Match thread - Edinburgh V the Zebras

[RDW]

First topic message reminder :

Edinburgh

15 Greig Tonks

14 Lee Jones
13 Nick De Luca
12 Matt Scott
11 Tim Visser

10 Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN
9 Richie Rees

1 John Yapp
2 Ross Ford
3 Willem Nel
4 Grant Gilchrist
5 Sean Cox
6 Stuart McInally
7 Ross Rennie
8 Netani Talei

Substitutes
16 Andy Titterrell
17 Allan Jacobsen
18 Geoff Cross
19 Perry Parker
20 Dimitri Basilaia
21 Chris Leck
22 John Houston
23 Tom Brown


Zebre

15 Sinoti SINOTI
14 Giovanbattista VENDITTI*
13 Matteo PRATICHETTI
12 Daniel HALANGAHU
11 Ruggero TREVISAN*
10 Alberto CHIESA*
9 Tito TEBALDI

8 Andries VAN SCHALKWYK
7 Mauro BERGAMASCO
6 Emiliano CAFFINI*
5 Josh SOLE
4 Quintin GELDENHUYS
3 Luciano LEIBSON
2 Carlo FESTUCCIA
1 Andrea DE MARCHI

Replacements :
16 Andrea MANICI*
17 Matias AGUERO
18 Luca REDOLFINI
19 Filippo CAZZOLA*
20 Filippo FERRARINI*
21 Alberto CHILLON*
22 Paolo BUSO
23 Alberto BENETTIN*

[George Carlin]

Would love to see Tonks get nabbed as a full Scotland cap - lucky he didn't do any more for England than playing for their U20s.

If he does get called into the training squad, let's start a sweepstake on how long it will take for the sledging to start once some of the WUMtastic non-contributing zeroes on these boards work out that he was born in South Africa.

[RDW]

He started against Newcastle I think but hasn't featured since.

I've always thought he's the best all round 10 out of him and Hunter but Hunter did OK against Munster and kept the bench slot, although he lost that in the last game. Probably to get him some game time opposite Leonard at the 'muir V Currie game at the weekend!

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

He started against Newcastle I think but hasn't featured since.

I've always thought he's the best all round 10 out of him and Hunter but Hunter did OK against Munster and kept the bench slot, although he lost that in the last game. Probably to get him some game time opposite Leonard at the 'muir V Currie game at the weekend!

And the star performances from that match, if I've read properly, were Sepp Visser and Dougie Fife!

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Visser's pace for the final try - wow, i mean, just wow

[EST]

He started against Newcastle I think but hasn't featured since.

I've always thought he's the best all round 10 out of him and Hunter but Hunter did OK against Munster and kept the bench slot, although he lost that in the last game. Probably to get him some game time opposite Leonard at the 'muir V Currie game at the weekend!

And the star performances from that match, if I've read properly, were Sepp Visser and Dougie Fife!

Does there seem to be more of an effort by the SRU, and the respective pro team management, to get the second string and younger players, like: Visser jnr, Fife, McGuigan etc playing premiership rugby this year? Stirling county has 5-6 pro guys playing a couple of weeks ago.

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Yes, think that has been a conscious decision and policy, with the formal draft, etc. Seems to be working well

[EST]

Yeah it does seem to be going well, apart from anything it keeps the guys fit and ready to go when needed by one of the pro teams.

I think the premiership offers a good product; decent rugby for a reasonable price, a chance to see some of the countries brightest prospects etc. Wish I could get along to some more of the games.

[RDW]

I like it that they are being regularly released to prem 1 - better that than playing no rugby week in week out. It also means you get match ups like Leonard V Hunter and Visser V Fife.

What I don't like is these guys not making the step up and being held back by under performing internationalists - Jones!

[EST]

I agree. Jones, cant start this week, surely? He has been fairly awful in every game this season, and there are plenty of options.

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

I like it that they are being regularly released to prem 1 - better that than playing no rugby week in week out. It also means you get match ups like Leonard V Hunter and Visser V Fife.

What I don't like is these guys not making the step up and being held back by under performing internationalists - Jones!

His failure to gather Talei's dribble thru was pretty ropey

[IanBru]

I agree. Jones, cant start this week, surely? He has been fairly awful in every game this season, and there are plenty of options.

If Farndale isn't given a shot when will he? With HC player registration coming up, time is of the essence.

[EST]

I don't think they will start Farndale away to Leinster, and I doubt that would be the right time either. The time to ease him in was last week against Zebre.

If it was down to me I would start Fife for this one, he has been in good form for Currie, and cant be any worse than Jones.

[RDW]

Brown on the wing and one of them on the bench?

[EST]

I forgot about Brown, that's probably the best shout.

Brown, Tonks, Visser back three looks goooood.

[RDW]

I really do have a suspicion though that we're going to see Jones again!

[funnyExiledScot]

That's if his head hasn't finally fallen off after that swinging arm from Geldenhuys!!

