Glasgow and Edinburgh: Ongoing Banter Thread 16 - Good Luck, We're All Counting On You

[IanBru]

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Edinburgh & Glasgow Warriors

A Not So Brief History of Time-Wasting:

Guinness Pro12

Guinness Pro12 Website
Edinburgh Rugby (Pro12 Website)
Glasgow Warriors (Pro12 Website)
Guinness Pro12 2016/17 Overview (Ultimate Rugby)

Playlist of all of Edinburgh's Pro12 highlights here.
Playlist of all of Glasgow's Pro12 highlights here.

Europe

European Rugby Website

CHAMPIONS CUP
QUARTER FINAL
SARACENS v GLASGOW WARRIORS
Sun, Apr 2, 13:00, Allianz Park

CHALLENGE CUP
QUARTER FINAL
EDINBURGH v LA ROCHELLE
Fri, March 31, 19:00, Murrayfield Stadium


"I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you."

[EST]

Vancouver really is an amazing place, it has pretty much everything you could ever want....although my missus, who hails from Motherwell, found the Canadians too friendly/annoying for her liking.

It's definitely in my top 3 North American cities, along with Chicago and San Fran.

[tigertattie]

Duncan weir misses touch then Bryce passes the ball into touch.

Fed up with the game already

[tigertattie]

Ok. Time to sack weir. He's just bloody awful

[RDW]

Edinburgh are poor but that was a terrible ruck penalty from the ref

[RDW]

Very frustrating that a try came from that penalty

[Eejit]

From a Glasgow perspective, there looks a right game on the other side. Ulster vs Cardiff 7-10 with under 30 minutes on the clock. Blues could do us a huge favour if they win this.

Edit: feck, Ulster penalty try. 12-10 conversion to come

[RDW]

Duncan Weir

[tigertattie]

Dear Santa

I know it's not even Easter yet, but please can I have at least a semi competent stand off as an early Christmas present?

Also an attack coach who will tell our backs that hands are used to catch rugby balls.

Oh, and please keep hamish injury free.

Yours sincerely
Cockers

[RDW]

Another dreadful penalty call - how is it not rolling away if he's underneath the player and not interfering with the ball?

[Hazel Sapling]

Scott Wight is playing for the 7s. I think he would be a better option over Weir at this point. Most of the Edinburgh side is doing okay and the defense has largely held (even with the ref calling a couple of strange penalties). Weir needs to come off at half. Get the team's head up early.

Watson is playing well but those penalty misses and missing touch are making the team's collective head drop. Bradbury sounds depressed on commentary. Toolis deserves a cap and Fihaki has done more in a half hour than CDP has done recently (except the scrum reversal he gave away).

[jimbopip]

Well, my eastern brethren...I stuck it until half time but I can't watch any more of this. You're on your own from here on in.

[RDW]

The players are putting a lot of effort in but are being undone by poor basic skills and not getting any luck with decisions.

[RDW]

Grim.

[RDW]

Has this ref given Edinburgh any penalties (apart from the one Weir missed?)

[RuggerRadge2611]

This is absolutely horrific.

[RuggerRadge2611]

Watching this game is like watching a snuff movie, genuinely disturbing.

[highland_scot]

Weir gives away a high tackle penalty. Didn't realise that was even possible for him!

[RDW]

Extra grim.

[tigertattie]

Has this ref given Edinburgh any penalties (apart from the one Weir missed?)

We've hadn't three penalties. Two he's missed at goal. One he failed to find touch.

Then he puts in a high tackle. How can someone as wee as him even do that?

[RuggerRadge2611]

Knock on advantage green.

[RDW]

Knock on after 1 phase of their 5m line - pathetic.

If someone put together basic error stats for the Pro 12 we'd surely be top of the league.

[Geen sport voor watjes]

Connacht just kicked the ball. Amazing

[highland_scot]

This is brutal. Even more so than Scotland under Robinson - at least then we won (and scored) penalties in between mucking up decent possession

[RDW]

And we just messed up a 3 on 1!

[RuggerRadge2611]

I didn't know it was possible for a rugby team to be so rubbish! Duncan Weir, I actually feel sorry for him, it's like Cuthbert it's not his fault that he is utterly devoid of confidence and still being picked.

[RDW]

I'm not sure how he could say with a straight face that Edinburgh could have scored a try there!

Is attacking competency taken into account in these decisions??

