Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread VI - Banter Boogaloo

[George Carlin]

First topic message reminder :

Prehistorical Patter:

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
https://www.606v2.com/t55409-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-v-the-fun-continues

A. Edinburgh


1. League Results

Fri 5 Sep: Munster Rugby 13 - 14 Edinburgh Rugby

Fri 12 Sep: Edinburgh Rugby 13 - 14 Connacht Rugby

Sun 21 Sep: Ospreys 62 - 13 Edinburgh Rugby

Fri 26 Sep: Edinburgh Rugby 20 - 20 Scarlets

Fri 3 Oct: Ulster Rugby 30 - 0 Edinburgh Rugby

Sat 11 Oct: Edinburgh Rugby 24 - 10 Newport Gwent Dragons

Fri 31 Oct: Leinster Rugby 33 - 8 Edinburgh Rugby

Sun 23 Nov: Edinburgh Rugby 28 - 13 Cardiff Blues

Sat 29 Nov: Zebre 18 - 10 Edinburgh Rugby

Fri 19 Dec: Edinburgh Rugby 48 - 0 Benetton Treviso

Sat 27 Dec: Glasgow Warriors 16 - 6 Edinburgh Rugby

Fri 2 Jan: Edinburgh Rugby - 20 - 8 Glasgow Warriors

Fri 9 Jan: Connacht Rugby 13 - 16 Edinburgh Rugby

2. European Results

17/10/14: Bordeaux-Begles 13 - 15 Edinburgh Rugby

24/10/14: Edinburgh Rugby 25 - 17 Lyon

7/12/14: Edinburgh Rugby 25 - 13 London Welsh

14/12/14: London Welsh 6 - 24 Edinburgh Rugby

17/01/2015: Lyon 21 - 19 Edinburgh Rugby

23/01/2015: Edinburgh Rugby 38 - 20 Bordeaux-Begles

B. Glasgow


1. League Results

Sat 6 Sep: Glasgow Warriors 22 - 20 Leinster Rugby

Sun 14 Sep: Cardiff Blues 12 - 33 Glasgow Warriors

Sat 20 Sep: Newport Gwent Dragons 13 - 33 Glasgow Warriors

Fri 26 Sep: Glasgow Warriors 39 - 21 Connacht Rugby

Sun 5 Oct: Benetton Treviso 23 - 40 Glasgow Warriors

Sat 11 Oct: Ulster Rugby 29 - 9 Glasgow Warriors

Fri 31 Oct: Glasgow Warriors 17 - 9 Benetton Treviso

Fri 21 Nov: Scarlets 19 - 9 Glasgow Warriors

Sun 30 Nov: Glasgow Warriors 19 - 15 Newport Gwent Dragons

Sat 20 Dec: Glasgow Warriors 21 - 18 Munster Rugby

Sat 27 Dec: Glasgow Warriors 16 - 6 Edinburgh Rugby

Fri 2 Jan: Edinburgh Rugby 20 - 8 Glasgow Warriors

Fri 9 Jan: Glasgow Warriors 22 - 7 Scarlets

2. European Results

18/10/14: Glasgow Warriors 37 - 10 Bath Rugby

25/10/14: Montpellier 13 - 15 Glasgow Warriors

7/12/14: Toulouse 19 - 11 Glasgow Warriors

13/12/14: Glasgow Warriors 9 - 12 Toulouse

18/01/2015: Glasgow Warriors 21 - 10 Montpellier

25/01/2015: Bath Rugby 20 - 15 Glasgow Warriors

[VinceWLB]

Glasgow need a new forward coach to be brutally honest. If they had a pack remotely as good as Edinburgh's they would be in the QF as we speak.

[Nematode]

Anyone know the situation on Holmes's contract? Could Grant be in line to replace him?

[funnyExiledScot]

Holmes appears to be out of the picture a bit at Glasgow. Probably not the standard they should be aiming for, and Bordill probably has better long term prospects.

