Edinburgh vs Leinster - Friday 16th September 2016

by funnyExiledScot Mon 12 Sep 2016, 12:35 pm

First topic message reminder :

Match: Edinburgh vs Leinster
Date: Friday 16th September 2016
Kick-off: 7:35pm
Venue: BT Murrayfield (other telecoms providers are available - and considerably better value)
TV: BBC Alba (blame EWT Spoons if you tune in and there's something rubbish on instead)
Attendance: Pitiful
Form: Mixed, for both
Result: Leinster to win, scoreline to be determined by whether they play their 1st XV
Dress code: Country casual

by **RDW** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 12:04 pm

Ritchie dropped, Fihaki at 8 and big scary CDP back on the bench

Edinburgh vs Leinster - Friday 16th September 2016 - Page 2 CsY9R_dXgAYN5iH

by **RDW** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 12:11 pm

Strong Leinster team

Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has this afternoon announced his Leinster match day 23 to take on Edinburgh in the Guinness PRO12 tomorrow evening in BT Murrayfield (Kick Off: 7.35pm - live on TG4).

There are a number of changes from the XV that went to Glasgow last Saturday and further changes on the replacements bench.

Cullen also confirmed that Rob Kearney's scan on Monday had come back relatively positive and that the 30 year old full back has not picked up a long term injury. He has though suffered a grade two PCL knee injury which will keep him sidelined for the next few rounds of the Guinness PRO12. Rehabilitation has already commenced and he will be assessed again in a few weeks.

With Kearney out, Zane Kirchner, a try scorer last week in Glasgow, moves to full back with Dave Kearney continuing on the left wing. Isa Nacewa makes his first appearance of the campaign on the right wing and will captain the side.

It will also be his 150th appearance for Leinster since his debut in September 2008 against Cardiff. Nacewa has scored 33 tries and 486 points for Leinster in his 149 games to date.

Noel Reid and Garry Ringrose are again named in the centre for the third time in three games while in the half backs Jamison Gibson-Park makes his first start in Leinster colours at scrum half with Joey Carbery outside him.

In the pack there are a number of changes as a number of returning internationals make their first starts.

Jack McGrath and Sean Cronin come into the front row alongside Mike Ross to form a very experienced unit. They have 345 Leinster and 146 Ireland caps between them.

In the second row Devin Toner comes in to partner Mike McCarthy while in the back row Jamie Heaslip scrums down at number eight for the first time this season with Jordi Murphy at blind side and Dan Leavy at open side.

LEINSTER (Leinster caps in brackets):

15. Zane Kirchner (67)
14. Isa Nacewa CAPTAIN (149)
13. Garry Ringrose (24)
12. Noel Reid (61)
11. Dave Kearney (104)
10. Joey Carbery (3)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (2)
1. Jack McGrath (95)
2. Sean Cronin (114)
3. Mike Ross (136)
4. Devin Toner (181)
5. Mike McCarthy (65)
6. Jordi Murphy (82)
7. Dan Leavy (15)
8. Jamie Heaslip (217)

16. Bryan Byrne (14)
17. Cian Healy (155)
18. Tadhg Furlong (52)
19. Ross Molony (25)
20. Josh van der Flier (26)
21. Luke McGrath (52)
22. Cathal Marsh (15)
23. Rory O'Loughlin (2)

by **RDW** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 12:15 pm

Edinburgh Rugby prop Willem ‘WP’ Nel will lead the team out as the club’s 24th centurion against Leinster at BT Murrayfield tomorrow night (kick-off 7.35pm) – live on BBC ALBA.

WP Nel

The 15-times capped Scotland tighthead, who signed for the capital outfit ahead of the 2012/13 season, has started 83 of his 99 appearances to date, scoring 75 points through 15 tries.

Tomorrow Nel lines up in a settled Edinburgh side with Head Coach Alan Solomons making three changes – two personnel and one positional – from the team that defeated Scarlets 20-9 last weekend.

Tongan internationalist Viliami Fihaki will make his competitive debut for the club at number 8 in place of the rested Jamie Ritchie, prompting a switch to the blindside for young back-row Magnus Bradbury.

Hamish Watson replaces fellow openside John Hardie who continues his graduated return-to-play protocol following a head knock sustained against the Welshmen.

Glenn Bryce continues at full-back with last week’s try-scorer Michael Allen and Tom Brown remaining on the wings.

