Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread X-rated

[funnyExiledScot]

First topic message reminder :

Previously by the same artist:

https://www.606v2.com/t48240-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread
https://www.606v2.com/t51313-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-ii
https://www.606v2.com/t53119-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-iii
https://www.606v2.com/t54519-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-iv
https://www.606v2.com/t55409-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-v-the-fun-continues
https://www.606v2.com/t56913p950-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-vi-banter-boogaloo
https://www.606v2.com/t57946-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-vii
https://www.606v2.com/t58659-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-viii
https://www.606v2.com/t59409p1000-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-ix

Edinburgh

1872 Champions

Glasgow

1872 Runners-up

[funnyExiledScot]

Just to clarify:

1 – None of you are invited, so no turning up on the day please (Security will be warned)

2 – I certainly don’t like any of you enough to want to spend so much money on you being there

3 – Can you imagine inviting Glaswegians to a fancy venue in central Edinburgh??  

1. Noted. I'll just borrow a disguise off Ryan Wilson.

2. Your reputation sort of led me to that conclusion. Don't worry, I'm happy with drinking Moet. No need to lay on the expensive stuff.

3. This is a fair point. Just the Edinburgh fans then.....

[VinceWLB]

Just seen Munster has tied up recently Irish qualified Stander until at least 2018. Edinburgh should really be doing the same with Nel. I must say i'm quietly optimistic about his signature as he does come across as a loyal guy but the sooner he gets signed up the better. This would potentially be the best signing ever by a Scottish side, imo.

[MacKnocked-on]

Breaking news...Solly has extended his contract!

[RDW]

Well i'm not disappointed by that news - he has done well for Edinburgh generally and we need to remember we probably couldn't get anyone better - but he desperately needs to work on our attack.

Will be interesting to see how long the extension is for.

[RDW]

He's signed on for another season

The capital club started the 2015/16 season strongly in the Guinness Pro12 with four consecutive wins and recently recorded back-to-back victories against French opposition in the European Challenge Cup.

Scottish Rugby Chief Executive Mark Dodson said: “Alan is successfully building on the improved performances achieved by Edinburgh Rugby last season, which saw them reach the European Challenge Cup Final and secure the 1872 Cup.

“The club has made a positive start to the new season and we wanted to ensure Alan was able to continue to develop the vision he started in 2013. We are therefore very pleased he has committed to Edinburgh through to 2017.”

Solomons set out to build a sustainable club through the medium of young indigenous and Scottish-qualified talent.

The green shoots of this vision are evident, as demonstrated during the course of last season when Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Hamish Watson, Ben Toolis and Rory Sutherland established themselves in the Edinburgh team, with the first three gaining national recognition. Sam and Rory were joined by Dougie Fife and Damien Hoyland in being involved in either the summer series or RWC 2015.

This season has seen Damien Hoyland and Chris Dean become regulars in the Edinburgh team with 18-year-old Blair Kinghorn debuting against Zebre and Jamie Ritchie playing against Agen in the European Challenge Cup.

Alan Solomons said: “While we have made good progress over the past two seasons, we still have some way to go and I am pleased to be able to continue to build on what we have achieved.”

Notes to editors
The former director of rugby with the Southern Kings Alan Solomons arrived in Edinburgh in summer 2013.

Solomons was assistant coach during the Springboks' record run of 17 victories, coached Western Province to successive Currie Cup Premier division finals (1997 and 1998) – winning the trophy in 1997 – and took the Stormers to the Super 12 semi-final in 1999, before beginning a three-year term at the helm in Ulster in 2001.

The Irishmen reached the knockout rounds of the Celtic League every year of his tenure, twice made the Celtic Cup final (lifting the trophy in 2003) and enjoyed a three-year unbeaten home record in the Heineken Cup.

He was employed as a high performance consultant for the IRB from 2007 to 2011 before taking Eastern Province to three successive Currie Cup division one finals (winning the Cup in 2010 and 2012) and lifting the IRB Nations Cup under the guise of shadow international side, the South Africa Kings.

Then came the role with the Southern Kings, which started with him coaching them in their inaugural match against the 2009 British & Irish Lions and concluded with him taking them into their debut Super Rugby season in 2013 (best ever debutant season). In August 2013 he took over the reins of Edinburgh from interim head coach, Stevie Scott, who has worked alongside him in the intervening two years.

[Majestic83]

The 100 day countdown has begun. Which means I'm about to spend a hell of a lot of money!

you have not got and booked your wedding for a 6 nations weekend have you?

