Edinburgh, Glasgow and London Scottish Arrivals & Departures

George Carlin wrote:What is interesting for Edinburgh are the players who have stepped up. It was expected that some would, but not others to the extent that they did. Whilst Pappy is very willing to take credit for this, there is an argument that this happened despite his regime and not because of it.

Gilchrist as nailed on captain looks questionable with the rise and rise of Ben Toolis. Would he ever have been regularly selected if Gilchrist was fit? Difficult to see it and yet Toolis often looks special during a game in a way that GC never did in all the matches that I saw him play in.

If Du Preez had not become injured, whom would have been dropped to make way for him. It wouldn't have been the club captain or Dozer whom pappy is a huge fan of. Would we have seen Fraser Watson this year at all? A little scary to think that we may not.

madmaccas wrote:Actually just seen that Fowles and Alex Toolis have signed on for another year. Meh

Link

funnyExiledScot wrote:

madmaccas wrote:Actually just seen that Fowles and Alex Toolis have signed on for another year. Meh

Link

My view is that they are decent squad back-up, nothing more. Re: Fowles I'd rather we'd have kept Grayson Hart.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

George Carlin wrote:What is interesting for Edinburgh are the players who have stepped up. It was expected that some would, but not others to the extent that they did. Whilst Pappy is very willing to take credit for this, there is an argument that this happened despite his regime and not because of it.

Gilchrist as nailed on captain looks questionable with the rise and rise of Ben Toolis. Would he ever have been regularly selected if Gilchrist was fit? Difficult to see it and yet Toolis often looks special during a game in a way that GC never did in all the matches that I saw him play in.

If Du Preez had not become injured, whom would have been dropped to make way for him. It wouldn't have been the club captain or Dozer whom pappy is a huge fan of. Would we have seen Fraser Watson this year at all? A little scary to think that we may not.

Who?

George Carlin wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

George Carlin wrote:What is interesting for Edinburgh are the players who have stepped up. It was expected that some would, but not others to the extent that they did. Whilst Pappy is very willing to take credit for this, there is an argument that this happened despite his regime and not because of it.

Gilchrist as nailed on captain looks questionable with the rise and rise of Ben Toolis. Would he ever have been regularly selected if Gilchrist was fit? Difficult to see it and yet Toolis often looks special during a game in a way that GC never did in all the matches that I saw him play in.

If Du Preez had not become injured, whom would have been dropped to make way for him. It wouldn't have been the club captain or Dozer whom pappy is a huge fan of. Would we have seen Fraser Watson this year at all? A little scary to think that we may not.

Who?

Fraser Watson. You know, like 'Hamish Watson' but misspelled.

This error was brought to you by (a) insomnia, (b) the ongoing pressure to remain World Class and (c) the fact that I have a good friend called Fraser Watson.

George Carlin wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

George Carlin wrote:What is interesting for Edinburgh are the players who have stepped up. It was expected that some would, but not others to the extent that they did. Whilst Pappy is very willing to take credit for this, there is an argument that this happened despite his regime and not because of it.

Gilchrist as nailed on captain looks questionable with the rise and rise of Ben Toolis. Would he ever have been regularly selected if Gilchrist was fit? Difficult to see it and yet Toolis often looks special during a game in a way that GC never did in all the matches that I saw him play in.

If Du Preez had not become injured, whom would have been dropped to make way for him. It wouldn't have been the club captain or Dozer whom pappy is a huge fan of. Would we have seen Fraser Watson this year at all? A little scary to think that we may not.

Who?

Fraser Watson. You know, like 'Hamish Watson' but misspelled.

This error was brought to you by (a) insomnia, (b) the ongoing pressure to remain World Class and (c) the fact that I have a good friend called Fraser Watson.

funnyExiledScot wrote: The only point I was making is that I think Fowles is no better than Hart, meaning that our options at 9 next season won't have improved.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

George Carlin wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

George Carlin wrote:What is interesting for Edinburgh are the players who have stepped up. It was expected that some would, but not others to the extent that they did. Whilst Pappy is very willing to take credit for this, there is an argument that this happened despite his regime and not because of it.

Gilchrist as nailed on captain looks questionable with the rise and rise of Ben Toolis. Would he ever have been regularly selected if Gilchrist was fit? Difficult to see it and yet Toolis often looks special during a game in a way that GC never did in all the matches that I saw him play in.

If Du Preez had not become injured, whom would have been dropped to make way for him. It wouldn't have been the club captain or Dozer whom pappy is a huge fan of. Would we have seen Fraser Watson this year at all? A little scary to think that we may not.

Who?

Fraser Watson. You know, like 'Hamish Watson' but misspelled.

This error was brought to you by (a) insomnia, (b) the ongoing pressure to remain World Class and (c) the fact that I have a good friend called Fraser Watson.

