Edinburgh vs Ospreys 13th Feb

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Edinburgh Rugby v Ospreys
13th February 2015
At Myreside, 8.05pm.

Live on BBC ALBA and BBC Wales

Referee: Gary Conway (IRFU, 7th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Graeme Wells, Stephen Hart (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: John Kirk (SRU)
TMO: Iain Ramage (SRU)

TEAMS:
Edinburgh
15 Jack Cuthbert
14 Tom Brown
13 Sam Beard
12 Phil Burleigh
11 Damien Hoyland
10 Jade Te Rure
09 Grayson Hart

01 Rory Sutherland
02 Neil Cochrane
03 Willem Nel
04 Anton Bresler
05 Ollie Atkins
06 Roddy Grant
07 Hugh Blake
08 Mike Coman

16 Stuart McInally
17 Grant Shiells
18 John Andress
19 Fraser McKenzie
20 Tomas Leonardi
21 Alex Glashan
22 Tom Heathcote
23 Andries Strauss

Ospreys
15 Dan Evans
14 Tom Grabham
13 Ashley Beck
12 Josh Matavesi
11 Richard Fussell
10 Sam Davies
09 Martin Roberts

01 Marc Thomas
02 Scott Otten
03 Dmitri Arhip
04 Tevita Cavubati
05 Rory Thornton
06 Joe Bearman
07 Sam Lewis
08 Tyler Ardron (Capt)

16 Matthew Dwyer
17 Duncan Jones
18 Daniel Suter
19 James King
20 Ieuan Jones
21 Dan Baker
22 Tom Habberfield
23 Jonathan Spratt

Previous Meetings
Date Home Score Away Att
21/9/14 Ospreys 62 - 13 Edinburgh Rugby 6,340
28/2/14 Edinburgh Rugby 31 - 25 Ospreys 3,000
21/9/13 Ospreys 44 - 10 Edinburgh Rugby 8,356

Form Guide
Date Team Score Team Att
23/1/15 Edinburgh 38 - 20 Bordeaux 4,817
17/1/15 Lyon 21 - 19 Edinburgh 10,935
9/1/15 Connacht 13 - 16 Edinburgh 5,267

Form Guide
Date Team Score Team Att
7/2/15 Bath 10 - 13 Ospreys 13,349
31/1/15 Gloucester 32 - 25 Ospreys 12,225
24/1/15 Treviso 23 - 20 Ospreys 2,780

Ospreys are poor in this game so far a
nd don t look like winning

Big cheer from the crowd, probably more for Heachcote coming on rather than Te Rure performance!

Oooft. Now that's how to scrummage

Tell you what, the Ospreys really haven't been good tonight!

Brilliant try

Burleigh again playing a key part in that try!

What a great try, good vision by Heathcote, but a great team try.

When you are stuffed in the scrum you have a problem

When we don't have Strauss playing, our backs actually look quite handy

Heathcote can do no wrong!

Well that wasn't dangerous at all, but by the letter of the law he lifted his legs up!

When you are stuffed in the scrum you have a problem

Oooo. Deffo penalty. Claims for a yellow too

Sorry that is really harsh!

He could get carded for this.

I know it's correvt to the letter of the law but I've seen bigger hits in u7s touch tournaments

Soft yellow, but consistent with practice across the sport at the moment.

On the game and the U20s, I'm hoping this is all an attempt to lull the Scotland seniors into a false sense of security ahead of Sunday???

Sporting crowd

Well that is justice!

Question: can roddy grant scratch his knee without bending?

BigGee wrote:Well that is justice!

Justice?! The letter of the law was followed very closely. Why wasn't it a penalty, would be a better question???

Griff wrote:

BigGee wrote:Well that is justice!

Justice?! The letter of the law was followed very closely. Why wasn't it a penalty, would be a better question???

The problem is, if a penalty, them it automatically becomes a yellow. There was no way that was a dangerous tackle!

What a shower only one team in this game

We want 4!

Grayson Hart was my MoM, he caps it off with a try. He has waited a long time for his chance this year and when he got it, he took it!

Thoroughly well deserved win Edinburgh! Not the best performance, but the ospreys were truly awful!

Well done Edinburgh. Disappointing to let in that try at the end, but at least you still denied them the bonus point.

First part of my treble has come through.

BigGee wrote:

Griff wrote:

BigGee wrote:Well that is justice!

Justice?! The letter of the law was followed very closely. Why wasn't it a penalty, would be a better question???

The problem is, if a penalty, them it automatically becomes a yellow. There was no way that was a dangerous tackle!

I know that, you know that. But for at least 2 years those tackles have been classified as yellow card offences. Legs above the horizontal and not brought down 'nicely'. How is this one different???

Shame to let them get a try at the end.
But delighted for Edinburgh, done glasgow a big favour.

Let's hope the weekend of scottish victories of the Welsh continues!

BigGee wrote:Grayson Hart was my MoM, he caps it off with a try. He has waited a long time for his chance this year and when he got it, he took it!

