Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread III

[George Carlin]

First topic message reminder :

Historical Banter:

https://www.606v2.com/t48240-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread
https://www.606v2.com/t51313-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-ii
 
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
 
Fri 20 Dec 19:35
Edinburgh Rugby 11 - 6 Leinster
 
Thu 26 Dec 15:05
Edinburgh Rugby 16 - 20 Glasgow Warriors
 
Wed 1 Jan 18:05
Glasgow Warriors P - P Edinburgh Rugby
 
Sat 15 Feb 17:00
Connacht Rugby 11 - 7 Edinburgh Rugby
 
Sat 22 Feb 14:30
Scarlets 25 - 21 Edinburgh Rugby
 
Fri 28 Feb 19:35
Edinburgh Rugby 31 - 25 Ospreys
 
Fri 21 Mar 19:45
Edinburgh Rugby 3 - 9 Ulster Rugby
 
Sat 29 Mar 19:00
Benetton Treviso 20 - 16 Edinburgh Rugby
 
Thu 3 Apr 18:30
Newport Gwent Dragons 19 - 23 Edinburgh Rugby
 
Fri 11 Apr 19:45
Edinburgh Rugby 22 - 29 Cardiff Blues
 
Sat 19 Apr 15:30
Zebre 26 - 13 Edinburgh Rugby
 
Sat 26 Apr 19:05
Glasgow Warriors 37 - 34 Edinburgh Rugby
 
3. 2013/2014 Season - Final Games
 
Sat 3 May 17:00
Edinburgh Rugby v Munster Rugby
Meggetland
BBCALBA/TG4
 
Sat 10 May 18:30
Leinster Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby
Royal Dublin Society
 
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
 
Fri 20 Dec, 19:35
Glasgow Warriors P - P Benetton Treviso
 
Thu 26 Dec 15:05
Edinburgh Rugby 16 - 20 Glasgow Warriors
 
Wed 1 Jan 18:05
Glasgow Warriors P - P Edinburgh Rugby
 
Sun 9 Feb 14:00
Glasgow Warriors 8 - 6 Connacht Rugby
 
Sat 15 Feb 18:30
Cardiff Blues 20 - 27 Glasgow Warriors
 
Sun 23 Feb 14:30
Newport Gwent Dragons 24 - 23 Glasgow Warriors
 
Sat 1 Mar 20:30
Leinster Rugby 28 - 25 Glasgow Warriors
 
Sat 22 Mar 18:30
Glasgow Warriors 14 - 6 Scarlets
 
Fri 28 Mar 19:35
Glasgow Warriors 11 - 9 Ospreys
 
Fri 4 Apr 19:35
Glasgow Warriors 29 - 10 Benetton Treviso
 
Sat 12 Apr 18:30
Munster Rugby 5 - 22 Glasgow Warriors
 
Fri 18 Apr 19:35
Glasgow Warriors 27 - 9 Ulster Rugby
 
Sat 26 Apr 19:05
Glasgow Warriors 37 - 34 Edinburgh Rugby
 
3. 2013/2014 Season - Final Games
 
Fri 2 May 20:00
Benetton Treviso v Glasgow Warriors
Stadio Monigo
Mediast/ALBA
 
Sat 10 May 18:30
Glasgow Warriors v Zebre
Scotstoun Stadium
 
[16/17/18 May
PO Semi Final
[tbc] v [tbc]
Venue TBA]
 
[Sat 31 May
PO Final
[tbc] v [tbc]
Venue TBA]
 
***
 
Any and all patter about these teams is welcome.
 
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]

Marginally less irritating than SUFTUM. Strange that the 2 teams I follow most after Edinburgh are the 2 with the worst supporting chants?

[George Carlin]

All this talk of Glasgow being a cocky side is interesting, because I wouldn't say that I agree. I honestly think that Ulster and Glasgow are very low key for sides that have played fairly well all season (not brilliantly though, on the Glasgow side) and I have never heard either Anscombe or Toonie produce a back-slapping or ridiculous interviews. Both of these sides win matches on the back of their defence. Glasgow has a very modest ground by Rabo standards - Scotstoun is a third of the size of Munster's second ground, Musgrave - and their website is simple and non-bombastic.

