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.

[Majestic83]

Scot Newlands has a very Scottish name and would be a good addition. Just guessing at that from your clue RDW.

Won't be newlands. He has left top14 club Oyonnax and joined d2 club Carcassonne. 2 year contract I think. Unlucky to be leaving Oyonnax but it's down to the foreigner rule & Oyonnax having to many according to the French press.

[funnyExiledScot]

Sorry no on this occasion, I only get dribbles rather than full on leaks these days.

Im sure Asbo has some pants that can help you with that....

  

[funnyExiledScot]

Bresler plus McKenzie would be fantastic. Might even renew my season ticket if true!

[R!skysports]

Bresler plus McKenzie would be fantastic. Might even renew my season ticket if true!

Looking forward to them coming over to Glasgow, after you have broken them in for us   

[EWT Spoons]

Sounds like McKenzie is pretty much on his way

Edinburgh Rugby have held talks with Scotland A second row, Fraser McKenzie about a return to BT Murrayfield.


McKenzie, 26, a member of the last extended World Cup squad but as yet uncapped, left four years ago for Sale Sharks and moved on to Newcastle Falcons. He is believed to have a year of his contract to run on Tyneside.

Meanwhile, former Royal High and Edinburgh Accies youth utility forward Andy Cramond has signed a development contract with European champions Toulon while stand off Ben Chalmers (Melrose), also a member of Scotland’s latest under-20 squad, has signed a similar deal with Bordeaux-Begles, who are in Edinburgh’s European Challenge Cup pool. Chalmers is the son of ex-Scotland and Lions stand off Craig.

[RDW]

Andy cramond signed for Toulon?? He was playing for my rugby team last season before he went off to uni and Aberdeen grammar!

[EWT Spoons]

Any good?

[RDW]

Very good, but didn't think he was tall enough to be a pro 2nd row. Also not sure what this means for the degree he's half way through!

He was playing senior rugby in the 2nd row when he was in 6th year!

[nickj]

Its official. Fraser McKenzie has come back.

[VinceWLB]

Good. Hope Bresler will be confirmed soon as i think he is really the one who will add something.

[RDW]

If he can get back to the form he was in prior to leaving Edinburgh he'll be a real asset. Big enough for a lock for athletic and skillful enough for the back row.

Just watch these highlights to show how good a player he was for us before leaving.  He's direcly involved in 3 tries at least (number 5)



How good were those tries?? I miss that Edinburgh way of playing - we'll score 4 amazing tries, but our defence will be so bad the opposition score 5!

Starting to get a bit concerned about the lack of Bresler news though - if he does sign then 2nd row will have suddenly become a position of strength for us.

Gilchrist and Bresler first choice with Atkins and McKenzie fighting it out for the bench.  Toolis brothers carrying on developing and getting the odd chance over the season.

[Nematode]

Got to say, you'd have thought ER would have wanted to have made a bigger commotion over signing a SQ player! They had me fooled.

Remember that hit he put in on Denton pre-season?



1:10 ^

[RDW]

To be fair they didn't give any prior notice when Heathcoat signed - just announced it out of the blue!

[RDW]

He's a big fecker too if his stats are to be believed

Fraser Rolland McKenzie (26), lock
Born: 28 March 1988 in Dunfermline

Height: 1.98m (6ft 6in)

Weight: 119kg (18st 10lb)

Shame he's a Fifer though - can't be having too many of then tainting our squad!   

[VinceWLB]

Got to say, you'd have thought ER would have wanted to have made a bigger commotion over signing a SQ player! They had me fooled.

Remember that hit he put in on Denton pre-season?



1:10 ^

That was quite a hit! even though borderline shoulder charge!

Looking forward to him putting down some big hits with Edinburgh   

[Nematode]

I think we need someone who's not afraid to be a bit rough in the Scotland set up as Swinson doesn't seem to have been able to take his abrasiveness to international level.

Just wonder why this wasn't announced a week ago. Surely someone like McKenzie would have been better to send out as flanker cover than Tyrone Holmes?

[funnyExiledScot]

Why is that Nematode?

Holmes is a flanker and McKenzie is a lock. I would have thought therefore that Holmes would be better cover at flanker......

[RDW]

To be fair, given that we only had 3 second rows and 3 back rows in the squad, someone who could play second row and blindside would have been preferable to someone who was a specialist openside!

