Cardiff Blues vs Edinburgh Rugby: Pro 12

Referee: John Lacey (IRFU, 54th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Stuart Gaffikin (IRFU), Rhys Thomas (WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (WRU)
TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)

Teams:

Cardiff Blues
15 -Dan Fish;
14 - Blaine Scully,
13 - Cory Allen,
12 - Rey Lee-Lo,
11 - Tom James;
10 - Steve Shingler,
9 - Tomos Williams;
1 - Rhys Gill,
2 - Kirby Myhill,
3 - Taufa'ao Filise,
4 - George Earle,
5 - Macauley Cook,
6 - Josh Navidi,
7 - Ellis Jenkins (capt),
8 - Nick Williams.

16 - Kristian Dacey,
17 - Gethin Jenkins,
18 - Scott Andrews,
19 - James Down,
20 - Cam Dolan,
21 - Lewis Jones,
22 - Gareth Anscombe,
23 - Matthew Morgan.


Edinburgh Rugby
15. Glenn Bryce
14. Rory Scholes
13. Sasa Tofilau
12. Solomoni Rasolea
11. Tom Brown
10. Duncan Weir
9. Nathan Fowles

1. Rory Sutherland
2. Ross Ford
3. WP Nel
4. Fraser McKenzie
5. Grant Gilchrist CAPTAIN
6. Jamie Ritchie
7. Hamish Watson
8. Nasi Manu

Substitutes:
16. Stuart McInally
17. Jack Cosgrove
18. Simon Berghan
19. Ben Toolis
20. Magnus Bradbury
21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
22. Blair Kinghorn
23. Chris Dean

http://www.cardiffrfcfans.co.uk/analysis/referee_games.php?refereeID=23&season=2015-2016

John Lacey to referee.

question for blues fans, apologies for not keeping track but have you guys signed many players for this season/lost any important ones?

Edinburgh have had a fairly sizable squad rotation with players coming and going, we're still looking our normal stodgy selves so nothing changed there, but will be interesting to see how the team get on in their first competitive game.

Lacey

In fact I'm trying to think which Pro 12 ref's I don't react like that when I hear their names...

Anyway, it is maybe a bit extreme to say that the first game of the season is a must win game, but it is close to it for Edinburgh if they really have Top 6 / Top 4 ambitions.

In previous years I would be quietly confident but the Blues have recruited very well - they should be a strong team this season. With such a short pre-season (for the top players anyway) I doubt either team will be fully up to speed yet so it may come down to who is most match ready.

Looking at who was picked in the pre-season, and maknig assumptions on injuries, I think Edinburgh will be something like:

1 Sutherland
2 Ford
3 Nel
4 McKenzie
5 Gilchrist
6 Ritchie
7 Watson
8 Manu

9 Hidalgo-Clyne
10 Weir
11 Scholes
12 Burleigh
13 Tofilau
14 Hoyland
15 Bryce

Subs Cosgrove, McInally, Berghan, Toolis, Hardie, Kennedy, Kinghorn, Rasolea

With the back 3 probably being the greatest unkown in terms of team selection.

Should be strong enough to get the win but it is going to be very tough - it is really hard to tell.

Our players in definitely exceed the players out in terms of quality. The main two players to leave us were Patchell to the Scarlets and Vosawai to a team in france. Whilst we'll miss patchell, his insistence to play 10 meant he had to move as he couldn't be guaranteed that role as first choice.

Players in:
Nick Williams (Number 8)
Matthew Morgan (full back)
Rhys Gill (loosehead)
Steve Shingler (Fly Half/Centre)
Kirby Myhill (Hooker)
George Earle (Second Row)

The one shame is the most exciting signing, for me, Willis Halaholo won't be here until after the NZ Cup Comp ends

How has your pre-season been gc and what kind of team do you think you will be able to put out

To be honest I don't really know what to expect from Solomons for this game (in terms of starting XV - the tactics are, of course, predictable).

I haven't seen any of the friendlies either, so hard to predict.

