EPCR Champions Cup Edinburgh V Newcastle

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Edinburgh Rugby v Newcastle Falcons

Friday 7 December 2018 19:45 (GMT)  Champions Cup  Round 3  Pool 5  BT Murrayfield Stadium  Ref: Marius Mitrea (Italy)  Assis Ref 1: Andrea Piardi (Italy) Assis Ref 2: Matteo Liperini (Italy)  TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy)


I can't imagine many people thought at the start of the season that this would be the crunch game in the group, but that is very much the case - two wins for either team here will put them in the driving seat for the pool. One win each will be good enough to keep both teams' hopes alive going into the final round.

Newcastle are certainly coming into this on much better form. Edinburgh have basically lost all momentum from the first 2 rounds, hit badly by the international window where they have slumped to defeats against Zebre and the Dragons only winning 1 game in the last 4 since the first Euro rounds. Newcastle on the other hand have completely recovered from a terrible start to the season, and in the last 6 games since the first Euro rounds have won 4, drawn 1 and lost 1.

Newcastle are the form team but the big question is how seriously will they be taking this given they are still in trouble near the bottom of the table? I suspect they will be taking it seriously to see how they get on - if they lose the next two games they can concentrate on the league, if they win them then they stand a great chance of topping the group.

Edinburgh turning the screw, a card coming here

Penalty try, but no YC, a bit odd

24-13, really should be taking the 5 points now

BigGee wrote:Penalty try, but no YC, a bit odd

24-13, really should be taking the 5 points now

I think the ref was being sympathetic knowing Falcons issues at prop. As Falcons were on a warning I was surprised no one went.

Dave Cherry makes fantastic try saving tackle on Radwan. Falcons suddenly right back in the game

Dave Cherry showing why he was picked over Ford. That just saved 7 points

He goes off for his trouble and McInally back on

Terrible kick from Socino, kicked t dead from a good position

Kinghorn gets the BP try, a well work move

Job done really. Feel for Newcastle who as expected worked and worked but ran out of puff. Admirable effort considering the bizarre matter of no loosehead prop.

31-13 Edinburgh FT

Fowles kicks out to end the game when Edinburgh in a good attacking position, a bit of a flat ending in the end.

HP MoM, which was probably deserved, he controlled the game very well. Still a bit of a lack of creativity about Edinburgh despite their set piece dominance, it is the same old story.

Still Edinburgh have put themselves in a very good position to qualify. You wonder what kind of team Falcons will put out next weeknd, do they still think they can qualify?

Great win! Sounds like a classic Edinburgh performance - lots of set piece dominance but didn't do much with it.

Still we're right in the driving seat of the pool with plenty to play for - can't complain!

Well spirited performance but not much more.

Hope we have a few injuries fixed for next game. Cant believe we couldn't register another tight head for the game. Do the governing powers not care about safety.

Game is being replayed on BT sport now - going to have a watch.

Looking at the Edinburgh forum and they seem pretty upset with the game.

Not like they got 5 points and stop Falcons getting anything to go top of the pool...

Well it certainly wasn't a classic, but given the awful conditions and Edinburgh's tactics of forwards dominance (which they had), that was no surprise. 

Job done though - BP win and no points for Newcastle. 

Really strong performances across the Edinburgh pack and Pyrgos certainly kicked well. Disappointing that we didn't do more in attack but that's not going to change much for Edinburgh this season so we may as well get used to it!

If Monte and Toulon score can stay the same, then it gives Edinburgh and Falcons a big boost.

i need to keep my mouth shut

Was a good game for Edinburgh. There is still something missing in the backs, in theory though this was a 2nd choice FH and centres. Amazingly D Graham absolutely sprints into contact and wins more than his fair share of collisions considering his size. Edinburgh have a dominant pack with depth in forwards and a leading forwards orientated coach. Leicester hired Mauger (or some Aussie) to try and sort the backs that ended up pushing Cockerill out. Hopefully Edinburgh can find someone to support him. If Mike Blair is ready for more responsibility, he may be in with a shout.

Newcastle were disappointing, but they did not look to have a first choice 23 out. It felt like watching a Premiership Cup (or whatever the domestic cup comp is) side with some first choices but a fair few fringe type players. No Welsh, Matavesi, Hodgeson, Hammersley, Goneva, Sinoti or Wilson in the 23 and Flood benching. No idea who Bettencourt or Brocklebank are (though Brocklebank went to Durham Uni so he should be good). Expect a bit more next week when Newcastle may have a healthy tighthead to bench.

