Cardiff Blues V Edinburgh

 

Cardiff Blues V Edinburgh

At BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, 12.45pm Live on S4C/BBC ALBA
Referee: Dudley Phillips (IRFU, 47th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse, Neil Hennessy (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (WRU)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)

Teams

Cardiff Blues
Joaquin Tuculet, Richard Smith, Cory Allen, Gavin Evans, Tom Isaacs, Rhys Patchell, Lloyd Williams; Sam Hobbs, Matthew Rees (c), Adam Jones, Filo Paulo, Jarrad Hoeata, Josh Turnbull, Ellis Jenkins, Manoa Vosawai.

Replacements: Kristian Dacey, Thomas Davies, Taufa'ao Filise, Lou Reed, Macauley Cook, Tavis Knoyle, Gareth Davies, Adam Thomas.

Edinburgh

Jack Cuthbert, Dougie Fife, Sam Beard, Phil Burleigh, Tim Visser, Jade Te Rure, Grayson Hart, Rory Sutherland, Neil Cochrane, WP Nel, Ollie Atkins, Anton Bresler, Mike Coman (C), Roddy Grant, David Denton.

Replacements: Stuart McInally, Grant Shiells, John Andress, Fraser McKenzie, Hugh Blake, Nathan Fowles, Tom Heathcote, Andries Strauss.

Official Blurb

Pro 12 website wrote:Cardiff Blues have slipped to three straight Guinness PRO12 defeats but have not lost four in a row since this time last year, whilst their only victory at BT Sports Cardiff Arms Park in their last four fixtures in all tournaments was 104-12 over Rovigo in the European Challenge Cup on 16th January.
Edinburgh Rugby's three game winning run in the Guinness PRO12 ended at the hands of Ulster on Friday evening.

Edinburgh won their most recent away game in the competitions, 16-13 at Connacht, and have not secured back-to-back away victories in the competition since September 2009.

Edinburgh's 28-13 victory at BT Murrayfield in round 8 ended a three game losing run against the Blues, whilst they have not achieved a PRO12 season's double over the Welshmen since season 2009/10.

My blurb

Like two bald men fighting over a comb, this game may come down to whoever tries to lose the least.  The Blues had a bad defeat away to the worst team in the league last week, and Edinburgh somehow managed to lose to Ulster despite being a man up for the last 20 minutes and two men up for the last 6.

Recent form suggests that it was more of a blip from Edinburgh's point of view as they had won 3 pro 12 games before that, and Blues have lost 3 Pro 12 games in a row.

If Edinburgh can sort out their lineout and kick their goals I reckon we can win this one.  If not, home advantage will see the Blues home.

Difficult to know where Blues are at the moment and how all of this guff with their departed coach is going to affect the team. They were clearly very good in patches against Treviso but their defense really was shocking at times (something I saw Dale McIntosh admitted later).

Edinburgh really will be expecting to win this, I think. They still look stronger than most teams during this window due to their high NSQ contingent. Will Matt Scott be playing?

I think Edinburgh will win this.

They are probably marginally better and even though the blues are at home, Edinburgh should want it more. If they don't win here, it will be almost impossible to get 6th place for the heineken qualification.

I don't see how TH can be as bad from the tee as he was against Ulster and their lineout seemed to function well enough until they brought on their subs. I don't expect AS would make the same mistakes 2 weeks in a row.

Absolutely must win for Edinburgh to get back on track for 6th place. Cardiff are all over the place at the moment and we need to capitalise.

I suspect the team will be fairly similar to the Ulster game. It was strange to see a coach publicly criticise his goal kicker, even if it was obvious, but I hope he sticks with him - he is usually pretty reliable with the boot.

I suspect we'll see

1 Sutherland
2 Cochrane (if fit)
3 Nel
4 Bresler
5 Atkins (Toolis involved with Scotland)
6 Grant
7 Watson
8 Coman

9 Hart
10 Heathcoat
11 Visser/Brown
12 Burleigh
13 Beard
14 Fife
15 Cuthbert

Subs: Shiells, McInally, Andress, McKenzie, Blake, ?, Te Rure, Strauss

RDW_Scotland wrote:I suspect the team will be fairly similar to the Ulster game. It was strange to see a coach publicly criticise his goal kicker, even if it was obvious, but I hope he sticks with him - he is usually pretty reliable with the boot.