Other than the inevitable sledging from Glasgow fans on these boards, are they really a team to dislike? I think that Glasgow are a lot of neutral's 'second team'.

Such a lawyer!!

My take on it is that the Glasgow fans are fast adopting a "Welshness" to their own team, with every player starting at "world class" and then moving up a few gears thereafter. Some of the abuse us Edinburgh fans have been subjected to for merely pointing out that Al Kellock is probably less good than Victor Matfield very much mirrors the "there's only one "Dan" in world rugby, and that's Dan Biggar" brigade on the Welsh boards. How long before Tom Jones appears at Scotstoun I wonder, dressed as a stem of hogweed or giant bottle of Hooch (not sure what the Glasgow equivalent of a daffodil would be....can flowers survive in Glasgow?).

Still, Glasgow are my second team....and I'm very grateful that there's a club in Scotland able to win the odd game    

  Thanks, colleague. You're lucky it wasn't even more caveated than that.

I admit that it doesn't take a big leap to go from the 'Dear Green Place' to the 'Green Green Grass of Home'...

[RuggerRadge2611]

I want the weagies to do well. Edinburgh are my team, despite not being posh enough or rich enough to live their.

It's rare they let scummy Fifers into the stadium, especially if they aren't wearing Tweed.

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

I want the weagies to do well. Edinburgh are my team, despite not being posh enough or rich enough to live their.

It's rare they let scummy Fifers into the stadium, especially if they aren't wearing Tweedtheir serving uniforms.

Fixed that for you, Radge, no charge cos its you

[justified sinner]

Radge have a spare tweed cap if that helps?

[tigertattie]

I want the weagies to do well. Edinburgh are my team, despite not being posh enough or rich enough to live their.

It's rare they let scummy Fifers into the stadium, especially if they aren't wearing Tweedtheir serving uniforms.

Fixed that for you, Radge, no charge cos its you

   best post of the day goes to Mr ASBO

In connection to this, can one of you emoticon making types PLEASE make a tweed cap wearing smiley?

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

I think when it comes down to it all Glasgow/Edinburgh supporters have the other as their second team. That must be right?

Surely then it goes all the irish teams, then the italians, then no-one.  

Hmmm, I'm pretty sure 21st Schizoid and Jimbopip would sooner support the David Cameron Invitational Select XV, compiled in order to raise money for landowners in the home counties, than confess to having any inkling towards supporting Edinburgh!

I draw the line at that old boy. I was one of the thousands of Glasgow rugby folk who came through to cheer on the MFLs v Toulouse. Great day - unfortunately you have been on the slide ever since. Any mention of Cameron here means pass the sick bag btw !

The rivalry comes from perceived years of favouritism (real or imagined) from the SRU towards Edinburgh - doesn't help that you are at M'field with The Bufties ! That and the rather gentile, woeful and depressing atmosphere that you generate at The Library (Sounds like Meggatland is worse ffs - how is that possible). Your travelling support - fES and RDW - are as audibly (and numerically !) challenged as applause at a George Osbourne anti- Scottish propaganda announcement.   

[justified sinner]

Just for you C21 http://caurnie.com/epages/950000822.mobile/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950000822

[IanBru]

I think it's really easy to confuse pride and enthusiasm with cockiness. We're proud of our players and enthusiastic in our support for them. I don't think we're cocky, if only because we go into most of our matches with a cloud of gloom over our heads - really I'm only optimistic about one upcoming match, and that's on 26 April!     As far as being 'Welsh'... well that's just below the belt in any context!

As far as 'sledging' and banter towards my Eastern brethren is concerned, I hope people realise it's always a sort of faux-hostility because it's just fun to be a little bit tribal at times - honestly, it's mostly for the crowd! I happily support Edinburgh in all of their games (well, apart from two), I just don't get emotionally crippled when they lose - I can't afford to!  