Harris was starting!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Harris was starting!

Misread the BBC article. Did not remember him doing anything when I watched the game!

Hazel Sapling wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Harris was starting!

Misread the BBC article. Did not remember him doing anything when I watched the game!

 Aye he did bugger all!

To be fair neither did JJ - a recurring theme this season for our 13s.

Edinburgh look much better with Scott who has been the star centre this season. Socino has done nothing and Dean is a 12 like Scott. Bennett out is a real miss.

It really should not be the coaching as Johnstone looked decent last season.

Newcastle fans - do you think you'll put out a full strength team for the return leg or keep with a mix and match team?

You're still not out of it and a home win here will keep you right in contention. On the other hand he might want to keep his players for domestic action the week after.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Newcastle fans - do you think you'll put out a full strength team for the return leg or keep with a mix and match team?

You're still not out of it and a home win here will keep you right in contention. On the other hand he might want to keep his players for domestic action the week after.

Geordie will be along soon I'm pretty sure.

One thing I'm not clear on was if the team last week was their strongest team available or not! The Nookie Broons were ravaged by injuries which explains most of the team, but they did have some first choice players out there but also had Flood (who I assume is first choice at FH) was sitting on the bench.

It certainly wasn't their first team - as well as the injuries they had rested several players. It was a similar team that beat the two French teams though.

John Hardie added to the Newcastle squad for this round of the cup!

It will be good to see the hard horse in action against his old club. Lets see if he has still got it!

I can't imagine Cockers will make many changes - he'd pick most of that team every week if he could. Rumours of Matt Scott making a return and Fraser McKenzie should be fit again soon but other than that I can't see there being changes.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Newcastle fans - do you think you'll put out a full strength team for the return leg or keep with a mix and match team?

You're still not out of it and a home win here will keep you right in contention. On the other hand he might want to keep his players for domestic action the week after.

If they're fit yes.

Jack Payne a TH has been added (registered to the squad) and Hardie has also.

Everyone seems to think Dean put out a weak team deliberately ...they need to see the injury list we have!

Whoever is fit and ready will play.

I suspect a few more, who had niggles, would have played if it had been a must win fixture GF.

I'm thinking of heading over to KP for this one. I got a great reaction from the Edinburgh fans during the pre-season warmup for wearing my Glasgow shirt and Falcons hat. Evidently they were so concerned that I was unable to afford dinner that they starting throwing avocados and bags of quinoa at me. Absolute gents.

IanBru wrote:I'm thinking of heading over to KP for this one. I got a great reaction from the Edinburgh fans during the pre-season warmup for wearing my Glasgow shirt and Falcons hat. Evidently they were so concerned that I was unable to afford dinner that they starting throwing avocados and bags of quinoa at me. Absolute gents.

I wondered what FES had been up to lately.

TheMildlyFranticLlama wrote:

IanBru wrote:I'm thinking of heading over to KP for this one. I got a great reaction from the Edinburgh fans during the pre-season warmup for wearing my Glasgow shirt and Falcons hat. Evidently they were so concerned that I was unable to afford dinner that they starting throwing avocados and bags of quinoa at me. Absolute gents.

I wondered what FES had been up to lately.

I bet they were Co-op avocados - they're always far too hard. Waitrose avacados are far superior.

(I may have left Edinburgh but now live in Putney, which is worse)

Head Coach Richard Cockerill has named a settled side to face Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park in Round 4 of the Heineken Champions Cup this Sunday (16 December, kick-off 3.15pm) – live on BT Sport.

As Edinburgh look to build on last weekend’s bonus-point win over the Kingston Park outfit which elevated the capital side to the top of Pool 5, the team selection includes just two changes as Scotland internationalists Allan Dell and Luke Hamilton are named in the starting XV.

The capped duo come in to replace Jamie Ritchie – who drops out due to injury – and Pierre Schoeman, with the prop named among the replacements.

Ahead of the fixture, Cockerill, said: “We’ve got everything to play for. Newcastle will be a lot stronger and obviously hurting from the situation last weekend, as well as the result.

“But, we’ve just go to keep concentrating on what we’re doing. We know that if we get it right, we can beat them. They had a lot of very good players playing last weekend and they’ll have some good players to come back into that squad this week.

