Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread V - The Fun Continues

by IanBru Wed 03 Sep 2014, 8:45 pm

First topic message reminder :

Banter through the ages:

https://www.606v2.com/t48240-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread
https://www.606v2.com/t51313-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-ii
https://www.606v2.com/t53119-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-iii
https://www.606v2.com/t54519-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-iv

Well friends, the pre-season has come and gone, now things get real.

A. Edinburgh Rugby
Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread V - The Fun Continues - Page 16 Edinburgh-Festival-2011-Background1

Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread V - The Fun Continues - Page 16 Edinburgh-Festival-2011-Background1

1. Pre-Season

Edinburgh 10-11 Leicester Tigers
Edinburgh 21-15 Newcastle Falcons

2. Results
Munster 13-14 Edinburgh
Edinburgh 13-14 Connacht
Ospreys 62-13 Edinburgh
Edinburgh 20-20 Scarlets
Ulster 30-0 Edinburgh
Edinburgh 24-10 Newport Gwent Dragons
Bordeaux-Bègles 13-15 Edinburgh

3. Upcoming Fixtures

Friday 24 Oct 2014 - 19:45 (TBC)
Lyon (H) - European Rugby Challenge Cup

B. Glasgow Warriors

1. Pre-Season Results
Glasgow Warriors 23-24 Harlequins
London Scottish 19-38 Glasgow Warriors

2. Results
Glasgow Warriors 22-20 Leinster
Cardiff Blues 12-33 Glasgow Warriors
Newport Gwent Dragons 13-33 Glasgow Warriors
Glasgow Warriors 39 - 21 Connacht
Benetton Treviso 23-40 Glasgow Warriors
Ulster 29-9 Glasgow Warriors

3. Upcoming Fixtures

Sat 18 Oct 2014 - 15:15 (Live on BT Sport 2)
Bath (H) - European Rugby Champions Cup

Sat 25 Oct 2014 - 18:15 (Live on Sky Sports)
Montpellier Herault (A) - European Rugby Champions Cup

Any and all discussion of things rugby-related is welcome. Restaurant recommendations are openly sought. Introductions to eligible young people would be fantastic. Bullying, jingoism, and wang-measuring is not on.

We need to move forwards not backwards, upwards not forwards, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.

by Majestic83 Thu 20 Nov 2014, 12:28 pm

tigertattie wrote:Obviously you need to be careful with what you say in an ongoing court case! I've been told that Messers Grant and Wilson were in the wrong place at the wrong time and that they didn't assault anyone but were placed at the scene!

I had actually heard a different story at the time from a friend who was working at the SRU at the time. He was under the impression that the 2nd name you mention was the main culprit with the other 2 joining in once a few others had also joined in.
Glad to see the charges against Maitland have been dropped, met him a few times and he seems like a decent guy!

by demosthenes Thu 20 Nov 2014, 12:38 pm

Majestic83 wrote:
tigertattie wrote:Obviously you need to be careful with what you say in an ongoing court case! I've been told that Messers Grant and Wilson were in the wrong place at the wrong time and that they didn't assault anyone but were placed at the scene!

I had actually heard a different story at the time from a friend who was working at the SRU at the time. He was under the impression that the 2nd name you mention was the main culprit with the other 2 joining in once a few others had also joined in.
Glad to see the charges against Maitland have been dropped, met him a few times and he seems like a decent guy!

That was certainly the impression that was given.

by funnyExiledScot Thu 20 Nov 2014, 1:24 pm

Probably hacked off at being played at 6 by Scott Johnson. Frustration just got the better of him!

by **George Carlin** Thu 20 Nov 2014, 1:43 pm

funnyExiledScot wrote:Probably hacked off at being played at 6 by Scott Johnson. Frustration just got the better of him!

