Edinburgh vs Glasgow - Leg 1 (of 3) for the 1872 cup

Venue: Murrayfield Stadium Date: Saturday, 23 December Kick-off: 17:10 GMT
Coverage: Live on BBC Alba and BBC Radio Scotland

Its that time, and even with the bonkers decision to make this a 3 game series, we're all up for the start of the 1872 cup. One of the oldest and most prestigious club cups in world rugby

The form guide

Edinburgh last 6

15/12/2017 Euro Challenge Cup Pool 4
78 - 0 v Krasny Yar (h)

09/12/2017 Euro Challenge Cup Pool 4
50 - 20 v London Irish (h)

01/12/2017 Guinness PRO14
48 - 21 v Kings (a)

24/11/2017 Guinness PRO14
13 - 33 v Cheetahs (a)

04/11/2017 Guinness PRO14
37 - 10 v Ospreys (h)

28/10/2017 Guinness PRO14
24 - 13 v Benetton (a)

Glasgow last 6

16/12/2017 Champions Cup Pool 3
26 - 36 v Montpellier (a)

08/12/2017 Champions Cup Pool 3
22 - 29 v Montpellier (h)

01/12/2017 Guinness PRO14
40 - 16 v Cardiff Blues (h)

26/11/2017 Guinness PRO14
47 - 6 v Ospreys (a)

03/11/2017 Guinness PRO14
31 - 21 v Leinster (h)

27/10/2017 Guinness PRO14
43 - 13 v Kings (h)

Glasgow are on a 2 game losing streak but unbeaten in the Pro 14. Edinburgh are on a 3 game winning streak but havn't notched up the same number of wins in the league as Glasgow.

Will Edinburgh be the team to deny Glasgow their first unbeaten domestic run in the league going into the festive period?

1872 Cup form

Last 6

Glasgow 16–6 Edinburgh
Edinburgh20–8 Glasgow
Edinburgh 23–11 Glasgow
Glasgow 11–14 Edinburgh
Edinburgh 12–25 Glasgow
Glasgow 18–29 Edinburgh

Take what you want from this form. It seems that recently, the away team has been getting the win! However, despite Edinburgh being in a dark dark place for the last few years, they seem to come out on top when it comes to the 1872 cup winning 4 out of 6 of the last matches.

Teams up!

Edinburgh the Black and Red Army

15. Blair Kinghorn (55)
14. Dougie Fife (94)
13. James Johnstone (11)
12. Phil Bureligh (67)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (3)
10. Jaco van der Walt (3)
9. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (96)

1. Rory Sutherland 55)
2. Stuart McInally (111) CAPTAIN
3. Simon Berghan (41)
4. Ben Toolis (78)
5. Grant Gilchrist (109)
6. Viliame Mata (23)
7. Hamish Watson (77)
8. Cornell du Preez (92)

Replacements: 16. Neil Cochrane (63); 17. Murray McCallum (28); 18. Matt Shields (2); 19. Fraser McKenzie (91); 20. Jamie Ritchie (40); 21. Nathan Fowles (45); 22. Chris Dean (54); 23. Darcy Graham (2)

Glasgow's weedy, wimpy Warriors

15. Ruaridh Jackson (126)
14. Tommy Seymour (109)
13. Huw Jones (1)
12. Alex Dunbar (105)
11. Lee Jones (65)
10. Peter Horne (128)
9. Ali Price (50)

1. Jamie Bhatti (18)
2. Fraser Brown (69)
3. Zander Fagerson (60)
4. Scott Cummings (30)
5. Jonny Gray (79) CAPTAIN
6. Robert Harley (170)
7. Matt Smith (10)
8. Samu Vunisa (4)

Replacements:

16. Pat MacArthur (163); 17. Oli Kebble (2); 18. Siua Halanukonuka (4); 19. Kiran McDonald (4); 20. Chris Fusaro (129); 21. Henry Pyrgos (135); 22. Finn Russell (72); 23. Niko Matawalu (84)

Get strapped in boys and girls. This should be a proper Christmas Cracker (boom boom)

GC. Gimme some pictures

3-0 to the GWs

Great thread tattie.

Genuine question - given how bad Edinburgh have been over the years, and how good Glasgow have been, how come Edinburgh have won 4 out of the last 6??

Is it a case of Edinburgh raising their game like no other game over the year, or is it a sign of Glasgow's traditional struggles against big stuffy packs? Or both or neither?

It's a bit of both I'd say.

What's the biggest factor though? Well I put this down to coaching and tactics. As Edinburgh players mingle with the unwashed at international camps, I think the players on both sides understand each others strengths and weaknesses. Edinburgh for the last age have had utter knickers coaches and tactics but this is negated when East meets West.