If you look at the first choice Glasgow 8, you have to say that Fusaro is probably the weak link:

1.Grant 2.Brown 3.Cusack 4.Gray 5.Naka 6.Harley 7.Fusaro 8.Strauss

[VinceWLB]

I think it speaks volume that Brown did better at 7 playing out of his usual position than Fusaro did in the whole season!

[funnyExiledScot]

...and if you look at the current 2nd choice Glasgow 8, you'd have to say that Holmes is probably the weak link:

1.Reid 2.Hall 3.Murray 4.Ryder 5.Kellock 6.Wilson 7.Holmes 8.Ashe

[VinceWLB]

...and if you look at the current 2nd choice Glasgow 8, you'd have to say that Holmes is probably the weak link:

1.Reid 2.Hall 3.Murray 4.Ryder 5.Kellock 6.Wilson 7.Holmes 8.Ashe

Disagree here, as to be Kellock. Holmes is a good combative player, a bit like a lesser version of Roddy Grant.

[funnyExiledScot]

Yeh, Kellock is pretty rubbish as well. I just didn't want to upset Jimbo or Schitz on a Friday.

[jimbopip]

Actually, NeitherNor, the saddest part of this current season has to be the slow dimming of Cap'n Kellock. I don't think he is playing anywhere near the standard he once set himself. If I had GC'c IT skills (and spare time) I would put together a set of clips of him at his best while the voice over gives us Dylan Thomas reading "Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night...Rage Rage Against The Dying Of The Light".

Also,
1.Reid 2.Hall 3.Murray 4.Ryder 5.Kellock 6.Wilson 7.Holmes 8.Ashe

Numbers 3-6 may not be at Scotstoun next season. The cupboard is looking as barren as the trophy room at Firhill.

[RDW]

I'm other news, Timehop tells me that 4 years ago today Rob Moffat was sacked!

For the digital dinosaurs out there, timehop is an app that tells you what your Facebook status was on that day looking back over 7 years or so.

For Jimbopip - an 'app' is magic devil work that is just a waste of time and ruins the art of modern day conversation.

[jimbopip]

RDW, according to MrsPip most of what people post Facebook is thoroughly pointless and ephemeral at best. Who wants an app which will let you see just how trivial your life was in years gone by. I had visions of you looking like a young Max Wall trapped in an unending real life version of Krapp's Last Tape. Then it got worse...
I keep imagining you in ladies undergarments singing
"Let's do the Timehop again"
Remember, it's just a step to left...

[George Carlin]

RDW, according to MrsPip most of what people post Facebook is thoroughly pointless and ephemeral at best. Who wants an app which will let you see just how trivial your life was in years gone by. I had visions of you looking like a young Max Wall trapped in an unending real life version of Krapp's Last Tape. Then it got worse...
I keep imagining you in ladies undergarments singing
"Let's do the Timehop again"
Remember, it's just a step to left...

Thanks Jimbo - now I cannot unsee that image of RDW in my head. At least Tim Curry had waxed first.

Facebook is indeed pointless but I am drawn back to it, if only to snicker at how the young, hot things of my secondary school and university years have gone to seed, run to fat or descended into the banality of posting photographs of their dinner in Nandos. Surely that's the main purpose of it? Or did I miss something?

[Nematode]

Quite a good article (for once) in the Scotsman by Allan Massie:

It has always been an advantage to have the more powerful and skilful set scrum. In the not so distant past, this used to mean that your backs got more ball and better ball. This was as it should be. The set scrum was a way of restarting the game, just as the line-out is. It means something different now.

Backs are idle spectators at most scrums and seldom receive ball direct from one. Yet the scrum is more important than ever; it has become primarily a means of winning a penalty, and Glasgow lost to Bath last week because the dominant Bath scrum reaped a rich harvest of penalties.

It sounds daft, but if you have a weaker scrum, you are one step away from conceding a penalty any time you drop a pass or knock the ball on while being tackled. Glasgow outshone Bath in attack and their defence was better organised. Nevertheless, they lost because the laws are what they are at present.

