The Glasgow and Edinburgh General Chat. Discussions are limited to 6 people before 10pm to prevent the spread of Jimboish.

First topic message reminder :

Another chat thread dedicated to speculation, rumination, and general perambulation through the trials and tribulations of the club from the west with no forwards and the club from the east without a backs coach.

One day we'll have more rugby to talk about!

BigGee wrote:

RDW wrote:

Gicater wrote:Dumb drop goal attempt - felt there was a try coming.

Welcome to the forum Gicater - even if you are a weegie fan (I'm assuming)

You're going to have to explain your username to us?

We can never have enough Glasgow fans on this forum!

I was out on my bike this morning only about a mile from home and cracking on, as it was freezing and I saw a guy jogging on the other side of the road in a Glasgow Rugby Shirt.

I thought I was the only one in the village around here in East London!

We most certainly can!

Most random place I saw a Glasgow top was in Las Vegas! Obviously had to stop the bloke for a chat.

RDW wrote:

BigGee wrote:

RDW wrote:

Gicater wrote:Dumb drop goal attempt - felt there was a try coming.

Welcome to the forum Gicater - even if you are a weegie fan (I'm assuming)

You're going to have to explain your username to us?

We can never have enough Glasgow fans on this forum!

I was out on my bike this morning only about a mile from home and cracking on, as it was freezing and I saw a guy jogging on the other side of the road in a Glasgow Rugby Shirt.

I thought I was the only one in the village around here in East London!

We most certainly can!

Most random place I saw a Glasgow top was in Las Vegas! Obviously had to stop the bloke for a chat.

Strangely enough, you just don't see to see as many (any) Edinburgh shirts out and about.

I can't imagine why?

I proudly wear mine running the streets of Sydney!

Haven't had many people (any people) stop me mind...

On the subject of unusual places to see familiar shirts, many years ago I cycled from Mexico to Canada, straight up the west coast on highway 1.

I did a bit of an inland loop from San Diego and then headed down into LA. I might add that i was also doing this trip on a budget of $10 a day, so understandably was heading to the Youth Hostel in LA. This involved a ride through a few less than salubrious area of the locality and I was quite relieved when I eventually arrived in San Pedro where the hostel was and went to check in.

I was wearing a Glasgow Garden Festival T-shirt, which I had picked up at the festival a few years prior to this. There was a guy in front of me checking in first and when he had finished and turned around, he had exactly the same t-shirt on as me.

It is a small world sometimes!

Woah that's a hell of a cycle!

I just recently watched Long Way Up with Ewan Mcgregor and Charlie Boorman - they rode electric motorbikes from the bottom of Argentina to LA. Worth a watch if you have Apple TV - you might recognise some of the route.

RDW wrote:Woah that's a hell of a cycle!

I just recently watched Long Way Up with Ewan Mcgregor and Charlie Boorman - they rode electric motorbikes from the bottom of Argentina to LA. Worth a watch if you have Apple TV - you might recognise some of the route.

I have seen some of their other trips but not that one yet, they make quite an amusing pair.

I started at the Mexican boarder at San Diego, so never really went in to Mexico.

You would not want to cycle through Mexico now though, way to dangerous. South America though, I always did fancy, but probably missed my chance now.

Yeah a huge feature of their time in Mexico was basically their security staff telling them all the places they shouldn't go, as there's a high chance they'll get kidnapped or gunned down with Ewan being there.

South America looks incredible, particularly Chile and Argentina. They came across people cycling the same routes they were riding which was crazy given how high the altitude was.

Your next trip??

RDW wrote:Yeah a huge feature of their time in Mexico was basically their security staff telling them all the places they shouldn't go, as there's a high chance they'll get kidnapped or gunned down with Ewan being there.

South America looks incredible, particularly Chile and Argentina. They came across people cycling the same routes they were riding which was crazy given how high the altitude was.

Your next trip??