As you are then left with two sides fighting it out but thy know how each other plays and what tactics will be employed, it then comes down to which team has the better players and as Edinburgh have won 4 out of the last 6 meetings, you can therefore only deduce that Edinburgh have the better players.

I'm still saying that in a couple of years time, Edinburgh will overtake Glasgow to be Scotland's rightful best team.

I don't buy this Edinburgh have a big stuffy pack nonsense, that Glasgow always struggle against.

Edinburgh have not really done all that well against any of the top sides in the Pro 14 this year and should not be reading to much into steam rollering London Irish and Krasny Yar. I don't think for a minute that their much credited pack of forwards would have made much progress against Exeter, Leinster or Montpellier either!

Glasgow lost the game at the end of last season when they had a completely empty tank and nothing left to play for. That was always going to be the danger of playing the game then and will be again this year, if either or both of the team do not badly need the points for qualification to playoffs, they may not give it their full concentration.

If both games had been played over the holidays last year, then I am confident we would have won them both, given that Glasgow were really in their best form of the season around that time.

Edinburgh have upped their game in the past as well for these fixtures, but they have also been helped by having two games at home on previous years as well and Glasgow having part of their mind on their Euro campaigns as well!

Biggee - you're right that against the better teams in the league Edinburgh have lost, and we have had an easy run of fixtures lately, but to be fair other than Cheetahs away (when we were without our international players against a fully stocked and rested Cheetahs team) we haven't played a top team since the end of September and that was when the team were still finding their feet under Cockerill so you probably can't read too much into it. We beat the Ospreys at home early November but they were in the doldrums then.

So we haven't really been tested properly against the big teams yet - until now. It will certainly be interesting to see how we get on. The 2nd half of the season will be a real test for Edinburgh.

And no one is claiming Edinburgh would have done better than Glasgow in Europe (except maybe tattie!) and humping teams in the Challenge Cup certainly doesn't mean we're destined for greatness. As the old cliche goes though you can only beat what's put out in front of you and I hope that Edinburgh will have learned a lot about their attacking game in particular to try it out against Glasgow.

Oh don't get me wrong. We'd most likely get a doing off Exeter, Montpelier and maybe Leinster.

It's just that Glasgow thought they wouldn't.

Also, you can moan all you want about having to play your home game at Murrayfield 2 years ago, but you really needed those league points at the time and we turned up that day, got in your faces and beat you fair and square! Hardie was immense that day in particular.

I am detecting a degree of confidence amongst the Edinburgh fans that has not been present for a good while!

These games are certainly going to be interesting!

I really wish the cup was still decided over the two legs though. Both teams will be up for these games, no euro distractions for Glasgow now and none that should really concern Edinburgh against a Stade team that can't be bothered with the competition.

The game at the end of the season, which could be the decider, may well end up as a damp squib again and not be worthy of the occasion. If Glasgow are already qualified for play offs, which seems likely, then why would they not take the chance to rest and rotate at the end of a long season.

That could work in Edinburgh's advantage, both for the league, if they are in with a shout of qualifying and with the cup.

Getting the excuses in early Gee?

TheMildlyFranticLlama wrote:Getting the excuses in early Gee?

No excuses for the first two games, but if you are nice to us, we might be able to give you a leg up and into the playoffs!

That assumes and it is a big if! That Edinburgh have got themselves into a viable position over the rest of the season to be close enough. It could well be that once again, the 1872 cup is the pinnacle of their season.

I've never liked things in rugby being decided by points difference - you can get such a wide range of scores in rugby compared to football and it isn't overly satisfactory if both teams win a game each but one team won their game by a few more points than the other. A 3rd game therefore makes the 1872 aspect of it much more clear.

True that the last game of the season may be a dead rubber, but it may also end up being crucial for both teams and we get a full on game!

The 1872 format was excellent two years ago.

2 games, 1 home, 1 away, back to back over the festive period. Not only were league points and a cup up for grabs but the series was a mini trial for Scotland places with the 6Ns round the corner.

Having the last game of the season being part of the cup is just meh!

Still, this shouldn't distract us from the game on Sat which I still think Edinburgh will win. Following Jimbos earlier comments about referring to them as the Boris Johnsons of Scottish Rugby, I've seen the err of my ways and will stop calling them this. After all, Boris doesn't want to be in Europe, but Glasgow do, but no longer will be. So Glasgow are actually the David Camerons of Scottish Rugby!

Satire on a rugby forum. beat that Ant and Dec!

So, are The Once And Future Champions and The Metrosexuals playing for the Jake The Peg Cup?