Sasa Tofilau makes his third competitive start for the club at outside-centre with Phil Burleigh keeping a hold of the number 12 shirt.

Last week’s Guinness Man of the Match Duncan Weir and Nathan Fowles continue to build their half-back partnership as they make their third consecutive start together.

Centurion Nel, Ross Ford and Rory Sutherland form the front-row with captain Grant Gilchrist and Ben Toolis starting once again at lock.

Solomons said: “It was good to get the win under our belt last week.

“We know we need to build on that, but appreciate that we will have to be at our best against a powerful Leinster outfit.”

Players not available due to injury: Alasdair Dickinson (hamstring), Simon Berghan (foot), Anton Bresler (groin), Jack Cosgrove (knee), John Hardie (concussion), Nasi Manu (ribs), Jason Tovey (wrist), Will Helu (hamstring), Damien Hoyland (groin).

Edinburgh Rugby team to play Leinster in the Guinness PRO12 at BT Murrayfield tomorrow (Friday 16 September, kick-off 7.35pm) – live on BBC ALBA
15. Glenn Bryce

14. Michael Allen

13. Sasa Tofilau

12. Phil Burleigh

11. Tom Brown

10. Duncan Weir

9. Nathan Fowles

1. Rory Sutherland

2. Ross Ford

3. WP Nel

4. Ben Toolis

5. Grant Gilchrist CAPTAIN

6. Magnus Bradbury

7. Hamish Watson

8. Viliami Fihaki

Substitutes:

16. Stuart McInally

17. Allan Dell

18. Kevin Bryce

19. Fraser McKenzie

20. Cornell Du Preez

21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne

22. Solomoni Rasolea

23. Blair Kinghorn

by Hazel Sapling Thu 15 Sep 2016, 12:17 pm

Happy enough with the back row. Watson's lack of size is completely mitigated by everyone else in the pack being of international size. Other than that, quite dissatisfied.

Solomons will not get his contract renewed the way he is going. Even if they start playing well, keeping more or less the same team every week kills morale and exhausts everyone for the back end of the season. The internationals he is whipping now are needed for Scotland first not for Edinburgh to lose narrowly.

by **RDW** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 12:29 pm

So looking at the teams I think a relatively comfortable Leinster BP win is on the cards, with a losing BP being a good result for us just now!

by TheMildlyFranticLlama Thu 15 Sep 2016, 12:53 pm

Hazel Sapling wrote:Happy enough with the back row. Watson's lack of size is completely mitigated by everyone else in the pack being of international size. Other than that, quite dissatisfied.

Solomons will not get his contract renewed the way he is going. Even if they start playing well, keeping more or less the same team every week kills morale and exhausts everyone for the back end of the season. The internationals he is whipping now are needed for Scotland first not for Edinburgh to lose narrowly.

Don't worry, SHC will be perfectly fresh come international time! Not that he'll be anywhere close to meriting selection given he can't get into the Edinburgh shirt

by **RDW** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 12:58 pm

And to be fair it is only the 3rd game - Nel playing 80 minutes each game aside, none of the internationalists are really due a rest yet.

Scotland players are only meant to play 5 games in a row but I'd be surprised if we see them rested much until the first Challenge Cup game away to the Romanian team - which would show that he once again isn't learning from his mistakes.

The problem we have under Solomons is that the fringe players have absolutely no match finesses or game sharpness by the time they are called up to fill in for the internationalists, because he rotates very little and likes to keep players on the bench all game.

by EST Thu 15 Sep 2016, 2:20 pm

I am glad that Ritchie has been dropped, he evidently has a lot of talent, but for me he doesn't look physically ready to play pro rugby and has never really stood out in a pro game.

It's a solid team that Edinburgh have put out, but one that will be outclassed by Leinster who have brought back some very good players. I was very impressed by Dan Leavy last week, and note he has moved to 7 for this game.

As RDW said, a losing BP for Edinburgh would be a good result.

by **RDW** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 2:23 pm

There is a particular strong gulf in the back row - youngsters at 6 and 7 and our number 8 is playing his first game for us, and who has been a bit of a journeyman throughout his career so far.

We could have done with Hardie for this one and hopefully Du Preez is fit enough to come on early in the 2nd half.

Our lineout is going to be tested too with Toner playing - hopefully we have been working on it all week because it has been guff so far.

by asoreleftshoulder Thu 15 Sep 2016, 2:25 pm

Very happy with that Leinster team and bench,hopefully we kick on now and start to see some really good performances.

