Edinburgh V Bordeaux-Begles

by **RDW** Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:57 pm

First topic message reminder :

Edinburgh V Bordeaux-Begles

Friday 23rd January 2015, KO 19:45
BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Live on Sky Sports Yahoo

Referee Ian Davies (Wales)
Touch Judge 1 Wayne Davies (Wales)
Touch Judge 2 Jon Hardy (Wales)
Fourth Official Graeme Marshall (Scotland)
TMO Derek Bevan (Wales)
Citing Commissioner Gordon Black (Ireland)

Official Blurb

Just one point separates Edinburgh and Bordeaux-Begles at the top of Pool 4 as they prepare for a crucial showdown on Friday night.

Edinburgh lead the way with 17 points despite their defeat away in Lyon in round five, with Bordeaux a point behind on 16.

The Scots will be favourites to progress as pool winners having won their last three games at home in the competition and they boast an impressive record of not having lost at Murrayfield in the Challenge Cup since 1997.

But despite their tag as favourites for the pool, Edinburgh assistant coach Steve Scott says they will be looking to keep it tight against the French club.

Scott said: "We do not want an open game against them because that is what they will want and they will come here to play that way.

"If we have a chance to kick for touch then we must find it because Bordeaux can attack from anywhere. They will try and take quick lineout throws and they will play a high tempo game.

"We have to continue the good work that our scrum put in against Lyon while we did well at stopping their maul and we will need to do the same against Bordeaux. We have standards in those areas and we have to maintain them and build on them to get a victory."

Edinburgh head coach Alan Solomons said his players were physically and mentally drained after their defeat in Lyon but his assistant Scott believes they will be able to lift themselves for Friday's all-important clash.

"The boys were off on Monday and they will have Wednesday off too, so they will be raring to go come Friday night," he said.

"We are starting to get our big players back though and some of the younger guys have come in and done really well. We can make changes when required, but at the moment this team is still building and we need a settled side."

My blurb

Edinburgh 17 points
UBB 16 points
Lyon 14 points

Edinburgh looked like they were going to canter through this group, but a failure to get a single try bonus point so far (including against London Welsh) and a tired loss to Lyon has put the pressure back on. A win of any kind will see Edinburgh top the group. A loss could see them being knocked out, as Lyon will probably give London Welsh a good pumping.

The main concern at this stage is player fatigue, as the same squad has essentially played together since the first 1872 games, and a lot of key players have played 80 minutes in most of those games. Hopefully this shouldn't be an issue given the break coming up, and the fact that it is a home game without any travel. Solomons says the players will be well rested this week, so hopefully they can put in one final push.

We should win this one, but UBB are tough opposition so it could depend on how interested they are in this game.

Teams

Edinburgh

15 Nick McLENNAN
14 Dougie FIFE
13 Matt SCOTT
12 Phil BURLEIGH
11 Tim VISSER
10 Greig TONKS
9 Sam HIDALGO-CLYNE

1 Alasdair DICKINSON
2 Ross FORD
3 WP NEL
4 Anton BRESLER
5 Ben TOOLIS
6 Mike COMAN (Captain)
7 Hamish WATSON
8 David DENTON

Substitutes
16 Neil COCHRANE
17 Rory SUTHERLAND
18 John ANDRESS
19 Fraser McKENZIE
20 Roddy GRANT
21 Sean KENNEDY
22 Jade TE RURE
23 Andries STRAUSS

[b]UBB
Edinburgh V Bordeaux-Begles - Page 4 Elodie10

Edinburgh V Bordeaux-Begles - Page 4 Elodie10

15 Baptiste Serin (capt)
14 Lévi Aumua
13 Charles Brousse
12 Thibault Lacroix
11 Paulin Riva
10 Lionel Beauxis
9 Heini Adams

1 Jefferson Poirot
2 Benat Auzqui
3 Francisco Gomez Kodela
4 Julien Le Devedec
5 Jan Andre Marais
6 Bertrand Guiry
7 Hugh Chalmers
8 Tai Tuifua

16 Ole Avei
17 Sébastien Taofifenua
18 Patrick Toetu
19 Jean-Baptiste Poux
20 Matthew Graham
21 Yann Lesgourgues
22 Pierre Bernard
23 Matthew Clarkin

by TJ Sat Jan 24, 2015 10:12 pm

VinceWLB wrote:Bordeaux meant business and are 5th in top 14, even though it was only the minnows cup they were outclassed. Based on that performance Edinburgh don't belong in the challenge cup imo.

Of course tehy don't. But the PRL stitchup to ensure more english clubs get thru means no room for 2 or 3 teams who would grace the euro cup

by Heaf Sun Jan 25, 2015 12:37 am

So what about the 4 teams that ended up ranked higher than Edinburgh after the qualification rounds then - are they also too good to be in the challenge cup?

by **George Carlin** Sun Jan 25, 2015 7:22 am

I'm sure that Jazzy Geoff will be telling his colleagues a few things about Edinburgh's pack. Like "they're really not as bad as they used to be".

by **BigGee** Sun Jan 25, 2015 5:39 pm

Well its a home semi for Edinburgh if they can overcome London Irish away. That is doable and quite an incentive.

by **RDW** Sun Jan 25, 2015 5:40 pm

Ooh that's interesting - very winnable!

by justified sinner Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:32 pm

Don't get carried away guys. We can beat LI away, but I make them favourite.if we get through then either Welsh team will fold at Murrayfield.

So Reading first off thinking of going, looks pricey though on Easter weekend.

by **BigGee** Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:41 pm

I might have a wonder up to this one as well. My son will be home from Uni and I might be able to persuade him of the attractions of a day in Reading!

by funnyExiledScot Sun Jan 25, 2015 8:54 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:Fes - how was the corporate hospitality?

Very good actually, lots of former and current players milling about, and large quantities of free booze!

by **RDW** Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:51 am

Tell you what, I know it is looking very far ahead and making some assumptions on results but Greig Laidlaw V Hidalgo-Clyne in the final would be very interesting! Especially since it will be one of the last games before the world cup...

But first, a tough game away to LI. The game will be our 4th away game on the trot, albeit seperate a few times due to the 6N. We'll have played the Scarlets A the week before and will have Munster at home the week after.

The 6N finishes the week before the Scarlets game so they will be probably rested for that game, but they should all be back for the quarter final.

Going to be an exciting run in (hopefully!)

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