Yes, if the victim had a mullet and an Aussie drawl, that would explain quite a lot.

by funnyExiledScot Thu 20 Nov 2014, 1:53 pm

George Carlin wrote:
funnyExiledScot wrote:Probably hacked off at being played at 6 by Scott Johnson. Frustration just got the better of him!
Yes, if the victim had a mullet and an Aussie drawl, that would explain quite a lot.

I believe there's a carve out from the Criminal Justice Act in those circumstances......

by tigertattie Thu 20 Nov 2014, 4:59 pm

The criminal justice act should also have an ammendment to allow public flogging of "impressive Athletes" with blonde locks that cannot pass a rugby ball!

by **George Carlin** Sun 23 Nov 2014, 7:53 pm

Looking at Anscombe's first game tonight, surely that has to act as a note of caution for anyone thinking that Hardie and Robinson will merely arrive and set the very heather on fire.

I appreciate that Anscombe must be knackered after moving straight from a SH campaign to a NH campaign, but even so - everyone who has changed hemispheres talks about how different it is. Everyone needs time to adjust and not everyone adjusts well - WP Nel being the obvious example.

by **BigGee** Sun 23 Nov 2014, 8:06 pm

This is true, it was not a great debut, but that does not mean he is not a decent player, nor that he might go on to play for Wales. We saw the same with some of our recent imports, Nel and Strauss took a little while to find their feet, De Prerez faded badly at the end of the season.

Fortunately Scotland seem to be in a position where we are a little bit desperate than before. The days of Laney coming straight off the plane and into the squad are long gone and quite rightly so.

I am not saying that these players would not benefit us. If they are Scottish qualified and want to come and play here, I think that is great. People are not just going to walk into the Scotland team now though. Fortunately we are developing some decent players now and there is some competition. Let them come and take their chance, if they show that they are good enough to play for Scotland then pick them, you can't argue with that.

by **George Carlin** Mon 24 Nov 2014, 7:15 am

Next four games very winnable for Edinburgh:
- Zebre away
- London Welsh home
- London Welsh away
- Treviso at home

Should give them some momentum.

Before the Annual Slaughter of the Effeminates on December 27 and January 2, of course. Arf.

by **RDW** Mon 24 Nov 2014, 8:19 am

Zebre will probably be the hardest game out of the lot.

Given the number of players returned from injury hopefully we can will all those and set us up to at least be competitive with the great unwashed!

by tigertattie Mon 24 Nov 2014, 2:09 pm

I don't fear the soap avoiders!

by **George Carlin** Mon 24 Nov 2014, 2:41 pm

tigertattie wrote:I don't fear the soap avoiders!

Quite right. If we're being specific, then it's really the large number of points which we'll score against you that you should worry about.

It's not the fall, so much as the landing.

by funnyExiledScot Tue 25 Nov 2014, 9:44 am

Big talk GC, big talk.

Just you wait, the mighty Strauss and Coman are coming into a rich vein of form and have leadership qualities Big Al could only dream of....

by **George Carlin** Tue 25 Nov 2014, 10:29 am

For Christmas, I have asked Mrs GC to look out on Amazon for Coman's book "Saffer Leadership: How To Lead Whilst Doing Nothing In Particular" with a forward by Scott Johnson.

It has been well reviewed. The Cape Argus described it as "bewildering" with the Durban's Daily News calling it "horrendous" and "the new reason why I drink".

by funnyExiledScot Tue 25 Nov 2014, 1:57 pm

George Carlin wrote:

For Christmas, I have asked Mrs GC to look out on Amazon for Coman's book "Saffer Leadership: How To Lead Whilst Doing Nothing In Particular" with a forward by Scott Johnson.

It has been well reviewed. The Cape Argus described it as "bewildering" with the Durban's Daily News calling it "horrendous" and "the new reason why I drink".

I think I'll wait for the paperback edition.

That said I'm told the opening line is a classic: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that an underachieving Scottish pro side, must be in want of a over rated New Zealander".

by **RDW** Tue 25 Nov 2014, 2:43 pm

Bad news for Edinburgh and Glasgow - Blair Cowan has signed a deal with London Irish until 2018 (the end of his career basically).