[highland_scot]

Watson deserves that even if Edinburgh don't!

[RDW]

Game on?

If we stopped giving teams 20 point leads all the time we might actually win some games!

[RuggerRadge2611]

Hamish Watson

[tigertattie]

Watson should be looking to join a better team next season.

Auchendinnie could be a shout

But really. He could walk into any team in Europe right now

[RDW]

Surely not?!

[Eejit]

Rise of the effeminates. Game on.

[tigertattie]

Left it too late.

Had wee duncy managed to kick his two easy penalties it could have been a different story.

[RDW]

SHCs passing has been bloody awful - killed off our last chance there

[RuggerRadge2611]

Duncan Weir

Turned into roadkill and then knocks on!!!

[RDW]

Duncan Weir

Turned into roadkill and then knocks on!!!

SHCs pass was behind him to be fair!

He has been dreadful tonight though.

[highland_scot]

Ref's lost his cards

[highland_scot]

Very Edinburgh way to lose the ball at the end - half expecting an actual interception try though

[RDW]

Very fitting that an Edinburgh error ends the game - yet again.

The season can't finish soon enough - at this rate we're going to lose at home to the Dragons too.

[tigertattie]

The Connacht players shouldn't shake the Edinburgh players hands in case they catch whatever debilitating disease we have

[RuggerRadge2611]

Hamish Watson though, I seriously don't know how we will hold onto a player like that, amazing

[BigGee]

Just watched the final of the Melrose sevens where Melrose gave a professional Quins team some run for their money.

There are some very decent players in club rugby that maybe Edinburgh should be taking a good look at.

Austin Lockington, if he could be persuaded away from his day job as a spy, really looked like he had something. Dangerous every time he got the ball. Murdo McAndrew, who has been on the radar for a good while, also really added some class when he came on as well. Looked easily as good as any of the other Edinburgh SHs without the benefit of their conditioning.

Professional conditioning (and Charlie Walker) was the only difference between the sides at the end of the day. Quins just has more in the tank at the end of a 20 minute final.

Some effort by Melrose though, no shame at all in their performance.

[jimbopip]

Looking at the table just now, (Pro-12, not kitchen) and I think the run of events we need for Glasgow to make the play offs must include Lord Lucan standing for Parliament as the candidate for Govan North, RiskySports being promoted to Safeguarding Officer (IT) and FES working Pro Bono.
Still, 20 points out of 20 will be a good way to fail. Except Zebre are on a run and will probably trample us.

[George Carlin]

Sadly Jim I don't think that it's going to happen for us this year.

I cannot decide whether the squad as a whole was just underpowered in terms of quality generally this season (I think that there is something to that theory) or whether Edinburgh contributing so few players to the Scotland squad increased the pressure on our best players to a degree which we haven't seen in the past few years. There is a bit of both, I think.

It's a shame that Scottish players' days in the sun are now limited pre-Lions selection, whereas I expect the English and Irish component to increase as the ERCC and league finals are all televised. I see that Maitland and Taylor both played the full game against Quins (Visser did too) which is always good.

Really looking forward to both the summer tour and what Rennie will deliver next year. The Great Unwashables expect.

[RDW]

Very honest interview from Cockerill

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/richard-cockerill-demands-commitment-at-edinburgh-rugby-1-4415087

He basically said the players aren't very good, he's going to give the captaincy to the younger generation because the older generation haven't done anything and they're looking to strengthen the back division.

The poor bloke was at the Blues game where we squandered an 11 point lead - I bet he was looking and how he could get out his contract after that!

[EST]

It's going to be an interesting season for both Scotland and the national teams, and aside from BVC, change was needed at every level.

From a Glasgow perspective, I am extremely excited about how Rennie and O'Halloran will have Glasgow playing. That being said, the squad is in need of an overhaul. Successive seasons of losing top quality players, and not replacing them adequately, has caught up to them. There is a huge disparity between the first and second teams, with Edinburgh providing so little to Scotland, this disparity becomes more glaring.

The problem that is glaringly obvious to anybody who follows Scottish rugby is our lack of physicality and ball carriers who can drag us over the gain line, that is perhaps even more true at Glasgow than in Scotland. With that in mind, this would be my shopping list for Rennie.

6/8 - A direct replacement for Strauss
4/5 - Sign up Big Brian ASAP
3 - Experienced TH to help out Fagerson and Rae
11/14/15 - Somebody better than Peter Murchie to fill in and give Hogg some proper backup.