Obvious ones are Nel and Sutherland at prop, Weir at 10 and Burleigh at 12. Not sure whether it's Bryce or Kinghorn at 15, whether SH-C will get the nod at 9 or what the back row will look like. I think Gilchrist and McKenzie will probably start at lock, with McInally at hooker.

Nick Williams is a useful signing, as is Matthew Morgan. Not so sure about Steve McShingler though. Talented but flaky.

funnyExiledScot wrote:To be honest I don't really know what to expect from Solomons for this game (in terms of starting XV - the tactics are, of course, predictable).

I haven't seen any of the friendlies either, so hard to predict.

Obvious ones are Nel and Sutherland at prop, Weir at 10 and Burleigh at 12. Not sure whether it's Bryce or Kinghorn at 15, whether SH-C will get the nod at 9 or what the back row will look like. I think Gilchrist and McKenzie will probably start at lock, with McInally at hooker.

SHC has started both pre-season games so I suspect he will partner Weir. Kinghorn has been covering 10 from the bench due to Tovey's injury so i suspect he'll be doing the same.

Backrow is difficult to call but Solomons likes Ritchie and Manu is back fully fit. Hardie is lacking fitness (he was given an extend break apparently) so I'd be surprised if he gets a start, especially since Watson had a full pre-season.

Pre Season has been pre season mate, high scoring loss to the Dragons (31-0 to the dregs, i think, at half time before scoring 20+ points of our own) and a narrow victory over Bristol.

I'm not sure with what side they'll go with but, in a perfect world where everyone was fit and no injuries, I'd like to see this team start at some point in the year:

1 Gethin Jenkins (Rhys Gill/Brad Thyer)
2 Kristian Dacey (Kirby Myhill/Ethan Lewis/Matthew Rees)
3 Fau Filise (Salesi Maafu/Dillon Jones)
4 George Earle (Hoeata/Turnbull/Cook)
5 James Down (Hoeata/Turnbull/Cook)
6 Josh Turnbull (Macauley Cook/Josh Navidi)
7 Ellis Jenkins (Warburton/Navidi)
8 Nick Williams (Navidi)

9 Lloyd Williams (Tomos Williams/Lewis Jones)
10 Gareth Anscombe (Steve Shingler/Jarrod Evans)
11 Tom James
12 Ray Lee-Lo (shingle)
13 Cory Allen (Garyn Smith)
14 Alex Cuthbert (Blaine Scully/Aled Summerhill/Dan Fish if Morgan FB)
15 Dan Fish (Matthew Morgan/Blaine Scully)

But the Welsh internationals weren't played in pre season following the NZ tour and Cuthbert's injured, other options are bracketed.

RDW_Scotland wrote:How has your pre-season been gc and what kind of team do you think you will be able to put out

Two pre-season games. The first was a two halves game against the NGD whereby the kids got pasted in the first half but the grown ups won the second half. The second game was more of a proper game against Bristol and they sneaked it by a point, although not too much can be taken from either game.

I'm told that the Welsh internationals, bar the 60% players, are available this weekend. It could look something like:

Jenkins, Myhill, Ma'afu, Hoeata, Earle, Turnbull, Jenkins, Williams
WilliamsT, Shingler, James, Allen, Lee Lo, Cuthbert, Fish

Gill, Dacey, Lewis, Cook, Navidi, Knoyle, Morgan, Smith

A bit hit and miss.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:To be honest I don't really know what to expect from Solomons for this game (in terms of starting XV - the tactics are, of course, predictable).

I haven't seen any of the friendlies either, so hard to predict.

Obvious ones are Nel and Sutherland at prop, Weir at 10 and Burleigh at 12. Not sure whether it's Bryce or Kinghorn at 15, whether SH-C will get the nod at 9 or what the back row will look like. I think Gilchrist and McKenzie will probably start at lock, with McInally at hooker.

SHC has started both pre-season games so I suspect he will partner Weir.  Kinghorn has been covering 10 from the bench due to Tovey's injury so i suspect he'll be doing the same.