He would have been a great asset, but is obviously happy with life down south.

Let's just hope they don't get feckin relegated! Luckily London Welsh are so crap...

by funnyExiledScot Tue 25 Nov 2014, 2:51 pm

That is a shame. Still, even if he had been offered to Edinburgh we'd have probably turned him down and sent him to Glasgow: "too good, Leonardi can cover 7 if needed".

by MacKnocked-on Tue 25 Nov 2014, 4:48 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:Bad news for Edinburgh and Glasgow - Blair Cowan has signed a deal with London Irish until 2018 (the end of his career basically).

He would have been a great asset, but is obviously happy with life down south.

Let's just hope they don't get feckin relegated! Luckily London Welsh are so crap...

Actually, given his playing stats in the league, it's perhaps a surprise that he hasn't had offers from one or two of the bigger clubs in England or even France?

by **RDW** Tue 25 Nov 2014, 5:34 pm

To be fair, he's probably fairly under the radar. He's late 20s, at a fairly unfashionable club, and only just broken through at international level really.

If he'd waited a few more weeks he might have found himself more in demand!

by funnyExiledScot Tue 25 Nov 2014, 5:59 pm

To be honest whilst I would have taken him at Edinburgh in a flash, with Hamish Watson and Roddy Grant on the books it isn't our weakest position, and I think Watson has the potential to really kick on. I'd also like us to monitor the Ross Rennie situation, and get him back at Edinburgh if his career at Bristol stalls.

by MacKnocked-on Tue 25 Nov 2014, 6:13 pm

funnyExiledScot wrote:To be honest whilst I would have taken him at Edinburgh in a flash, with Hamish Watson and Roddy Grant on the books it isn't our weakest position, and I think Watson has the potential to really kick on. I'd also like us to monitor the Ross Rennie situation, and get him back at Edinburgh if his career at Bristol stalls.

Of course Edinburgh are meant to be bringing John Hardie plus another SQ flanker over from NZ soon.

by **RDW** Tue 25 Nov 2014, 6:14 pm

Yeah good point on Edinburgh, but he'd definitely strengthen Glasgows back row and give competition to fusaro.

All academic now cause it's not happening!

by VinceWLB Tue 25 Nov 2014, 6:38 pm

He would have been a great signing for Glasgow, not so good for Edinburgh with the 2 players coming soon and Grant and Watson already on their books.

by **RDW** Wed 26 Nov 2014, 8:34 am

Update in the Scotsman on the Hardie situation - nothing groundbreaking though.

Scotland’s group of foreign rugby imports is poised to get bigger. Sources in New Zealand last night indicated that Edinburgh have already signed Otago flanker Hugh Blake, while the SRU are chasing Highlanders’ John Hardie. Both have represented New Zealand at age-grade level and qualify to play for Scotland through their grandparents.

Hardie, 26, is the much more experienced of the two, with 44 Super Rugby appearances under his belt. However, reports suggest that the SRU may have to bide its time if it wants him to don a dark blue shirt.

Murrayfield’s original plan was to have Hardie in situ with Edinburgh Rugby in time for the recently finished Autumn Test series. Instead, it looks like the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU), fed up with losing players like Gareth Anscombe to Wales, won’t make things easy for Hardie. Instead they will make the flanker play out his Super Rugby contract which runs to July of next year; perilously close to the World Cup which kicks off in September 2015. However, it remains to be seen whether this delay would jeopardise his move to Europe.

When not playing for the Highlanders, Hardie represents the Southland Stags who play in Invercargill on the southern tip of New Zealand’s South Island. He has won the club’s Player of the Season Award on three separate occasions and would make a useful addition to Edinburgh’s ranks.

Hardie is said to be equally comfortable at No 6 or 7, although he has played most of his recent rugby at openside, while his younger compatriot Blake is an out and out fetcher despite being the taller of the two men. Blake has suffered injury problems which have restricted his game-time but sources say that the youngster has been offered a three-month trial contract.