[RDW]

The 100 day countdown has begun. Which means I'm about to spend a hell of a lot of money!

you have not got and booked your wedding for a 6 nations weekend have you?

Luckily no - at the time the 6N fixtures hadn't been released yet so I made an educated guess. Fortunately I was correct!

[Majestic83]

The 100 day countdown has begun. Which means I'm about to spend a hell of a lot of money!

you have not got and booked your wedding for a 6 nations weekend have you?

Luckily no - at the time the 6N fixtures hadn't been released yet so I made an educated guess. Fortunately I was correct!

Lucky guess

luckily I managed to persuade my other half not to have ours until after the XV club season had finished. Its now in the middle of the 7s season so unfortunately no 7s for me this year.......gutted

[RDW]

The 6N has the same pattern of weekends played each year, so I'd like to think it was more than a guess!

[Majestic83]

Have you managed to get your stag organised? rugby themed?

[RDW]

It has been organised but I've been told nothing about it!

It is the last weekend in January so I can't see it involving rugby. Was too difficult to find something rugby related (and affordable) post New Year but pre-wedding.

[Majestic83]

plenty time to recover physically & mentally before the wedding then

[RDW]

plenty time to recover physically & mentally before the wedding then

Pretty much - and hopefully enough time for eyebrows to grow back / permanent marker to be scrubbed off!

[funnyExiledScot]

It has been organised but I've been told nothing about it!

It is the last weekend in January so I can't see it involving rugby. Was too difficult to find something rugby related (and affordable) post New Year but pre-wedding.

You'll be heading to Cardiff to watch Edinburgh spank them around the park on the Friday night, with a trip to the National Museum on the Saturday (a fine collection of sheep through the ages). You can attend the massive Walkabout in the evening and perhaps catch a viewing of Glasgow backs vs Ospreys pack in the evening.

Lovely city Cardiff, if you like drunk people with fake tan and broken English.

Sorted.

[RDW]

If we're playing the Blues on that Friday then we could well be heading to Cardiff!

I have been told we're getting a flight...

[funnyExiledScot]

If we're playing the Blues on that Friday then we could well be heading to Cardiff!

I have been told we're getting a flight...

Doesn't narrow it down. Abu Dhabi (drop in on GC)? New York? Wick? Norwich??

Flybe to Cardiff I reckon. Need to shave your legs and paint yourself orange.

[funnyExiledScot]

Just seen that Solomons has extended until June 2017, making him very old indeed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35005238

Mixed feelings about this. Not done a bad job, in fact the pack he's built is excellent. Not convinced he's the man to take us to the next level.

[VinceWLB]

I'm happy for AS extension if only for seeing most of the players being out of contracts in the pack staying.

[RDW]

I'm happy for AS extension if only for seeing most of the players being out of contracts in the pack staying.

I'm hoping it is a sign that they are all staying

[des]

He always said he wanted to build a solid foundation first. Assuming there are no blips like last seasons game against the Ospreys he's definitely done that. He's also done it with a skeleton coaching staff up until now.

My biggest problem with him was in his first season when Nel couldn't be bothereed to scrum and Geoff Cross wasn't getting any gametime. That cost us quite a bit in the short term but it's looking like an astute move now. Although I'd still have Geoff back.

[funnyExiledScot]

He always said he wanted to build a solid foundation first.  Assuming there are no blips like last seasons game against the Ospreys he's definitely done that.  He's also done it with a skeleton coaching staff up until now.  

My biggest problem with him was in his first season when Nel couldn't be bothereed to scrum and Geoff Cross wasn't getting any gametime.  That cost us quite a bit in the short term but it's looking like an astute move now.  Although I'd still have Geoff back.

Or this season's defeat to Zebre??

[des]

That wasn't nearly as bad as the Ospreys game.  Zebre had all their internationalists back.  

Following on from their win against us they convincingly beat the Blues, got humped of the Ospreys, lost to Gloucester, humped Worcester then came close against the Scarlets.

Also, we always lose to them in Italy. I don't know why the bookies haven't spotted it yet.

[funnyExiledScot]

All true. I'm still disappointed we didn't see that one through though. We had some opportunities (you know of what I speak Mike Coman).

Genuinely mixed views about Solomons. One real positive is continuity, and hopefully that stability is something that will attract some of the key players to stay.

[RDW]

Again I have a worry that the Zebre loss and Munster balls up will come back to haunt us at the end of the season.

[RuggerRadge2611]

So the Forth Road Bridge is out for the foreseeable future.

I can see my fellow Fifers have already marched on the bridge in protest...



I think this is an SNP plan to turn Fife into an escape from New York style prison...

