Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread

[George Carlin]

First topic message reminder :

A. Edinburgh
 

 
1. Pre-season
 
Fri 30 Aug 2013, 19:45
Edinburgh Rugby 15 - 5 Newcastle Falcons
 
Fri 23 Aug 2013, 19:30
Northampton Saints 24 - 6 Edinburgh Rugby
 
2. 2013/2014 Season - Played
 
Sat 7 Sep, 19:15
Munster Rugby 34 - 23 Edinburgh Rugby
 
Fri 13 Sep, 19:45
Edinburgh Rugby 16 - 13 Newport Gwent Dragons
 
Sat 21 Sep, 18:30
Ospreys 44 - 10 Edinburgh Rugby
 
Fri 27 Sep, 19:45
Edinburgh Rugby 9 - 22 Scarlets

Sun 6 Oct, 14:05
Cardiff Blues 29 - 12 Edinburgh Rugby

Fri 25 Oct, 19:45
Edinburgh Rugby 20 - 13 Benetton Treviso

Fri 1 Nov 19:45
Edinburgh Rugby 25 - 23 Zebre

Fri 22 Nov 19:05
Ulster Rugby 41 - 17 Edinburgh Rugby

Fri 29 Nov 19:45
Edinburgh Rugby 43 - 10 Connacht

3. 2013/2014 Season - Next 3 Games
 
Fri 20 Dec 19:35
Edinburgh Rugby v Leinster

Thu 26 Dec 15:05
Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors

Wed 1 Jan 18:05
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh Rugby

B. Glasgow
 

 
1. Pre-season
 
Sat 31 Aug 2013, 15:00
Exeter Chiefs 26 - 29 Glasgow Warriors
 
2. 2013/2014 Season
 
Fri 6 Sep, 19:35
Glasgow Warriors 22 - 15 Cardiff Blues
 
Fri 13 Sep, 19:05
Ulster Rugby 12 - 13 Glasgow Warriors
 
Fri 20 Sep, 19:35
Glasgow Warriors 12 - 6 Leinster Rugby
 
Fri 27 Sep, 19:30
Zebre 17 - 24 Glasgow Warriors
 
Sat 5 Oct, 18:30
Scarlets 12 - 17 Glasgow Warriors

Fri 25 Oct, 19:35
Glasgow Warriors 6 - 13 Munster Rugby

Sat 2 Nov, 17:00
Connacht Rugby 12 - 19 Glasgow Warriors

Fri 22 Nov, 19:35
Glasgow Warriors 8 - 23 Newport Gwent Dragons

Fri 29 Nov, 19:05
Ospreys 16 - 28 Glasgow Warriors

3. 2013/2014 Season - Next 3 Games
 
Fri 20 Dec, 19:35
Glasgow Warriors   v   Benetton Treviso

Thu 26 Dec 15:05
Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors

Wed 1 Jan 18:05
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh Rugby
 
Bearing in mind the above - what I'd like to know for each team is:
 
1. How is the season likely to go?
2. What are the teams' strengths?
3. What are the teams' weaknesses?
4. What can be done to improve matters for each team?
 
Any jingoism, sledging or graceless kicking of anyone whilst they are up or down will see posts deleted.
 
Be gracious and be constructive.

[justified sinner]

Sorry to distract you all with rugby, but there are some rumours flying abou the Interweb that Tiggers are interested in signing Dozer as  a replacement for Waldrom.

Probably just wishful thinking from Leicester fans, but would be a loss for us he's back to playing well this season and still only 23.

I can't recall how long he is contracted to Embra for, so ho likely he is to go this year?

[tigertattie]

The dimwits let him play on for 5 mins v Boks when he had strained cruciate ligament damage and guess what?   It pinged.   Negligent tossers !

eh. I trust there was some form of repercussions for the meical team here???

[TJ]

Sorry to distract you all with rugby, but there are some rumours flying abou the Interweb that Tiggers are interested in signing Dozer as  a replacement for Waldrom.

Probably just wishful thinking from Leicester fans, but would be a loss for us he's back to playing well this season and still only 23.

I can't recall how long he is contracted to Embra for, so ho likely he is to go this year?

I would be surprised if he went.