I suspect we'll see

1 Sutherland
2 Cochrane (if fit)
3 Nel
4 Bresler
5 Atkins (Toolis involved with Scotland)
6 Grant
7 Watson
8 Coman

9 Hart
10 Heathcoat
11 Visser/Brown
12 Burleigh
13 Beard
14 Fife
15 Cuthbert

Subs: Shiells, McInally, Andress, McKenzie, Blake, ?, Te Rure, Strauss

Damn, that really is a very good team for this time of year.

That's the right team, which I hope would be enough to win. The key thing is to have McInally on the bench rather than Hilterbrand. His throwing was beyond a joke against Ulster.

Whatever happened to George Turner? Showed up greatly against Leinster.

If Solomons thinks Hilterbrand is better it must be so...

Sunday 12-45pm?
Almost a morning kick off. Now there's a thought.

Pub will be open, so not a problem.

justified sinner wrote:Pub will be open, so not a problem.

Cavery?

VinceWLB wrote:Whatever happened to George Turner? Showed up greatly against Leinster.

If Solomons thinks Hilterbrand is better it must be so...

Forgot about him - he did look promising.

He did come on the wing though....

I'd like to see:

Sutherland, Cochrance, Nel, Mckenzie, Atkins, Grant, Blake (assuming Watson in 6N), Coman, Hart, Heathcote, Brown, Burleigh, Beard, Hoyland, Cuthbert

Might either of Visser or Fife be released back?

Definitely Fife, and the rumours are Seymour and Lamont will be the wingers so maybe visser too!

Cardiff Dave wrote:

justified sinner wrote:Pub will be open, so not a problem.

Cavery?

Nope plenty of pubs in Embra open at 12 on a Sunday these days. Probably a fry up first though being a Sunday.

justified sinner wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

justified sinner wrote:Pub will be open, so not a problem.

Cavery?

Nope plenty of pubs in Embra open at 12 on a Sunday these days. Probably a fry up first though being a Sunday.

I'll be in church with Euan.

Hopefully you'll get to catch some of the game after church though.

justified sinner wrote:Hopefully you'll get to catch some of the game after church though.

Zumba class after church.

Denton returns:

Edinburgh team to play Cardiff Blues, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, Sunday 1 March, kick-off 12.45pm

15 Jack CUTHBERT
14 Dougie FIFE
13 Sam BEARD
12 Phil BURLEIGH
11 Tim VISSER
10 Jade TE RURE
9 Grayson HART


1 Rory SUTHERLAND
2 Neil COCHRANE
3 WP NEL
4 Ollie ATKINS
5 Anton BRESLER
6 Mike COMAN Mike (captain)
7 Roddy GRANT
8 David DENTON



Replacements
16 Stuart McINALLY
17 Grant SHIELLS
18 John ANDRESS
19 Fraser MCKENZIE
20 Hugh BLAKE
21 Nathan FOWLES
22 Tom HEATHCOTE
23 Andries STRAUSS

Who is Nathan Fowles, I am presuming he is a SH but I have never heard of him. Kennedy seems to have dropped off the radar at Edinburgh, does that mean his time is up. Alex Glashan was on the bench the other week as well, he was meant to be very promising as well, but no sign of him either?

He's on loan from Sale I think - he's had a handful of games for them.

I think Kennedy is inured, and Glashan was released back to Edinburgh Accies last week so maybe isn't rated yet.

How the "Edinburgh" team breaks down by nationality

English 2
Scottish 7
NZ 6
Dutch 1
South Africa 2
Namibia 1
Aussie 1
Botswana 1
Zimbabwe 1

15 are Scottish qualified

Only 3 were born in the Edinburgh area

Rory Sutherland is the 24th man for Scotland apparently and has been training with them. He will no doubt be making his way down to Cardiff later on in the day to catch up with the others.