[Guest]

I think when it comes down to it all Glasgow/Edinburgh supporters have the other as their second team. That must be right?

Surely then it goes all the irish teams, then the italians, then no-one.  

Spot. On.

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

I think it's really easy to confuse pride and enthusiasm with cockiness. We're proud of our players and enthusiastic in our support for them. I don't think we're cocky, if only because we go into most of our matches with a cloud of gloom over our heads - really I'm only optimistic about one upcoming match, and that's on 26 April!     As far as being 'Welsh'... well that's just below the belt in any context!

As far as 'sledging' and banter towards my Eastern brethren is concerned, I hope people realise it's always a sort of faux-hostility because it's just fun to be a little bit tribal at times - honestly, it's mostly for the crowd! I happily support Edinburgh in all of their games (well, apart from two), I just don't get emotionally crippled when they lose - I can't afford to!  

[jimbopip]

I like Ian Bru's idea of faux-hostility. Interestingly our eastern brethren usually take in it good humour until they look at the league tables and realise we are the ones with something to smile about.
Flowers in Glasgow? Of course there are. Partick Thistle.
Fes, RDW I genuinely regret the fact that I won't be up for the forthcoming slaughter of the effeminates as I would love to have a pint with you and hear how next season everything will be different.

[tigertattie]

next season is going to be an Edinburgh/Glasgow 1 and 2 in the league!

just dunno who will be first and who will be second!!!

[jimbopip]

next season is going to be an Edinburgh/Glasgow 1 and 2 in the league!

just dunno who will be first and who will be second!!!

Well, you're half right there Tattie.
Unless points are added for artistic interpretation and elegance a la dressage then I think the MFL will be down among the dead men by Christmas, again.

[tigertattie]

Maybe not at the top but I'm expecting a top 6 finish for us next season.  Solomons will have a more settled squad and we wont have the utter shocker of a season start that we had this year.

PS Edinburgh to win the home leg of the cup next year too

[cakeordeath]

Maybe not at the top but I'm expecting a top 6 finish for us next season.  Solomons will have a more settled squad and we wont have the utter shocker of a season start that we had this year.

PS Edinburgh to win the home leg of the cup next year too

I am slightly concerned the wheels are starting to come off at Edinburgh. They seem to have played extremely poorly in the 2 out of the last 3 games. I really hope they aren't reverting to type.

[tigertattie]

I think solomons needs to grasp the concept of player rotation. Not to the extent of Bradly mind! Just give Nel a rest every now and then.

I think the hunger of Edinburgh has fallen away of late. Its almost as if the players are jsut regarding this season as a write off.

Hopefully next season will see the fire returning to their bellies and a better start to the season could spur them onto better things at the sharp end of the year

[jimbopip]

Tattie, Lester Piggott in his heyday couldn't spur that lot on.
As for giving Nel a rest: I understand that the good Doctor Cross isn't too shabby in the scrummaging department.  

[Weegie Wizard]

Obviously there are players in the Edinburgh squad who have not had much rest but that seems to be because Solomons didn't rate quite a few of the players he has available. Given the performances of Edinburgh last year I think he has that right.

The results over the last couple of games have not been that great but it is easy to forget the difference in performances to last year, particularly in defence.

6th place and euro qualification seems beyond them for this season which is a shame. However, if you show even close to the same level of improvement next year then you will be looking to progress in the new Amlin and challenging for more than 6th in the Rabo.

Maybe winning in the 1872 is stretching a bit too far though...

[jimbopip]

Like the scout in the Seventh Cavalry who says , "I don't like it....it's a bit too quiet." I don't like the sound of Luvvies munching loudly on humble pie. It does not auger well for next week.  

[TJ]

Edinburghs issues have been lack of players in some positions - injuries, suspensions, etc have meant 3rd choice SH on the wing etc etc

[George Carlin]

I think that anything Edinburgh can get out of this season is a bonus.

Solomons always had this season written off as a test balloon and there's nothing wrong with that.