Backrow is difficult to call but Solomons likes Ritchie and Manu is back fully fit.  Hardie is lacking fitness (he was given an extend break apparently) so I'd be surprised if he gets a start, especially since Watson had a full pre-season.

Thanks. I fully endorse giving Hardie a proper break. He looked completely spent towards the end of last season and nothing like the player who arrived on these shores. He has a good chance at making the Lions at year-end, so I'd encourage a decent break coming into this season. Watson is a fine player and I'm very comfortable giving him a run of games at the start of the season.

Massive season for SH-C. Had a poor year last season so really needs to remind us what he's capable of. Huge talent.

I still haven't drunk the Ritchie Kool-Aid. He's busy around the field without seemingly being particularly effective. He's still young and clearly still developing physically; great that he's had so much exposure at his level, but I'd still opt for Manu and Bradbury ahead of him.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

I still haven't drunk the Ritchie Kool-Aid. He's busy around the field without seemingly being particularly effective. He's still young and clearly still developing physically; great that he's had so much exposure at his level, but I'd still opt for Manu and Bradbury ahead of him.

I think Ritchie has bulked up quite a bit over the summer, he's still developing but against Newcastle he looked considerably bigger than he did last season.

PhilBB wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:How has your pre-season been gc and what kind of team do you think you will be able to put out

Two pre-season games. The first was a two halves game against the NGD whereby the kids got pasted in the first half but the grown ups won the second half. The second game was more of a proper game against Bristol and they sneaked it by a point, although not too much can be taken from either game.

I'm told that the Welsh internationals, bar the 60% players, are available this weekend. It could look something like:

Jenkins, Myhill, Ma'afu, Hoeata, Earle, Turnbull, Jenkins, Williams
WilliamsT, Shingler, James, Allen, Lee Lo, Cuthbert, Fish

Gill, Dacey, Lewis, Cook, Navidi, Knoyle, Morgan, Smith

A bit hit and miss.

Nick Williams will certainly add some ballast to the pack - for all Navidi's noble efforts there he really isn't a number 8!

Has the Blues scrum improved at all? Our scrum has been one of the few positives over the last few seasons, dominating a lot of the teams in the league!

That wasn't always a good thing though is it basically became our only weapon, with no plan B.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Nick Williams is a useful signing, as is Matthew Morgan. Not so sure about Steve McShingler though. Talented but flaky.

I admire your honesty and you're ability to see what's right in front of you, but you've just incurred the wrath of one-eyed turks. Sorry to be the one to have to inform you of this.

mikey_dragon wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Nick Williams is a useful signing, as is Matthew Morgan. Not so sure about Steve McShingler though. Talented but flaky.

I admire your honesty and you're ability to see what's right in front of you, but you've just incurred the wrath of one-eyed turks. Sorry to be the one to have to inform you of this.

Thanks for the heads-up. I feel that a day is not complete until I've managed to upset at least one segment of the Welsh rugby supporting population.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

PhilBB wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:How has your pre-season been gc and what kind of team do you think you will be able to put out

Two pre-season games. The first was a two halves game against the NGD whereby the kids got pasted in the first half but the grown ups won the second half. The second game was more of a proper game against Bristol and they sneaked it by a point, although not too much can be taken from either game.

I'm told that the Welsh internationals, bar the 60% players, are available this weekend. It could look something like:

Jenkins, Myhill, Ma'afu, Hoeata, Earle, Turnbull, Jenkins, Williams
WilliamsT, Shingler, James, Allen, Lee Lo, Cuthbert, Fish

Gill, Dacey, Lewis, Cook, Navidi, Knoyle, Morgan, Smith

A bit hit and miss.

Nick Williams will certainly add some ballast to the pack - for all Navidi's noble efforts there he really isn't a number 8!

Has the Blues scrum improved at all? Our scrum has been one of the few positives over the last few seasons, dominating a lot of the teams in the league!

That wasn't always a good thing though is it basically became our only weapon, with no plan B.

Blues scrum was a lot better last year. Wilson is a very good set-piece coach.