Talking of the laws, Bath’s second penalty try resulted from what has long seemed an anomaly. Terrific defence by Finn Russell and Sean Maitland prevented the Bath winger Anthony Watson from grounding the ball over the try-line. So the referee called for a five-metre scrum, with Bath putting the ball in – quite correctly according to the law. Yet, if Watson had been held up a few inches short of the try-line and unable to ground the ball, the put-in would have gone to Glasgow, as indeed it would in the same circumstances in any other part of the field. Why the difference? What’s the reasoning behind it?

As national squads prepare for the Six Nations, coaches’ first concern these days must be with the medical reports. It may simply be chance but it does seem that there will be an awful lot of first-choice players missing the first matches and perhaps the whole tournament. Are there more injuries than usual? England are peculiarly badly hit, but we aren’t in much healthier a condition, while having less in the way of reserve strength.

There has been a lot of talk about the violence of collisions in the pro game today, and certainly there seem to be more cases of concussion. Here, however, one has to be wary. Officials and medical staff are much more alert to the possibility of concussion than used to be the case, and players are very quickly whisked off for a ten-minute assessment. Consequently, more cases of concussion or possible concussion are identified. I would suspect that there are fewer examples now of players carrying on and finishing the game with no idea of what the score is.

Nevertheless, players are bigger and heavier than they used to be – or than nature intended them to be – and this must contribute to the number and severity of injuries. The law as to what constitutes a dangerous tackle has been tightened and clarified. I suspect it may soon have to go further still, possibly as far as making any tackle above the waist illegal. It might help avoid injuries if referees were instructed to be less tolerant than most of them are of the practice of going beyond the tackle point and charging into players trying legally to enter the ruck, and of tackles made without use of the arms.

There was an interesting example of such a tackle in the Clermont-Auvergne match on Sunday. Chasing a high kick, the Saracens winger David Strettle shoulder-charged the Clermont player who had just cleared the ball. He was rightly penalised and yellow-carded, but the BT Sport commentators thought he had been harshly treated, because his tackle was only a little late. The fact that it wasn’t a legal tackle seemed to have escaped them.

Meanwhile, the argument over the inclusion of Hugh Blake in the Scotland squad rumbles on. It isn’t Blake’s qualification to play for Scotland that is the issue. He had two Scottish grandparents. So of course he is eligible. It is the fact that he has only just arrived here and has been picked without having played a single professional match in the northern hemisphere that sticks in the gullet.

A player should have to prove himself here before he is selected. He may well turn out to be an outstanding flanker, but it is impossible to escape the thought that his selection is based on the assumption that, as a New Zealander, he must be good enough, and indeed better than any of the other candidates for the back-row who have been omitted from the squad.

We’ve been here before. Sometimes players slotted in without having to prove themselves have justified the coach’s faith; one thinks of the Leslie brothers, John and Martin. But there have been other southern hemisphere imports who proved no better than the home-grown players they were replacing, and, in some cases, a good deal less effective.

Selection is always ultimately a matter of opinion, and it is the coach who suffers he if gets it wrong. But eligibility for selection should be based on certain principles, and one surely is that the player should have proved himself in a domestic setting. If Blake turns in some storming performances for Edinburgh, fine; pick him for Scotland. But, till he has done so, don’t.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/latest/paying-the-penalty-for-weakness-in-the-scrum-1-3675671  31/01/2015

[Manky-Flanker]

..one surely is that the player should have proved himself in a domestic setting.

With only 2 teams (creating a bottleneck of opportunities) in Scottish rugby, this is a crazy prerequisite. Should Ben Morgan have been ignored by the RFU because he did not prove himself domestically in England, instead doing so in Wales? What about the long line of London Scottish players over the years?

[George Carlin]

..one surely is that the player should have proved himself in a domestic setting.

With only 2 teams (creating a bottleneck of opportunities) in Scottish rugby, this is a crazy prerequisite. Should Ben Morgan have been ignored by the RFU because he did not prove himself domestically in England, instead doing so in Wales? What about the long line of London Scottish players over the years?

I actually do agree. The point is that for whatever reason, Blake has not got himself over here for consideration before now. That may or may not be his fault. In any event, it is completely irrelevant.

