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.

[RDW]

Former Ulster, Quins, Worcester and Exeter Chiefs prop John Andress!

Spent the last 3 seasons at Worcester, which isn't a great sign...

http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/14/05/21/signed-edinburgh-add-top-prop-options

[highland_scot]

Is he any good? He seems to have been around a fair number of clubs - journeyman or valuable experience?

[madmaccas]

He's 30, capped for Ireland A and signed on a 2 year contract - so this is more than likely his retirement club.

Pretty underwhelming. Bet they've paid him a packet.

[RDW]

And what we signing another tighthead prop for when Nel can play 80 minutes of every game all season?

[VinceWLB]

At 30 he must be around his prime for a prop, but still this is pretty disappointing when you consider who the other prop from Worcester without a club was.

[tigertattie]

Surely to goodness Geoff Cross is a better tight-head?

WTF is going on at Edinbokke?

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Sorry, fellas, but prepare to be disappointed - and if you think Hoggy has 'attitude', this one will open your eyes!! Terrible signing

[madmaccas]

Sorry, fellas, but prepare to be disappointed - and if you think Hoggy has 'attitude', this one will open your eyes!!  Terrible signing

You can't say that and not expand?!

[geoff998rugby]

Solomon would have known him as a youngster at Ulster

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Solomon would have known him as a youngster at Ulster

Whom he also left 'under a cloud' I thin it's fair to say, geoff?

[George Carlin]

Oh god. Grant Shiells is available and they sign this feller?
Really? Really, in a Jerry Seinfeld sense?

[highland_scot]

Oh god. Grant Shiells is available and they sign this feller?
Really? Really, in a Jerry Seinfeld sense?

But is Shiells not a LH and this guy TH>

[RDW]

Asbo - tell us all you know about this guy

[VinceWLB]

I thought there was a good chance Edinburgh would sign Euan Murray...

[funnyExiledScot]

Great, a completely average NSQ journeyman at the tail-end of his career. Fantastic replacement for Geoff Cross....

Dreadful business once again from Edinburgh.

[Guest]

This shows inherent narrow mindedness doesn't it? No need to sign that player instead of the other available Worcester prop just because you know him. Reminds me of Gatland..

[madmaccas]

Great, a completely average NSQ journeyman at the tail-end of his career. Fantastic replacement for Geoff Cross....

Dreadful business once again from Edinburgh.

To be fair though FES, how many top drawer players would want to join a losing team at the bottom of the Rabo? We can't compete with the French on dosh, the Irish on success or the English on profile. If you were a big name international why on earth would you choose Edinburgh?

Sucks but they're gonna have to put in the hard work building a culture and progressing gradually before anyone of note wants to get involved.

[RDW]

To be fair to the guy, I think he's a victim of bad timing - Edinburgh have recently announced something like 25 players leaving, including many well respected Scotland players liked by the fans, and this is the first guy they announce to replace such a void...

Edinburgh really need to get a decent player or two signed up and they should make them the first players they announce.  Or do you think they deliberately leave the higher profile players for nearer season ticket time?

[George Carlin]

Oh god. Grant Shiells is available and they sign this feller?
Really? Really, in a Jerry Seinfeld sense?

But is Shiells not a LH and this guy TH>

That's really, really not what I think we should be focussing on right now. Edinburgh isn't drowing in quality on either side of the scrum.

[madmaccas]

To be fair to the guy, I think he's just a victim of bad timing - Edinburgh have recently announced something like 25 players leaving, including many well respected Scotland players liked by the fans, and this is the first guy they announce to replace such a void...

Edinburgh really need to get a decent player or two signed up and they should make them the first players they announce.  Or do you think they deliberately leave the higher profile players for nearer season ticket time?

They probably should have done it in batches of 2/3 as they normally do for small signings.

Just a thought but how much excess cash must Solomons have available? He's let go a few big names with presumably BIG salaries (De Luca, Laidlaw, Cross, Atiga, Rennie, Jones etc) and the only expensive(ish) players left must be Visser, Scott, Ford, Tonks, Strauss, Walker, Culthbert, Denton, du Preez and Grant.

We've been told that Edinburgh and Glasgow are on the same budget (approx 4.5 - 5 million) which is in line with the Aviva. Let's say Visser, Scott, Ford and Denton are on £250k each approx equals around £1million. You'd expect the rest of the squad to be on around £80-£100k each on average totaling £2million.

That means there should be around 2 million in the kitty with which to get 10 players. A pretty healthy amount really.

[RDW]

I don't see money being an issue - relatively speaking - as has been mentioned earlier the real problem is selling the club.

The only selling point we seem to have is Alan Solomons (so more South Africans) or the promise of eventually playing for Scotland (see my original point regarding selling things!)