Loosehead, we have Gethin, Rhys Gill has joined who has been a pretty good scrummager at Saracens for the last few year.

At THP, Filise is playing his best rugby in his old age. Maafu hasn't impressed yet, but might have got his fitness together in the off-season. Dillion Lewis is the best prospect at TH to come through at the Blues in ages, but is still young.

My guess at the Blues team would be

1. Rhys Gill
2. Kristian Dacey
3. Tau Filise
4. George Earle
5. James Down
6. Josh Turnball
7. Ellis Jenkins
8. Nick Williams
9. Tomos Williams
10. Gareth Anscombe (assuming he is fit/available or it will be Shingler)
11. Tom James
12. Ray Lee-Lo
13. Cory Allen
14. Alex Cuthbert (if fit, otherwise Dan Fish)
15. Matthew Morgan

16. Kirby Myhill
17. Gethin Jenkins
18. Salesi Maafu
19. Jarrod Hoeata
20. Josh Navidi
21. Lewis Jones
22. Steven Shinger (Jarrod Evans)
23. Dan Fish (Blaine Scully / Aled Summerhill)

Decent backline. From an Edinburgh perspective Morgan at 15 worries me the most. We tend to kick an awful lot of ball, and typically do it very badly. We want to be starving Morgan of counter-attacking ball, not feeding him with it.

I'd hope we'd have the edge in the pack though, although without Dickinson, Bresler, Hardie and Du Preez, four key forwards for us, it may be closer than we'd hope.

C'mon Embra !

Edinburgh Rugby Head Coach Alan Solomons has named his team for tomorrow night’s Guinness PRO12 opener against Cardiff Blues at the BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park (kick-off 7.35pm) – live on BBC Scotland.

Solomoni Rasolea

Solomons has included five of this summer’s signings in his starting side, all of whom are named in the backline.

Glenn Bryce will don the number 15 shirt for his first competitive outing with the capital club, while another new arrival, Rory Scholes, starts on the right wing with Tom Brown starting on the opposite flank.

Solomoni Rasolea and Sasa Tofilau are also set to make their competitive debuts for the club as they start at inside and outside-centre respectively.

Scotland internationalist Duncan Weir, who joined the club prior to the new season, will start at stand-off and is partnered by scrum-half Nathan Fowles.

Solomons has selected an all-international front-row with Rory Sutherland and WP Nel packing down at prop either side of hooker Ross Ford.

Captain Grant Gilchrist will partner Fraser McKenzie at lock, while Jamie Ritchie and Hamish Watson start at blinside and openside flanker, with Nasi Manu at number 8.

Loose-head prop Jack Cosgrove may also make his competitive debut if called upon from the bench.

Solomons said:

"The pre season is now behind us and we are all looking forward to the start of the competition. Cardiff away is a tough opening fixture and we know that we will have to be at our best on Saturday."

Not considered due to injury: Alasdair Dickinson (hamstring), Neil Cochrane (back), Anton Bresler (groin), Jason Tovey (wrist), Phil Burleigh (back), Damien Hoyland (groin), Will Helu (hamstring)

Edinburgh Rugby team to play Cardiff Blues in the Guinness PRO12 at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park tomorrow (Saturday 3 September, kick-off 7.35pm) – live on BBC Sotland

15. Glenn Bryce
14. Rory Scholes
13. Sasa Tofilau
12. Solomoni Rasolea
11. Tom Brown
10. Duncan Weir
9. Nathan Fowles

1. Rory Sutherland
2. Ross Ford
3. WP Nel
4. Fraser McKenzie
5. Grant Gilchrist CAPTAIN
6. Jamie Ritchie
7. Hamish Watson
8. Nasi Manu

Substitutes:
16. Stuart McInally
17. Jack Cosgrove
18. Simon Berghan
19. Ben Toolis
20. Magnus Bradbury
21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
22. Blair Kinghorn
23. Chris Dean

Strong Edinburgh team but a few odd selections - Nathan Fowles starts at 9 even though Hidalgo-Clyne and Kennedy played in both pre-season games, and Brown and Scholes have randomly swapped wing.