I'll forgive you. BabyfES is teething at the moment and as a result of (a) above I spent a good 10 minutes this morning searching for shoes I was already wearing.

Majestic83 wrote:
I still think it is poor that we are going for someone like this who isn't SQ when there are SQ players available who could be brought in instead.
I don't think he looks anything special and my mate who is an Ulster supporter says they aren't that fussed by him leaving.

Majestic83 wrote:Guys like Mike Doneghan at London Scottish could certainly come in and do a job. Plays either in the centre or on the wing, similar age to Allen but has certainly had more game time in the past couple seasons and has been playing very well in helping London Scottish into the play offs. Good size at 6ft 3 and over 100kg, is quick, good hands, solid in defence and knows how to score.
Was a Glasgow EDP early on but didn't secure a full time contract and went down to play in the English championship to learn his trade which he has done very well at.
Someone like Duncan Taylor would have been ideal at Edinburgh playing outside Scott or Burleigh. Think his contract is up this season as well.
Or further away there is Huw Jones who said a couple of weeks ago in the South African press he was looking at returning to the UK in the future. His contract is up after the super rugby season and is pondering whether to sign for another year with the Stormers or return now to a club in the UK!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Highlighting the list of outfield backs:

12. Scott, Burleigh, Strauss
13. Beard, Allan, Dean and Auld

Wings:

11. Helu, Farndale, Robbins
14. Fife, Hoyland, Brown

Full back:

15. Cuthbert, McLennan and Howarth

11 out of 16 are SQ, which isn't too bad really.  It is on the high NSQ side, and it isn't ideal that our two front runner 13s are NSQ, but that is the situation we are faced in.

He won't be on much money, and the reason he wasn't getting a lot of gametime was the calibre of players ahead of him at Ulster - he could prove to be a decent player if he gets more gametime.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:Guys like Mike Doneghan at London Scottish could certainly come in and do a job. Plays either in the centre or on the wing, similar age to Allen but has certainly had more game time in the past couple seasons and has been playing very well in helping London Scottish into the play offs. Good size at 6ft 3 and over 100kg, is quick, good hands, solid in defence and knows how to score.
Was a Glasgow EDP early on but didn't secure a full time contract and went down to play in the English championship to learn his trade which he has done very well at.
Someone like Duncan Taylor would have been ideal at Edinburgh playing outside Scott or Burleigh. Think his contract is up this season as well.
Or further away there is Huw Jones who said a couple of weeks ago in the South African press he was looking at returning to the UK in the future. His contract is up after the super rugby season and is pondering whether to sign for another year with the Stormers or return now to a club in the UK!

These guys may end up coming still, and Jones and Taylor would be very good signings.  It comes down to whether they actually want to come though, which isn't guaranteed.

Majestic83 wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Highlighting the list of outfield backs:

12. Scott, Burleigh, Strauss
13. Beard, Allan, Dean and Auld

Wings:

11. Helu, Farndale, Robbins
14. Fife, Hoyland, Brown

Full back:

15. Cuthbert, McLennan and Howarth

11 out of 16 are SQ, which isn't too bad really.  It is on the high NSQ side, and it isn't ideal that our two front runner 13s are NSQ, but that is the situation we are faced in.

He won't be on much money, and the reason he wasn't getting a lot of gametime was the calibre of players ahead of him at Ulster - he could prove to be a decent player if he gets more gametime.

Yes he could turn out to be a good player given gametime and then in 2 years get picked up by one of the irish provinces and then go back across there and get capped by Ireland!

funnyExiledScot wrote:I can see Burleigh and Beard becoming SQ over time. Beard in particular seems underrated - he's a quietly effective operator. Nothing flash, but has a very low error count, good pace and decent handling and kicking skills. I don't recall him missing much in defence either.

Agree with Maj though that Duncan Taylor would be a better signing than Allan if we can get him. Exactly the sort of back to get Solomons excited. A big bloke who loves the defensive stuff!

Majestic83 wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:I can see Burleigh and Beard becoming SQ over time. Beard in particular seems underrated - he's a quietly effective operator. Nothing flash, but has a very low error count, good pace and decent handling and kicking skills. I don't recall him missing much in defence either.

Agree with Maj though that Duncan Taylor would be a better signing than Allan if we can get him. Exactly the sort of back to get Solomons excited. A big bloke who loves the defensive stuff!

Hadnt really seen Beard play in the flesh until the semi against the Dragons, thought he looked fairly good but thought his pace wasn't the greatest. There was one instance in the 2nd half where it almost looked like he was running on quick sand. Again though is he not a 12 being used at 13?