The Battle of Thermopylae had fewer people in attendance than one of Edinburgh's Monday morning training sessions and I fully expect half of the squad to be culled according to Solomon's desires and a number of new players brought in - I would think one third Saffer, two thirds SQ.

[tigertattie]

Obviously there are players in the Edinburgh squad who have not had much rest but that seems to be because Solomons didn't rate quite a few of the players he has available. Given the performances of Edinburgh last year I think he has that right.

The results over the last couple of games have not been that great but it is easy to forget the difference in performances to last year, particularly in defence.

6th place and euro qualification seems beyond them for this season which is a shame. However, if you show even close to the same level of improvement next year then you will be looking to progress in the new Amlin and challenging for more than 6th in the Rabo.

Maybe winning in the 1872 is stretching a bit too far though...

never said we'd win the cup, said we'd win the home leg  

[BigGee]

Rumours of Jacko heading off to Wasps next season starting to buzz around!

Would be a pretty good move for him if that was to happen, Wasps are not a bad side with a pretty good coaching set up and they like to chuck the ball about a bit. It would suit his style. A change of scenery, who knows he may yet fulfill his potential. Hugo Southwell did pretty well down there when most thought he was a spent force.

[RDW]

Solomons blames the players' lack of conditioning for the poor performance against the Blues

EDINBURGH coach Alan Solomons reckons his players are not well enough conditioned to be competitive on a weekly basis in the RaboDirect Pro12 – and the South African has vowed to put that right over the summer so that there can be no excuses for failing to produce the goods on a consistent basis next season.

The capital outfit suffered what looks certain to be a terminal blow in their quest to qualify for top-flight European rugby next season when they were bullied to a 22-29 home defeat by Cardiff Blues last Friday night.

Solomons recognised that his players looked jaded, which is a major concern given that the team had an eight day lay-off before the match, and should have come into the game on a high after a morale boosting victory at Newport Gwent Dragons in their previous outing.

“When you play rugby you’ve got to be between 90 and 100 per cent of your potential, and we were between 80 and 90. They played really, really well while we were just a little bit off colour, and we paid a high price for that,” he said.

When asked if he could explain why his team had been so flat in a match of such importance, Solomons did not hesitate in pointing his finger at the fitness levels of the players he inherited, while also stressing that some of the recruits he has brought in during the last few months are now feeling the pace having not had a break since the start of last season’s southern hemisphere season.

“I am not happy with the conditioning of this team and obviously that conditioning took place during the course of pre-season. There are also a number of key players in this team who are playing back-to-back seasons, which is the way it operates when you come from one hemisphere to another,” he said.

“This side is not conditioned – that’s it. But they will be conditioned next year. They will be conditioned in a way that will allow them to front up physically every single week,” he added.

Solomons arrived in Scotland from his native South Africa two weeks before the start of the current campaign because he was committed to seeing out his contract as director of rugby with the Southern Kings Super Rugby franchise – and it has clearly been a bit of a culture shock to the 63-year-old.

“They are not in the same league,” he replied, when asked to compare the conditioning levels between the team he has left and the team he has joined.

“You have to back-up games – week-in and week-out – so that’s where it plays a major role, and that’s where it is tough for the boys. In South Africa, we didn’t have any stars in that Kings side, we hardly had any players who had played Super Rugby, but the conditioning programme that we put them through into the start of the season made all the difference,” he explained.

“In that league we had ten games in a row including going to Australia and New Zealand. We went on tour and played the Crusaders, then played the Hurricanes, then played the Brumbies, then played the Rebels, and then went straight back home and played the Bulls. That gives you an idea of the massively high level you are trying to play week-in and week-out. If you equate Super Rugby to top flight Heineken Cup, you are playing 16 matches in total with ten of them being back-to-back. Now, in order to cope with that you have to be appropriately conditioned, and that made the difference for us.”

It is clear that conditioning was not the only area Solomons found in need of urgent attention when he eventually arrived in the Scottish capital.