[funnyExiledScot]

McKenzie is no more a blindside flanker than Tim Swinson. Just because a coach is stupid enough to play him out of position at club level, does not mean that he's a genuinely versatile international player.

[RDW]

I know, but desperate times call for desperate measures and all that, so if the likes of Swinson gets injured would you rather have someone like McKenzie filling in at 6 or have 2 small opensides on each flank??

Anyway it is a moot point, as he's not been called up! I suspect he's not played rugby for a long time too (neither has Holmes).

[Majestic83]

McKenzie is no more a blindside flanker than Tim Swinson. Just because a coach is stupid enough to play him out of position at club level, does not mean that he's a genuinely versatile international player.

McKenzie is actually a pretty handy blindside. Played a lot of his rugby at 6 for Edinburgh when he was there before and played a bit at Sale and Newcastle there too. Probably a better 2nd row as they have bulked him up from his earlier Edinburgh days but still can do a good shift there.

[funnyExiledScot]

It is a moot point, but to answer your question I'd have Holmes and Fusaro on the flanks every day of the week and twice on Sundays ahead of some lumbering second row filling the gap. Not least because a front row of Euan Murray, Ross Ford and Gordon Reid isn't screaming mobility at me.

[Majestic83]

Very good, but didn't think he was tall enough to be a pro 2nd row. Also not sure what this means for the degree he's half way through!

He was playing senior rugby in the 2nd row when he was in 6th year!

Seen him play a few times for Grammar but didn't seem to get a lot of game time this season with them. Certainly seems to be a good size for a 2nd row these days, was probably about 6"5 6"6 and looked pretty bulky, would guess he was over the 17st mark.
Sounds like a similar deal as to what Adam Sinclair is on at Perpignan.
I'm surprised neither Glasgow or Edinburgh have taken him on their books. Done really well out there with their Espoirs team and seems to be one of the key players. In the first team for this coming season so should be a good testing ground playing in the 2nd tier and will ceratinly help toughen him up!

[RDW]

Very good, but didn't think he was tall enough to be a pro 2nd row. Also not sure what this means for the degree he's half way through!

He was playing senior rugby in the 2nd row when he was in 6th year!

Seen him play a few times for Grammar but didn't seem to get a lot of game time this season with them. Certainly seems to be a good size for a 2nd row these days, was probably about 6"5 6"6 and looked pretty bulky, would guess he was over the 17st mark.
Sounds like a similar deal as to what Adam Sinclair is on at Perpignan.
I'm surprised neither Glasgow or Edinburgh have taken him on their books. Done really well out there with their Espoirs team and seems to be one of the key players. In the first team for this coming season so should be a good testing ground playing in the 2nd tier and will ceratinly help toughen him up!

Not quite sure why Toulon have taken him on, especially given they would probably have had the choice over pretty mcuh any 2nd row in the junior world cup, but fair play to him if it's true and good luck to him!

He's not said anything on Facebook yet and, given the level of rugby journalism normally present in the Edinburgh Evening News (Bill Lothian actually asked Mark Dodson whether the BT Murrayfield stadium would have to be renamed if Scotland became independant   ), I'll wait until I hear it first hand.

And here was me hoping he'd come back to my rugby team after his studies!

[funnyExiledScot]

McKenzie is no more a blindside flanker than Tim Swinson. Just because a coach is stupid enough to play him out of position at club level, does not mean that he's a genuinely versatile international player.

McKenzie is actually a pretty handy blindside. Played a lot of his rugby at 6 for Edinburgh when he was there before and played a bit at Sale and Newcastle there too. Probably a better 2nd row as they have bulked him up from his earlier Edinburgh days but still can do a good shift there.

He's a different player now. Much heavier and less mobile.

I've seen very few examples of players who can genuinely play lock and flanker, and yet idiotic coaches seem to think they are bulking up the pack by sticking a lock in the back row, or adding mobility by bunging a flanker in at lock, as some kind of tactical genius.

Andre Venter, Abdelatiff Benazzi.....any others?? Tim Rodber maybe - moved to lock when he became too slow to play 6, although never really cut it at lock for me. Chris Jones started out ok at 6 but bulked up to lock - I don't think he could ever genuinely play both at the same time to the required level. Iain Henderson looks to be a better lock to me than flanker. James Gaskell plays both positions at Sale but I don't personally think he's particularly useful in either slot.