The simple fact is that he is here now and there is only one major international window (the 6 Nations) in which we can see which players should be selected from the RWC. There's nothing that anyone can do about that now. Why on earth exclude a player by virtue of a completely arbitrary test which the player could never have satisfied because he wasn't in the country at the time to let him satisfy it? Surely we can all agree that the kid may well be a test match player, regardless of whether he has put in 80 minutes in a sopping wet Murrayfield in the spring. We need to pick the best players, not the players who happen to have played in this country.

All of Scotland suffers with that policy if the player is good. He might be a Brendan Laney. However, he might also be a Martin Leslie and we not have the luxury of being sniffy. I have a lot of respect for Cotter in choosing him for consideration, despite the brickbats that were surely coming his way from the likes of Wright and Nicol.

For what it's worth, I think that the 6N and the RWC will be too soon for Blake and he would find the step up the international game too much to handle. But finally, please can we get Cotter a chance to actually make his mistakes before we criticise him? The guy has been in the game his entire life and we need to actually pay some attention to his judgement.

My mates in Auvergne always remind me about how heavily Cotter was criticised in 2008 for dropping an unknown teenager straight into the starting 23, having only been with the youth team for a couple of months and having previously only played with his university and PUC. Cotter insisted that he was good enough and started him. The following year Clermont won the Top 14 with the player a regular starter. The kid's name? Wesley Fofana.

Can we all just take a tighter grip on our horses and perhaps be grateful that another young player wants to throw his hat into the ring with Scotland?

[VinceWLB]

What's up with Glasgow not retaining some of their best player? DTH now rumoured to be heading to The Scarlets.
Could be worse, we could be on a monday morning...

[IanBru]

+1 GC

[George Carlin]

What's up with Glasgow not retaining some of their best player? DTH now rumoured to be heading to The Scarlets.
Could be worse, we could be on a monday morning...

Oh my god - surely, surely, not? The guy is the club's top try scorer.

[VinceWLB]

There is still hope, it's from the Rugby Paper!

[Imperialbigdave]

In American Football, you'll often hear the term "championship window" thrown about. It refers to when a franchise has a team capable of winning the superbowl, they have a limited number of attempts before players start leaving, retiring, going off form etc. Its usually about 4 seasons max of being title contenders without winning that you see players leave and teams begin to slip. Now I know yankball is a totally different off field game with the way the draft system works to ensure that no one team dominates permanently, but I do wonder if there is an element of this happening at Glasgow. Glasgow are consistently a playoff team without ever actually winning it. Perhaps some of these guys who are leaving feel they are stagnating and looking for a change of scenery, even if that is at a team that is perhaps less of a bet at the title?

[Nematode]

Scarlets surely don't have the money to afford DTH - weren't they not nearly heading into administration?

With regard to Hugh Blake, I think what people are missing is that he's been at Edinburgh for a couple of months - if he was so good that he is seen as better than Barlcay, Grant etc, then why did Solomons not at least pick him for the bench?

I think what's happening with Blake is similar to Tom Heathcote - get him capped so he is forced to stay with Scotland.

This is a wee bit old, but still:

Edinburgh Rugby’s acquisition of Scots-qualified flanker Hugh Blake from Otago might only be a short-term measure, it emerged today.

The Evening News revealed yesterday that Blake had signed until the end of the season after injuries to Roddy Grant, Cornell Du Preez and Hamish Watson.

But the Capital outfit could face a battle should they wish to hang on to Blake with Kiwi official Richard Kinley telling today’s Otago Daily Times the player could be back next season.

Referring to the fact another prospect, Jayden Spence, is also heading overseas, Kinley said: “They are both young guys who want to get away and see a bit of the world. I am not disappointed they have gone.

“They might be back. I have spoken to both of them and they have given that indication.

“I believe if they get an opportunity to see the world and earn a bit of money while they are doing that, then there is nothing wrong with that.’’

Blake, a former New Zealand colt who has played 20 games for Otago, discussed his move with Scottish director of rugby, Scott Johnson.

Edinburgh are expected to make a formal announcement soon.