[AsLongAsBut100ofUs]

Asbo - tell us all you know about this guy

RDW, not much more than I've already said - came to Exe from Ulster 'under a cloud' when we were still a Championship side, he did ok for us in his first stint, but then he got picked up by Quins and that seemed to go to his head, altho he seemed to do ok at the Stoop before returning to us as a Prem team, but he didn't seem overly keen on the competition for TH and again he left 'under a cloud' to go to Wuss, where he's been second fiddle behind Euan Murray

[demosthenes]

Great, a completely average NSQ journeyman at the tail-end of his career. Fantastic replacement for Geoff Cross....

Dreadful business once again from Edinburgh.

To be fair though FES, how many top drawer players would want to join a losing team at the bottom of the Rabo? We can't compete with the French on dosh, the Irish on success or the English on profile. If you were a big name international why on earth would you choose Edinburgh?

Sucks but they're gonna have to put in the hard work building a culture and progressing gradually before anyone of note wants to get involved.

Well, they could always sign them for Glasgow, and get 'loaned out' to Edinburgh...

[MacKnocked-on]

I agree this is a strange signing by Edinburgh, especially if Murray may have been available. Should Edinburgh not be looking to develop Berghan seeing as he is SQ? I know he's been on the bench a few times but not played yet, but I put that down to perhaps a lack of conditioning. Surely Solomons hasn't written him off already? Very worrying if Edinburgh aren't at least attempting to emulate Glasgow's almost entirely SQ squad.

[RDW]

Berghan has had gametime this year but has generally had his arse handed to him on a plate. Will reserve judgement though given that he was brought in early as emergency cover (since we gave Cross away) and clearly wasn't in shape.

[MacKnocked-on]

I agree this is a strange signing by Edinburgh, especially if Murray may have been available. Should Edinburgh not be looking to develop Berghan seeing as he is SQ? I know he's been on the bench a few times but not played yet, but I put that down to perhaps a lack of conditioning. Surely Solomons hasn't written him off already? Very worrying if Edinburgh aren't at least attempting to emulate Glasgow's almost entirely SQ squad.

Oh, and I should have added Ewan McQuillin in addition to Berghan as well, another SQ tighthead who Edinburgh need to be developing.

[madmaccas]

For anyone who is interested London Scottish have signed James Phillips from Exeter Chiefs and Fred Silcock from Jersey. With Neil Best and Mark Bright that makes a pretty handy backrow.

They've also signed Errie Claassens (brother of Michael) from Bristol.

[Mickado]

Who are the ladies in the above pictures? I'd like to know immediately, if not sooner.

[George Carlin]

Who are the ladies in the above pictures? I'd like to know immediately, if not sooner.

First page of the thread, Mick:

Just to pre-empt any questions, our city representatives this time are two of our better young actresses - Georgia King (born in Edinburgh) and Kirsty Mitchell (born in Glasgow). Just keeping it new and interesting.

[geoff998rugby]

Solomon would have known him as a youngster at Ulster

Whom he also left 'under a cloud' I thin it's fair to say, geoff?

He was a bit on the wild side it is true but Ulster were a joke then with a lot of pampered senior players who treated the up and coming players really badly.

Crap management off the field.
14 players walked out that year and I don't blame then - it took us a long time to recover from that.

[tigertattie]

is it Edinburgh that is ruining edinburgh or is it the SRU?

[Mickado]

Who are the ladies in the above pictures? I'd like to know immediately, if not sooner.

First page of the thread, Mick:

Just to pre-empt any questions, our city representatives this time are two of our better young actresses - Georgia King (born in Edinburgh) and Kirsty Mitchell (born in Glasgow). Just keeping it new and interesting.

A1.

  

I'm sure they both have lovely bottoms.

[RDW]

Right banter have started up the Hogg rumours again, saying he was spotted house hunting in Belfast last week.

Some guy commented on it saying he'd heard Hogg has been offered 180k.

Lots and lots of rumours, none of them substantiated yet!

[tigertattie]

I fully expect Hogg to leave Glasgow if he does not play in the final at the weekend!

I know it's all rumour, but there's no smoke without fire as they say!

[jimbopip]

See Glasgow are getting it all wrong , again!!!
What's the point in signing SQ players?
Why sign two wingers: one at the latter stages of his career ( who has just had an excellent season) and one at the beginning of his career (and could be a ready made replacement for the Schlongster)?
Where are the plodding Saffers , the obese Kiwis, the effete Englishmen with funny names?
Toonie you're not even trying.  

[Guest]

Anyone wondering, Lamont and Rory Hughes signed new contracts - two years and one year respectively : http://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/14/05/26/wingers-pen-new-glasgow-deals

[tigertattie]

Surely that contract will take Lamont up to retirement now?

[jimbopip]

The word from Scotstoun is that Schlong's contract is part funded by the WI. Apparently for ladies of a certain age watching him is cheaper than HRT, and just as effective too.