It's interesting to see Leavy get the start at 7 which would be his main position,he's already played 6 & 8 this season so he's got versatility.He is one who was hyped up so it'd be nice to see him kick on this year and really add to our backrow strength.

by **profitius** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 3:06 pm

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Very happy with that Leinster team and bench,hopefully we kick on now and start to see some really good performances.

It's interesting to see Leavy get the start at 7 which would be his main position,he's already played 6 & 8 this season so he's got versatility.He is one who was hyped up so it'd be nice to see him kick on this year and really add to our backrow strength.

The hype was justified too.

I think Leinsters pack will be a bit rusty for this game but you'd have to fancy them.

by asoreleftshoulder Thu 15 Sep 2016, 3:53 pm

Yeah he really is a talent,he would have been considered a better prospect than van der Flier so that's a pretty high bar.Lots of backrows coming through at Leinster at the moment and some really good prospects in the academy.

I just hope for to see more progression in our attack,the ambition has been there in the first few games,hopefully the execution really starts to click soon.

by **RDW** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 3:58 pm

Edinburgh are usually fairly obliging when it comes to opposition teams needing to get players match sharp and teams that are yet to find their attacking mojo!

by Luckless Pedestrian Thu 15 Sep 2016, 4:08 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:
Tongan internationalist Viliami Fihaki

by Rory_Gallagher Thu 15 Sep 2016, 4:17 pm

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:
RDW_Scotland wrote:
Tongan internationalist Viliami Fihaki

There have been a lot of these internationalists popping up recently. I didn't realise that so many rugby players were involved in politics outside of their playing careers.

by Luckless Pedestrian Thu 15 Sep 2016, 4:47 pm

I've never seen it until this season. It's good to have a work / life balance, I suppose.

by **George Carlin** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 5:00 pm

Rory_Gallagher wrote:
Luckless Pedestrian wrote:
RDW_Scotland wrote:
Tongan internationalist Viliami Fihaki

There have been a lot of these internationalists popping up recently. I didn't realise that so many rugby players were involved in politics outside of their playing careers.

by **RDW** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 5:04 pm

So would Tongan International be the correct phrasing? then?

by **George Carlin** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 6:51 pm

Where is Large Al Dickinson, exactly?

by **RDW** Thu 15 Sep 2016, 7:23 pm

George Carlin wrote:Where is Large Al Dickinson, exactly?

Hamstring injury.

by Pot Hale Thu 15 Sep 2016, 7:30 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:So would Tongan International be the correct phrasing? then?

'Tonga international rugby football union player' would be lovely.

by funnyExiledScot Fri 16 Sep 2016, 9:51 am

EST wrote:I am glad that Ritchie has been dropped, he evidently has a lot of talent, but for me he doesn't look physically ready to play pro rugby and has never really stood out in a pro game.

It's a solid team that Edinburgh have put out, but one that will be outclassed by Leinster who have brought back some very good players. I was very impressed by Dan Leavy last week, and note he has moved to 7 for this game.

As RDW said, a losing BP for Edinburgh would be a good result.

Completely agree. Bradbury is a far better option for Edinburgh at this stage, and looking forward to seeing what the new number 8 has to offer.

Otherwise the team is taking shape, with continuity of selection. Bryce in defence against Leinster worries me though, he isn't good under the high ball. I'm yet to be convinced that Bryce is better than Kinghorn.

by **RDW** Fri 16 Sep 2016, 9:56 am

I'll be in another London boozer tonight so have set the game to record. It will have to be a very good game for me to watch it back though as I've got the new PS4 Slim arriving today which will no doubt present a more attractive option tomorrow morning!

by funnyExiledScot Fri 16 Sep 2016, 10:23 am

RDW_Scotland wrote:I'll be in another London boozer tonight so have set the game to record. It will have to be a very good game for me to watch it back though as I've got the new PS4 Slim arriving today which will no doubt present a more attractive option tomorrow morning!

Rock and roll RDW (says the man who will no doubt be getting up at 5am tomorrow morning and forced to watch The Lion King (again)).

I'm tempted by Murrayfield this evening - will see how I get on.

by des Fri 16 Sep 2016, 10:25 am

funnyExiledScot wrote:
Completely agree. Bradbury is a far better option for Edinburgh at this stage, and looking forward to seeing what the new number 8 has to offer.