I can tell you a few not on that list: Jason White (at lock), Nathan Hines (at 6), Joe Launchbury (at 6), Courtney Lawes (at 6), Jonathan Thomas (at lock), Martin Corry (at lock), Fabian Pelous (at 8), ......some good examples of supposed versatility that just doesn't work at international level. The locks are just too slow for the modern back row, and the back row not heavy enough or too short to play lock to the highest level.

[RDW]

McKenzie is no more a blindside flanker than Tim Swinson. Just because a coach is stupid enough to play him out of position at club level, does not mean that he's a genuinely versatile international player.

McKenzie is actually a pretty handy blindside. Played a lot of his rugby at 6 for Edinburgh when he was there before and played a bit at Sale and Newcastle there too. Probably a better 2nd row as they have bulked him up from his earlier Edinburgh days but still can do a good shift there.

He's a different player now. Much heavier and less mobile.

I've seen very few examples of players who can genuinely play lock and flanker, and yet idiotic coaches seem to think they are bulking up the pack by sticking a lock in the back row, or adding mobility by bunging a flanker in at lock, as some kind of tactical genius.

Andre Venter, Abdelatiff Benazzi.....any others?? Tim Rodber maybe - moved to lock when he became too slow to play 6, although never really cut it at lock for me. Chris Jones started out ok at 6 but bulked up to lock - I don't think he could ever genuinely play both at the same time to the required level. Iain Henderson looks to be a better lock to me than flanker. James Gaskell plays both positions at Sale but I don't personally think he's particularly useful in either slot.

I can tell you a few not on that list: Jason White (at lock), Nathan Hines (at 6), Joe Launchbury (at 6), Courtney Lawes (at 6), Jonathan Thomas (at lock), Martin Corry (at lock), Fabian Pelous (at 8), ......some good examples of supposed versatility that just doesn't work at international level. The locks are just too slow for the modern back row, and the back row not heavy enough or too short to play lock to the highest level.

We not getting into this a bit too much since the question was whether he would have been useful as emergency cover for the SA game given 30 players were unavailable??   

[funnyExiledScot]

Possibly, but having seen Scotland under successive coaches using players out of position, often without any need to do so and usually to catastrophic effect, I'm not going to suggest it under any circumstances.

[RDW]

Possibly, but having seen Scotland under successive coaches using players out of position, often without any need to do so and usually to catastrophic effect, I'm not going to suggest it under any circumstances.

But you were suggesting playing Holmes out of position on the blindside?   

[funnyExiledScot]

Switching flanks is quite different to switching from back row to second row......but you knew that   

[RDW]

Switching flanks is quite different to switching from back row to second row......but you knew that   

It is my opinion that an athletic 2nd row could be a good emergency stopgap at 6 if required, but if you play two small openside flankers against SA you are going to get a horsing.

  

  

[Majestic83]

Very good, but didn't think he was tall enough to be a pro 2nd row. Also not sure what this means for the degree he's half way through!

He was playing senior rugby in the 2nd row when he was in 6th year!

Seen him play a few times for Grammar but didn't seem to get a lot of game time this season with them. Certainly seems to be a good size for a 2nd row these days, was probably about 6"5 6"6 and looked pretty bulky, would guess he was over the 17st mark.
Sounds like a similar deal as to what Adam Sinclair is on at Perpignan.
I'm surprised neither Glasgow or Edinburgh have taken him on their books. Done really well out there with their Espoirs team and seems to be one of the key players. In the first team for this coming season so should be a good testing ground playing in the 2nd tier and will ceratinly help toughen him up!

Not quite sure why Toulon have taken him on, especially given they would probably have had the choice over pretty mcuh any 2nd row in the junior world cup, but fair play to him if it's true and good luck to him!

He's not said anything on Facebook yet and, given the level of rugby journalism normally present in the Edinburgh Evening News (Bill Lothian actually asked Mark Dodson whether the BT Murrayfield stadium would have to be renamed if Scotland became independant   ), I'll wait until I hear it first hand.

And here was me hoping he'd come back to my rugby team after his studies!

Just had a quick look through some of the french press and they are saying that Crammond has signed for Toulon, 2 year contract by the looks of it to play for their Espoirs and train with the first team. Same sort of contract that sinclair had at Perpignan and Bennett had at Clermont. Great chance for him to learn from some of the best 2nd rows ever in Bakkies and Ali Williams.
Also spotted that Adam Sinclair has left Perpignan and gone to Albi to play for their first team.

