Cardiff vs Edinburgh.

First topic message reminder :

I can't get watch it on TV and as such was hoping some discussion would be held on here so I can see what the match is like, who's performing and well and who isn't. Basically, I dislike the radio pundits so would love some of your opinions.

We're seeing the often undiscussed advantage of world cups coinciding with the start of the domestic league.

Because they lost a major contingent to the national team, Edinburgh had to give serious game time to Scott, Leonard, Gilchrist, McInally, Denton, Jones, and Brown, and Laidlaw was given the captaincy because of his unfortunate omission.

They have all stepped up to the mark, and are better players as a result.

Ian,

nice shags and replicated at Glasgow

Nice one Edinburgh

Shame we let Cardiff get a LBP. Stats on scrum.com make for interesting reading.

Maybe win the group now :-)

Cardiff were pretty poor fair do.

Well, my head is a little sore but here is my take on the match.

Edinburgh seem to have banished their demons so far as their bogey team of Cardiff goes. If the Blues forwards got the better of the exchange down in Cardiff it seems that the Edinburgh pack had a point to prove. Prove it they did, perhaps not as big or as powerful but it's clear to me that Bradley was working on physical techniques and the breakdown all week. Cardiff had no answer for what they were having thrown at them.

Roddy Grant epitomized this. Not as big or probably as strong as Warburton but Grant completely out classed the Welsh captain last night. A huge claim even for me since I genuinly believe Warburton to be one of the best fetcher 7s in world rugby. Now I don't know if he(Warbs) just had an off day or something but at every breakdown Grant was the better man. He turned over so much ball and made a mess of the breakdown to such an extent when he wasn't turning ball over, the blues seemed panicked and rushed to try and get the ball out of contact before the rucks could form.

It was a bit like when Wales came to play Scotland at Murrayfield when Warburton similarly out classed Barclay, such was the differance in the open sides performance. Grant also used fantastic thechnique when tackling. Perfect Bootstrap tackles and gliding back up onto his feet to rip at the ball. To be honest Talei carried very well but Grant would have had MOTM in my books.

A special mention to the Edinburgh centre combination. Jim King and Nick DeLuca again were fantastic. This duo has Scotland centre pairing written all over it at this stage. King carried well, punched some holes and NDL made some cracking breaks and passes. Roberts was pretty much nulified by both King and NDL's thunderous tackling and King also did a fair share of work at the breakdown making some vital turnovers by putting his body on theline when the ball squitred out of a couple of rucks. Morrison step aside, Jim King had a stormer last night.

Gething Jenkins v Geoff Cross had forgone conclusion all over it when looking at the Cardiff loosie taking on the Edinburgh tighthead more renowned for his activity outside the set piece. However Jenkins never really got the bit between his teeth at Scrum time and as a result Cardiff never really had a powerful Scrum for Edinburgh to worry about. Hard to say Edinburgh did not have the upperhand in the Scrum, they looked more powerful and a lot of that credit has to go to the whole front row as a unit. I singled out Cross because he seemed to really front up against one of the most damaging loosehead props in the northern hemisphere.

The halfbacks of Blair and Laidlaw looked good too. Blair seemed back to the form that carried Scotland for pretty much the entire 2008 season and Laidlaw looked as comfortable at 10 as he does at 9, a must started for Scotland IMO.

Finally Mike Bradley, wether by neccesity or by choice he has really given a lot of these young players a chance. Dents, Gilchrist, Jones, Laidlaw would probably all have described themselves as fringe players, however with RWC on all of them had to step up to the mark, and they did and as a result Bradley has kept the faith with them and Edinburgh are now a really competative team again. Likewise players who are not so young but could have equally resigned themselves to being fring players, King, Grant, Cox have all fronted up and King and Grant last night would have been my picks from the forwards and backs.

Really happy with the win last night, just a pity Cardiff salvaged a LBP, they certainly did not seem worthy of it though.

Great win - forwards really fronted up by the sound of things. yanks for the review radge - how was the parks - Laidlaw battle?

Metro away li home, cardiff have the reverse - gonna be close!

Parks struggled mate, Kicking was pretty guff from the boot and he had nothing like th e compsure he showed in Cardiff.

The Jekyll and Hyde metamorphesis over the 2 legs

Artful_Dodger wrote:Just to add to that, if Edinburgh do it, in fact even if they dont. I think Bradley has had a huge impact.

I think a combination of a coach who isnt bonkers and a governing body that is letting these guys know that it values them is doing wonders for their confidence.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Great win - forwards really fronted up by the sound of things. yanks for the review radge - how was the parks - Laidlaw battle?

Metro away li home, cardiff have the reverse - gonna be close!

Parks was awfull. That was a lesson to the other 6N teams though. If Parks plays, blitz them early on, he cannot chase a game.

Looks like the Blair-Laidlaw Vs Cusiter-Jacskon/Weir battle in the 1872 will decide who starts for the Scotland team?

RDW_Scotland wrote:Looks like the Blair-Laidlaw Vs Cusiter-Jacskon/Weir battle in the 1872 will decide who starts for the Scotland team?

Yup - I would think so. what a great position to be in.

I reckon both sides will hold their home ties in the 1872 fixture. Ergo it will come down to what kind of game Robbo wants Scotland to play.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:I reckon both sides will hold their home ties in the 1872 fixture. Ergo it will come down to what kind of game Robbo wants Scotland to play.

After the dirge glasgow have served up this season, id certainly expect embra to at least win the home leg, if not the away aswell. Glasgow usually get the better of us because of a superior pack, but this year weve finally sorted ourselves at 6, and 8, and have a potentially international class lock. Keep discipline in our own half and glasgow wont get any points.

Ah Big Dave,

you may be surprised - Moray Low looked back to his old self with Johnnie Beattie on his way also. So be afraid- be very afraid.

Got my tickets for M'field and Firhill yesterday- can't wait.