He is close to getting a call up and deserves it.

cp10 wrote:How the "Edinburgh" team breaks down by nationality

English 2
Scottish 7
NZ 6
Dutch 1
South Africa 2
Namibia 1
Aussie 1
Botswana 1
Zimbabwe 1

15 are Scottish qualified

Only 3 were born in the Edinburgh area

Not a big issue for me, and a several will ultimately qualify through residency. People make a lot of this with Edinburgh, but when you look at the numbers it's overplayed.

Good side, should do the business in Cardiff. Best of luck to Te Rure, despite my reservations he's getting a second chance and I hope he does well. I like the Burleigh/Beard centre combination and we have two international on the wing.

BigGee wrote:Rory Sutherland is the 24th man for Scotland apparently and has been training with them. He will no doubt be making his way down to Cardiff later on in the day to catch up with the others.

He is close to getting a call up and deserves it.

+1. He's one of the finds of the season, and has saved us from Blaauw.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

cp10 wrote:How the "Edinburgh" team breaks down by nationality

English 2
Scottish 7
NZ 6
Dutch 1
South Africa 2
Namibia 1
Aussie 1
Botswana 1
Zimbabwe 1

15 are Scottish qualified

Only 3 were born in the Edinburgh area

Not a big issue for me, and a several will ultimately qualify through residency. People make a lot of this with Edinburgh, but when you look at the numbers it's overplayed.

Good side, should do the business in Cardiff. Best of luck to Te Rure, despite my reservations he's getting a second chance and I hope he does well. I like the Burleigh/Beard centre combination and we have two international on the wing.

More a point of interest than a criticism. I think with the new Academy system we'll be seeing more indigenous players coming through soon. Obvious future weaknesses can be fixed by bringing in SQ from around the globe.

"Indigenous" - I know what you mean, but ever since the BNP adopted the word as part of their campaign materials I shudder when I hear it.

I'm entirely in favour of encouraging rugby in schools in Scotland, and allowing for professional/international rugby opportunities to be afforded to you men and women coming through the domestic system.

I think we are at the stage with Roddy Grant where we can call him Scottish. I know he was born in Botswana but his dad and his grandfather both played for Scotland I think and he has been the soul of your team for about 10 years.

Weegie Wizard wrote:I think we are at the stage with Roddy Grant where we can call him Scottish. I know he was born in Botswana but his dad and his grandfather both played for Scotland I think and he has been the soul of your team for about 10 years.

And he is ginger enough!

Edinburgh scrum have got the Cardiff one on toast. Sutherland giving nothing away to Duncan Jones

BigGee wrote:Edinburgh scrum have got the Cardiff one on toast. Sutherland giving nothing away to Duncan Jones

Duncan Jones?

Good try by Cardiff. Edinburgh well & truly sniped

Lloyd Williams has been getting a lot of tries this season, really found some form again

wales606 wrote:

BigGee wrote:Edinburgh scrum have got the Cardiff one on toast. Sutherland giving nothing away to Duncan Jones

Duncan Jones?

Wrong Jones, an easy mistake to make in Wales!

Lloyd Williams almost did it again!

Two penalties against Adam Jones clearing out when we were attacking with quick ball

Yellow card?! Really?

This ref is very whistle happy.

Denton is making plenty of yards, he wants his Scotland shirt back

wales606 wrote:Yellow card?! Really?

This ref is very whistle happy.

It was well high and Blues giving away a lot!

It was high, but he was stepping into it. A straight yellow was very harsh, there haven't been any other penalties for high tackles.

Ref just seems to like hearing his own voice, he is giving neither side any time

This is like a microcosm of yesterday. Pounded in the mall & failing with penalties to touch

Same for Edinburgh now

Te Rure has got the Scottish Fly half disease!

Shame to see my best pal is living up to my expectations!

Lovely try, it's going to the TMO to check the passing though :/

About 2m forward!

Arrrgggg, forward pass....but it looked so pretty.

Lucky for Edinburgh there, Blues made a mess of that, should have scored

Could well be the next 2 Scottish props on show here today, both doing really well

Ellis Jenkins is linking really well at 7, excellent support play too