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:I can see Burleigh and Beard becoming SQ over time. Beard in particular seems underrated - he's a quietly effective operator. Nothing flash, but has a very low error count, good pace and decent handling and kicking skills. I don't recall him missing much in defence either.

Agree with Maj though that Duncan Taylor would be a better signing than Allan if we can get him. Exactly the sort of back to get Solomons excited. A big bloke who loves the defensive stuff!

Hadnt really seen Beard play in the flesh until the semi against the Dragons, thought he looked fairly good but thought his pace wasn't the greatest. There was one instance in the 2nd half where it almost looked like he was running on quick sand. Again though is he not a 12 being used at 13?

Yes it was the interception, me and my mates I was with at the game all commented how slow he looked at that point.
I think back in New Zealand at Canterbury he had mostly been used at 13. From the current options he certainly looks the best bet at 13 though. I know some people have mentioned fife at 13 but I would hate to see that. In the semi final I think he must have missed a good 5 tackles and that wasn't even against strong opposition.
I think that was early in the first half when he got the interception.  He did look slow, but his assist for Fife's try at the end he looked pretty quick!

He is definitely an out and out 13.

Majestic83 wrote:Guys like Mike Doneghan at London Scottish could certainly come in and do a job. Plays either in the centre or on the wing, similar age to Allen but has certainly had more game time in the past couple seasons and has been playing very well in helping London Scottish into the play offs. Good size at 6ft 3 and over 100kg, is quick, good hands, solid in defence and knows how to score.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Fife's defence has always been poor I think.  The problem is he always goes high - in the Pro 12 he often gets away with it, but at a higher level he gets caught out a lot.

He is the best kick chaser in Scottish rugby - one of the few players who could have taken that amazing high ball that he did against the Dragons - so I'd keep him on the wing.

His defence needs to improve though.

madmaccas wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:Guys like Mike Doneghan at London Scottish could certainly come in and do a job. Plays either in the centre or on the wing, similar age to Allen but has certainly had more game time in the past couple seasons and has been playing very well in helping London Scottish into the play offs. Good size at 6ft 3 and over 100kg, is quick, good hands, solid in defence and knows how to score.

Oi hands off!

Actually if he has a chance to progress as a professional I'd be happy to see him leave the RAA, but it would be a shame. I just don't want it to be a situation like Tommy Spinks who was improving week-on-week and then left LS to warm the stands at Scotstoun.

Majestic83 wrote:

madmaccas wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:Guys like Mike Doneghan at London Scottish could certainly come in and do a job. Plays either in the centre or on the wing, similar age to Allen but has certainly had more game time in the past couple seasons and has been playing very well in helping London Scottish into the play offs. Good size at 6ft 3 and over 100kg, is quick, good hands, solid in defence and knows how to score.

Oi hands off!

Actually if he has a chance to progress as a professional I'd be happy to see him leave the RAA, but it would be a shame. I just don't want it to be a situation like Tommy Spinks who was improving week-on-week and then left LS to warm the stands at Scotstoun.

Was playing rugby with tommy's brother at the weekend and he was saying that tommy's future is up in the air at the moment. Still not certain he will be at Glasgow next season, could be back to London Scottish again.

Nematode wrote:I suppose the problem for him is that Bordill is ahead of him, so too Blake maybe.

Given Harley seemed unbreakable and owns 6 (Eddie as backup), and Ashe & Strauss take 8, the only jersey up for grabs seems to be 7 which has been occupied by 1. Fusaro 2. Holmes 3. Bordill 4. Blake 5. Spinks.

With Kieran Low coming, I could see why he might move on.

Nematode wrote:"We're well supported by Scottish Rugby and we have some exciting signings yet to bring in; we believe we've spent wisely."

Glasgow Warriors: Michigan man Nathan Bombrys aiming high

Seems Glasgow have a few good signings to announce - any rumours?

Fifty-two is an important number for us at Glasgow Warriors. It may be the number of weeks in the year but it is also the number of players that have worn the Warriors shirt this season and it underlines just how much of a squad effort the modern professional game has become.

We have a full-time roster of 43 players and not only have all of them played this year but we have also had to feature players from the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy and the club game, while a couple of players from Edinburgh Rugby have come in on short-term loans to play for us.

We will be missing in the region of 20 to 25 players throughout the pre-seasonThe highlights for me of this squad effort are performances of Academy players like Ali Price and Zander Fagerson, the former doing so well against Ospreys in a crucial game and also when he came off the bench two weeks ago to make a try-saving tackle against Cardiff. And Zander has learned and improved with every outing he’s had at tighthead prop, which is very encouraging for the months and years to come.

Also Fraser Lyle, who started this season as an amateur player with Stirling County, before being brought into our environment in November, played very well against Ospreys and has done a superb job at sevens for the Scotland team in the tournaments in Hong Kong and Japan.