[RDW]

Think he's also got a year or two left in his contract I'm pretty sure

[Captain_Sensible]

Visser's out for 3-4 months, according to Embra's Twitter feed.

Disaster.

[TJ]

Buggeration

[IanBru]

Oh poopie.

Poopie,
poopie,
poopie,
poopie.

[TJ]

At least that stops one debate on selection. Hogg and visser out is a big blow tho for Scotland

[EWT Spoons]

Probably rules him out for the 6 nations (if it's 4 months)

[MacKnocked-on]

Really bad news for Scotland what with Hogg also being injured. Expect it now means Maitland at 15, Seymour on one wing and (Lamont?) on the other. Not a bad back three but we're down to the bare bones should somebody else get injured, inexperienced players like Tonks and Fife etc.

[TJ]

Seymour?

[MacKnocked-on]

Seymour?

Tommy Seymour

[George Carlin]

Duncan Taylor played full back for half an hour against Italy in July and also at the end of the Springbok match.

Would I be happier with 15 Tonks 14 Maitland 11 Seymour than with 15 Maitland 14 Seymour 11 Lamont? Hmm. Perhaps not, but it's a close run thing.

[MacKnocked-on]

Duncan Taylor played full back for half an hour against Italy in July and also at the end of the Springbok match.

Would I be happier with 15 Tonks 14 Maitland 11 Seymour than with 15 Maitland 14 Seymour 11 Lamont? Hmm. Perhaps not, but it's a close run thing.

Who's next in line should there be any more injuries? Considering we lost Joe Ansbro to injury earlier this year who could play wing and centre we're really struggling for strength in depth in the back three.

[Captain_Sensible]

Duncan Taylor played full back for half an hour against Italy in July and also at the end of the Springbok match.

Would I be happier with 15 Tonks 14 Maitland 11 Seymour than with 15 Maitland 14 Seymour 11 Lamont? Hmm. Perhaps not, but it's a close run thing.

Who's next in line should there be any more injuries? Considering we lost Joe Ansbro to injury earlier this year who could play wing and centre we're really struggling for strength in depth in the back three.

The next cabs off the rank would probably be Dougie Fife, Nikki Walker and Max Evans. In no particular order.

[tigertattie]

Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugo!

[George Carlin]

Duncan Taylor played full back for half an hour against Italy in July and also at the end of the Springbok match.

Would I be happier with 15 Tonks 14 Maitland 11 Seymour than with 15 Maitland 14 Seymour 11 Lamont? Hmm. Perhaps not, but it's a close run thing.

Who's next in line should there be any more injuries? Considering we lost Joe Ansbro to injury earlier this year who could play wing and centre we're really struggling for strength in depth in the back three.

The next cabs off the rank would probably be Dougie Fife, Nikki Walker and Max Evans. In no particular order.

McMatawalu or McVanDerMerwe would have been handy. Barry from Glasgow is also possible, actually.

On balance, it would have to be the Goblin, but surely we don't need to stoop that far.

[EWT Spoons]

Duncan Taylor played full back for half an hour against Italy in July and also at the end of the Springbok match.

Would I be happier with 15 Tonks 14 Maitland 11 Seymour than with 15 Maitland 14 Seymour 11 Lamont? Hmm. Perhaps not, but it's a close run thing.

Who's next in line should there be any more injuries? Considering we lost Joe Ansbro to injury earlier this year who could play wing and centre we're really struggling for strength in depth in the back three.

The next cabs off the rank would probably be Dougie Fife, Nikki Walker and Max Evans. In no particular order.

McMatawalu or McVanDerMerwe would have been handy. Barry from Glasgow is also possible, actually.

On balance, it would have to be the Goblin, but surely we don't need to stoop that far.

Noooooo!!!!!

[George Carlin]

Duncan Taylor played full back for half an hour against Italy in July and also at the end of the Springbok match.

Would I be happier with 15 Tonks 14 Maitland 11 Seymour than with 15 Maitland 14 Seymour 11 Lamont? Hmm. Perhaps not, but it's a close run thing.

Who's next in line should there be any more injuries? Considering we lost Joe Ansbro to injury earlier this year who could play wing and centre we're really struggling for strength in depth in the back three.

The next cabs off the rank would probably be Dougie Fife, Nikki Walker and Max Evans. In no particular order.