Otherwise the team is taking shape, with continuity of selection. Bryce in defence against Leinster worries me though, he isn't good under the high ball. I'm yet to be convinced that Bryce is better than Kinghorn.

I am completely convinced that he's significantly worse. Kinghorn had no bad games last season that I can remember. He's got a good swagger about him and I think he's going to be excellent. If Bryce wasn't Scottish we'd be slating him as a below average journeyman.

by funnyExiledScot Fri 16 Sep 2016, 10:36 am

des wrote:
funnyExiledScot wrote:
Completely agree. Bradbury is a far better option for Edinburgh at this stage, and looking forward to seeing what the new number 8 has to offer.

Otherwise the team is taking shape, with continuity of selection. Bryce in defence against Leinster worries me though, he isn't good under the high ball. I'm yet to be convinced that Bryce is better than Kinghorn.

I am completely convinced that he's significantly worse. Kinghorn had no bad games last season that I can remember. He's got a good swagger about him and I think he's going to be excellent. If Bryce wasn't Scottish we'd be slating him as a below average journeyman.

Mine was the more diplomatic version, but we are in agreement. I did see Bryce play well in attack for Glasgow towards the end of last season, but easier to look good running onto the sort of ball you get from the Glasgow backline on a sunny day in spring, than coping with the Solomons routine of defend, kick and chase. It puts the basics under real scrutiny, and I don't think Bryce has the allround game for it. As a converted fly half Kinghorn has more to him.

by brennomac Fri 16 Sep 2016, 10:37 am

Not directly on the point but who was the genius in Pro12 who decided to put two televised games involving Irish teams on at the same time on a Friday night. Dumb

by **profitius** Fri 16 Sep 2016, 10:41 am

brennomac wrote:Not directly on the point but who was the genius in Pro12 who decided to put two televised games involving Irish teams on at the same time on a Friday night. Dumb

It's not that simple. Teams prefer to play at different times. For instance Ulster like a Friday night slot when Munster prefer a Saturday afternoon slot. That's just 2 teams.

by **RDW** Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:02 am

funnyExiledScot wrote:
RDW_Scotland wrote:I'll be in another London boozer tonight so have set the game to record. It will have to be a very good game for me to watch it back though as I've got the new PS4 Slim arriving today which will no doubt present a more attractive option tomorrow morning!

Rock and roll RDW (says the man who will no doubt be getting up at 5am tomorrow morning and forced to watch The Lion King (again)).

I'm tempted by Murrayfield this evening - will see how I get on.

Mrs RDW is back home for the weekend so doubt I'll be moving much away from the TV!

by funnyExiledScot Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:06 am

RDW_Scotland wrote:
funnyExiledScot wrote:
RDW_Scotland wrote:I'll be in another London boozer tonight so have set the game to record. It will have to be a very good game for me to watch it back though as I've got the new PS4 Slim arriving today which will no doubt present a more attractive option tomorrow morning!

Rock and roll RDW (says the man who will no doubt be getting up at 5am tomorrow morning and forced to watch The Lion King (again)).

I'm tempted by Murrayfield this evening - will see how I get on.

Mrs RDW is back home for the weekend so doubt I'll be moving much away from the TV!

I think my TV record is something like 5 rugby matches in one day. Pretty sure it was during the AIs a few years back when Mrs fES went away for the weekend. Probably watched a Lions DVD in the evening as well, just to mix it up.

by EWT Spoons Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:07 am

I'm going to the game tonight and have been charged £1.50 on top of the price of the ticket for the privilege. £1 'processing fee' and £0.50 to let me print my ticket at home. What's that all about! The SRU are charging me for using my own paper, ink etc. I get it's only £1.50, but it just seems ridiculous that the SRU are charging for these things.

by funnyExiledScot Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:10 am

EWT Spoons wrote:I'm going to the game tonight and have been charged £1.50 on top of the price of the ticket for the privilege. £1 'processing fee' and £0.50 to let me print my ticket at home. What's that all about! The SRU are charging me for using my own paper, ink etc. I get it's only £1.50, but it just seems ridiculous that the SRU are charging for these things.

I think this answers our earlier question. They are negotiating a contract extension for WP Nel and trying to find new ways of paying for it.....

by **RDW** Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:12 am

funnyExiledScot wrote:
I think my TV record is something like 5 rugby matches in one day. Pretty sure it was during the AIs a few years back when Mrs fES went away for the weekend. Probably watched a Lions DVD in the evening as well, just to mix it up.