Think there could be quite a few more young scottish players heading out to France to play Espoirs rugby as a few of the Academy managers out there are Scottish. Neil McIlroy at Clermont, Phil Fitzgerald is involved at Toulon and Scott Murray is coach at one of the teams in France too.

[Majestic83]

Switching flanks is quite different to switching from back row to second row......but you knew that   

It is my opinion that an athletic 2nd row could be a good emergency stopgap at 6 if required, but if you play two small openside flankers against SA you are going to get a horsing.

  

  

Yep i would agree, would prefer to see an athletic 2nd row playing at 6 against South Africa rather than have 2 small opensides. If we have fusaro and Holmes at 6 and 7 we will be completely smashed of the park.

[reallybored]

Good signing from Edinburgh, always liked the look of McKenzie and thought it was the wrong decision to let him go to Sale.

So how's the squad looking for Edinburgh right now? I haven't the foggiest who's in and who's left.

Still think Edinburgh are lacking quality at 13, any of the youngsters likely to fill that gap? Auld, Dean, Tait?

[funnyExiledScot]

The Bok flankers for the weekend look likely to be Coetzee and Kolisi. Neither of these guys are monsters.

Coetzee is 6ft3 and 16st 10.
Kolisi is 6ft1 and 15st 13.

Holmes is 6ft1 and 16st 1.
Fusaro is 5ft11 and 15st.

McKenzie is 6ft6 and 18st 10.

Clearly Harley starts at 6 and Fusaro at 7, but in the event of having to choose between Holmes or McKenzie as back row cover, given the likely starters for the Boks this weekend, I'd certainly pick Holmes, even if it meant him having to cover 6.

We have Gilchrist and Gray starting at lock, with Swinson on the bench. If we need another lock then by all means call up McKenzie.

[BigGee]

The Bok flankers for the weekend look likely to be Coetzee and Kolisi. Neither of these guys are monsters.

Coetzee is 6ft3 and 16st 10.
Kolisi is 6ft1 and 15st 13.

Holmes is 6ft1 and 16st 1.
Fusaro is 5ft11 and 15st.

McKenzie is 6ft6 and 18st 10.

Clearly Harley starts at 6 and Fusaro at 7, but in the event of having to choose between Holmes or McKenzie as back row cover, given the likely starters for the Boks this weekend, I'd certainly pick Holmes, even if it meant him having to cover 6.

We have Gilchrist and Gray starting at lock, with Swinson on the bench. If we need another lock then by all means call up McKenzie.

Mckenzie is not in the equation for this weekends match and is not going to get the call now, so not sure why he is involved in the debate. I think that Swinson, Gray and Gilchrist should all start, along with Harley and Fusaro. That is a choice based as much as anything on fitness to play, as I can't believe that Holmes is at all match fit after a lay off and a holiday. Ashe is fit but do we really want to risk such an untested player.

For what it is worth I doubt Mckenzie is in any state of fitness either!

[funnyExiledScot]

The discussion around McKenzie was a hypothetical question BigGee, not a realistic scenario. A bit like independence.

In answer to your question: do we want to risk Adam Ashe? I would, if for no other reason that the fact that he's the only specialist number 8 available, and I have a hunch that the South Africans might turn up the heat at the scrum. Control of the ball at the back of the scrum will be crucial, and that requires a player who plys his trade at number 8 in my opinion.

[VinceWLB]

Imo Fusaro is too small for international rugby, let alone against a South Africa pack that will maul you to death.

[funnyExiledScot]

Imo Fusaro is too small for international rugby, let alone against a South Africa pack that will maul you to death.

I'm inclined to agree, but as the best 7 available to play in this match for Scotland, he starts.

[George Carlin]

Can someone remind me again why John Barclay isn't on this tour?

[RDW]

Shoulder surgery

[funnyExiledScot]

I'll bet Stuart McInally is sitting at home questionning his move to hooker. Having McInally available to play number 8 on Saturday is looking pretty good right now.

John Barclay needs to get himself fully fit for next season, so Scotland can then ignore him properly. Why pick Barclay at 7 when you have Kelly Brown? You could of course play them both at the same time, but I really can't see that working......