“When we first came here nobody had any idea about the systems and structures we were bringing in. There was no kicking game here, the attack system was different, the defence system was completely different – so there was a lot of new things had to be brought in,” he explained.

“I arrived here two weeks before the competitive season started, Omar [Mouneimne, the defence coach] arrived as the competitive season started, our strength and conditioning trainer the week that the competitive season started – so that made it very difficult. You’ve got to realise that this is a unique situation. I have never come across a situation like this in my career and I’ve coached for a long, long time.

“Next season is a little bit different because we’ve had an opportunity to deal with the recruitment and retention of players, we’ll have the opportunity to plan our off-season and our pre-season. That will be a big help, and allow us to introduce that element of rotation we need in order to keep players fresh, while maintaining that fine balance so that we also have consistency in selection.’

Solomons added that he doesn’t believe that the fact that Edinburgh are now almost certain to be excluded from Europe’s top competition next year will have a detrimental effect on his ability to entice players of the appropriate calibre to the club during the summer.

“Our recruitment is pretty close to being done, so that has no impact at all,” he insisted, before refusing to be drawn on how many players we can expect to arrive during the next few months, and what positions they are likely to occupy.

I'm not sure I fully agree with this, as I can't see how Edinburgh's strength and conditioning can be so different from other pro clubs and so far behind.

He's certainly ruling out excuses for himself next season if we perform badly, given that he will have had the pre-season that he has been banging on about all year.

Also, he says how much fitter the Kings were but they came bottom of the Super XV!!

[Dorothy_Mantooth]

Glasgow apparently announcing a new signing today.

[Majestic83]

Solomons blames the players' lack of conditioning for the poor performance against the Blues

EDINBURGH coach Alan Solomons reckons his players are not well enough conditioned to be competitive on a weekly basis in the RaboDirect Pro12 – and the South African has vowed to put that right over the summer so that there can be no excuses for failing to produce the goods on a consistent basis next season.

The capital outfit suffered what looks certain to be a terminal blow in their quest to qualify for top-flight European rugby next season when they were bullied to a 22-29 home defeat by Cardiff Blues last Friday night.

Solomons recognised that his players looked jaded, which is a major concern given that the team had an eight day lay-off before the match, and should have come into the game on a high after a morale boosting victory at Newport Gwent Dragons in their previous outing.

“When you play rugby you’ve got to be between 90 and 100 per cent of your potential, and we were between 80 and 90. They played really, really well while we were just a little bit off colour, and we paid a high price for that,” he said.

When asked if he could explain why his team had been so flat in a match of such importance, Solomons did not hesitate in pointing his finger at the fitness levels of the players he inherited, while also stressing that some of the recruits he has brought in during the last few months are now feeling the pace having not had a break since the start of last season’s southern hemisphere season.

“I am not happy with the conditioning of this team and obviously that conditioning took place during the course of pre-season. There are also a number of key players in this team who are playing back-to-back seasons, which is the way it operates when you come from one hemisphere to another,” he said.

“This side is not conditioned – that’s it. But they will be conditioned next year. They will be conditioned in a way that will allow them to front up physically every single week,” he added.

Solomons arrived in Scotland from his native South Africa two weeks before the start of the current campaign because he was committed to seeing out his contract as director of rugby with the Southern Kings Super Rugby franchise – and it has clearly been a bit of a culture shock to the 63-year-old.

“They are not in the same league,” he replied, when asked to compare the conditioning levels between the team he has left and the team he has joined.

“You have to back-up games – week-in and week-out – so that’s where it plays a major role, and that’s where it is tough for the boys. In South Africa, we didn’t have any stars in that Kings side, we hardly had any players who had played Super Rugby, but the conditioning programme that we put them through into the start of the season made all the difference,” he explained.

“In that league we had ten games in a row including going to Australia and New Zealand. We went on tour and played the Crusaders, then played the Hurricanes, then played the Brumbies, then played the Rebels, and then went straight back home and played the Bulls. That gives you an idea of the massively high level you are trying to play week-in and week-out. If you equate Super Rugby to top flight Heineken Cup, you are playing 16 matches in total with ten of them being back-to-back. Now, in order to cope with that you have to be appropriately conditioned, and that made the difference for us.”