I still fancy doing the complete lap of the UK, taking in John o Groats, Cape Wrath, Lands End and Dover

That was actually the route I had originally planned to do after my dad died, but for various reasons I had to shorten it. I still hanker after finishing it one day. It is not so easy these days though, as i don't like being away from home for such a long period of time, is not really fair on the missus, who also gets quite anxious about me doing these things.

Who knows, if i can get my house renovations finished next year, then maybe I can have a last hurrah the year after. I will have to see if the body is still up to it as well i guess.

Getting back to the Glasgow game last night, McDonald is getting a lot of plaudits for his performance. He is a big dynamic lock who has good hands and can carry well. He was one of our better performers in our awful period around the WC last year but has struggled to stay fit and that has undoubtedly held him back.

On that performance, you would have to say that there is a starting lock position there for him at Glasgow and the prospect of a partnership with Cummings going forward is a good one. He is still only 25 and a late developer, maybe it has taken him a while to get used to the physicality of professional rugby. Hopefully he is there now.

BigGee wrote:On the subject of unusual places to see familiar shirts, many years ago I cycled from Mexico to Canada, straight up the west coast on highway 1.

I did a bit of an inland loop from San Diego and then headed down into LA. I might add that i was also doing this trip on a budget of $10 a day, so understandably was heading to the Youth Hostel in LA. This involved a ride through a few less than salubrious area of the locality and I was quite relieved when I eventually arrived in San Pedro where the hostel was and went to check in.

I was wearing a Glasgow Garden Festival T-shirt, which I had picked up at the festival a few years prior to this. There was a guy in front of me checking in first and when he had finished and turned around, he had exactly the same t-shirt on as me.

It is a small world sometimes!

Wow BigGee, hell of a trip that one - I have driven the San-Fran to Vancouver stretch, the Pacific North West is my favourite place on earth - must have been great to cycle through.

On last night, I was really impressed with how the team dug in - they weren't getting much change in attack, but they stuck to it manfully. As you say Gee, McDonald looked really good - he is a big, athletic bloke and dominated the game last night.

Yes San Fran to Vancouver was the best bit of the trip. I did it out of season in Nov/Dec as well snd it was really quiet

It was the trip of a lifetime and i was lucky to get the chance to do it

San Fran is one of my very least favourite cities I've been to. It's great once you get outside the city or if you stay down in the touristy spots by the piers, but the city centre is absolutely honking and I saw some horrendous sights I'll never forget involving human waste being 'deposited' in the streets. The poverty and mental health problems in that city are completely unacceptable.

TheMildlyFranticLlama wrote:San Fran is one of my very least favourite cities I've been to. It's great once you get outside the city or if you stay down in the touristy spots by the piers, but the city centre is absolutely honking and I saw some horrendous sights I'll never forget involving human waste being 'deposited' in the streets. The poverty and mental health problems in that city are completely unacceptable.

I have heard similar from recent tales to be fair, fortunately it was over 30 years ago when I was there and I think things were a bit different then.

I have to say, going down the hill to Fisherman's Wharf on the cable car, with the bell ringing and the conductor leaning on the brake to keep the speed down was simply exhilarating and something i will never forget. Then the next day cycling over the Golden Gate Bridge heading northwards was a thrill for the ages.

It struck me as different from most other North American cities I have visited, with a more European feel. I would have stayed longer except I had a long way to go to Vancouver and at the end of November, the weather was threatening to start closing in. I hit it hard and got all the way up to the Washington Stateline before it started to rain. Then it did not stop all the way to Vancouver!

I was also skint and was trying to get by on $10 a day. I could just about manage that camping out in the sticks but it did not really wash in the cities, so had to get back on the road. On long distance bike rides, it never pays to stop for to long as it can be very hard to get going again.

I hired a bike while I was there and cycled across the Golden Gate too, that was definitely a highlight. Obviously being Scottish I got very sunburnt (in March) as it was a lovely day. Alcatraz was great to visit too. The city centre just wasn't a nice place to be though and sadly that's where I had to spend most of my time (work trip!)

