Edinburgh vs Dragons, ECC Semi Final

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Edinburgh Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons
Friday 17 April 2015
KO 19:45
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Referee: JP Doyle
AR1: Luke Pearce
AR2: Marius Mitrea

*****
Teams:

Edinburgh Rugby
15. Jack Cuthbert
14. Dougie Fife
13. Sam Beard
12. Andries Strauss
11. Tim Visser
10. Phil Burleigh
09. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne

01. Alasdair Dickinson
02. Ross Ford
03. WP Nel
04. Anton Bresler
05. Ben Toolis
06. Stuart McInally
07. Roddy Grant
08. Mike Coman (c)

16. Neil Cochrane
17. Rory Sutherland
18. John Andress
19. Fraser McKenzie
20. Cornell Du Preez
21. Nathan Fowles
22. Tom Heathcote
23. Tom Brown

Newport Gwent Dragons
15 Jason Tovey
14 Tom Prydie
13 Tyler Morgan
12 Jack Dixon
11 Hallam Amos
10 Dorian Jones
09 Jonathan Evans

01 Brok Harris
02 T. Rhys Thomas (c)
03 Dan Way
04 James Thomas
05 Cory Hill
06 Nick Crosswell
07 Nic Cudd
08 Taulupe Faletau.

16 Rhys Buckley
17 Phil Price
18 Lloyd Fairbrother
19 Matthew Screech
20 James Benjamin
21 Luc Jones
22 Ashton Hewitt
23 Geraint Rhys Jones

*****
Couldn't wait any longer to start this thread.

Absolutely bouncing for Friday. First semi final for 8 years and hoping we can go one better. Dragons have just announced a third coach of supporters booked for the trip which, given the short notice, is a great effort.

We are coming in off a bonus point win against pro12 champions Leinster (while being 22-8 down at one point), have won four on the bounce and have a great team spirit of young Welshmen from around the region with a sprinkling of gnarly pros.

Bouncing

des wrote:I'm just about to buy my tickets and thought I'd post this:

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/scottishrugby/details/event.aspx?itemref=4161&utm_source=Edinburgh+v+Toulouse+2012&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Ed+semi

Looks a fairly decent turnout so far.  Maybe 7-8K, most of the east stand looks pretty full.

Look at all the red - is must be 50k!

That would be nice.  Don't think we'll see that again for a while.

I still find it unfair that Ulster effectively got a home semi when we finished our group with more points.  It was a surprisingly close game in Dublin and if we'd had home advantage and another 50k cheering for us then we might have edged it.

des wrote:That would be nice.  Don't think we'll see that again for a while.

I still find it unfair that Ulster effectively got a home semi when we finished our group with more points.  It was a surprisingly close game in Dublin and if we'd had home advantage and another 50k cheering for us then we might have edged it.

That's just the luck of the draw unfortunately - we managed to draw the home semi this time, albeit not quite so grand an occasion!

I don't think we would have been able to play the HK semi at Murrayfield either - you have it in your home country but you can't have it in your own stadium. Would have been a bit of a farce sending us through to Hampden!

Seems a strange decision to play Burleigh at ten and bench Heathcote - I thought we were past the Burleigh at 10 phase?

Does it maybe suggest AS sees the pro12 as more important, protecting Heathcote?

I don't think he trusts Heathcote.  He's certainly been much more cold than hot since the London Welsh game at Murrayfield.

Heathcoat has been mince since he announced he's leaving really! His goal kicking has absolutely nosedived too - he used to be quite reliable.

He did save the day against the Ospreys though.  Got your best pal out a hole too?

Is Dentons head injury a bad hair day?

des wrote:He did save the day against the Ospreys though.  Got your best pal out a hole too?

That indeed he did!

I had high hopes for Heathcoat and he started the season well, but he has certainly stalled (if not regressed) since then.

Mind you that is still a very handsome side - I claim Edinburgh are the best looking side in the Pro 12
*flicks hair*

See, I think there are far too many "haircuts".  

What's wrong with going to a barber or even doing it yourself at home with a pair of 20 year old Wahl clippers that have saved you almost £1200 over their lifetime?

RDW_Scotland wrote:

des wrote:He did save the day against the Ospreys though.  Got your best pal out a hole too?

That indeed he did!

I had high hopes for Heathcoat and he started the season well, but he has certainly stalled (if not regressed) since then.

I would agree with that. I was a big fan before he came up, but he just does not seem to have settled at Edinburgh. The one year contract was always a bit odd and it may have been that Solly never wanted him but was arm twisted by the SRU, who had him on the international radar.

Either way he has slipped down the pecking order and is a long way from another cap at the moment. I still think he is a good player and with a new club and coach and an environment he is comfortable in, he may still get back in the mix. He is still a young player at the end of the day.

I don't think Burleigh is the answer at 10 for Edinburgh though even if he can do a job. It is a conundrum they need to solve before next season as they will be very light in that department.

des wrote:See, I think there are far too many "haircuts".  

What's wrong with going to a barber or even doing it yourself at home with a pair of 20 year old Wahl clippers that have saved you almost £1200 over their lifetime?

Are you jealous?

* applies hairgel*

I had hairgel once. I think it was in 2nd year at secondary school?

To answer to your question though, yes.  I'd love to have hair to be unfashionable with.

des wrote:I had hairgel once. I think it was in 2nd year at secondary school?

To answer to your question though, yes.  I'd love to have hair to be unfashionable with.

I side with you on this des. Nothing the matter with some decent clippers (Wahl Baldfader) and 10 minutes of your time a week.

Think mine are Super Tapers.  As I said 20 years old and still going strong.  They were actually made in the USA too.  