I think we'll Jones again as well. Seems like Bradley is going to let him play through his poor form. It's worked before. Hadden did it with Dan Parks. Problem was it took three years.....

[IanBru]

I'd definitely start with Brown, but no doubt I'd like to see Farndale involved at some point. I know playing away against Leinster is probably the toughest league fixture of the year, but I've always felt that you should bring your youngsters in at the standard they will be expected to perform (nice analogy for the GCSE debate there...), and avoid the instinct to coddle them too much.

[RDW]

Don't get me wrong - I'd like Jones to gain form again, because I like what he does for Edinburgh when on form!

I just don't think it sends a great message to the current players and the young guys not playing if someone is playing consistently badly and doesn't get dropped.

[funnyExiledScot]

There's always a balance to be struck between consistent selection and picking on form. Obviously you can't just chop and change the side every time someone has a bad game, but I think four games is sufficient to ascertain that Jones isn't in good form, and other have stepped up and deserve a chance.

With DTH and Seymour playing wing for Glasgow, Robinson's options on the wing for his AI squad are not looking good. The only players actually available and playing rugby regularly on the wing are Visser, Jones and Walker (not sure what Max Evans has been up to). To my knowledge only Visser is playing well. S Lamont has had a start, but didn't set the heather on fire, and I really do worry about his pace against the All Blacks and South Africa - teams boasting the fastest wingers in world rugby. S Lamont versus Savea or Habana just isn't a contest.

[George Carlin]

FES - Max hasn't been doing badly at all - he played in Castres' win over Biarritz at the weekend (the only other unbeaten side to date was Toulon who also lost) and in Castres' draw with Stade in Paris the week before.

Before that, he got 20 minutes coming off the the bench against Bayonne the week beforehand and against Grenoble in week 2.

Now he seems to be playing the full 80, which is good and Castres are joint 4th in the Top14 at present too, which is even better.

Absolutely no sign whatsoever of Msr Beattie at Montpellier though.

[Captain_Sensible]

Isn't Tommy Seymour Scots qualified?

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Yes, he is, Cptn

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

I'm curious as to why Farndale is being pushed so fast to this level, lads? I would have thought that Brown is ahead of him on the basis of an excellent first pro-season last year, that Jones is still ahead of him despite some poor form, and that Sepp Visser and Dougie Fife are also ahead of him given that both have been playing well for their clubs. Farndale did well at the U20 JWC, but that's really it for now surely?

[tigertattie]

just get jones out!

[George Carlin]

I'm curious as to why Farndale is being pushed so fast to this level, lads? I would have thought that Brown is ahead of him on the basis of an excellent first pro-season last year, that Jones is still ahead of him despite some poor form, and that Sepp Visser and Dougie Fife are also ahead of him given that both have been playing well for their clubs. Farndale did well at the U20 JWC, but that's really it for now surely?

Asbo - I have read interviews with Farndale where he makes very clear that he doesn't expect to get much game time with the pro side this summer, and believes that save for injuries he will remain with the Accies this season.

As you say, I think that this is realistic - Visser has been playing well for Boroughmuir and Dougie has been scoring freely for Currie. We all know that there's a huge step up in pace and physicality between the Hydro and the Robo and I think that most people would have Brown down as a first choice in Jones' berth.

[EST]

I'm curious as to why Farndale is being pushed so fast to this level, lads? I would have thought that Brown is ahead of him on the basis of an excellent first pro-season last year, that Jones is still ahead of him despite some poor form, and that Sepp Visser and Dougie Fife are also ahead of him given that both have been playing well for their clubs. Farndale did well at the U20 JWC, but that's really it for now surely?

Asbo - I have read interviews with Farndale where he makes very clear that he doesn't expect to get much game time with the pro side this summer, and believes that save for injuries he will remain with the Accies this season.

As you say, I think that this is realistic - Visser has been playing well for Boroughmuir and Dougie has been scoring freely for Currie. We all know that there's a huge step up in pace and physicality between the Hydro and the Robo and I think that most people would have Brown down as a first choice in Jones' berth.

I think the Farndale will play most of his rugby with the Accies, and in the main its the best place for him. But, I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be drip fed some game time at Edinburgh. I don't think its a case of pushing him to quickly, more that his achievements at age grade level suggest he can more than cope with the jump in standard.

[Imperialbigdave]

Seymour is scots qualified, but he has implied that he feels northern irish in interviews, and avoided the question when asked if he would represent scotland so i wouldnt count on him declaring for us, at least not until he realises hes not going to get capped by Ireland.

[funnyExiledScot]

I'd forgotten seymour qualifies. Not a bad option.

I haven't seen farndale play this season so have no issue if visser or fyfe are ahead in the pecking order. All I care about is edinburgh picking form players and showing those outside the team that there's a way into the side if you work hard and play well.

Jones should be dropped.

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