What is play-off success for Glasgow & Edinburgh? Does Russell get a raw deal?
BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English has been answering some of your Scottish rugby questionsJamie asked: What is success for Glasgow and Edinburgh in the play-offs? Is it crazy to think Edinburgh have a better chance at the title?Tom answered: Let's talk Glasgow first. They have to beat the Stormers at home, that's a given. On current form, I'm worried. Anything other than a victory and the season will go down as a disappointment.If they win, their problem then is that because they fell away to fourth they'll probably have to go to Dublin. They took the tough road to glory last season but this season looks even tougher.With their injuries, I can't see them beating Leinster in Dublin. A competitive semi-final defeat would go down as a decent title defence in my book.I wouldn't say Edinburgh have a better chance. They have a really hard assignment away to Bulls on Saturday and if they win that then, on seeding, they'll be playing Sharks away in the semi-final and, again on seeding, Leinster away in the final.That's a brutal run. If they win the URC then forget the chat about Sean Everitt keeping his job, the only thing up for debate at that point will be where to put his statue.Graham asked: With George Turner joining Harlequins can we look forward to him being part of the Scotland set-up again? We've missed him.Tom Tom answered: Totally agree Scotland have missed him. He's still the best hooker and it's good news he's back close to home.For, me, if he's still playing close to his best, he's first choice for Scotland. I hope he's making himself available come the autumn.Davie asked: Great win for Bath in the Challenge Cup final but what has Finn Russell go to do? He got slated by the radio comms for having a poor game, this is the same commentator that criticises him for being a maverick. But when he controls a game behind a strong pack it's clearly not good enough either.Tom answered: People are allowed their opinion. In my view, Finn Russell's game management is outstanding. Some have an outdated view of him as some kind of Harlem Globetrotter, but it's wildly unfair.He's one of the best 10s I have seen and he's more mature now than he's ever been. His performance in the Challenge Cup final was quietly authoritative. No bells and whistles, just calm and dominant. The anti-maverick.Put him behind a strong pack, as he'll have in the summer with the Lions, and he'll be brilliant. He can deliver the flashes of genius, but that's only part of what he is.V.I.Pip asked: If Aberdeen, against all the odds, can win the Scottish Cup for the first time in 35 years, what's holding Scotland back from a Grand Slam? It's clearly about belief within the squad and clear, concise messaging from the management.Tom answered: If only it was so easy. Scotland don't win championships or Grand Slams because they have to win four or five games in a row, with some of them against physically superior opponents.They haven't been good enough to do that. They haven't had the artillery up front, where most rugby games are decided.With all due respect to Aberdeen's opponents in the early rounds of the Scottish Cup, they were lower league. Then they beat nine-man Hearts in the semi-final. A Six Nations is a lot harder than that. You're playing against some of the best teams in the world. The attrition is through the roof.I think these Scotland players believe in themselves, and they're a very fine side, but they're just not as good as Ireland and France.
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