[RDW]

So the Forth Road Bridge is out for the foreseeable future.

I can see my fellow Fifers have already marched on the bridge in protest...



I think this is an SNP plan to turn Fife into an escape from New York style prison...

Civil Engineers aren't overly popular just now....at least I now know what it feels like to be a lawyer!

[funnyExiledScot]

So the Forth Road Bridge is out for the foreseeable future.

I can see my fellow Fifers have already marched on the bridge in protest...



I think this is an SNP plan to turn Fife into an escape from New York style prison...

I think it was Fifers marching on the bridge that caused the problem in the first place. No amount of engineering magic can withstand that.

My secretary is from Dunfermline and arrived to work at 11am this morning. Hopeless.

[funnyExiledScot]

So the Forth Road Bridge is out for the foreseeable future.

I can see my fellow Fifers have already marched on the bridge in protest...



I think this is an SNP plan to turn Fife into an escape from New York style prison...

Civil Engineers aren't overly popular just now....at least I now know what it feels like to be a lawyer!

Oh I suspect the civil engineers involved with the bridge will shortly become very familiar with lawyers......

[George Carlin]

RDW - Abu Dhabi would be great for a stag provided you are willing not to get too lairy and promise no to get your kit off for the local laydeez who would, to be honest, be a bit shocked at your tattoos.

Actually pleased about the Solomons extension. He is a quality coach and, let's be honest, has a keen eye for poaching Almost Springboks. Besides, I presume we are paying him in Sanatogen, Arran cardigans and with the bonus of a complete hip replacement if we place top 6.

[funnyExiledScot]

RDW - Abu Dhabi would be great for a stag provided you are willing not to get too lairy and get your kit off for the local laydeez who would, to be honest, be a bit shocked are your tattoos.

Actually pleased about the Solomons extension. He is a quality coach and, let's be honest, has a keen eye for poaching Almost Springboks. Besides, I presume we are paying him in Sanatogen, Arran cardigans and with the bonus of a complete hip replacement if we place top 6.

Not much of a bonus. You get free healthcare in Scotland, but perhaps we won't tell him that.

Abu Dhabi wouldn't work for RDW - his student discount card wouldn't be accepted.

[RDW]

So the Forth Road Bridge is out for the foreseeable future.

I can see my fellow Fifers have already marched on the bridge in protest...



I think this is an SNP plan to turn Fife into an escape from New York style prison...

Civil Engineers aren't overly popular just now....at least I now know what it feels like to be a lawyer!

Oh I suspect the civil engineers involved with the bridge will shortly become very familiar with lawyers......

I'd be surprised (and disappointed) if lawyers had to get involved - there was an inspection in May that showed no issues and this was the next inspection scheduled. Maintenance regimes are heavily scrutinised and would have had the approval of the client no doubt.

So I'd be surprised if there was negligene here - these things just sometimes happen in 50 year old bridges!

I'm sure the scrutiny will be on whether the inspection regime was regular enough, but in a feckin huge bridge like that you have to make priorities within your budget, and this would have been a low priority area.

[funnyExiledScot]

So the Forth Road Bridge is out for the foreseeable future.

I can see my fellow Fifers have already marched on the bridge in protest...



I think this is an SNP plan to turn Fife into an escape from New York style prison...

Civil Engineers aren't overly popular just now....at least I now know what it feels like to be a lawyer!

Oh I suspect the civil engineers involved with the bridge will shortly become very familiar with lawyers......

I'd be surprised (and disappointed) if lawyers had to get involved - there was an inspection in May that showed no issues and this was the next inspection scheduled.  Maintenance regimes are heavily scrutinised and would have had the approval of the client no doubt.

So I'd be surprised if there was negligene here - these things just sometimes happen in 50 year old bridges!

I'm sure the scrutiny will be on whether the inspection regime was regular enough, but in a feckin huge bridge like that you have to make priorities within your budget, and this would have been a low priority area.

I'm not sure you understand how this works. You think there has to be fault, or even negligence, for lawyers to get involved!!? No no no. Your average ambulance chaser cares not about trivial matters such as fault or guilt. Believe me, the bottom feeding vultures will be all over this, coupled with clients who have suffered "distress" and "anxiety", leading to 6 months of debilitating ME, resulting in 12 months of lost earnings, all caused by crossing a bridge which was subsequently found to be unsafe.

Someone is always to blame, even if no-one is.

[George Carlin]

I love the smell of a summary judgment application in the morning...

[madmaccas]

Hat trick from Visser for Quins. Good to see him getting his groove back after life under Solomons.