Very excited to see the Rasolea-Tofilau combination - that's a lot of power and flair! Brand new centre combo though and Tofilau is very raw, so I'm sure the Blues will look to target them defencively.

Lots of impact off the bench which is good to see - something we've not had in a while from Edinburgh.  McInally, Toolis, Bradbury, Hidalgo-Clyne and Kinghorn should bring some real impetus off the bench.

5 new players in the back 5. Interesting, I have no idea what to make of them.

wales606 wrote:5 new players in the back 5. Interesting, I have no idea what to make of them.

That's a good point - only 2 of the starting Edinburgh backline were Edinburgh players last season, and Fowles didn't even play that much! Hopefully they can gel together quickly...

Blues team


15 -Dan Fish;
14 - Blaine Scully,
13 - Cory Allen,
12 - Rey Lee-Lo,
11 - Tom James;
10 - Steve Shingler,
9 - Tomos Williams;
1 - Rhys Gill,
2 - Kirby Myhill,
3 - Taufa'ao Filise,
4 - George Earle,
5 - Macauley Cook,
6 - Josh Navidi,
7 - Ellis Jenkins (capt),
8 - Nick Williams.

16 - Kristian Dacey,
17 - Gethin Jenkins,
18 - Scott Andrews,
19 - James Down,
20 - Cam Dolan,
21 - Lewis Jones,
22 - Gareth Anscombe,
23 - Matthew Morgan.


Big surprise there is MacCauley Cook in the second row. He played mostly at 6 last season, and James Down is on the bench - who was our main lineout jumper last season (I guess that Earles will be the enforcer and they are hoping to use Cook's mobility)

Scott Andrews on the bench is a disappointment. Maafu is turning out for the club side (been a real disappointment), but I don't know where Dillion Lewis is.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Scotland internationalist Duncan Weir, who joined the club prior to the new season, will start at stand-off and is partnered by scrum-half Nathan Fowles.

I like it when we get an insight into players' political views.

Anscombe hasn't played in the pre-season, but still good to have him on the bench to make an impact if we need it.

Really like the look of that backline with Allen back fit. Tomos Williams is young, but talented and did well in the pre-season. Shinger should be solid, hopefully can get some use out of his centres.

Hmmm, just looking at that Blues team I suspect we'll leak some points. Very hard to pull together a brand new backline in such a short space or time, so there will be defensive lapses in positioning almost certainly.

The pack looks useful though (although that's a very handy Blues back row).

We do have a better bench than usual, but they have Anscombe and Morgan to call upon, both game changers.

Don't see a positive result for Edinburgh here, but certainly good to see the new charges all getting a run out.

Interesting team from Edinburgh, I would have liked to have seen Burleigh in there as I think he could have knitted the new guys together well, but looks like he has an injury.

As always a very handy pack, but Cardiff will have too much. A LBP would be good for the Gunners here.

wales606 wrote:
Maafu is turning out for the club side (been a real disappointment)

Don't know if you went to the Dragons preseason game but when we came out we ran to the 10m line. He was viably out of breath after doing it. I'm very worried that he's just been idle all preseason and worse, that he'll get thumped in the scrum against Newport for Cardiff this weekend. Shame as he could be a tidy player for us.

That familiar, faintly sick, feeling looking at an Edinburgh team sheet. 

There are two clubs whose acquisitions mean that they may have improved considerably since last season - the Scarlets and the Blues. Not hugely hopeful that Edinburgh will stop discharging live rounds of ammunition into their foot at crucial moments, but let's see. 

The off factor here is the centre pairing of Rasolea and Tofilau. They could be absolutely electric or leave more gaps than a Donald Trump recollection of his business practices. The Blues midfield will certainly have their hands full. I just hope to sh!t that Solly hasn't been, well, himself and decided to tell them to be solid and cautious. These guys need to play fast and loose and get their undoubtedly superb offloading game going. With the likes of Allen back, they could get found out with clever linking work from Cardiff. Oh, what the smeg do I know, let's see.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

wales606 wrote:5 new players in the back 5. Interesting, I have no idea what to make of them.