I don't know if he has signed up for another season or whatever, but this stinks of Tom Heathcote. A young player, probably not quite ready for international rugby, that gets capped for a minute or two, against Tonga (or Italy)... off the bench so that he is forced to remain with Edinburgh/Europe.

[VinceWLB]

Imperial, i do think the coaching hasn't been as good as it needed to be for Glasgow to go to the next step, particularly in the forwards. For me the non inclusion of DTH in the squad against Toulouse is the proof. Some players are probably feeling they achieved as much as they could in that environment and feeling it is the right time for a move elsewhere.

[BigGee]

Imperial, i do think the coaching hasn't been as good as it needed to be for Glasgow to go to the next step, particularly in the forwards. For me the non inclusion of DTH in the squad against Toulouse is the proof. Some players are probably feeling they achieved as much as they could in that environment and feeling it is the right time for a move elsewhere.

It is hard to see that DTH would be heading to the Scarlets to further his career and also hard to imagine that they will be offering him a money deal that we could not match. If he is going there the only logical conclusion would be that we have not offered him another deal, which seems unlikely now that Maitland has gone. If that is the case then surely someone else must be coming in to replace him. I will reserve judgement on that one until I have seen something more solid.

There is a championship cycle, but I don't think Glasgow are coming to the end of theirs by any means. The bulk of the team is still young and hungry, playing a good brand of rugby and are capable of winning the Pro 12 this year. I bet we do have some players on the way as well, watch this space.

[George Carlin]

Who was it posted that rumour about the co-captain of the Highlanders, that big Pacific Islander loosie whose name temporarily escapes me? Someone here did. Where did that suggestion come from?

[justified sinner]

Call me cynical, but I reckon this is alphabet's agent stirring things up to get the best deal for DTH, and himself, in contract talks with Glasgow.

[justified sinner]

With regard to Hugh Blake, I think what people are missing is that he's been at Edinburgh for a couple of months - if he was so good that he is seen as better than Barlcay, Grant etc, then why did Solomons not at least pick him for the bench? .

He got concussed in the A game he played for Edinburgh, so couldn't make any Pro 12 games and wasn't registered for Europe. That's why he hasn't played for Edinburgh.

[SirBurger]

In American Football, you'll often hear the term "championship window" thrown about. It refers to when a franchise has a team capable of winning the superbowl, they have a limited number of attempts before players start leaving, retiring, going off form etc. Its usually about 4 seasons max of being title contenders without winning that you see players leave and teams begin to slip. Now I know yankball is a totally different off field game with the way the draft system works to ensure that no one team dominates permanently, but I do wonder if there is an element of this happening at Glasgow. Glasgow are consistently a playoff team without ever actually winning it. Perhaps some of these guys who are leaving feel they are stagnating and looking for a change of scenery, even if that is at a team that is perhaps less of a bet at the title?

It definitely happens in Rugby (and in almost any sport). We had it at Irish where we had the best squad we had ever assembled. Unfortunately, once one of them decides to look elsewhere, it becomes a bit of a chain effect and the rest follow suit. It cost us dear and prevented us from ever winning the title that we should have done. Then other issues set in and we ended up in the mess we have been in for the last few years. I am sure things won't ever get that bad for Glasgow, but it definitely can happen. You need to try and ensure that the players that leave are replaced with players of equal quality. The difficulty is in finding guys that bring the same extras like leadership - skills that often take a while to shine through in new players.

[VinceWLB]

It is hard to see that DTH would be heading to the Scarlets to further his career and also hard to imagine that they will be offering him a money deal that we could not match. If he is going there the only logical conclusion would be that we have not offered him another deal, which seems unlikely now that Maitland has gone. If that is the case then surely someone else must be coming in to replace him. I will reserve judgement on that one until I have seen something more solid.

There is a championship cycle, but I don't think Glasgow are coming to the end of theirs by any means. The bulk of the team is still young and hungry, playing a good brand of rugby and are capable of winning the Pro 12 this year. I bet we do have some players on the way as well, watch this space.