Well one match up we will win is noise made by support. The Luvvies and their plastic mexican wavers hah ! BTW Jimbo, Wee Mental Tam attends as he finally made it back from Exeter -yesterday .

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Well one match up we will win is noise made by support.   The Luvvies and their plastic mexican wavers hah !    BTW Jimbo, Wee Mental Tam attends as he finally made it back from Exeter -yesterday .

do me a favour, get your lot to vary the noise you make

the constant drone of "Glasgowwwwww........ Glasgowwwwww............" is just tedious. Even the Glasgow players hate it!

Take it you have not seen or heard the Warrior Nation recently - probably since Hughenden days by the looks of it. Wait until Saturday when you will most likely get ' Are You Krazny in Disguise', 'Wee Ali Price (He's Only Five Foot Three)' , , We Are Warriors ( You Are Luvvies)', Back in Black (Luvvies in Cerise), Boom, Blast and Ruin (Its Coming to You) and the ever popular 'Grant Gilchrist Is a Horse's Arse' Whilst you and your other fan can sing 'Three Coins in a Fountain' or some such similar pish when sorting your tartan rug pre- mexican wave and digging out a Werthers original. Enjoy !

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Take it you have not seen or heard the Warrior Nation recently - probably since Hughenden days by the looks of it.    Wait until Saturday when you will most likely get ' Are You Krazny in Disguise',   'Wee Ali Price (He's Only Five Foot Three)' , , We Are Warriors ( You Are Luvvies)', Back in Black (Luvvies in Cerise),   Boom, Blast and Ruin (Its Coming to You)  and the ever popular 'Grant Gilchrist Is a Horse's Arse'  Whilst you and your other fan can sing 'Three Coins in a Fountain' or some such similar pish when sorting your tartan rug pre- mexican wave and digging out a Werthers original.   Enjoy !

We also sing "Grant Gilchrist is a Horse's Arse"

Blow for Edinburgh as Marfo is ruled out injured. In better news is set to make his debut off the bench.

Cockerill likes him apparently as he's "definitely not an Edinburgh public school boy!"

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/guinness-pro14/mark-bennett-set-for-edinburgh-debut-but-darryl-marfo-out-of-derby-1-4643481

Kenny Murray partial quote in tweet re Edinburgh confidence :-

“We’re not going to contrast us losing with them winning because for me it’s apples and pears. They’re playing a Russian team and scoring 78 points, we’re playing the best team in France as the results show,”

Glasgow sound like they have a good few players coming back into fitness.

Harley, Kibble, Vernon, Fagerson M, Gibbins and Jones H all sound like they are ready to rumble. Does not sound like Hoggy will make it though.

Going to make it an interesting selection.

They should give Ryan Wilson a break though, he looks like he is held together with selotape at the moment. I would probably be inclined to rest Tommy S as well, who is looking a little bit jaded at the moment. The Lions tour is catching up on him. Give him a break now and let him come back into form for the 6N and onwards.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Blow for Edinburgh as Marfo is ruled out injured. In better news is set to make his debut off the bench.

Cockerill likes him apparently as he's "definitely not an Edinburgh public school boy!"

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/guinness-pro14/mark-bennett-set-for-edinburgh-debut-but-darryl-marfo-out-of-derby-1-4643481

Sutherland should slot in nicely as cover though. Does make the bench weaker though.

Bennett to come on and score the winning try? Reading the article and I forgot just how Young he still is (24). Seems like hes been around forever!

I'm loving his tweet for the 1872 game.
"After a clinical performance last night focus turns to a massive week ahead. 1872 Cup matches are always cracking, let’s get a huge @EdinburghRugby support and drown out the Weegies!"

That's the spirit Marky boy, no one likes the soap dodgers!

Hamish Watson getting in on the act too - Glasgow tweeted a video of all the ex-Edinburgh players moving to Glasgow, and he quoted the tweet saying #SloppySeconds

Bit silly of Glasgow tweeting that as the movement goes both ways along the M8

Mind you, common sense and intelligence is something rarely associated with Glasgow!

tigertattie wrote:Bit silly of Glasgow tweeting that as the movement goes both ways along the M8

Mind you, common sense and intelligence is something rarely associated with Glasgow!

Tiger, the difference is that the players who arrive at Scotstoun work hard and become better players while the players who go east enter a Twilight Zone where the soul eating demons of Vanity and Exfoliation consume their desire to improve.

Sam Vunisa wished the Luvvies all the best of the festive season,

"We're expecting a very, very physical game. If you come for us, we'll come for you, one on one.
"That's what we live for and that's what we have to do this week."

Tickets booked - the entire east stand is basically full now with tickets only available in the north or south corners.