[RDW]

He's been voted 'quins player of the month too.

[madmaccas]

He's been voted 'quins player of the month too.

And now Premiership top try scorer to boot!

Good for the lad and Scotland, but the more I think about it the more upsetting it is from an Edinburgh perspective. Bradley knew how to bring out the best in him, so it seems does O'Shea. Which means something is dreadfully wrong with Solomon's coaching. We've seen the same with players who have moved to Glasgow (especially backs).

Now he seems to be a good forwards coach, but the backs still look like a ragtag bunch. His complaints about having to use other people's signings are now moot, so all we can conclude is that he's pretty clueless when it comes to 9-15. How many different fly halves have we had? Or centre combinations for that matter? What about wingers? The only nailed on back I can think of is SHC. Compare that to every other team in the Pro12 (or any other league for that matter) and it shows what a mess it is.

He keep signing quality forwards, but I can't spot any coherent strategy when it comes to the backs. If anything they seem to be going backwards. Were it not for occasional flashes of brilliance from individuals they'd never score.

Which leads me to wonder about some of the other backs who are unable to reach their potential under him. Is it a coincidence that Matt Scott has been pants since Solomons took over? Sure he has been blighted by injury, but even then the style of play he's being forced into hardly brings out the best in the man who not too long ago was seen as Scotland's centre saviour.

So, whilst everyone seemed pretty pleased that he's signed on for another season, I'm left feeling pretty downhearted that the team who were once seen as the most exciting in the league, are gonna continue to be little more than grunt merchants for the foreseeable future.

[EWT Spoons]

I agree with a lot of what you've said Madmaccas. Our backs seem to lack direction, it's also probably not helped that once the match day squad have been announced they train separately from the rest of the squad, does leave issues if someone has to drop out.

But as has been said, Solly has done wonders with our forwards, no one can complain about that and he has made us harder to beat, or specifically harder to score against. However, he seems unable to do anything with our backs or develop a style of play that utilities the whole team rather than just the pack.

I'm glad we're not back under the bradley days, but somewhere between bradleys all out attack and sollys anything other than attack approaches would be nice.

[RDW]

https://www.606v2.com/t61509-challenge-cup-pool-5-london-irish-v-edinburgh-rugby-12-december#3224823

[RDW]

He's been voted 'quins player of the month too.

And now Premiership top try scorer to boot!

Good for the lad and Scotland, but the more I think about it the more upsetting it is from an Edinburgh perspective. Bradley knew how to bring out the best in him, so it seems does O'Shea. Which means something is dreadfully wrong with Solomon's coaching. We've seen the same with players who have moved to Glasgow (especially backs).

Now he seems to be a good forwards coach, but the backs still look like a ragtag bunch. His complaints about having to use other people's signings are now moot, so all we can conclude is that he's pretty clueless when it comes to 9-15. How many different fly halves have we had? Or centre combinations for that matter? What about wingers? The only nailed on back I can think of is SHC. Compare that to every other team in the Pro12  (or any other league for that matter) and it shows what a mess it is.

He keep signing quality forwards, but I can't spot any coherent strategy when it comes to the backs. If anything they seem to be going backwards. Were it not for occasional flashes of brilliance from individuals they'd never score.

Which leads me to wonder about some of the other backs who are unable to reach their potential under him. Is it a coincidence that Matt Scott has been pants since Solomons took over? Sure he has been blighted by injury, but even then the style of play he's being forced into hardly brings out the best in the man who not too long ago was seen as Scotland's centre saviour.

So, whilst everyone seemed pretty pleased that he's signed on for another season, I'm left feeling pretty downhearted that the team who were once seen as the most exciting in the league, are gonna continue to be little more than grunt merchants for the foreseeable future.

I'd agree with all of this

Hopefully Hodge can start exerting some influence. All I've seen of him so far is us throwing some ineffective offloads against the Dragons.

If you haven't seen Visser's highlights from the weekend it is worth a look - he scored a hatrick from basically doing the things he always used to do for Edinburgh. Almost the same moves too.

What a waste he was at Edinburgh the last few years.

[funnyExiledScot]

The only caveat to that madmaccas would be Matt Scott - I'd agree that he was wasted last season at 13, not his position and he doesn't have the pace for it. But so far this season he's looked pretty good, in fact I thought he was strong against the Dragons and very solid against Ulster.

The Visser thing is telling though. Absolutely the worst player to have under Solomons, as his tackling and aerial skills are his two poorest attributes: pretty much all Solomons asks his wingers to do. That he is scoring freely once more is good news for Scotland. We need him at his best come the 6 Nations, as Maitland isn't setting the heather on fire at LI.