[Hazel Sapling]

Probably time to give Thomson/Horne starts at 10 to see if they are worth another season/if he can make it at 10 in future respectively. I think a proper number 2 fly half is needed as Russell needs breaks as well. Hopefully Hastings is the answer but it would be irresponsible to not see if Horne's early season form was an aberration or if Thomson is effective at 10/15. Sadly we have missed Bryce who was effective at 15 last season (before the Edinburgh s**t show).

Several other players just did not seem into this game. Hogg did not touch the ball until 20 minutes in. Time to give guys playing time like Allan, Malcolm, Rae, Cummings, Fagerson, Wynne, Smith, Horne, Tagive, Junior and Murchie. Fagerson and Wynne need to show if they are going to be ready to take on Strauss's mantle or a scouting mission to SA is needed (or if Denton is available at a lower price...)

Fagerson, Brown, Gray, Harley, Wilson, Price, Russell, Dunbar, Seymour and Hogg have played a huge amount this season. All should be given a 3-4 week break and play the last game or two. Builds for next season.

The team for Zebre (who have won 2 in a row I think   )

Allan, Flynn, Rae, Cummings, Brian, Wynne, Fusaro (has played rubbish but need experience (please give Favaro health)), Fagerson, Pyrgos (C), Thomson, Tagive, Horne (Horne to 10 and Thomson to 15 if Lyle or Johnson are available), Grigg, Junior, Murchie

Malcolm, Bhatti, Puafisi, Peterson, Smith, Horne, Schulte, Jones

[BigGee]

Probably time to give Thomson/Horne starts at 10 to see if they are worth another season/if he can make it at 10 in future respectively. I think a proper number 2 fly half is needed as Russell needs breaks as well. Hopefully Hastings is the answer but it would be irresponsible to not see if Horne's early season form was an aberration or if Thomson is effective at 10/15. Sadly we have missed Bryce who was effective at 15 last season (before the Edinburgh s**t show).

Several other players just did not seem into this game. Hogg did not touch the ball until 20 minutes in. Time to give guys playing time like Allan, Malcolm, Rae, Cummings, Fagerson, Wynne, Smith, Horne, Tagive, Junior and Murchie. Fagerson and Wynne need to show if they are going to be ready to take on Strauss's mantle or a scouting mission to SA is needed (or if Denton is available at a lower price...)

Fagerson, Brown, Gray, Harley, Wilson, Price, Russell, Dunbar, Seymour and Hogg have played a huge amount this season. All should be given a 3-4 week break and play the last game or two. Builds for next season.

The team for Zebre (who have won 2 in a row I think   )

Allan, Flynn, Rae, Cummings, Brian, Wynne, Fusaro (has played rubbish but need experience (please give Favaro health)), Fagerson, Pyrgos (C), Thomson, Tagive, Horne (Horne to 10 and Thomson to 15 if Lyle or Johnson are available), Grigg, Junior, Murchie

Malcolm, Bhatti, Puafisi, Peterson, Smith, Horne, Schulte, Jones

Thompson is back in South Africa, he was only ever here to provide cover for FH when Horne was injured.

The team for the Zebre game will be full of the players that are leaving, expect a few more announcements on that score during the week, Lamont will certainly play. No announcement on Murchie yet, but I expect he will be going as well. Favaro will play if he is fit, he certainly deserves a send off. Some of the others who have played bit parts may also get a run out. Let's face it, we should be able to beat Zebre whatever team we put out. We can put a few starters on the bench just in case.


Pretty much all the internationalist will get a rest, they all need one! It is a nothing game really for both teams, just a chance to say goodbye to a few old favourites.

[RDW]

Fullback is a bit of a problem position for Edinburgh and Glasgow - between both teams there is one world class player and the rest are only Pro 12 standard at best.

Scholes was meant to be the answer for Edinburgh but for whatever reason that hasn't happened.

One things for sure Edinburgh should have first dibs on a top class back 3 player!

[EST]

Both teams are very short of quality at 15, with the obvious exception of Hogg. If Murchie leaves, I don't think Glasgow have another specialist 15 in the squad? Kinghorn is a great prospect, but his confidence looks totally shot.

Scholes is a strange one, he seems to have been totally ruined at Edinburgh - which Edinburgh are fast turning into their speciality. Ulster were sad to see him go, and I remember he was very good for the Irish U20's team he played in.

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