP would retain 2 seats and Labour will drop 1. The other 3 seats may be split (Tory, UKIP/Farage, LibDem)

Not especially. He's not a patch on Angus Robertson who preceded him. Indeed, a lot of the SNP MP's aren't of a particularly high calibre in my opinion. The huge increase in seats on the back of Indyref shifting Scottish politics meant that a lot of SNP were thrust into Westminster probably a lot quicker than we were ready for. Some real good quality there like Joanna Cherry, Philippa Whiteford and a few others, then you have stars for the future like Mhairi Black, but there's many others that are found wanting and that disappoints me to say. A common criticism of their Labour predecessors was along the lines of 'monkey in a red rosette'. I think the same charge could be levelled at some of the SNP. Unfortunately, the loss of Angus Robertson, Alex Salmond, John Nicolson, Michelle Thomson, and the fact that Stewart Hosie has had to take a back seat - all means that the SNP at Westminster are simply not at the same level as we could do with them being.

All it does really is prevent the government from trying to gradually edge this same deal over the line - which was never looking likely in any case. In all likelihood this removes the option of a short-term extension. Now it probably has to be no deal or a long-term extension (if EU agree and we change legislation accordingly in time?). On the other hand you could say that this now possibly helps her negotiating position with EU as the UK parliament effectively won't let her even put the current deal up (again) for approval. Still makes it difficult to see how the EU would blink. Long-term extension far more likely - opening possibilities of a new Tory leader, indicative votes, PV, or GE.

Looking for a bit of advice from anyone that works in public sector... I moved from private -> public 2 years ago. Now starting to look at options for my next move within local/central government. What I’m not sure of is etiquette for applying for jobs. i.e. is it expected to be above board and notify my manager prior to any application? Or is it reasonable enough to apply for a job first and only notify them if I get to interview stage? Previously in private sector everything was kept under the radar so felt a bit more straightforward in not worrying about burning bridges in my current position.