[RDW]

I wonder what Maitland is thinking of his move to LI given he is currently sitting on the bench of a team that is without a win in the AP.

[funnyExiledScot]

I wonder what Maitland is thinking of his move to LI given he is currently sitting on the bench of a team that is without a win in the AP.

It really is a crying shame when you consider what he is capable of. He'd actually make a great winger for Alan Solomons, as he's got a pretty decent all round game and will fetch those up and unders with glee.

It's a bit of a concern really. Scotland have three quality wingers: Visser, Seymour and Maitland. We need all three to be achieving their potential. The likes of Hughes, Brown, Hoyland and Fife are a fair bit off in terms of quality, and Lamont shouldn't be allowed near a Scotland jersey these days, certainly as a winger.

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

I wonder what Maitland is thinking of his move to LI given he is currently sitting on the bench of a team that is without a win in the AP.

Maitland did not want to go from The Warriors but it freed up salary for Big Tacky. I know who I would rather have

[VinceWLB]

Maitland was and is overrated, had DTH (and Big Tacky for that matter) received the ball instead of him at the end of the Bath away game last season Glasgow would have been in the QF. Never seen what the fuss was all about, apart from being allegedly the quickest during the last Lions tour but we have never seen it on the rugby field.

[21st Century Schizoid Man]

Maitland was and is overrated, had DTH (and Big Tacky for that matter) received the ball instead of him at the end of the Bath away game last season Glasgow would have been in the QF. Never seen what the fuss was all about, apart from being allegedly the quickest during the last Lions tour but we have never seen it on the rugby field.

I did not mention DTH as I would take him back in exchange for both Maitland and Big T - if only

[funnyExiledScot]

Maitland was and is overrated, had DTH (and Big Tacky for that matter) received the ball instead of him at the end of the Bath away game last season Glasgow would have been in the QF. Never seen what the fuss was all about, apart from being allegedly the quickest during the last Lions tour but we have never seen it on the rugby field.

I know what you're saying, but if you look at his Super 15 YouTube clips you will see what the fuss is about. He just hasn't managed to demonstrate it since coming over (which has been long old stretch).

He is extremely quick (albeit not with particularly good accelaration), pretty physical and has good hands. He's good under the high ball and rarely puts a food wrong in defence. He was known in Super Rugby as one of the top finishers on the block, which is again ironic given his ability in the NH to do everything but score.

My personal view is that LI was the wrong club for him. Edinburgh badly needed a high calibre winger when Visser left and I'd far rather have taken Maitland than Will Helu (who has so far looked little more than solid, and frankly no upgrade on Brown, Fife, Hoyland and, I suspect, Farndale). Maitland could also have had exposure to 15 at Edinburgh, which he apparently wanted. Tonks wants to play at 10, Kinghorn is a long term prospect at 10 and Cuthbert would literally take twice the time as Maitland to run the length of the pitch.

I do rate Maitland, but with Visser on red hot form at the moment I would probably pick Visser and Seymour for a game next Saturday, with Maitland covering the back three from the bench.

[VinceWLB]

The thing is Maitland looked poor on the wing with Glasgow (in comparison with DTH and Seymour of course) and the few times he backed up his super rugby pedigree is when he played 15. With Hogg already on the books, a move was on the cards and i totally agree Edinburgh would have been a great choice but we have to be aware he was considerably more expensive than someone like Helu.

[funnyExiledScot]

The thing is Maitland looked poor on the wing with Glasgow (in comparison with DTH and Seymour of course) and the few times he backed up his super rugby pedigree is when he played 15. With Hogg already on the books, a move was on the cards and i totally agree Edinburgh would have been a great choice but we have to be aware he was considerably more expensive than someone like Helu.

True, but we did offload Visser (and subsequently Denton). Plus we could easily have offloaded Strauss and Cuthbert as well (and McLennan).

[EWT Spoons]

The thing is Maitland looked poor on the wing with Glasgow (in comparison with DTH and Seymour of course) and the few times he backed up his super rugby pedigree is when he played 15. With Hogg already on the books, a move was on the cards and i totally agree Edinburgh would have been a great choice but we have to be aware he was considerably more expensive than someone like Helu.

True, but we did offload Visser (and subsequently Denton). Plus we could easily have offloaded Strauss and Cuthbert as well (and McLennan).

We also got rid of Hilterbrand, and Te Rue wouldn't have had many crying in their sleep had he gone.

[RDW]

Let's all not forget that Edinburgh had first pick of Maitland but turned him down because we had Lee Jones.

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