That's a good point - only 2 of the starting Edinburgh backline were Edinburgh players last season, and Fowles didn't even play that much! Hopefully they can gel together quickly...

I think that they'll probably leak 3 tries through the midfield, but score one impossible, coast to coast, Harlem Globetrotters, offloading dream of a try in return which will make it into highlight reels for years. 

Probably .

Are Wilson's hands tied? Some shocking selections here and there.

mikey_dragon wrote:Are Wilson's hands tied? Some shocking selections here and there.

Like what?

He is restricted in using the 60/40 player from what I have heard, and a few players are injured like Lloyd Williams

Like Shingler, Cooke (at lock), Myhill and also Andrews on the bench. I thought Myhill was good for the U20s but he hasn't played much top level rugby since, perhaps he'll come good. I don't think it's only Blues who have their share of useless players, they're all over Wales.

mikey_dragon wrote:Like Shingler, Cooke (at lock), Myhill and also Andrews on the bench. I thought Myhill was good for the U20s but he hasn't played much top level rugby since, perhaps he'll come good. I don't think it's only Blues who have their share of useless players, they're all over Wales.

Shinger has taken a full part in the pre-season, Anscombe hasn't and has just return from injury - so can see why he isn't playing (he is also a 60/40 so they need to limit the games he plays)

Cook is a strange one, but he is a pretty good player - just not really a lock, but I guess they are hoping the scrum and lineout will be stable enough.

Most Blues fans seem to have been expecting Myhill to start based on the pre-season. He didn't get a huge amount of gametime in the West because of Owens and Phillips, but is a pretty solid hooker. I trust Wilson to select the best front row based on his experience.

Andrew on the bench is odd. I guess that Dillion Lewis is injured and by all accounts Maafu can barely run 100m. Also will trust Wilson with this, perhaps he can make a prop out of Andrews yet...

Also probably the case that the Blues will pick a more mobility-based team at home on the artificial pitch and a more power-based pack in away games.

I trust Wilson may have something up his sleeve - good coach he is.

Apparently Maafu was dire playing for Cardiff RFC against Newport yesterday. Scrum was terrible until he was replaced at halftime.

Looks like we are in the market for a new THP. Currently we have the ancient (but not showing it yet) Filise, the young Dillion Lewis and Scott 'can't scrummage' Andrews.

If Lewis or Filise get injured, we are really screwed.

When we signed Craig Mitchell I thought our TH problems were over, but he was a big disappointment, now the same has happened with Maafu.

Some positive news for Edinburgh - Cornell Di Preez has apparently been released to play for Heriots today. The original chat was that he'd be out until the AIs!

I feel sorry for the opposition when he trots off the bench!

wales606 wrote:Apparently Maafu was dire playing for Cardiff RFC against Newport yesterday. Scrum was terrible until he was replaced at halftime.

Looks like we are in the market for a new THP. Currently we have the ancient (but not showing it yet) Filise, the young Dillion Lewis and Scott 'can't scrummage' Andrews.

If Lewis or Filise get injured, we are really screwed.

When we signed Craig Mitchell I thought our TH problems were over, but he was a big disappointment, now the same has happened with Maafu.

Not what I wanted to hear at all. We need to pick one up quickly. Still excited for today. Weather aside should be a decent game.

'mon Edinburgh!

Is it urinating down in Cardiff at the moment?

I wonder how long it will take to get used to seeing meatball in an Edinburgh shirt.

RDW_Scotland wrote:I wonder how long it will take to get used to seeing meatball in an Edinburgh shirt.

Wait until he throws a few intercept passes. Then he'll have found his spiritual home in a Solomons backline.

Ball looks slippy!

Not a good start.

Should have scored then :/

Was about to say it has been ferocious defence from Edinburgh so far then that line break happened!

Shingler is back!

And again!

What was Rasolea doing??