But for me the squad effort was really epitomised when we had an emotional night at a sold-out Scotstoun against Cardiff Blues a couple of weeks back when the players did Al Kellock and Dougie Hall proud by the way they played. Hard work and support play allowed us to claim an important bonus-point victory.

Then the following day ten of our players represented the club at the Melrose Sevens and put in another big effort, especially defensively, to win the prestigious tournament. These are special and happy days when you see more players represent the club and that is what we will require going into next season.

When you put a squad together in terms of recruiting for the following season, you are thinking about signing or re-signing players that will help make a difference to the team, help the team win and also have a mind-set of wanting to improve and working hard to improve. So all the players you sign must be capable of wearing that jersey and helping the team win and drive high standards on a daily basis.

Recruitment is also a 52-
weeks-of-the-year job for us. We look at our squad first so that we can re-sign players we want to continue to be part of our club, and also look at players who will add depth in certain positions or replace those who are leaving through moves to other clubs or retirement. Crucially, this must all fit within our budget.

So we are very comfortable with the squad we are putting together for next season and confident that we will be able to challenge throughout the 12 months but especially in the highest level games like key Guinness Pro12 league fixtures and European Champions Cup games.

But next year presents unique challenges as the Rugby World Cup will be played during the Pro12 season and we will be missing in the region of 20 to 25 players throughout the pre-season and for the first two months of competitive rugby.

The 2015/16 season could be viewed really as two campaigns. The first one where we will work with the group of players who won’t be at the Rugby World Cup training camps and which will start at the beginning of June and go all the way through to November.

The second campaign begins when we have everybody back and are ready to take on the European Champions Cup which will be played pretty much straight after the World Cup, when we will likely go from a squad of 35 players to around 55.

It will be an exciting season in that we will have more players in our squad with some players new to professional rugby and some new to Glasgow Warriors, so it will be great to work with them and see them get their first opportunity to improve and play for the club.

It will also be exciting to – hopefully – see so many of our players getting the opportunity to play in a World Cup and then returning to Glasgow ready to make the most of the added knowledge they have picked up from all of that big game experience.

Returning to the current campaign we have a massive few weeks ahead and, like any other time of the season, it will be the squad effort that will allow us to achieve what we want to achieve.

There has been a real high level of quality to our training sessions this week and a large part of that has been down to those players who have not been selected for the game against Connacht on Saturday.

They have really added a high quality intensity in our defence and attack sessions and also our set piece which we know will receive a huge challenge from Connacht, who in terms of stats, have the best scrum in our league and are also very effective in the lineout.

Connacht are a team we respect very highly and getting an extra few days preparation has helped us a lot because we have been able to analyse what a tough challenge this will be against a team who have played really well this year and are still very much in the mix for a European spot.

We love playing at the Sportsground in Galway, the atmosphere is always excellent with the noisy home crowd, and the often challenging weather conditions heighten your senses and you have to be focused for the full 80 minutes.

We know what is at stake, not just in terms of this game but in terms of all our final three fixtures, and it’s up to us to rise to that challenge. It has been a great week and now we must finish it by delivering the level of performance required.

Majestic83 wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:I can see Burleigh and Beard becoming SQ over time. Beard in particular seems underrated - he's a quietly effective operator. Nothing flash, but has a very low error count, good pace and decent handling and kicking skills. I don't recall him missing much in defence either.

Agree with Maj though that Duncan Taylor would be a better signing than Allan if we can get him. Exactly the sort of back to get Solomons excited. A big bloke who loves the defensive stuff!

Hadnt really seen Beard play in the flesh until the semi against the Dragons, thought he looked fairly good but thought his pace wasn't the greatest. There was one instance in the 2nd half where it almost looked like he was running on quick sand. Again though is he not a 12 being used at 13?

madmaccas wrote:Whereas Glasgow should have quite a few coming up, especially if the article from Toonie that GC posted is to go by. They'll need at least 2 wings, a lock, hooker and loosehead prop.

Nematode wrote:Castres are 1 point off bottom - they won't be in the Heineken Cup for sure and will need to trim down wages. Gray might be available at a good price.

Also, for Gray, a Lion, would you really want to play in second tier French rugby when you could play in the Aviva/Glasgow?

I'd be more surprised to see him sign a new contract with Castres than leave - where to's a mystery though.

VinceWLB wrote:

Nematode wrote:Castres are 1 point off bottom - they won't be in the Heineken Cup for sure and will need to trim down wages. Gray might be available at a good price.

Also, for Gray, a Lion, would you really want to play in second tier French rugby when you could play in the Aviva/Glasgow?

I'd be more surprised to see him sign a new contract with Castres than leave - where to's a mystery though.

Didn't Castres said they would sell Ritchie Gray to the highest bidding team?