Edinburgh - Europe's worst team ever?

It was in the local rag tonight that, unless Edinburgh score 20 odd points next week, we are officially the worst team ever to "grace" the HC stage. Well done, boys - take a bow. We certainly justified our 2nd seeding. The only reason that we didn't get another total pumping on Sunday was because of Munster's shortcomings (and that certainly isn't having a go at Munster) - for 70 minutes we never even looked liked troubling the try line again.
This must be the worst performance fall-off from one season to the next
I know this isn't really opening a topic up to constructive comment (especially if schizoid's nursing staff let him near a keyboard) but i just needed to get this off my chest.
At least the 6N training squad suitably reflects Edinburgh's play although I am a bit surprised Tonks has been overlooked.

IYA, put like that, there's really no disguising how much the wheels have come off the wagon - pretty shabby effort, particularly when there was a fair bit of recruitment over the summer (admittedly seldom the right recruitment). Can't imagine it's a particularly happy squad at the moment

Are you cyber-stalking my posts tonight ASBO??? Where are the mods when you need them!!
RDW seems to have an "in" to the squad. RDW - any juicy gossip to share about squad disharmony?
Big Jim Hamilton did make some oblique reference to splits in the forwards when he left but that was few years ago and I would like to have thought that they had been sorted by now.

Matt Scott hinted at 'training ground handbags' in a recent interview too, but I can't say I noticed the difference on Sunday - just not enough heart out there or playing as a team for my liking

I didn't see that story. Most sports trot out the old "it shows the players care" routine of there is ever a dust-up at training.
You are spot on about the lack of commitment although this is allied to what appears to be a lack of ability too sadly. This may tie in with another thread I started tonight about whether you spend a heap of cash on one mega-player or sign 3 or 4 to give greater depth in a squad.

Don't worry, I'm cyber-stalking you on that one too!

Got a link to the article IYA?
Also how very depressing, imagine morale in the Edinburgh squad must be on a par with the HMV staffroom...

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/top-rugby-stories/rugby-edinburgh-out-to-avoid-an-all-time-low-1-2736134

Here you go GLove
https://www.606v2.com/t39424-you-are-a-ceo-what-do-you-do-with-your-budget
Feel free to join in. ASBO has been drinking and is getting overly friendly tonight. Everywhere I go, he is right there too - I need witnesses in case he tries some funny business

Ah, sorry - you meant the article in the newspaper? I see ASBO has posted the link

InjuredYetAgain wrote:Here you go GLove
https://www.606v2.com/t39424-you-are-a-ceo-what-do-you-do-with-your-budget
Feel free to join in. ASBO has been drinking and is getting overly friendly tonight. Everywhere I go, he is right there too - I need witnesses in case he tries some funny business

You can but you can't (hide)

Wow, considering some of the Italian sides over the years- especially before they regionalised!

Is it still true even when you consider the smaller Welsh club sides and Romanian sides etc. that have competed in previous incarnations? Quite an 'achievement'. Can't believe this Edinburgh side pushed Ulster all the way in a semi-final this year. I believe this is what Connacht fans refer to as "The Bradley Effect".

Notch wrote:Wow, considering some of the Italian sides over the years- especially before they regionalised!

Is it still true even when you consider the smaller Welsh club sides and Romanian sides etc. that have competed in previous incarnations? Quite an 'achievement'. Can't believe this Edinburgh side pushed Ulster all the way in a semi-final this year. I believe this is what Connacht fans refer to as "The Bradley Effect".

Bradley is a good coach though. His record with international A teams is very impressive. Maybe he should stick to international sides?

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Notch wrote:Wow, considering some of the Italian sides over the years- especially before they regionalised!

Is it still true even when you consider the smaller Welsh club sides and Romanian sides etc. that have competed in previous incarnations? Quite an 'achievement'. Can't believe this Edinburgh side pushed Ulster all the way in a semi-final this year. I believe this is what Connacht fans refer to as "The Bradley Effect".

