The Big One - Edinburgh v Treviso

Edinburgh Rugby v Treviso
Friday 19th December 2014, KO 19:35
BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Weather forecast:  Cloudy, possible heavy showers.  4/5 Degrees.

Thought I'd get a thread started for tomorrow's highly anticipated, mouth-watering clash.  Please feel free to tidy this up and stick some pics in, I'm struggling trying to do it on the sly at work!
Season Ticket holders can bring a friend for free - no ticket required.

*****
Teams:
Edinburgh Rugby

15 Jack CUTHBERT
14 Dougie FIFE
13 Sam BEARD
12 Andries STRAUSS
11 Tim VISSER
10 Greig TONKS
9 Sam HIDALGO-CLYNE

1 Alasdair DICKINSON
2 Neil COCHRANE
3 John ANDRESS
4 Anton BRESLER
5 Ben TOOLIS
6 Mike COMAN (cpt)
7 Roddy GRANT
8 David DENTON

Substitutes
16 James HILTERBRAND
17 Grant SHIELLS
18 Willem NEL
19 Fraser McKENZIE
20 Stuart McINALLY
21 Grayson HART
22 Tom HEATHCOTE
23 Joaquin DOMINGUEZ

TREVISO

15 Jayden Hayward
14 Simone Ragusi
13 Luca Morisi
12 Sam Christie
11 Ludovico Nitoglia
10 Joe Carlisle
9 Alberto Lucchese

8 Dean Budd
7 Francesco Minto
6 Simone Favaro
5 Corniel Van Zyl (captain)
4 Tomas Vallejos
3 Matteo Muccignat
2 Davide Giazzon
1 Matteo Zanusso

Replacements:
16 Albert Anae
17 Josè Novak
18 Romulo Acosta
19 Marco Fuser
20 Mat Luamanu
21 Enrico Bacchin
22 Ruggero Trevisan
23 James Ambrosini


FORM:
Edinburgh Rugby: Let's keep it positive.  6 wins from the last 8.
Treviso: One draw and loads of defeats - although they have had a few "Battling losses" of late.

I just skim down to the 12 jersey, see Andries Strauss, stop reading and conclude not to go to the game.

Is Matt Scott crocked again already?

Treviso are without a recognized TH for this one, if Edinburgh can't dominate at scrum time, they never will.

Interesting Toolis really seems to have overtaken both Atkins and McKenzie.

Toolis has been playing well. Dickinson isn't really a dominant sort of scrummager but he certainly shouldn't be in any trouble here.

We should be winning this game quite comfortably, but more interesting than speculating on the result is trying to figure out what Solomons' excuse will be for the underperformance.

funnyExiledScot wrote:I just skim down to the 12 jersey, see Andries Strauss, stop reading and conclude not to go to the game.

Is Matt Scott crocked again already?

Yeah, hip injury. Not sure how serious.

Hope it's nothing too bad (although he would be ok if he had a fortnights rest). But got to be some worries about his injury record, hope he's not another Rennie or R Lamont in that he just can't stay fit.

Deeply annoying to hear Scott is out again. I cannot recall the last time he had a decent run of games. Still, at least we have Strauss.....

If we had to pick our player of the season so far I reckon my choice would be Toolis so I'm happy his form is being rewarded. Who else has performed fairly consistently well this season in an Edinburgh shirt....mabye Sutherland?

We are nearly at the 1872 games where I reckon Strauss will go from panto villain to cult hero when he brings the trophy home to Edinburgh.

Cuthbert retains place at full back, must be saving McLennan for next week.

Suspect Scott is being kept back for next week

RDW_Scotland wrote:Suspect Scott is being kept back for next week

Scott v Alex Dunbar would be worth the admission money on its own. Though I have a sneaky feeling that the Tombola may decide the best 12 in Scotland (on current form) needs a rest and starts Downey with instructions to just keep running straight.

Oh no, I've just realised we could actually be watching Downey v Strauss which would make a game of Sleeping Lions seem like watching Motorhead whileon acid.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Suspect Scott is being kept back for next week

Yeah, says in the paper he is expected to be back next week, which all joking aside is good news.

Ford's continued absense is a bit of a worry for the 1872 games, especially for something like a back injury which is obviously bad for a front rower.

They say he just needs rest, but it's not ideal if his first game back is the 1872 - hopefully he is 100% fit for it.

Cochrane seems to have taken over, but he's half the size of Ford!

Brilliant start!

Who says Edinburgh can't score tries!

What a start!

Good play by Denton, right through the middle

Treviso are clearly hopeless, but you have to say the Edinburgh scrum looks pretty damm good!

That scrum went back as fast as an Olympic sprinter!

Feel sorry for Treviso TH who has been asked to shift from LH for the 1st time in his career at almost 30

Alasdair Dickinson has been completely reborn under the new laws.

Great kick by Tonks

Great try!

This is taking candy from a baby, I hope it does not give them any false pretences though. Just make sure you get your 5 points and then move on to the next game!

That's why props should not kick! What was he thinking

If we don't get 4 tries...

They are making hard work of it and giving them a chance to get back into it. To be honest they should have had 4 tries by now already but as long as they get there in the end. What they must not do is let Treviso drag them down to their level.

Some poor decision making at times. Tonks not really controlling the game, I would like to see what Heathcote can do behind such a dominant pack.

I'd stick with Tonks, but I'd like to see him playing flatter. At the moment we're just going from side to side across the pitch and not really troubling their defence. We need to get that useless lump Strauss hitting the line at speed and sucking their defence in before going wide so Fife and Visser get the ball in space. You know, try and actually play like a rugby team

Oh Strauss is off, however will we cope without his leadership

I know it is a horrible night, but is there actually anyone watching at the stadium??

Tonks not doing himself any favours in the Scotland stakes at the moment

We really don't help ourselves some times.

Points?! Are we deliberately trying to not score a try BP this year??

Right the game is won now, go and get the tries and the five points!

It literally couldn't be any easier to get 4 tries now - got to be brutal

Get the ball to Viser, see what he can do

Getting there! Nel always knows where the line is

Nice try.

Why can't we do more of that??

Bonus point!

That was much better. Denton and Visser both saw the space and passed. Good stuff and 5 points in the bag

Proper fight as well!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Nice try.

Why can't we do more of that??

Because the opposition isn't as poor every week.

That was shocking from the treviso guy

He needs a lengthy ban - that was appalling

That was bad, that Italian idiot should never play again

Ooooo! Drama at Murrayfield! Those fans who braved the cold are at least getting some value for money this evening.

Treviso player is heading for a lengthy ban. That was truly awful.

Hart was lucky with a yellow. He definitely landed some head shots.

Has Nel now scored more tries this season than Maitland? ?

Stupid from Hart but understandable - I just can't fathom why the Italian did it! Completely out the blue and un called for - McKenzie was just lying there!

Heathcote still the best kicker at Edinburgh, by a long way

RDW_Scotland wrote:Stupid from Hart but understandable - I just can't fathom why the Italian did it! Completely out the blue and un called for - McKenzie was just lying there!

He was lucky not to walk as well and may still get a citing. You can understand why he did it, but people have walked for less

Grant and Denton have played very well

Good night at the office, but my God treviso were awful!