[tigertattie]

He is a handsome laddie

(thats what ASBO tells us anyway)

[GLove39]

Good to hear that Gregor Townsend has got a Schlong extension

[jimbopip]

Glove,      

[IanBru]

Good to hear that Gregor Townsend has got a Schlong extension

[cakeordeath]

New Edinburgh signing this morning, according to their twitter feed. I wonder if it will be as unimpressive as the last one?

[VinceWLB]

Hopefully it's the confirmation of Bresler's signing.

[funnyExiledScot]

Yeh, it needs to be Bresler. Our second row options aren't good enough (yet), and were Gilchrist to get injured next season we would be horribly undercooked in the boiler room.

I know we're not in a position to sign Whitelock, Bekker and Launchbury, and as pointed out above us Edinburgh fans should be realistic about our signings, but I stand by the principle that if a signing is to be NSQ, then there has to be a quality threshold which we don't dip/plunge below.

The criterion of being slighty better than the SQ alternative just doesn't cut it. Does anyone think Ben Atiga was better for Edinburgh than James King or John Houston? No, me neither.

[EWT Spoons]

Signing announced - Jamie Ritchie

From the Edinburgh site

Edinburgh Rugby are delighted to announce the signing of one the most highly-rated young talents in the Scottish game.

Scotland under-18 captain Jamie Ritchie has been contracted straight from school into the club’s senior squad, such is the promise exhibited by the Strathallan School pupil and Howe of Fife player.
Ritchie has represented the Caledonia region and Scotland at under-16 and U18, taking in two FIRA-AER European Championships (2013 and 2014), before being selected for this summer’s U20 squad for the Junior World Championships (JWC) in New Zealand, still aged 17.
Head coach Alan Solomons, said: “Jamie is an absolutely outstanding young player and prospect.
“The manner in which he handled himself when he met the squad and staff, and his ability to handle the physicality of our sessions during a short trial, confirmed to me that he is ready to make this step.
“Important to him, I believe, was to understand our vision, which is to build a club through the medium of our academy of young Scottish players.
“When you add this to our new-look leadership group, which includes Grant Gilchrist, Matt Scott and David Denton, you can see that we have a very strong  of Scottish players coming through.
“I think Jamie [Ritchie] understood this vision and believes the environment here at Edinburgh Rugby is best suited to realise his potential.
“We now have a strong group of fine young Scots coming through so that we could field an all Scottish under-23 squad, which is really, really exciting for the future of this club.
“Jamie is now going to be part of that, which I think is brilliant.”

Out-with rugby, the talented sportsman was also a silver medalist at the British judo championships in 2009, was British independent schools judo champion in 2010 and played 1st XV cricket at his school.
He is one of four young players from Scotland’s JWC squad signed into the club’s senior squad for the coming season, with centre Chris Dean and wings Damien Hoyland and Jamie Farndale also competing for selection on their return.
Ritchie said: “I’m delighted to sign and to be given this opportunity.
“I didn’t dream of being offered a senior contract so obviously that, combined with what Alan Solomons [head coach] has got planned for the club, makes it very exciting.
At Edinburgh Rugby there are a lot of experienced, home-grown and overseas players, creating a great environment for a growing base of young Scots to learn and improve.
- - Edinburgh Rugby back-row Jamie Ritchie.
“You couldn’t ask for more as a young player from Scotland, being surrounded by your countrymen in a club that has real potential to go places over the next couple of seasons.
“The club has a quality back-row with players like David Denton and Mike Coman in there as an experienced leaders to learn from. Having been a captain myself, it’s something I want develop in the future.
Making that first appearance will be really big for me. It’ll then be about pushing on and getting some good performances under my belt. It’s all in my plan and it’s about working hard through the stages.”

Jamie Ritchie (17), back-row
Strathallan School, Howe of Fife RFC
Born: 16/08/96 in Dundee
Height: 1.93m, weight: 101kg

[RDW]

Looks a promising player for the future, but can't understand why they'd give a 17 year old a full pro contract.

At almost 6ft 4 and 16st he's a huge lad for a 17 year old though and has the frame to grow into a pro back rower.

Suspect we won't see much of him for a year or two but one for the future.

[EWT Spoons]

Is slightly strange he’s gone straight into a pro contract, but clearly someone rates him and as RDW says, he’s a bit of a unit.

Would he be eligible for the McPhail scholarship or does it need to be EDP players who go on that?

[funnyExiledScot]

I am delighted that Solomons is talking up the importance of young Scottish players, and whilst this lad looks like one for the future rather than one for next season, I have no issues with Edinburgh pinning its colours to a bright prospect for the Scottish game. A full pro contract looks ambitious at his age (and in that position particularly) but I'd far rather a lad like this be the focus of our investment than another 28+ NSQ journeyman.

Hell, at 17 years of age old ASBO will be calling for him to play in the World Cup.....

[RDW]

In his Twitter bio he quotes 'if you're worried about not coming off the pitch you'll never get on' - sounds like he has a pleasing disregard for his own personal welfare!

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