Bradley is a good coach though. His record with international A teams is very impressive. Maybe he should stick to international sides?

in other words, players with ability and a good attitude. No wonder he is struggling at Edinburgh.

International A teams ain't club rugby and he won't get a real international job with his track record. Maybe a minnow nation like Portugal?

I would be interested to see his record in the Pro12 alone. Particularly how many games have ended in heavy defeats. Since he took over Edinburgh Ulster have played them three times in the Pro12 and put 42, 38 and 45 points past them respectively.

When he was in charge of Connacht they were typically rock bottom (except one year with Aironi) and took some almighty beatings over the years. Heavy defeats at every away ground. Now he had very, very little to work with.

But since he left Connacht, they've stopped shipping heavy scores every second week and become battling and competitive. Meanwhile, almost overnight Edinburgh slipped into the kind of league form Connacht fans will remember well from his time there- scoring tries, but absolutely no backbone and a collander like defence.

In fact, after his first year in charge of the Scottish region his old team (Connacht) finished three places higher than his new team (Edinburgh). Connacht have only finished higher in the league than Edinburgh once before in the history of his tournament and in that case it was on points difference after they finished on the same total of tournament points.

So what does that say about Michael Bradley? Sure his team had a good Heineken Cup run last year, and if we're going to slate him about the league we should praise him about that. But this years Heineken Cup campaign probably gives a more accurate insight into where he's taking Edinburgh.

Agreed Notch. Last season Bradley probably came out marginally ahead. Shocking league campaign, but that was justified by his focus and success in the HC.

This season has been an unmitigated disaster. He should be a free man in the summer.

Over the piste of his tenure, it's been downhill overall.

It started when their forwards got manshamed by us in pre-season ...and it hasnt got any better...

Think is it's mainly the same time as last year. Is it that they have three strong teams thats are able to slow down their quick ball and so the backs get nothing.

Last year apart from Toulouse they weren't great at defending just in attack. They are doing better in the league esp when you think that Connacht and Treviso have improved.

GeordieFalcon wrote:It started when their forwards got manshamed by us in pre-season ...and it hasnt got any better...

To be fair you are destorying the championship and I think that your team would be ahead of Sale, Irish and probably Welsh. Ae you disapointed with Bristol this year who should have been giving you a challagne. All will you go all league and playoffs by winning every game?

I too think its down to "The Bradley Effect".

I can't say Connacht improved when he left, as they also recieved better support from IRFU at the same time, so can't put Connachts improvement down to Elwood, or Bradley being poor before that. Could even say that some of the young players coming through may have been down to Bradley or his team a few years ago. its hard to judge Bradley in his Connacht days, although the most telling think was most Connacht fans didn't like him.

On his Edinburgh days, First year League was terrible, H-cup semi final is whats keeping him in his job at present, but to be honest, coming top of a group with Blues, London Irish and Racing Metro, was maybe a bit misleading. London Irish are near bottom of Prem, and Blues have slipped back as well, neiter were that good last year. Racing Métro only won one game. The only real result for Edinburgh was the away win in France and away to LI maybe.
Q final beating Toulose was a very good result, but for me Edinburgh had a good run last year, but they only really had 2 good results.

This year not good in League terrible in Europe.

For me beating Toulouse has kept Bradley in a job the other results, (asisde from away to racing metro) have either gone as expected or badley.


Edinburgh have some good players, and a desent squad, and should be going better overall over last 2 years.

IE Aim should have been/be top 6 in league both years,
H-cup Q-final last year, in running for play off spot this year.

of the 4 aims, Edinburgh overdelivered in one, and well underdelivered in the other 3.

InjuredYetAgain wrote:It was in the local rag tonight that, unless Edinburgh score 20 odd points next week, we are officially the worst team ever to "grace" the HC stage. Well done, boys - take a bow. We certainly justified our 2nd seeding. The only reason that we didn't get another total pumping on Sunday was because of Munster's shortcomings (and that certainly isn't having a go at Munster) - for 70 minutes we never even looked liked troubling the try line again.
This must be the worst performance fall-off from one season to the next
I know this isn't really opening a topic up to constructive comment (especially if schizoid's nursing staff let him near a keyboard) but i just needed to get this off my chest.
At least the 6N training squad suitably reflects Edinburgh's play although I am a bit surprised Tonks has been overlooked.

