Edinburgh v Kings

by **RDW** Fri 3 Jan - 12:20

First topic message reminder :

Stand-off Jaco van der Walt returns to the starting XV to make his 50th appearance for the capital club as Edinburgh Rugby make 11 changes for tomorrow night’s Guinness PRO14 Conference B clash against Southern Kings at BT Murrayfield (Saturday 4 January, kick-off 7.45pm) – live on Premier Sports.

A rotated backline sees Van der Walt partnered with Henry Pyrgos at half-back, with an all-new centre pairing of Matt Scott and James Johnstone selected in midfield. Fijian international Eroni Sau returns on the wing.

In the forward pack, loosehead prop Jamie Bhatti gets the nod alongside hooker Mike Willemse in the front-row, as Scotland international lock Lewis Carmichael starts to make his eighth appearance of the season.

A revamped back-row combination sees John Barclay return from injury to feature at openside flanker, with Magnus Bradbury and Nick Haining named at blindside flanker and No. 8 respectively.

Ahead of the match, Head Coach Richard Cockerill, said: “We were obviously delighted with the derby win last weekend, but as we’ve spoken about all week in training, it means nothing if we don’t turn up and perform against Southern Kings tomorrow night.

“We are proud of our unbeaten home record at BT Murrayfield and we want to keep it that way. We are playing with confidence and determination, and hopefully that continues as we face a really tough and much improved Kings side.

“We’ve made a number of changes to the team, but it is still an experienced squad who are more than capable of putting in a winning performance.

“We’re excited to be back in front of our home support at BT Murrayfield and we very much want to start 2020 off with a win.”

The inclusion of Sau on the wing is the only alteration to an otherwise unchanged back-three as Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe are one again selected in the starting line-up.

Scotland star Scott – who enjoyed an impressive 24-minute appearance from the bench in last weekend’s 1872 Cup derby win – links-up with Johnstone in midfield, as scrum-half Pyrgos – who skippers the side – is paired with Van der Walt at half-back.

Hooker Willemse – who faces his former side – packs down alongside Scotland internationalists Bhatti and WP Nel in the front-row, with locks Carmichael and Grant Gilchrist paired in the second-row.

A back-row trio of Bradbury, Barclay and Haining complete the pack.

Edinburgh Rugby team to face Southern Kings at BT Murrayfield in the Guinness PRO14
Saturday 4 January, kick-off 7.45pm – live on Premier Sports

15. Blair Kinghorn (85)

14. Eroni Sau (6)

13. James Johnstone (46)

12. Matt Scott (90)

11. Duhan van der Merwe (51)

10. Jaco van der Walt (49)

9. Henry Pyrgos (32) CAPTAIN

1. Jamie Bhatti (9)

2. Mike Willemse (12)

3. WP Nel (136)

4. Lewis Carmichael (40)

5. Grant Gilchrist (144)

6. Magnus Bradbury (73)

7. John Barclay (8)

8. Nick Haining (6)

Replacements: 16. Dave Cherry (18) 17. Pierre Schoeman (34) 18. Simon Berghan (74) 19. Ben Toolis (117) 20. Luke Crosbie (33) 21. Charlie Shiel (12) 22. Simon Hickey (29) 23. Mark Bennett (31)

Unavailable: Fraser McKenzie, Chris Dean, Viliame Mata, Jamie Ritchie, Stuart McInally

by **RDW** Sat 4 Jan - 21:20

Rubbish - that wasn't forward!

by **BigGee** Sat 4 Jan - 21:20

Well that try wraps it up, but this won't go down in the annals of great Edinburgh performances

Try disallowed, so not even that consolation!

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:21

That decision looks wrong. However, Shiel is on. Hooray!!!

by **NeilyBroon** Sat 4 Jan - 21:21

Pyrgos is woeful but this has shown (as predicted by RDW earlier) the attacking is way off the mark, which Hodge is accountable for. They have more talent on season form than Glasgow at the moment who cut loose against a full strength side away from home.

by bsando Sat 4 Jan - 21:21

How can it be forward when the ball went backwards first?? Awful decision

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:23

Some great hits here from the Kings.

by bsando Sat 4 Jan - 21:25

Kings down to 12 men now???

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:25

Good call from the ref. I'm pleased to see refs being stronger on collapsed mauls close to the line.

by **RDW** Sat 4 Jan - 21:25

What a difference from Shiel!

12 men now..

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:25

bsando wrote:Kings down to 13 men now???

12

by **BigGee** Sat 4 Jan - 21:26

15 v 12 now, lets see if Edinburgh can score now

Yes they can!

by **RDW** Sat 4 Jan - 21:26

bsando wrote:Kings down to 12 men now???