If both players throw their lot in with Scotland, the twin New Zealand breakaways will be joining a squad that is already fashionably diverse.

by EWT Spoons Wed 26 Nov 2014, 8:41 am

It's good that Blake is being given a 3 month trial rather than signed on a longer term deal.

by blackcanelion Wed 26 Nov 2014, 9:06 am

http://www.thehighlanders.co.nz/our-team/player-profiles/41-john-hardie

http://www.orfu.co.nz/otago-team/player-profile/64/hugh-blake.aspx

by funnyExiledScot Wed 26 Nov 2014, 9:15 am

EWT Spoons wrote:It's good that Blake is being given a 3 month trial rather than signed on a longer term deal.

Agreed. Sounds like he has the potential to be the new Rory Lamont, so let's try before we buy.

by EWT Spoons Wed 26 Nov 2014, 9:32 am

funnyExiledScot wrote:
EWT Spoons wrote:It's good that Blake is being given a 3 month trial rather than signed on a longer term deal.

Agreed. Sounds like he has the potential to be the new Rory Lamont, so let's try before we buy.

Mind you, there is no guarantee we won't offer him a long term deal regardless.

by tigertattie Wed 26 Nov 2014, 2:45 pm

ya know, all this Edinburgh bashing is quie uncalled for!

We've constaintly been winners or runners up of the 1872 cup!

Now that is an accolade!

by VinceWLB Wed 26 Nov 2014, 4:26 pm

Hugh Blake looks like a clone of Connacht's Jake Heenan (captained the baby black) who has been an absolute gem of a signing.
If he is as good as him he will be a cracking signing and would walk into the team.

by **George Carlin** Wed 26 Nov 2014, 5:27 pm

tigertattie wrote:ya know, all this Edinburgh bashing is quie uncalled for!

We've constaintly been winners or runners up of the 1872 cup!

Now that is an accolade!

Like the Judah Friedlander line - "People make fun of America but we're, like, regularly considered to be one of the top three countries in North America".

by jimbopip Wed 26 Nov 2014, 9:20 pm

So, it's the bright lights of Ayr and the mother-in-law's for Chrimbo. Crying or Very sad

The upside is...I've just got my ticket for the Annual Slaughter Of The Effeminates. Yahoo

Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread V - The Fun Continues - Page 16 3602195817

by cakeordeath Thu 27 Nov 2014, 8:28 am

Some "big news" coming from the warriors this morning. New signing or extension of a contract.

by Nematode Thu 27 Nov 2014, 10:20 am

Hogg and Jones sign 2 year deals, keeping them at Glasgow until May 2017

by **George Carlin** Thu 27 Nov 2014, 10:34 am

Mister AP, am delighted about.
The Selkirk Pixie, not so much.

Toonie needs to increase the aggregate quality of the squad and Lee Jones does not do that. I guess he's 4th choice on the wing, but that becomes a problem if GT fails to re-sign any of DTH, Seymour or Maitland (or an equal quality equivalent).

by **RDW** Thu 27 Nov 2014, 10:43 am

Great news on Hogg - his rightful place is at Glasgow just now.

by Nematode Thu 27 Nov 2014, 10:56 am

GC, have you seen Lee Jones recently?

Yes, he isn't ready for the first team, but his defence has been pretty sound so far.

He's certainly a useful squad player, I'd be happy to have him on the wing in place of Lamont to be honest.

by **George Carlin** Thu 27 Nov 2014, 1:14 pm

Indeed Mr Tode - he has improved a great deal.