I made the mistake of buying some rechargeable ceramic ones a few years ago and they were awful.

des wrote:Think mine are Super Tapers.  As I said 20 years old and still going strong.  They were actually made in the USA too.  

I made the mistake of buying some rechargeable ceramic ones a few years ago and they were awful.

The old adage, you only get what you pay for.

Sorry to move away from the issue of hair and hair products (I have no idea how Edinburgh get a bad rep for this type of thing :-)). I’m actually quite interested to see how Burleigh gets on at 10, his distribution at 12 has generally been good, so hopefully he will be able to continue, if not improve, at 10 especially if he gets decent ball from SHC.

The only issue is he is then likely to be passing to Strauss, which is where any exciting backs move goes to die.

It’s a decent side we’re putting out, a bit of a shame for McInally to come into the backrow, but I don’t see him letting anyone down and would be brilliant if Du Preez is able to come off the bench, I just hope it’s not too soon for him, but I guess he wouldn’t be there is it was.

I’m also not hugely surprised we’re giving Burleigh a try at SO, given Tonks is injured, Heatcote has been poor since his move was announced and Te Rure is Te Rure, options are sadly limited. Anyone got any idea how Lee Miller is getting on at LS?

Edinburgh rightfully have a good rep for being beautiful and well groomed

TJ wrote:Edinburgh rightfully have a good rep for being beautiful and well groomed

Ahem....

*swoons*

But then again we're not helped by having people like this on the team (who is a male model in his spare time and was rated in the top 50 most eligible bachelors in Scotland)...

des wrote:That would be nice.  Don't think we'll see that again for a while.

I still find it unfair that Ulster effectively got a home semi when we finished our group with more points.  It was a surprisingly close game in Dublin and if we'd had home advantage and another 50k cheering for us then we might have edged it.

It's a bit like how we had an away semi this year, though we finished higher than you.

Pretty confident of an Edinburgh win, thats a pretty weak pack the Dragons are sending and i fully expect Edinburgh to exploit it.

RDW_Scotland wrote:But then again we're not helped by having people like this on the team (who is a male model in his spare time and was rated in the top 50 most eligible bachelors in Scotland)...

And Roddy Grant...

Good lord, Vince. That was some outburst of optimism. Given the patchwork nature of the back row and half backs, I wish I shared your confidence. The Dragons on here seem to question their front row which, ironically, is potentially our best area. As long as Ford brings his throwing in sorted.
Still think either team could win it (I know what I mean but that really does look like an incredibly dumb thing to say)

Typical Edinburgh fans. I leave this thread for an hour and I return to an 'Attitude' magazine feature about male grooming and bromance.

InjuredYetAgain wrote:Good lord, Vince. That was some outburst of optimism. Given the patchwork nature of the back row and half backs, I wish I shared your confidence. The Dragons on here seem to question their front row which, ironically,  is potentially our best area. As long as Ford brings his throwing in sorted.
Still think either team could win it (I know what I mean but that really does look like an incredibly dumb thing to say)

Well i would be a lot less confident if the Dragons had Stankovich, Landman and Gough starting which would be an incredibly beefy pack, last time Brok Harris played at loosehead in Scotland it didn't go very well for him up against Jon Welsh, i expect Nel to do a number on him too. Also Hidalgo-Clyne back is a huge bonus and should get the scoreboard ticking over.

Bit unfair to say that Edinburgh players do all the modelling.

At least they keep their kit on... Sean 'cough cough' Lamont

I really hope someone opens that picture at work!

Soooooooooo

Edinburgh are better looking than Glasgow
Edinburgh are in a Euro semi final
Edinburgh are the 1872 champions

Sux to be a Glasgow fan eh!

Good luck fans of the burgh . Unfortunately I'm going to miss the game this evening, but I'll hopefully get hold of some highlights (if anyone could point out where?) after the game.

S4C have been showing highlights of the European games.

It is on BT Sport too, so they will no doubt put highlights together.

Starting to get nervous!!

Anyone feeling lucky and fancy putting in a score prediction?

I can't even decide who i think are going to win this!

Gonna say Edinburgh win within 7 points...

So I've done my usual and placed a bet against my team when they've become favourites.  £48 on the Dragons with £2 covering the draw.

It's generally a good way to make money as an Edinburgh/Scotland supporter.  They rarely win when favourites and when they do I'm pleasantly surprised.

I shall be at Rodney Parade to watch it. Not my favourite drinking venue to be honest (full of those bl**dy Dragons fans ), but should be a better atmosphere than my father in law's house! A few sherberts awaits!

Good luck all.

In the house for me for this just hoping me make it to the Stoop.

C'Mon Dragons

RDW_Scotland wrote:Gonna say Edinburgh win within 7 points...

I think the Burgh boys would bite your hand off for that result!

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:S4C have been showing highlights of the European games.

SATURDAY @ 21:30

http://www.s4c.cymru/c_listings.shtml?dt=2015-04-18 (Amserlenni yn Gymraeg)

http://www.s4c.cymru/e_listings.shtml?dt=2015-04-18 (Schedules in English)

Edinburgh are odds on 4/9 favourites - shows what the bookies know!

I've got bets on WP Nel and Hidalgo-Clyne scoring tries.

It's a cracking evening for rugby - no rain, clear sky, minimal wind, t-shirt weather.

Got a feeling Roddy Grant might score tonight.

I'm hearing rumours in the pub only 5000 tickets sold - they're hoping for a big walk up crowd...

Looked about 7k when I looked at the site about 3

Typical SRU - only 6 turnstiles open!

Not much of a crowd for such a big game is it. Anyway...come on Edinburgh...time to slay some Dragons

Anyone know which TV channels are showing this one?

BT sports2 Georgie.

Martyn Williams AND Andy Nichol - the NH's two most useless and bias pundits together - tonight - for one night only!