Now 12!

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:26

RDW wrote:What a difference from Shiel!

12 men now..

It's ridiculous. He should have been on at half time. So so so much better than Pyrgos in an open game such as this.

by **NeilyBroon** Sat 4 Jan - 21:28

It only took 3 players being sent off/injured... plus pyrgos off the pitch. I hope Cockers is taking note of how much better the last 5 mins has been... he wont but we can hope!

by **BigGee** Sat 4 Jan - 21:28

Good try, great break by Sheil

I do wish Sau would not be quite so causal about running with the ball in one hand though

by **BigGee** Sat 4 Jan - 21:31

To me, Crosbie is playing better than Bradbury, he seems much more dynamic when he carries. Bradbury just seems to have drifted in and out of the game, his old failing

by **RDW** Sat 4 Jan - 21:32

Hopefully Shiel can get a start in the Agen game

by **NeilyBroon** Sat 4 Jan - 21:32

Agreed crosbie looks good, haining looked good until he got his face burst open too

by **BigGee** Sat 4 Jan - 21:33

RDW wrote:Hopefully Shiel can get a start in the Agen game

Are you a gambling man?

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:34

Charlie Shiel!!!!!

by **RDW** Sat 4 Jan - 21:34

It's a massacre now

by **BigGee** Sat 4 Jan - 21:34

So it seems Edinburgh now have a SH that can run a support line!

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:34

Scott has been very good tonight. MOTM?

by **NeilyBroon** Sat 4 Jan - 21:35

That was a sublime offload. He's scotlands best 12 at the moment for sure.

by **RDW** Sat 4 Jan - 21:36

funnyExiledScot wrote:Scott has been very good tonight. MOTM?

Sheil!

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:37

Looked forward!

by **NeilyBroon** Sat 4 Jan - 21:37

Berghan butterfingers strikes again

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:37

RDW wrote:
funnyExiledScot wrote:Scott has been very good tonight. MOTM?

Sheil!

Ha! Gets my vote!

by **RDW** Sat 4 Jan - 21:38

JJ motm??

by **BigGee** Sat 4 Jan - 21:39

Johnstone MoM

Not sure he would have been my choice

by funnyExiledScot Sat 4 Jan - 21:40

Hamilton has been drinking. JJ wouldn't have made my shortlist of 5!

by **BigGee** Sat 4 Jan - 21:40

61-13 Edinburgh

Does not really reflect the game though

Anyway, it is all points in the bank and they are top of their conference

by **BigGee** Sat 4 Jan - 21:42

Well done to the Kings as well, they should be able to take something from tonight as well. Play with that spirit and they will win some games.

by bsando Sat 4 Jan - 21:46

Weird game, but great result for Edinburgh flying to the top of conference B! Real opportunity now to march towards playoffs.

by EWT Spoons Sat 4 Jan - 23:16

Pro14 table

Bloody hell Edinburgh's points difference is insane just now

by **BigGee** Sun 5 Jan - 8:31

Sheil had a decent cameo yesterday. Came on at the right time, when the game was bresking up, but shows he has a good running game, which neither of the other 2 SHs do.

Hopefully he will get more opportunities during the 6N window when HP seems destined to be with the Scotland squad.

by **RDW** Sun 5 Jan - 8:32

Our next league game is a top if table clash away to Scarlets. I really hope we put the reserves out against Agen (who have been woeful in Europe) then go full metal jacket for this one. A win there would be huge for our season!

by **BigGee** Sun 5 Jan - 8:41

Is not till mid February though, both sides will be minus their international players for it. Squad depth may decide that one!

by **RDW** Sun 5 Jan - 8:52

Ah you're right - I forgot the 6N starts so early so that's s rest week. Come at a bad time for Edinburgh! We've got 2 away games in SA straight after the 6N too.

There's some very winnable games in that period - good thing we finally have some depth to give us a good chance. Assuming all the usual Scotland players are away we can out out something like:

1 Schoeman
2 Willemse
3 Cicarelli
4 McKenzie
5 Charmichael
6 Barclay
7 Crosbie
8 Mata

9 Groom
10 Hickey
11 VDM
12 Taylor
13 JJ
14 Sau
15 Hoyland

Subs - Sutherland, Cherry, McCallum, Thomson, Haining, Sheil, VDW, Dean

Which is a pretty good 23! We could even have Toolis and one of the back rows available.

by **BigGee** Sun 5 Jan - 8:59

Maybe Bennett as well, i would say he is still third choice at OC.

Edinburgh got good depth now, that is still no bad team.

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