[George Carlin]

Two bits of Warriors related stuff:

1. USA international Folau Niua has moved on after his short term injury cover deal.

2. Club ligind, Mr Sideburns himself Daniel Arthur Parks has retired from the pro game.

[George Carlin]

Perhaps also time to mention the new kids starting next season:
 
Elite Development Players aligned to Edinburgh Rugby:
 
Props: Rory Sutherland* (Gala), Callum Sheldon* (Queen Elizabeth School/Newcastle Falcons) and Ewan McQuillin (Gala).
 
Hooker: Jake Kerr* (George Watson’s College/Watsonians).
 
Back-row forwards: Ally Miller* (George Watson’s College/Watsonians) and Magnus Bradbury (Boroughmuir).
 
Scrum-halves: Alex Glashan (Edinburgh Accies) and Hugh Fraser*(Merchiston Castle School).
 
Centre: Chris Auld (Gala).
 
Wing: Ben Robbins* (George Watson’s College).
 
Full-back: Ruaridh Howarth*(Galashiels Academy/Gala).
 
Elite Development Players aligned to Glasgow Warriors:
 
Props: D’arcy Rae (Ayr), Zander Fagerson* (Glasgow Hawks) and Cameron Fenton* (Strathallan School/Howe of Fife).
 
Hookers: Fergus Scott and James Malcolm* (both Ayr).
 
Locks: Andy Redmayne (Glasgow Hawks), Scott Cummings* and Andrew Davidson* (both Kelvinside Academy/Glasgow Hawks).
 
Back-row: Tommy Spinks* (London Scottish) and Matt Smith* (Stirling County).
 
Scrum-half: Ali Price (Stirling County).
 
Stand-off: Gavin Lowe (Glasgow Hawks).
 
Centres: Jack Steele and Neil Herron (both Glasgow Hawks)
 
Full-back: Glenn Bryce* (Doncaster)
 
*Denotes new player for season 2014-15
 
In terms of the newbies, I am delighted that we landed Tommy Spinks, a real star for the future and young tight head Zander Fagerson, who apparently lifts freakishly large weights in the gym for a 18 year old (according to Ross Miller, Glasgow Hawks head coach). D'Arcy Rae has also been showing up well with the U20s, although as an Ayr player he is, of course, hugely overrated.

Can Maj, Vince or any of our other spies on the Scottish club game tell us more about any of the others?

[nickj]

I wonder who the two additional guys they're bringing in on EDPs at Edinburgh will be?

Perhaps Sean has been doing a bit more digging in New Zealand?

We could certainly do with unearthing Conrad Smith's younger and more talented younger.

[funnyExiledScot]

D'Arcy Rae has also been showing up well with the U20s, although as an Ayr player he is, of course, hugely overrated.

  

[RDW]

Edinburgh announcing another signing this morning - surely bresler?

Also hinting that there won't be many more.

[funnyExiledScot]

Assuming we do sign Bresler, I'm not sure we actually need many more players. We could swap some duff ones for some good ones, but in terms of numbers we have a pretty large squad and cover in most positions now.

Prop: Nel, Dell, Berghan, Dickinson, McQuillan, Blaauw
Hooker: Hilterbrand, Ford, McInally, Cochrane
Lock: Gilchrist, Bresler, McKenzie, Toolis x2, Atkins
Backrow: Du Preez, Leonardi, Coman, Grant, Watson, Denton, Ritchie
Scrum Half: Hidalgo-Clyne, Hart, Kennedy
Stand-off: Heathcote, Tonks, Bezzy
Centre: Strauss, Scott, Auld, Dean, Dominguez, Beard
Wings: Visser, Farndale, Hoyland, Fife
Fullback: Cuthbert, Brown

[RDW]

Still not convinced by our backups to Nel, but top class tightheads aren't overly easy to come by. We had one in Cross, but apparently didn't need him.

Still thibk we need a 13, but again good ones are hard to come by.

Really looking forward to seeing Allan Dell in action. Captained the Bok under 20s to win the world cup, and is a big raw boned laddie.

Hoping for big things from him!

[nickj]

RDW is Dell a tighthead?

[RDW]

Think they said he can cover both, but he's very much a loosehead from what I've seen.

I prefer props to be specialists - think they have to spend a lot of time perfecting technique on one side of the scrum.

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