If it's any consolation my Ulster might actually hold that particular accolade.

Winners in 99. European Champions!!!!

Winless in 2000. Played 6 lost 6 scoring an impressive 4 tries in total.

Brendan wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:It started when their forwards got manshamed by us in pre-season ...and it hasnt got any better...

To be fair you are destorying the championship and I think that your team would be ahead of Sale, Irish and probably Welsh. Ae you disapointed with Bristol this year who should have been giving you a challagne. All will you go all league and playoffs by winning every game?

Actually we had a good laugh with all the Edinburgh fans when they came down...was a fun night.
Many actually commented that we played very well BUT it was a second string Edinburgh and their first pre season game.
Has Chunk been playing...cos as ive said before he was woeful...got taken apart that night...and resorted to the old verbal and argueing tactics...
Also you had some massive second rows for that game...yet they didnt seem to use their size...has that been a similar trait this season?
The guy who did impress me was either your 6 or 8..cant remember but what a physical guy he was...really looked the part..

I think the championship is poor mate (although there are some very talented and physical players that would be excellent aquisitions to many top flight sides both in the Rabo or English Prem). Bedford have been given a couple of hidings...Bristol have been poor...as have many of the others. As long as we dont mess up in the Play offs we'll be fine...and a much stronger side than went down.

Geordie, I think the Championship is about where it always is it's just that your guys are outstandingly better than the norm. Deano has a squad playing like an AP team and would be competitive even now. Edinburgh are like Sale, in meltdown, in need of a top flight coach and a clear vision of where they want to be. It took way too long for Falcons to make the hard decision and if it hadn't been for Deano becoming available I'm not sure if they would have. This is the first time in an eternity that Falcons has managed to bring together the 3 crucial things, money, coach and squad. Edinburgh like Sale need to do the same but neither look likely to do it.

Geordie - Chunk has been playing since Yapp got injured. He's not been too bad, but the next loosie in the pecking order after Chunk is a chap called Robin Hislop, a prop with only two settings: reverse and collapse.

Can't remember who played against Newcastle but it may be Grant Gilchrist you're refering to as the lock who doesn't punch his weight. You're right. He's a fine prospect but doesn't influence matters enough for such a big lad.

What's really ruined us this season are (a) mass rotation, and (b) not grasping the basics, things like restarts, lineouts and basic decision making, like clearing lines when in your own 22. We have conceded record points from situtations which on their face don't look dangerous, turning no pressure into opposition points.

It's been a long season.

Saw this article and thought it was a WUM and was preparing to lay my MOD smack down on the perpetrator, and then I saw it was written by Injured....and then I read the content....and had a wee cry.

First of all I think the title is a bit harsh - Edinburgh aren't the worst ever team to grace the HK, but they sure as hell are having one of the worst ever seasons. I know we keep harking on about it but I think it is harsh to call last year's semi-finalists the worst team to ever grace the HK.

Anyway that is a truly awful record, and one I can't see us avoiding away to Sarries.

What has happened this year? Yes we have a lot of new signings but the majority of the players playing week in week out were also playing last year.

O'Gara kicked four penalties and two conversions .....
.....and an Edinburgh player.
Now now ROG, don't kick a man when he is down.

I actually think that they might win this weekend. But might be blinded by my team needing them to win.

I see alot of players not happy with a big fat zero and have no presure and the 6 N is coming up. As a result they will throw off the shakles and win.

or Sarries will do them for 50 could go either way.

Just out of curiousity what has been the scores after 20 mins in the HC games. seems like they are out before they even get going.