It is clear that conditioning was not the only area Solomons found in need of urgent attention when he eventually arrived in the Scottish capital.

“When we first came here nobody had any idea about the systems and structures we were bringing in. There was no kicking game here, the attack system was different, the defence system was completely different – so there was a lot of new things had to be brought in,” he explained.

“I arrived here two weeks before the competitive season started, Omar [Mouneimne, the defence coach] arrived as the competitive season started, our strength and conditioning trainer the week that the competitive season started – so that made it very difficult. You’ve got to realise that this is a unique situation. I have never come across a situation like this in my career and I’ve coached for a long, long time.

“Next season is a little bit different because we’ve had an opportunity to deal with the recruitment and retention of players, we’ll have the opportunity to plan our off-season and our pre-season. That will be a big help, and allow us to introduce that element of rotation we need in order to keep players fresh, while maintaining that fine balance so that we also have consistency in selection.’

Solomons added that he doesn’t believe that the fact that Edinburgh are now almost certain to be excluded from Europe’s top competition next year will have a detrimental effect on his ability to entice players of the appropriate calibre to the club during the summer.

“Our recruitment is pretty close to being done, so that has no impact at all,” he insisted, before refusing to be drawn on how many players we can expect to arrive during the next few months, and what positions they are likely to occupy.

I'm not sure I fully agree with this, as I can't see how Edinburgh's strength and conditioning can be so different from other pro clubs and so far behind.

He's certainly ruling out excuses for himself next season if we perform badly, given that he will have had the pre-season that he has been banging on about all year.

Also, he says how much fitter the Kings were but they came bottom of the Super XV!!

Poor excuses starting to from Solomons. He has had 9 months where he could have put right conditioning problems. Also if he feels the players are too tired then why isn't he rotating them and playing the same week in week out.
Similar excuses to what he said when he went to the saints, luckily for them Solomons didn't hang around too long.

[RDW]

TO be fair there's a limit to the conditioning you can do when you've got a game every week.

In the first few months of the season they were apparently doing double training sessions to try to catch up, and the players were knackered.

Pressure is building on Solomons to have a good season next year - he will have the players he wants and will have done the preparation and conditioning he wants. If we are still bottom half of the table with a squad full of foreigners there will be a lot of unrest with the supporters.

Or is success next season (i.e. top 6) still a bit unrealistic given where the team has been the past few years?

[Dorothy_Mantooth]

Glasgow apparently announcing a new signing today.

Murray McConnell has signed from Ayr. Was with us when EDP but was constantly injured. Was a good prospect and is still only 22, hopefully can stay fit and get a proper go at the Pro game this time.

[TJ]

Getting in the top half of the league is the minimum requirement for solomans I think. He might get away with a close 7th or 8th. He will have no excuse if they play as poorly again next year as they have this and are firmly rooted amongst the also rans

[tigertattie]

He's had a whole season to find his feet.  Next year Solomons needs to be hitting a top 6 finish or the fans aint gonna be happy!

We have a decent enough pack with a good back row (when we play a 7 at 7)

We have decent 9's kicking about

We lack a quality 10 (but that doesnt stop glasgow doing well)

We have a great 12 (when he is played at 12)

We could do with a more proficent 13 (If glasgow aren't going to be using Bennett, he should come to us I say)

Visser will be on one wing and Fife is happy on the other

Tonks/Cuthbert at 15 makes for a reasonably solid fullback

A few tinkerings here and there and we'll have a decent team.  Could do with having better quality subs perhaps but its a reasonably good solid team

[RDW]

I'd happily take the Messiah with open arms if Richie V keep stealing his place - he was one of the best players at Melrose 7s.  Should have passed more often, but his power and pace was fantastic.