Totally agree. Great performance, full of character. He's a classic chippy little scrum half and is pushing H-C all the way.

VinceWLB wrote:I have never really understood how professional player can get drop out on the full..

Happened twice in the match. Both times after a long kick to touch in goal Odd

Edinburgh fans,you have been very harsh about Mike Conman, he is a very decent player and leads the team very well. The Edinburgh scrum and their back row won hands down. Blake did okay as well, don't forget it was his first game at this level, he did not look out of place, he certainly put some work in.

Grayson Hart was good though, had a very good game. Good to see Stuart McInally finally get some time on the pitch at hooker, he looked good for his first game.

tigertattie wrote:When we don't have Strauss playing, our backs actually look quite handy

Burleigh and Beard work fantastically well together. Two smart footballers who are not afraid to mix it up.

When I see Strauss on the bench and Atiga on water duty it makes me smile!

Griff wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Griff wrote:

BigGee wrote:Well that is justice!

Justice?! The letter of the law was followed very closely. Why wasn't it a penalty, would be a better question???

The problem is, if a penalty, them it automatically becomes a yellow. There was no way that was a dangerous tackle!

I know that, you know that. But for at least 2 years those tackles have been classified as yellow card offences. Legs above the horizontal and not brought down 'nicely'. How is this one different???

Ref said - "landed on his back" - thats the bit that makes it a yellow card - but the replay shows him going onto his front quite clearly Its a mistake. should have been a penalty( for the legs above the horizontal) but not yellow cos he lands on his front. Allways risking a yellow tho so still a stupid tackle

I missed it first time around, but Blake was well involved in Tom Brown's try, took the ball on from Burleigh's break, like a good open side.

BigGee wrote:Edinburgh fans,you have been very harsh about Mike Conman, he is a very decent player and leads the team very well.

I do agree, but it's also fair to say his performances are much improved this season. Particularly his ball carrying.

BigGee wrote:I missed it first time around, but Blake was well involved in Tom Brown's try, took the ball on from Burleigh's break, like a good open side.

He was, but he also choked a horrid knock on at the start of the 2nd half after Hart's break. Not the best pass, but a specialist breakaway openside, which Blake clearly is, should collect that and continue the move.

He's not a bad player, albeit Conan and Grant were both better tonight. I think Blake will be an asset going forward, but his international call up was ridiculously premature on his showing tonight.

TJ wrote:

Griff wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Griff wrote:

BigGee wrote:Well that is justice!

Justice?! The letter of the law was followed very closely. Why wasn't it a penalty, would be a better question???

The problem is, if a penalty, them it automatically becomes a yellow. There was no way that was a dangerous tackle!

I know that, you know that. But for at least 2 years those tackles have been classified as yellow card offences. Legs above the horizontal and not brought down 'nicely'. How is this one different???

Ref said - "landed on his back" - thats the bit that makes it a yellow card - but the replay shows him going onto his front quite clearly  Its a mistake.  should have been a penalty( for the legs above the horizontal) but not yellow cos he lands on his front.  

By the letter of the law it was probably right, but it was not a dangerous tackle, that's why it was frustrating. The rules are not quite doing the game a service here. Don't get me wrong, I am not in favour of dangerous tackling and on balance if a few soft ones go the wrong way, that is probably the right balance. This one did not effect the result of the game and the better side still won. That has not always been the case though.

Well I think pretty much every player was at least 7/10 tonight, apart from Te Rure.

The front row dominated (when is the last game we didn't??)

The second row provided a great platform - we've got great strength in depth there just now


Grant and Coman were excellent, Blake solid enough

Hart motm - great performance

Heathcoat brought much better control - needs to start

Burleigh and beard very direct and creative, they worked well

Hoyland wasn't involved much but looked up for it when he was involved. Brown and Cuthbert very solid.

Very pleased Edinburgh fan - need to keep this going!

I thought it was a silly tackle by Hoyland, showing his inexperience. You just can't lift the legs like that and it could have cost us.

Thankfully the Hairpreys have a powderpuff scrum and Duncan Jones so we were able to escape!

I thought Sutherland was particularly good. He's going to play for Scotland.

RDW_Scotland wrote:
The front row dominated (when is the last game we didn't??)

Probably in November against Zebre when Shiells came on and scrum got mullered.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

BigGee wrote:I missed it first time around, but Blake was well involved in Tom Brown's try, took the ball on from Burleigh's break, like a good open side.

He was, but he also choked a horrid knock on at the start of the 2nd half after Hart's break. Not the best pass, but a specialist breakaway openside, which Blake clearly is, should collect that and continue the move.

He's not a bad player, albeit Conan and Grant were both better tonight. I think Blake will be an asset going forward, but his international call up was ridiculously premature on his showing tonight.