In the Rabbo this season have generally looked pretty good in the last 10 minutes and finished well – it is just a shame the 70 minutes before it were so bad! There’s been numerous instances where we’ve shipped 3 or even 4 tries in the first half and had a valiant but futile 2nd half fight back.

The first two games of the HK were a complete write off though – literally no positives.

The two games against RM were very close affairs generally, but we were still poor.

Munster recently was definitely our best performance – we started well and had an excellent last 10 minutes, it’s just a shame we weren’t great in between!

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/top-rugby-stories/rugby-edinburgh-out-to-avoid-an-all-time-low-1-2736134

Cheers for that.
Well sad to say that it looks like Edinburgh will make 'history' this weekend...

Well the next Rabo game at Murrayfield is against Cardiff.

If we lose that we should take up a different sport!

InjuredYetAgain wrote:,,,,,,,,,,,,Bradley is a good coach though. His record with international A teams is very impressive. Maybe he should stick to international sides?

in other words, players with ability and a good attitude. No wonder he is struggling at Edinburgh.[/quote]

If he was a good coach he would have built on last year. A group of players that had a good HC run has been strengthened but are now playing badly. The players have not become crap overnight. the international and club coaches must carry most of the blame for the loss of form. its clear in large part it is in the players heads and a part of the coaches job is to get the mental preparation right - along with selection ( Bradley fail) and gameplan ( Bradley fail)

Its not the players fault if the coach mucks up

I'm wondering what the Edinburgh side might look like during the 6 Nations.

1.Yapp 2.Titterall 3.Nel 4.VDW 5.Cox 6.Basilia 7.Grant 8.Talei 9.Rees 10.Francis 11.Sep Visser 12.Atiga 13.Cairns 14.Fife 15.Tonks

16.Hislop 17.Walker 18.Niven 19.Parker 20.McInally 21.Leck 22.Hunter 23.Jones

That's actually a decent side when you consider the absentees. Edinburgh should be targeting some Rabo points during the 6 Nations period.

Hopefully we can finish the season above Zebre!

On paper that is a decent team, but you just never know! Should definitely aim to pick up some wins though, especially the Welsh teams whose squads will be decimated due to all the international call ups due to all the injuries

The very first thing that the SRU need to do is give Billy McGinty the boot, our defense has been utterly woeful for the last two seasons. Currently 2nd worst in the league and were the worst last season by 20+ points but frustratingly we're still scoring points, 3rd most so far this season. Surely that is the criteria his performance is judged against, over that length of time it can't simply be player error.

Gary Mercer is still employed by the SRU and considering Glasgow had the best defense in the league last year, his talents may be better utilised away from the U16s. It's impossible to really tell what the Edinburgh team are actually like when they're shipping 25 points every week.

Beyond this season there obviously needs to be a change of coach, preferably someone who'll give the players hell if they don't perform. Would like to see Mercer involved in the coaching team.

I do think there’s a big performance from Edinburgh waiting to come out somewhere, and I think when we finally do it is going to be a big win – either a close shock win over a top team, or a pumping of a team more on our level.

I genuinely think the players are very frustrated and angry at how things are going and there’s a real desire to start winning again. The guys are clearly hurting and, although talk is just talk, reading things like Nick De Luca saying he is putting in extra analysis work to try to help the boys really helps. It does strike me as being a bit contrived when the entire squad give a shoutout to the fans on Twitter all at the same time, but at least they are doing these things.

I don’t think we’ll beat Sarries, and Munster away in the Rabbo might be a tall order just now too, but I really do hope we give the Blues a good pumping when we play them at home! We beat them away at the start of the year and they are going to be decimated by Wales call-ups so there won’t be a better opportunity.

Our last few games in the league are against Zebre, Connacht, Treviso and the Dragons so there’s every chance we’ll hopefully end the season on a high, with mid-table respectability, and give the guys something to build on for next season.

I think I remember you saying the same around the Ulster game, and we agreed that it was coming but away to Ulter would be to much home to Ospreys would be it, and yous won Edinburgh 23-13 Ospreys,

Think your right again, Saracens and Munster away will have to much, Blues are likley going to be it, also 7th spot will be tight.