It was hard to imagine John Barclay, one of the classiest open side in the NH going to The Scarlets as well. It would be absolutely daft not to offer DTH a new deal but then again it was daft not to renew Barclay too.

As it is, Glasgow need a TH, a big lock, an open side, a scrum half, a centre an utility back and possibly a winger too. Sean Lineen has a job in his hands!

[Prothero]

It is hard to see that DTH would be heading to the Scarlets to further his career and also hard to imagine that they will be offering him a money deal that we could not match. If he is going there the only logical conclusion would be that we have not offered him another deal, which seems unlikely now that Maitland has gone. If that is the case then surely someone else must be coming in to replace him. I will reserve judgement on that one until I have seen something more solid.

There is a championship cycle, but I don't think Glasgow are coming to the end of theirs by any means. The bulk of the team is still young and hungry, playing a good brand of rugby and are capable of winning the Pro 12 this year. I bet we do have some players on the way as well, watch this space.

It was hard to imagine John Barclay, one of the classiest open side in the NH going to The Scarlets as well. It would be absolutely daft not to offer DTH a new deal but then again it was daft not to renew Barclay too.

As it is, Glasgow need a TH, a big lock, an open side, a scrum half, a centre an utility back and possibly a winger too. Sean Lineen has a job in his hands!

Hope there is room for Fagersson, Bordill/ Spinks and Mconnell to come through if they are replaced. All those guys should get Scotland caps if allowed to flourish?

[VinceWLB]

If they are good enough they are certainly old enough! i'm pretty sure all these boys will be with Glasgow next season but i feel Glasgow need some kind of big signing announcements or i can see a dip in performances as well as support for next season.

[Prothero]

Think with Glasgow its a case of getting guys who buy into the ethos and spirit of the club.

Its hard to imagine them being able to sign the sort of big name that puts bums on seats like a x all black or something although that is something id like to see and maybe they should be aiming for?

The Only established "Big Name" from outside Scotland i remember them signing last year is James Downey and he has been unable to get a game over the guys that have been there for a while. Im not sure if that is due to injury or him being signed specifically to cover the 6 nations period?

[Anglobraveheart]

It appeared that young Horne had a good game for the U20's against the club 15. Could be that he is being groomed for a pro contract? He appears to be well thought of.
We do need a second row though, and it'd be great if RG came back home. As for the youngsters, I'm sure that GT has this in hand, and will introduce them as he's done with JG, Ashe and Dancer.
No need to panic.
Yet.

[tigertattie]

No wonder Massie writes some utter poop when he doesn't even understand the laws of the game!!!!

Jeez!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MacKnocked-on]

It appeared that young Horne had a good game for the U20's against the club 15. Could be that he is being groomed for a pro contract? He appears to be well thought of.
We do need a second row though, and it'd be great if RG came back home. As for the youngsters, I'm sure that GT has this in hand, and will introduce them as he's done with JG, Ashe and Dancer.
No need to panic.
Yet.

Really don't see Richie Gray heading back to Glasgow any time soon to be honest, especially if he has a strong 6Ns. Even if Castres were relegated I would see him going to another French club or one in England where the wages would be a lot higher than Glasgow could offer, but who knows?
Speaking of young players, wouldn't be surprised if Reuben Norville the U20s winger signs for Glasgow, he's listed as unattached having left the Leicester academy but has played for Glasgow in the recent A game against Edinburgh I think and also scored a try against the Scotland Club team last week.

[funnyExiledScot]

It appeared that young Horne had a good game for the U20's against the club 15. Could be that he is being groomed for a pro contract? He appears to be well thought of.
We do need a second row though, and it'd be great if RG came back home. As for the youngsters, I'm sure that GT has this in hand, and will introduce them as he's done with JG, Ashe and Dancer.
No need to panic.
Yet.

Really don't see Richie Gray heading back to Glasgow any time soon to be honest, especially if he has a strong 6Ns. Even if Castres were relegated I would see him going to another French club or one in England where the wages would be a lot higher than Glasgow could offer, but who knows?
Speaking of young players, wouldn't be surprised if Reuben Norville the U20s winger signs for Glasgow, he's listed as unattached having left the Leicester academy but has played for Glasgow in the recent A game against Edinburgh I think and also scored a try against the Scotland Club team last week.  