I really think we need to wipe the slate clean with Hugh Blake and give him a chance. He did not ask to be picked and it has resulted in a ridiculous amount of pressure being placed on a young man's shoulders. I don't believe there was ever any intention of playing him and as they have kept Watson with the squad, he was always the third choice and may well have been leapfrogged if he ever got close to being called up. VC is not a fool and you don't get the impression that he would throw anyone to the lions.

They have had young promising players with the squad before, S H-C for example. With the benefit of hindsight he should have had a 'with the squad for experience' moniker attached to him, for his own protection if nothing else. He may well be a future Scotland international though, I thought he had a decent enough debut today and I hope we see a bit more of him over the next few weeks. Maybe everyone, including VC will have learnt something from the episode.

funnyExiledScot wrote:I thought Sutherland was particularly good. He's going to play for Scotland.

Agreed, another who played well. We are not short of decent LH's now.

BigGee wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

BigGee wrote:I missed it first time around, but Blake was well involved in Tom Brown's try, took the ball on from Burleigh's break, like a good open side.

He was, but he also choked a horrid knock on at the start of the 2nd half after Hart's break. Not the best pass, but a specialist breakaway openside, which Blake clearly is, should collect that and continue the move.

He's not a bad player, albeit Conan and Grant were both better tonight. I think Blake will be an asset going forward, but his international call up was ridiculously premature on his showing tonight.

I really think we need to wipe the slate clean with Hugh Blake and give him a chance. He did not ask to be picked and it has resulted in a ridiculous amount of pressure being placed on a young man's shoulders. I don't believe there was ever any intention of playing him and as they have kept Watson with the squad, he was always the third choice and may well have been leapfrogged if he ever got close to being called up. VC is not a fool and you don't get the impression that he would throw anyone to the lions.

They have had young promising players with the squad before, S H-C for example. With the benefit of hindsight he should have had a 'with the squad for experience' moniker attached to him, for his own protection if nothing else. He may well be a future Scotland international though, I thought he had a decent enough debut today and I hope we see a bit more of him over the next few weeks. Maybe everyone, including VC will have learnt something from the episode.

I agree that the "training with the squad" would have been more appropriate for all concerned.

TJ wrote:

Griff wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Griff wrote:

BigGee wrote:Well that is justice!

Justice?! The letter of the law was followed very closely. Why wasn't it a penalty, would be a better question???

The problem is, if a penalty, them it automatically becomes a yellow. There was no way that was a dangerous tackle!

I know that, you know that. But for at least 2 years those tackles have been classified as yellow card offences. Legs above the horizontal and not brought down 'nicely'. How is this one different???

Ref said - "landed on his back" - thats the bit that makes it a yellow card - but the replay shows him going onto his front quite clearly  Its a mistake.  should have been a penalty( for the legs above the horizontal) but not yellow cos he lands on his front.  Allways risking a yellow tho so still a stupid tackle

Going above the horizontal and not bringing him down safely is what makes it a yellow, not landing on his back or front. That he spun to his front was a bonus from the player (from his own personal safety point of view), but the tackler could not guarantee that the player could or would spin/twist to his front (as he was not in control, hence he didn't let him down gently). If I speared a player above the horizontal onto his chest it would still probably attract a red! Like you say, always risking a yellow.

Thoroughly enjoyed that (in the end). Yellow was marginal so could be argued either way. It's either a "harsh" yellow, or a "he's a little bit lucky" scenario. Thankfully it didn't cost us the game.
The Ospreys handed the game on a plate with the scrum though appreciate their cupboard was bare.
I would have had Coman as my MOTM, he has grown with Edinburgh this last 3 months or so. Tonight everything about him screamed "captain!!!" to be. Making yards all the time and leading from the front.
Center pairing looked very good too. Matt Scott might be sweating before long, he could be looking at being 3rd choice center for both club and country if he doesn't get his form back very quickly.

JonnyEdinburgh wrote:Thoroughly enjoyed that (in the end). Yellow was marginal so could be argued either way. It's either a "harsh" yellow, or a "he's a little bit lucky" scenario. Thankfully it didn't cost us the game. A
y.

Agreed

For those at the game what was the crowd and myreside like? Hard to gauge the crowd on tv.


Edinburgh have Ulster at home next Friday, in what will prove a very stern test for this Edinburgh squad. Ulster's current team is much better than the one we played tonight, and have some real star players in the squad.

I suspect Dickinson and Ford will be rested but we could see Watson, Tonks and Scott back - if they can get in the team!

Wow I think you guys are being incredibly harsh on Te Rure. Yeah he looks a bit rough around the edges, but this is only his 2nd start and he's very young. What I saw out there was bags of attacking potential. He offers something none of the other fly halves have and there were little flashes of Carlos Spencer/Quade Cooper style heads up rugby, interesting angles and deceptive stepping. The dropped ball was just miscommunication, the kind you see when Matawalu does something and people don't follow in time.

When he learns to control a game a little more I could see him being a huge asset to club and potentially country.

Otherwise I thought Hart had a cracker. Never really rated him but that was a great game. SHC will have to work hard to regain his place.