McMatawalu or McVanDerMerwe would have been handy. Barry from Glasgow is also possible, actually.

On balance, it would have to be the Goblin, but surely we don't need to stoop that far.

Noooooo!!!!!

I know. Don't think I don't know because I know.
I will set up a victim support group in the Murrayfield car park if he's selected.

[highland_scot]

From past experience, Johnno seems to rate the Squashed Goblin. Hopefully Cotter can whisper some sense in his ear. Saying that, I think he would be OK vs Japan but I don't think that his headless chicken habits are what we need vs the Saffers or Aussies.

Then again, I'm not overly enamoured with the other options either... Could we not have found a Samoan winger with a granny who once visited Scotland? Or we could call up our utility back replacement, big Richie Vernon!

[TJ]

I wonder if Vernon knows about his reputatio9n / the joke on him?

[Manky-Flanker]

Anyone watching Scotland playing Tonga just now at league? entertaining game so far.

[cakeordeath]

Anyone watching Scotland playing Tonga just now at league? entertaining game so far.

Which channel?

[Manky-Flanker]

Anyone watching Scotland playing Tonga just now at league? entertaining game so far.

Which channel?

Sorry dunno, I'm streaming it on the laptop.

[funnyExiledScot]

On the wing issue I think I'd probably go with a back three of Tonks, Maitland and Seymour, although I'd be perfectly happy with Maitland, Seymour and Taylor.

I'd like to see how Tonks gets on against Zebre on Friday. A strong performance could swing it, because thus far I've been more impressed with Maitland on the wing (where he's exceptional) than at fullback.

Not particularly excited about the prospect of Sean Lamont at 11. Lots of guts and passion, and he's a big tackler, but ultimately I don't think he's quick enough or skillful enough. I'd also not be too excited about Max Evans at 11, although I hear he's playing well on the wing for Castres this season.

I don't think there are any "bad" options here, but if we're serious about building for the future then I'd rather see Tonks or Taylor given a shot than Lamont or Evans, particularly against Japan.

[Pat_Mustard]

I'm less worried about the Visser & Hogg injuries than I would have been in previous years, we are now in a much better position to absorb injuries. The South Africa test this summer was a prime example of our ability to be competitive without our big names. We were missing Grant, Ford, MacArthur, Gray, Brown, Rennie, Barclay, Cusiter, Weir, Maitland, Visser and Hogg and maybe one or two I've forgotten, and we played the best rugby I've seen from a Scotland side in years. Not only does it mean we can cope with injuries to first choice players, but it also means we can drop players who underperform. I'm not a huge fan of someone like Max Evans but I also think he would look a lot better in the current Scotland side than he did playing outside the likes of Parks and Morrison. All in all I'm feeling pretty positive at the moment!

On the wing issue I think I'd probably go with a back three of Tonks, Maitland and Seymour, although I'd be perfectly happy with Maitland, Seymour and Taylor.

 
Agree entirely.

[funnyExiledScot]

On the depth point it's great that we can be missing Hogg and Murchie and still be able to choose from Maitland and Tonks as cover.

Rowen Shepherd, Kenny Logan or Derek Lee anyone??

We're still short in a couple of positions, but our back three options are as good as they've ever been as far as I can recall.

[tigertattie]

Kenny Logan was one of our most potent attacking weapons!

[funnyExiledScot]

Kenny Logan was one of our most potent attacking weapons!

Not at fullback he wasn't. More like one of the most potent attacking weapons for the opposition.

[tigertattie]

I was being sarcastic FES!

[RDW]

Tell you what, Visser is a massive blow for Edinburgh. I’ve gone from being relatively optimistic of a top 8/9 finish and picking up a few more wins in the HC, to thinking we’re going to struggle now.  Our backs haven’t looked sharp all season, and he guarantees you 4-5 tries a season just from his individual efforts and finishing ability alone – I can’t see any of our backup options being able to do that.

[funnyExiledScot]

I was being sarcastic FES!

Fair play. You can never be sure on these boards.....

I actually thought Logan was ok as a winger. When he was initially tried at fullback though it just didn't work at all.

[tigertattie]

Good news!

Ross Rennie is back

Edinburgh will win the Derby games now!