Decent replacement for Maitland then.

[IanBru]

Strangely, Norville's try was scored for the Club XV, despite him being part of the U20 squad - it seems he was lent across to make up the numbers.

[funnyExiledScot]

Strangely, Norville's  try was scored for the Club XV, despite him being part of the U20 squad - it seems he was lent across to make up the numbers.

Bolter for the World Cup? The next Hugh Blake?

[George Carlin]

It appeared that young Horne had a good game for the U20's against the club 15. Could be that he is being groomed for a pro contract? He appears to be well thought of.
We do need a second row though, and it'd be great if RG came back home. As for the youngsters, I'm sure that GT has this in hand, and will introduce them as he's done with JG, Ashe and Dancer.
No need to panic.
Yet.

Really don't see Richie Gray heading back to Glasgow any time soon to be honest, especially if he has a strong 6Ns. Even if Castres were relegated I would see him going to another French club or one in England where the wages would be a lot higher than Glasgow could offer, but who knows?
Speaking of young players, wouldn't be surprised if Reuben Norville the U20s winger signs for Glasgow, he's listed as unattached having left the Leicester academy but has played for Glasgow in the recent A game against Edinburgh I think and also scored a try against the Scotland Club team last week.  

Decent replacement for Maitland then.

[RDW]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-31095837

Thoroughly deserved!

[highland_scot]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-31095837

Thoroughly deserved!

Aberdeen - Scotland's very own Disney land.

Disny want a bypass...

Disny want Trump's golf course...

Disny want a new stadium

Disny want union square gardens...

Disny want a windfarm...

Disny want a bridge...

[MacKnocked-on]

Strangely, Norville's  try was scored for the Club XV, despite him being part of the U20 squad - it seems he was lent across to make up the numbers.

Bolter for the World Cup? The next Hugh Blake?

That's Jade Te Rure you're thinking of...

[tigertattie]

Gents

I'm looking for some clarification!


I was playing football last night (coz it's a really easy game to play despite having had to retire from rugby) but my opponents were trying to claim a free kick for an alleged foul that I made!

What happened was this:
An opposing player was skipping passed my team mates as he's rather speedy.
After he passed a few players who really shy'd away from tackling him (Very visser-like) my opponent only had to get passed me
He straightened up
I planted both feet on the ground
He ran square into me
He bounced off me
he landed in a heap on the floor
I was still stood exactly where I was
He rolled about a bit holding onto his ankle (at no point did I notice his ankle coming into contact with me)
I kicked the ball away
His team mates started screaming "foul" "freekick"

Did I foul the heap of softness that lay before me?

[George Carlin]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-31095837

Thoroughly deserved!

To be more sh!t than Cumbernauld really does require dedication to the cause, but I would agree that they've managed it.

Loved this measured and not at all incensed response:

Steve Harris, chief executive of VisitAberdeen, said: "I am pleased that we have been given this award as anything that draws attention to Aberdeen can only help people realise how preposterous and ignorant its award is.

"Aberdeen is a stunning city with beautiful parks and gardens, a beach that runs for miles right into the city centre and some stunning architecture.

"With development proceeding apace in many parts of the city and a new City Centre Regeneration Plan due this summer, the future looks bright."

GLove - your thoughts please. In particular on this beach that apparently laps the shores of Skene Square.

[MacKnocked-on]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-31095837

Thoroughly deserved!

To be more sh!t than Cumbernauld really does require dedication to the cause, but I would agree that they've managed it.

Loved this measured and not at all incensed response:

Steve Harris, chief executive of VisitAberdeen, said: "I am pleased that we have been given this award as anything that draws attention to Aberdeen can only help people realise how preposterous and ignorant its award is.

"Aberdeen is a stunning city with beautiful parks and gardens, a beach that runs for miles right into the city centre and some stunning architecture.