Only thing is with Edinburghs run in, is all those teams will be looking at Edinburgh as a winnable team as well.

If we somehow manage to come above Zebre, Connacht, Dragons, Treviso and maybe even the Blues by the end of the season then that would be a decent achievement considering how bad a year we have had.

It is maybe a long shot to come above all of the teams mentioned, but it is maybe something worth aiming for.

Well hopefully the big win comes this week.

RDW_Scotland wrote:I do think there’s a big performancejobby from Edinburgh waiting to come out somewhere, and I think when we finally do it is going to be a big win yin – either a close shock win over a top team, or a pumping of a team more on our level

Fixed that for you, RDW, no charge

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:I do think there’s a big performancejobby from Edinburgh waiting to come out somewhere, and I think when we finally do it is going to be a big win yin – either a close shock win over a top team, or a pumping of a team more on our level

Fixed that for you, RDW, no charge

Tell us about recent form at the Chiefs ASBO. How have they been getting on in their last few games?

funnyExiledScot wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:I do think there’s a big performancejobby from Edinburgh waiting to come out somewhere, and I think when we finally do it is going to be a big win yin – either a close shock win over a top team, or a pumping of a team more on our level

Fixed that for you, RDW, no charge

Tell us about recent form at the Chiefs ASBO. How have they been getting on in their last few games?

pls enlighten my as to how that's relevant to this thread? Seriously I struggle to see where a good performance is going to come from for Edinburgh, unless you subscribe to the laws of mean reversion in rugby I.e. they must be due a performance at some point? I can understand your frustration as a supporter, but what about the Chiefs? Same points in the AP as last year and about to go into a period which favours us given lack of participation in 6Ns, and two wins in the Heino at the first attempt ~ I'll take that alright

Btw, I hope my comments serve as a jinx and that the good times roll - I'll happily eat my words then

I was simply asking an innocent question. You know me! No malice intended at all.....

You didn't answer it though. I think the answer you were looking for involves the word "crushed".

I'm actually not sure you can understand my frustration as an Edinburgh fan. They are going to write books about us Edinburgh fans you know - supporting Edinburgh is an extreme form of self-inflicted torture. It's akin to volunteering to be subjected to the latest chemical weapons humankind can devise - except rather than getting paid, like blood donors in the US, we actually pay for it, and through the nose if you choose to purchase from the grim "Pimp my Burger", an overpriced burger stall near the East Stand - no doubt flogging as much horsemeat as they can get away with.

When I purchased my season ticket I had no idea that the main costs would be (i) shrink fees and prosac to cope with depression, and (ii) stomach pumping and colon surgery to remove the undigestable slop washed down by the sparkling bottled sewage on offer.

Can we send you some industrial strength weed to dull the pain? I'm sure someone must be growing some?

funnyExiledScot wrote:I'm actually not sure you can understand my frustration as an Edinburgh fan. They are going to write books about us Edinburgh fans you know - supporting Edinburgh is an extreme form of self-inflicted torture. It's akin to volunteering to be subjected to the latest chemical weapons humankind can devise - except rather than getting paid, like blood donors in the US, we actually pay for it, and through the nose if you choose to purchase from the grim "Pimp my Burger", an overpriced burger stall near the East Stand - no doubt flogging as much horsemeat as they can get away with.

When I purchased my season ticket I had no idea that the main costs would be (i) shrink fees and prosac to cope with depression, and (ii) stomach pumping and colon surgery to remove the undigestable slop washed down by the sparkling bottled sewage on offer.

I remember when we used to say the same things about Ulster! Except I don't think I ever tried the food in those days... even that has been improved.

Tennent's and Zantac do the trick for me.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Can we send you some industrial strength weed to dull the pain? I'm sure someone must be growing some?

I'll ask Tim Visser. He defends like he smokes industrial strength weed.

And he's Dutch. How terribly racist.

For shhhure.