Bring it ya weegies

[funnyExiledScot]

Tell you what, Visser is a massive blow for Edinburgh. I’ve gone from being relatively optimistic of a top 8/9 finish and picking up a few more wins in the HC, to thinking we’re going to struggle now.  Our backs haven’t looked sharp all season, and he guarantees you 4-5 tries a season just from his individual efforts and finishing ability alone – I can’t see any of our backup options being able to do that.

Totally agree. He's our only top class finisher; Jones, Walker, Fife and Cuthbert aren't even close to being in the same league as Visser.

Our best hope is that Scott and De Luca find form playing in tandem and that Tonks starts taking more chances coming into the line.

[TJ]

Why is neither scottish game being televised this weekend?

[GLove39]

Attendance at the Sportsground tonight for the Connacht - Glasgow game is 4185 - about 1000 more than at Murrayfield last night

[tigertattie]

This is turning into a strange set up. Glasgow have a great defence but the attack is as sharp as asbo after a heavy night! Edinburgh are scoring tries but leak them like asbo's bladder after a heavy night!

Scotland selection is going to be interesting. Do we want to score tries or stop the other team scoring them? Both is preferred but can it be done?

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

Re crowd numbers - this (Connacht) is regarded as a good away trip for many Warrior fans as you always get a warm welcome and a splendid   Great to see DTH back on the scoresheet - our best winger by some distance.

[funnyExiledScot]

The crowd were pathetic for the Zebre game, but there were no away fans to swell the numbers. I only hope it's because the whole of Edinburgh have saved up to attend the AIs, and the Japan game in particular!

[RDW]

Not overly concerned by the poor crowd - freezing night, only zebre, and the top Edinburgh players not playing.

[TJ]

The poor crowd is a result of poor marketing / Zero promotion. I live in Edinburgh and there is nothing to be seen about any Edinburgh games anywhere. No information let alone any buzz.

[MacKnocked-on]

There should certainly be some promotional billboards around Haymarket and the West End. I feel that with the small crowds Edinburgh should play their games around various club grounds in the city until another venue (Raeburn Pl ?) is ready, there could be a great atmosphere at Myreside, Goldenacre etc

[TJ]

I feel very strongly they should be promoting this and doing whatever it takes to get much larger crowds. All tickets a fiver, kids go free, free teachers tickets to schools - anything to put bums on seats and to get folk in the habit of going

[justified sinner]

So does anyone think that with Rambo starting for Currie at the weekend, scoring and allegedly managing to throw straight occasionally and managing to hook the thing we might see him push above our other 17 hookers this year and actually get a game?

[jimbopip]

Rambo?

[George Carlin]

Rambo?

I am assuming this is Mr Stuart " I was once a loosie" McInally.

[funnyExiledScot]

So does anyone think that with Rambo starting for Currie at the weekend, scoring and allegedly managing to throw straight occasionally and managing to hook the thing we might see him push above our other 17 hookers this year and actually get a game?

If that report is true, particularly the throwing bit, he'll be in the 6 Nations squad as a hooker. He has two legs and can breathe, so that's him ahead of Dougie Hall then......

On a serious note, I was hugely impressed with Lutui against Zebre. He's an absolute tank in the loose, and his early hit on the Zebre winger was massive. I know he's both ancient and NSQ, but he doesn't half make yards and his body position when he goes into contact is excellent, really drives through the tackle.

Still, if McInally can sort his scrummaging, hooking and throwing (a huge "if"), then he'll clearly be a massive asset to have around the park.

[madmaccas]

'Edinburgh: Three forwards join English clubs on loan'

Ben Toolis, a 21-year-old Australian-born lock, has joined Premiership outfit London Irish for one month, while Robin Hislop and Alun Walker will play in the Championship.

Toolis, previously of Queensland outfit GPS Old Boys, signed for Edinburgh in August along with his brother, Alex.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24869398

Ouch! One brother kept and the other released (albeit on loan. That's gotta hurt.

[RDW]

Makes sense all round really, and they should be playing at a standard higher than Prem 1.

Suspect LI just needed one lock, and the Toolis brothers decided which one was up for it!

Suspect Hislop will be back pretty soon though if one of our LHs gets injured. In fact I'm surprised he's gone at all as we only really have Dikcinson and Blaauw.

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