5 is probably my record too - a couple of Rugby Championship games in the morning then 3 club games in the afternoon and evening. There was probably a football game thrown in there too!

EWT Spoons wrote:I'm going to the game tonight and have been charged £1.50 on top of the price of the ticket for the privilege. £1 'processing fee' and £0.50 to let me print my ticket at home. What's that all about! The SRU are charging me for using my own paper, ink etc. I get it's only £1.50, but it just seems ridiculous that the SRU are charging for these things.

There has been a lot of complaints about that on social media - things like this aren't exactly going to help crowd numbers. It is already bad enough having to pay £20/£25 to watch Edinburgh play!

by Senlac Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:18 am

EWT Spoons wrote:I'm going to the game tonight and have been charged £1.50 on top of the price of the ticket for the privilege. £1 'processing fee' and £0.50 to let me print my ticket at home. What's that all about! The SRU are charging me for using my own paper, ink etc. I get it's only £1.50, but it just seems ridiculous that the SRU are charging for these things.

Well I've just had to request a full refund for both mine and my father's Warriors Season Tickets after we got to the Leinster game and discovered that there was a large concrete wall blocking our view of 60% of the pitch. We requested a change of seats but were informed this was impossible as the season ticket allocation had been sold out bar a few individual seats and the only other seats remaining were for away fans. Not sure how they can square that with the fact that you can still seem to buy Warriors tickets on a game by game basis.

Not impressed anyway, and very disappointed as we had both been looking forward to attending all the games this year for the first time.

by EWT Spoons Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:19 am

I've not seen the complaints, but they are understandable, the price is generally at the top end anyway and now we're getting the processing and, well I'm still none the wiser why I'm being charged for printing it myself, fees as well.

by **RDW** Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:21 am

You should complain Spoons - do it on Twitter or Facebook too as they are very public and companies don't like public complaints.

by EWT Spoons Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:27 am

I've asked the question of Edinburgh rugby

by **George Carlin** Fri 16 Sep 2016, 11:46 am

FES - just to warn you - what you'll find now that you have children is that you don't actually get to watch full games any more. You certainly prepare to watch them. Then, 90 seconds before the whistle blows there will be an explosive argument/defecation/food fight which your wife will scream at you do deal with because you're *only* watching telly.

When you finally sit back down again you realize that it's half time and the only entertainment on offer is trying to work out what Hugh Dan is saying.

by des Fri 16 Sep 2016, 1:04 pm

The birth of my eldest daughter coincided nicely with the 2011 world cup. She was about 6 months old when it was on and was generally getting up at 5:30-6 in the morning. I was happy to get up with her and let my wife have a lie in and she seemed quite happy to prod the players whilst they ran across the tv screen.

It was a lovely shared experience and she still comes to games with me to this day.

Still on the subject of young kids and watching rugby, both her and my youngest (2 years old) spontaneously burst into a rendition of Flower of Scotland at the precise time of the first Scotland Japan test kicked off this summer. We were in the car so weren't watching it but it's like they knew.

by tigertattie Fri 16 Sep 2016, 7:39 pm

Great pace from Allen there.

He's just wishing that they'd put more water on the in goal area

by **George Carlin** Fri 16 Sep 2016, 7:40 pm

Anyone got a link please?

by tigertattie Fri 16 Sep 2016, 7:48 pm

That Leinster strip is awful

by tigertattie Fri 16 Sep 2016, 7:49 pm

That Leinster strip is awful

by jimbopip Fri 16 Sep 2016, 7:54 pm

That was a shocking try to concede. Even for the Luvvies.

by jimbopip Fri 16 Sep 2016, 8:00 pm

May I refer the honourable gentlemen to my previous comment.

Doh

by jimbopip Fri 16 Sep 2016, 8:01 pm

May I refer the honourable gentlemen to my previous comment.

Doh

by tigertattie Fri 16 Sep 2016, 8:07 pm

The Edinburgh backs can't complete with the Leinster lot!

by tigertattie Fri 16 Sep 2016, 8:08 pm

The Edinburgh backs can't complete with the Leinster lot!

by funnyExiledScot Fri 16 Sep 2016, 8:10 pm

Right, what else is on TV??

by tigertattie Fri 16 Sep 2016, 8:13 pm

Anyone else getting dodgey messages about winning an iPhone every time they post?

Distinctly dodgey

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