“Whatever team they put out we’ve just got to do our best and leave our best game out on the field.”

An unchanged back-three sees fullback Blair Kinghorn – a try-scorer in last weekend’s win over Falcons – named alongside wingers Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham.

James Johnstone is once against named in midfield alongside Chris Dean, who keeps his place at inside-centre after crossing the whitewash against Falcons a week-ago.

Experienced Scotland scrum-half Henry Pyrgos and South-African stand-off Jaco van der Walt continue at half-back.

The inclusion of Dell at loosehead prop is the only alteration to an otherwise unchanged front-row as WP Nel is selected alongside captain Stuart McInally.

Scotland locks Ben Toolis and Grant Gilchrist continue in the second-row, whilst Hamilton completes the back-row alongside Hamish Watson and Fijian No. 8 Viliame Mata.



Edinburgh team to face Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park in the Heineken Champions Cup on Sunday 16 December, kick-off 3.15pm – live on BT Sport



15. Blair Kinghorn (72)



14. Darcy Graham (12)

13. James Johnstone (29)

12. Chris Dean (75)

11. Duhan van der Merwe (28)



10. Jaco van der Walt (25)

9. Henry Pyrgos (11)



1. Allan Dell (52)

2. Stuart McInally (128) CAPTAIN

3. WP Nel (123)

4. Ben Toolis (98)

5. Grant Gilchrist (128)

6. Luke Hamilton (11)

7. Hamish Watson (89)

8. Viliame Mata (46)



Replacements: 16. Dave Cherry (7); 17. Pierre Schoeman (8); 18. Simon Berghan (57); 19. Callum Hunter-Hill (7); 20. Luke Crosbie (16); 21. Nathan Fowles (63); 22. Simon Hickey (11); 23. Juan Pablo Socino (9)

Unavailable due to injury: Callum Atkinson; Lewis Carmichael; John Barclay; Magnus Bradbury; Jamie Ritchie; Senitiki Nayalo; Matt Scott; Mark Bennett; Damien Hoyland

Looks like a full strength Newcastle team and Edinburgh have kept much of the same team. No sign of Matt Scott yet unfortunately.

Going to be a brutal contest that's for sure!

Full strength backs, Not full strength in the pack, but a hell of lot stronger than last week that's for sure.

Who is missing from the forwards Geordie that isn't fit?

LondonTiger wrote:I suspect a few more, who had niggles, would have played if it had been a must win fixture GF.

In the league yes...not this competition.

A much much stronger looking Falcons team, this is really going to be a test for Edinburgh.

Cockers has thrown the boat out with his rotation, Dell swaps for Schoeman at LH. It is going to be a tough old 4 weeks for these Edinburgh players, I don't see them getting much rest over xmas!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Who is missing from the forwards Geordie that isn't fit?

Pretty much dead on starters when fit
Will Welch
Logo Mulipola
Jon Welsh
Sean Robinson

So both props, a lock and a flanker (and captain)

Sorry meant to say that isn't injured!

My point being it looks pretty much first choice based on those available?

From an Edinburgh PoV I'd love to have John Barclay, Magnus Bradbury, Jamie Ritchie, Matt Scott and Mark Bennett available but they're all injured!

GeordieFalcon wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:I suspect a few more, who had niggles, would have played if it had been a must win fixture GF.

In the league yes...not this competition.

Hence why I said must win - this comp for you guys is a would like to win.

BigGee wrote:A much much stronger looking Falcons team, this is really going to be a test for Edinburgh.

Cockers has thrown the boat out with his rotation, Dell swaps for Schoeman at LH. It is going to be a tough old 4 weeks for these Edinburgh players, I don't see them getting much rest over xmas!

To be fair there isn't a lot of rotation available given our injuries, other than perhaps Berghan starting.

As you say I suspect these players will be playing both 1872 games as well.

I'm not able to watch so detailed updates please!

Edinburgh spoon their first good chance from a line out. Poor execution of a line out move

Newcastle break out with Chris Harris showing his pace but eventually knock on

John Hardie turns Edinburgh over on is own line, a point to prove maybe?

Johnny Williams subbed off with a knee injury, that is not good for Falcons

Its all Edinburgh at the moment, dominating possession, but nothing to show for it

Newcastle turn to spoon an overlap, no-one wants to score it seems

Nangusa goes off and Gary Graham comes on

Sinotti runs one in from nowhere, first try Newcastle