Horne/Dunbar at Glasgow

Scott/Messiah at Edinbrugh

Great for Scottish rugby

[Captain_Sensible]

Harley and Holmes have re-signed for Glasgow. Two-year contracts for both.

[Guest]

I think not coming 6th this year could do Edinburgh a world of good, because Solomons can aim for

A) CONSISTENT good standing in the Rabo. If they finish pushing for 6th with 1/2 matches to go I think that's good, because that's two seasons in a row pushing for 6th - look at where Edinburgh were in the Rabo the last 2 seasons. 6th and above is a bonus but obviously ought to be the target that's out there
B) Knock out stages of Amlin with a view to winning , yes winning it. Am I right in saying there's no drop down from the new Heineken now? The team that came 7th in the Rabo, i.e. the one to just miss out, should be challenging for that cup with the equivalent of the English and French leagues come the business end of the season.

^ That would be a very good season for Edinburgh.

I also agree - aim to win home leg of 1872; although that's equivalent to saying "we need to beat the big boys of the league at home" which is what you need to do to hit 6th and above.

[Guest]

For what it's worth Glasgow's target next season HAS to be knockout stages of Europe (for pete's sake) and Rabo play offs, with either a final berth in the former or winning the latter. That's a fair target given their last few years.

[RDW]

To be fair to Glasgow, actually having a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages with a couple of games to go would be a marked improvement in the Euro comp!   

  

[George Carlin]

Harley and Holmes have re-signed for Glasgow. Two-year contracts for both.

Harley was a given but I am really delighted that Sherlock has re-signed too. He's been quality whenever I've seen him and I can't see any other young Scottish openside of sufficient quality whose place he is taking. The likes of Blair Cowan and Tommy Spinks really aren't close at present and I'm guessing Rennie wants to stay under Andy Robinson's wing. A new deal was always on the cards when he got his Scotland A cap, but I'm very pleased that the deal is finally done.

McConnell has a lot of talent too - this was just a case of turning an EDP arrangement into a full time contract. Regular posters will know that as he plays for Ayr, FES will instantly dismiss him as both useless and overhyped simultanously*. ()

*A fate shared with Frazier Climo, George Hunter, Gordon Reid, Finn Russell and Mark Bennett.

[tigertattie]

to be fair to FES, only Finn Russell is currently getting regular Pro rugby game time!

[Captain_Sensible]

to be fair to FES, only Finn Russell is currently getting regular Pro rugby game time!

Reid has featured plenty for Glasgow this season. He was superb vs Munster.

[RDW]

Who is George Hunter?

[RDW]

to be fair to FES, only Finn Russell is currently getting regular Pro rugby game time!

Reid has featured plenty for Glasgow this season. He was superb vs Munster.

Although to be fair he is 27 so not really an underrated young pup...

[BigGee]

The Rabo is going to be even more competitive next year and getting into the top 6 would be quite an achievement and a big step up from where they are now. On current form you can't see past the big Irish three plus Glasgow and Ospreys as the top 5.

The battle for 6th should be between Scarlets, Connaught and Edinburgh, but you can't rule out Cardiff, who are a bit of a sleeping giant and even the Dragons, who seem to be quietly strengthening. The Italians, well who knows what they will be like next year.

Qualification for Europe is going to make it a very different league next year and hopefully a much better one that may not be so easy to read. Edinburgh could play much better than they have this year, making a significant improvement but finish further down, so I would not judge them only on league position.

Edinburgh really were a basket case last year and were never going to be turned around in a year. They have played better this year and have been competitive at times, especially in the HC games, but inconsistency remains and look to have faded a bit as the season ends.

Better performances, more consistency and to be challenging for the 6th/7th spot would still be a good improvement. Where they are in the league this year is probably as much a reflection on some of the other teams as it is on them. The other teams are likely to improve next year, Edinburgh are going to have to run to stand still.

[jimbopip]

Gee, Ben Atiga has been running flat out and standing still all season.

[BigGee]

Gee, Ben Atiga has been running flat out and standing still all season.

I have a feeling that next year it will be a case of Ben Who?