My problem with him is that he cannot play any other position and doesn't have much of a kicking game (compared to the likes of a Trimble, Seymour, Gilroy or Hassler, for example).

by **RDW** Thu 27 Nov 2014, 1:21 pm

He'll probably spend a lot of time with the glorious 7s too.

by tigertattie Thu 27 Nov 2014, 4:33 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:He'll probably spend a lot of time with the glorious 7s too.

doesn't matter how many times you polish a turd, it will always still be just a turd!

by alive555 Thu 27 Nov 2014, 5:31 pm

See stuart hogg re- signed for 2 yrs

by Dorothy_Mantooth Fri 28 Nov 2014, 9:43 am

Mike Cusack is playing for Currie tomorrow, great news for him. Hopefully he can finally put whatever illness he has been suffering from behind him.

by Manky-Flanker Fri 28 Nov 2014, 10:37 am

Dorothy_Mantooth wrote:Mike Cusack is playing for Currie tomorrow, great news for him. Hopefully he can finally put whatever illness he has been suffering from behind him.

Here's hoping he has a swift return to form. He was a real asset before his shoulder injury and subsequent illness. Glasgow must also think so given how long they have perservered with a player who can't play - a year and a half is that now?

From a Scotland perspective I think it would be great if he could throw his hat into the ring for 2015 at TH.

by Dorothy_Mantooth Fri 28 Nov 2014, 10:41 am

Manky-Flanker wrote:
Dorothy_Mantooth wrote:Mike Cusack is playing for Currie tomorrow, great news for him. Hopefully he can finally put whatever illness he has been suffering from behind him.

Here's hoping he has a swift return to form. He was a real asset before his shoulder injury and subsequent illness. Glasgow must also think so given how long they have perservered with a player who can't play - a year and a half is that now?

From a Scotland perspective I think it would be great if he could throw his hat into the ring for 2015 at TH.

He's Scottish Qualified now so a good run after Xmas would give him a real shot at place in the World Cup Squad.

However having been out for the best part of two years it must be like starting again in many aspects. I hope he gets a good run, clear of injury/illness. As I feel another longish term layoff could be the end of his career.

by **George Carlin** Fri 28 Nov 2014, 11:07 am

I don't even think that the Coo has played for the Warriors under the new scrum engagement laws. It's been well publicized that removing the hit has meant some players (Ryan Grant and Adam Jones being those most spoken about) are less effective at scrum time so let's see how he does with his club.

Will be interested to see if he's lost weight/muscle mass/cardio or any of the things that mark a pro as a pro. So hard to tell what kind of state he'll be in because nobody seems to know what was wrong with him. Wishing him all the best because he was 21 stones of wrecking ball in his prime.

by funnyExiledScot Fri 28 Nov 2014, 12:50 pm

Great news on Cusack. I agree that international ambitions should be down his priority list for now. Get match fit (or at least back to where he was) and become that wrecking ball at scrum time he was pre-injury. The tighthead positions in the Scotland squad are very much up for grabs, particularly with Murray ruling himself out of Sunday games, and Nel being unproven in international rugby with little time to prepare.

by tigertattie Fri 28 Nov 2014, 1:34 pm

funnyExiledScot wrote: Nel being unproven in international rugby with little time to prepare.

but Nel is old enough though eh FES?

In other news! The SRU have written a letter of complaint to the BBC for what is described as "incompetent journalisim" for reminding everyone that Scotland have never beaten the all blacks! laughing

by funnyExiledScot Fri 28 Nov 2014, 1:37 pm

Quite right. I also heard a rumour that the BBC will not be tagging Scotland "dark horses" for the next 6 Nations, so I shall demand my licence fee be reimbursed.

by tigertattie Fri 28 Nov 2014, 3:39 pm

But we are dark horses!

by **George Carlin** Fri 28 Nov 2014, 4:40 pm

tigertattie wrote:
funnyExiledScot wrote: Nel being unproven in international rugby with little time to prepare.

but Nel is old enough though eh FES?

In other news! The SRU have written a letter of complaint to the BBC for what is described as "incompetent journalisim" for reminding everyone that Scotland have never beaten the all blacks!

THAT'S the reason they accused them of being incompetent?
How about employing John Inverdale to do anything other than hand out programmes or clean the dunnies?

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