The entire east stand? How big is your family?

jimbopip wrote:The entire east stand? How big is your family?

please, he's not from Glasgow!!!

tigertattie wrote:

jimbopip wrote:The entire east stand? How big is your family?

We're pleased he's not from Glasgow!!!

Fixed that for you. No charge.

I worked for 6 years in Glasgow (living in Edinburgh) - despite my best efforts I'm sure some weege rubbed off on me!

That has happened to me too...bloody public transport.

jimbopip wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

jimbopip wrote:The entire east stand? How big is your family?

We're pleased he's not from Glasgow!!!

Fixed that for you. No charge.

love it jimbo. Not only for the joke, but that you used the quote function correctly.

Tattie, you're only allowed to patronise me if you use capital letters correctly.

Never mind all this krep. JG resigns Feckin yesssss

Schiz, re-signs and resigns are not synonyms.

Fecc sake there are Luvvies reading this. Standards man, standards.

p.s. Wee Jonny

Apparently he has re-signed.

I'd have been gutted if Ickkle Jonny had resigned!

Have I used capitalisation correctly here Mr Jimbo?

JG staying on at Glasgow is the best thing for both the player and the club. Like Bennett, I can't believe that Jonny is still so young. He'll continue to develop as a player and this will stand him in good stead when/if he does decide to move on. He may not even move at the end of his new contract. He may wait till he's 27/28 before moving on (if even then). He'll certainly be able to demand a decent salary when he's that age. After all, he'll probably be Scotland Captain by then and will surely have had a lions call up???

If you mean by the time Jonny is 27/28 will Gatland have fecced off and been replaced by a coach who picks solely merit: then almost certainly Jonny will be a Lion by then.

I think the timing of the announcement will really lift the squad's mood before the Annual Slaughter Of The Effeminates. I almost feel sorry for the Exfoliators.

Well excuse me Mr Huffy-Heid. Just because I doled out some mild scold with broadly humorous intentions re your use of increasingly bizarre nicknames you try to puncture my joy at Jonny G's RE-SIGNING It will not work !

tigertattie wrote:I'd have been gutted if Ickkle Jonny had resigned!

Have I used capitalisation correctly here Mr Jimbo?

Yes you have young Tattie. Which is more than can be said for Mr Grumpy Drawers over on there the naughty step.

This jovial banter is fooling no-one: it's just displacement activity because we're all keeching ourselves at the thought of losing on Saturday.
Except me. I'm keeching myself at the thought that I still haven't sorted MrsPip's Chrimbo prezzie.

jimbopip wrote:

tigertattie wrote:I'd have been gutted if Ickkle Jonny had resigned!

Have I used capitalisation correctly here Mr Jimbo?

Yes you have young Tattie. Which is more than can be said for Mr Grumpy Drawers over on there the naughty step.

This jovial banter is fooling no-one: it's just displacement activity because we're all keeching ourselves at the thought of losing on Saturday.
Except me. I'm keeching myself at the thought that I still haven't sorted MrsPip's Chrimbo prezzie.

Yer doomed

Cue GCs wee picture of Private Frazer

jimbopip wrote:

tigertattie wrote:I'd have been gutted if Ickkle Jonny had resigned!

Have I used capitalisation correctly here Mr Jimbo?

Yes you have young Tattie. Which is more than can be said for Mr Grumpy Drawers over on there the naughty step.

This jovial banter is fooling no-one: it's just displacement activity because we're all keeching ourselves at the thought of losing on Saturday.
Except me. I'm keeching myself at the thought that I still haven't sorted MrsPip's Chrimbo prezzie.

Well I got Mme. Schiz a ticket for Zebre v Warriors and it cost me 11 Euros. That my impudent young Pip is called planning.

Schmitz, even Von Clausiwitz would bow to you as a master tactician.
As he said, "War is a continuation of matrimony by other means"

Right boyos. Anyone plumping for a score prediction?

When are the teams being announced?

Bennett doesn't make his return after all

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRkYvf0WsAE9Qtf.jpg

Well Tattie, that's the rugby team.
Dancer benching again.
Batman and Half Man-Half Mullet rested.
BBB Harley is back.
Seymour starts again, though he needs a rest IMO.

I fear for our scrum when Kebble and Siua go up against McCallum and Shields...

Upon mature consideration, I think .....

Warriors by 75 points. Easy.

RDW, yes when your front row gets minced and we bring on Dancer and MadMata in the backs the floodgates will well and truly open.

Also Gray The Resigned and Cummings versus Toolis and The Invisible Man should be some battle in the second rows.

Glasgow team given Jimbo's technology fail