"With development proceeding apace in many parts of the city and a new City Centre Regeneration Plan due this summer, the future looks bright."

GLove - your thoughts please. In particular on this beach that apparently laps the shores of Skene Square.

Well speaking as an Aberdonian, a lot of the problems with the city centre are down to the overabundance of shopping centres; Bon Accord, St Nicholas, Union Sq etc. Union Street has become somewhat ramshackle with a lot of empty shops etc. Some of the plans put forward in recent times, Union Terrace Gardens being a good example haven't been brilliantly thought through and as a result haven't happened. Now the 'cooncil' and the public are at loggerheads regarding the proposed development in Schoolhill which will re-obscure the view of Marischal College amongst other notable buildings. Having said all that, Dundee is currently in a spot of bother trying to fund the V&A museum and a lot of the other waterfront developments proposed there, the new railway station being a prime example, look like they'll be rubbish.
Scottish local authorities largely don't seem to be good at this sort of thing; good design, planning and aesthetics. Oh, and if Steve Harris regards Codona's Amusements as the centre of Aberdeen then he's right about the beach.

[George Carlin]

Again, clarification for our non-Scots posters:

      
  The city of Aberdeen               A large toilet

[RDW]

TBH the main thing wrong with Aberdeen (although there are many things!) is the fact that everything is built from granite - it just makes the place look very grey and dull!

I spent 5 years in Dundee at Uni, and Dundee is no Rembrandt, but there's at least a bit of variety to the place, and the burned out cars always provide a colourful backdrop!

[MacKnocked-on]

TBH the main thing wrong with Aberdeen (although there are many things!) is the fact that everything is built from granite - it just makes the place look very grey and dull!

I spent 5 years in Dundee at Uni, and Dundee is no Rembrandt, but there's at least a bit of variety to the place, and the burned out cars always provide a colourful backdrop!

Yes; Poundland, Poundstrecher, Home Bargains, TJ Hughes, 99p Store etc etc etc.

[RDW]

TBH the main thing wrong with Aberdeen (although there are many things!) is the fact that everything is built from granite - it just makes the place look very grey and dull!

I spent 5 years in Dundee at Uni, and Dundee is no Rembrandt, but there's at least a bit of variety to the place, and the burned out cars always provide a colourful backdrop!

Yes; Poundland, Poundstrecher, Home Bargains, TJ Hughes, 99p Store etc etc etc.

Tell me about it - was great for a student! I got a winter coat at Primark for £8 and lasted me 4 years - my dad still wears it to do the gardening!

[MacKnocked-on]

TBH the main thing wrong with Aberdeen (although there are many things!) is the fact that everything is built from granite - it just makes the place look very grey and dull!

I spent 5 years in Dundee at Uni, and Dundee is no Rembrandt, but there's at least a bit of variety to the place, and the burned out cars always provide a colourful backdrop!

Yes; Poundland, Poundstrecher, Home Bargains, TJ Hughes, 99p Store etc etc etc.

Tell me about it - was great for a student! I got a winter coat at Primark for £8 and lasted me 4 years - my dad still wears it to do the gardening!

Now that is a retail endorsement but I wasn't focusing on anything as upmarket as the mighty 'Primani', Dundee's answer to Harvey Nichols (minus the juice bar of course)

[RDW]

[Nematode]

Gents

I'm looking for some clarification!


I was playing football last night (coz it's a really easy game to play despite having had to retire from rugby) but my opponents were trying to claim a free kick for an alleged foul that I made!

What happened was this:
An opposing player was skipping passed my team mates as he's rather speedy.
After he passed a few players who really shy'd away from tackling him (Very visser-like) my opponent only had to get passed me
He straightened up
I planted both feet on the ground
He ran square into me
He bounced off me
he landed in a heap on the floor
I was still stood exactly where I was
He rolled about a bit holding onto his ankle (at no point did I notice his ankle coming into contact with me)
I kicked the ball away
His team mates started screaming "foul" "freekick"

Did I foul the heap of softness that lay before me?

No. You should get a penalty and the 'heap of softness' should be sent to Toulouse...

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