A good advertisement for not letting your career go west then thinking it will be easy to step up again. You don't get to many chances in professional sport. Probably a good example of where Edinburgh were with their mind-set when they signed him. 'Oh he has an All Black cap, so he must be good'. It would be a continued sense of improvement if they no longer make signings on reputation and actually know what they are getting. I sense that Solomans does that!

[funnyExiledScot]

to be fair to FES, only Finn Russell is currently getting regular Pro rugby game time!

Reid has featured plenty for Glasgow this season. He was superb vs Munster.

Although to be fair he is 27 so not really an underrated young pup...

Plenty fairness to fES - good work!

I'm still waiting for Frazier Climo to move from world class, as all Ayr players are, to the next level......

In all seriousness, I do feel that I've been proven wrong about Bennett. I did say, four years ago when ASBO and GC first suggested he be appointed Lions captain, that he would amount to nothing, whilst in fact he's amounted to very little, limited to the odd game here or there with the 2nd string and given a run out with the 7's side. Still, that's more than nothing.

Best move would be to send him to Edinburgh so he can play with the real Messiah (the bloke that scores tries and plays for Scotland....at 12) Matt Scott. That way he can learn with the best of the best, the elite.

[Captain_Sensible]

to be fair to FES, only Finn Russell is currently getting regular Pro rugby game time!

Reid has featured plenty for Glasgow this season. He was superb vs Munster.

Although to be fair he is 27 so not really an underrated young pup...

Plenty fairness to fES - good work!

I'm still waiting for Frazier Climo to move from world class, as all Ayr players are, to the next level......

In all seriousness, I do feel that I've been proven wrong about Bennett. I did say, four years ago when ASBO and GC first suggested he be appointed Lions captain, that he would amount to nothing, whilst in fact he's amounted to very little, limited to the odd game here or there with the 2nd string and given a run out with the 7's side. Still, that's more than nothing.

Best move would be to send him to Edinburgh so he can play with the real Messiah (the bloke that scores tries and plays for Scotland....at 12) Matt Scott. That way he can learn with the best of the best, the elite.

Played 21 times in a season and a half for Glasgow, with 16 starts. Scored five tries, and three penalties. He's played in key games such as the play off vs Leinster last season, and the HC game in Toulon this season. He's just turned 21.

Not bad, really. Certainly doing better than Alex Dunbar was at that age.

[George Carlin]

to be fair to FES, only Finn Russell is currently getting regular Pro rugby game time!

Reid has featured plenty for Glasgow this season. He was superb vs Munster.

Although to be fair he is 27 so not really an underrated young pup...

Plenty fairness to fES - good work!

I'm still waiting for Frazier Climo to move from world class, as all Ayr players are, to the next level......

In all seriousness, I do feel that I've been proven wrong about Bennett. I did say, four years ago when ASBO and GC first suggested he be appointed Lions captain, that he would amount to nothing, whilst in fact he's amounted to very little, limited to the odd game here or there with the 2nd string and given a run out with the 7's side. Still, that's more than nothing.

Best move would be to send him to Edinburgh so he can play with the real Messiah (the bloke that scores tries and plays for Scotland....at 12) Matt Scott. That way he can learn with the best of the best, the elite.

Played 21 times in a season and a half for Glasgow, with 16 starts. Scored five tries, and three penalties. He's played in key games such as the play off vs Leinster last season, and the HC game in Toulon this season. He's just turned 21.

Not bad, really. Certainly doing better than Alex Dunbar was at that age.

Now, now Captain - let's not bring facts into this.

Remember:

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

Terrific news re Harley and Holmes esp Bob Harley - awesome player who would tackle a tree if it was required for the cause.

[VinceWLB]

Yep great news re Harley and Holmes, Harley's ball carrying has massively improved and Holmes will always give 100%, he is very physical and this is just my opinion but he would be in my 1st choice back row with Bob Harley and Josh Strauss.

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

Agree completely Vince - although Chris Fusaro is a great wee 7 battler and grubber a rounder too !!!!

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