It's been a few years since I did my last big bike trip (Colditz escape to Switzerland), all this talk is giving me ideas!

Edinburgh getting absolutely rinsed at the breakdown so far, nowhere near good enough support and too many players running into contact on their own. This isn’t going to be pretty!

Loved San Francisco when I went there 2000. Sad to hear that it has declined.

Edinburgh being schooled by Ulster at the breakdown tonight and Chamberlain is looking shaky. Feels like we're heading for a beating.

Having talked up our back row before the game they've been nowhere tonight.

Ulster get their second try. A lot more to come I fear!

Showing nice ambition in attack but just aren't keeping the ball. I think it's more through Ulster getting over the ball insanely quick than Edinburgh being particularly guff though. Although agree it'll definitely be a beasting.

This could be a long night for Edinburgh.

Ulster very strong but Edinburgh certainly not helping themselves by messing up their opportunities

Don't get me wrong, Ulster fully deserve the try, but I do have a bit of an issue with mauls like that where a breakaway group of attackers takes out a bunch of defenders without the ball, completely disconnected from the maul.

Still, we are looking fairly shambolic tonight.

We can’t get any momentum because our basics are all over the place. We had one decent bit of possession that broke down because Chamberlain fired a pass about 10m behind any of our players. Ulster now looking like catching and driving their way to a large scoreline!

Far far too easy. Cricket score coming up.

Ffs Henners

Really everything is going wrong

It is grim

That was utterly dreadful from Pyrgos. He is supposed to be a leader out there. I dont mind losing these games, but that is a criminal mistake.

Another chance then. As a neutral I'd say this is more Ulster being brutally efficient than Edinburgh being insanely poor. A lot of errors can be attributed to the squeeze Ulster are putting on them.

Made hard work of that but that’s a much more positive outcome!

Looking better now. Lovely try by blain. Keep up the momentum and go in at half time with tails up.

That's better, a great line from Blain, who looks some prospect

They are not going to win this game Edinburgh, but need to come away with pride intact

On the subject of blain, wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in the 6Ns squad. To look good in a struggling team is quite something. He looks like a special player.

Nice there from Johnstone to firstly create the break cutting a line off Dean, and then creating for Blain to score. Clever. Not something you expect to see from Edinburgh backs.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Nice there from Johnstone to firstly create the break cutting a line off Dean, and then creating for Blain to score. Clever. Not something you expect to see from Edinburgh backs.

Probably learnt it from the sevens circuit and just didn't tell Hodge

NeilyBroon wrote:On the subject of blain, wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in the 6Ns squad. To look good in a struggling team is quite something. He looks like a special player.

A bit soon for him this season, but let him continue to get game time and he will be there soon enough

funnyExiledScot wrote:Nice there from Johnstone to firstly create the break cutting a line off Dean, and then creating for Blain to score. Clever. Not something you expect to see from Edinburgh backs.

Was about to say something similar, he’s run a couple of clever lines already tonight. Underrated player, brings something different when he’s playing and tends to play well when he lines up next to Dean

Far too early for Blain to be in the Scotland reckoning, and with Hogg, Kinghorn and Maitland in the squad there's no need. He's a good prospect, but let's give him a chance to develop in this sort of environment.

Good scrum for Edinburgh, good to see they are not lying down

Great scrum! Didn't see that coming.

And a better scrum now too. Hopefully we can come out strongly after the break

Not Chamberlain's finest 40 minutes, but a great learning experience for a young lad.

Chamberlain really has been thrown to the wolves.

Not only is he very raw himself, he is trying to deal with all the other crap going on around him. No place for a young man really, it is a very tough ask, an experienced FH would struggle

Take 3!

I take it back!

That looked ok

Second try for Blain?

Annoyingly RugbyPass are no longer broadcasting the Pro 14 in Aus so it's literally not being shown anywhere.

I could have these Monday night games as 'background' noise when I start my working day!

Everyone seems to be critical of Chamberlain. I'd say he's held himself very well. Better than VdWs last few games!

I would have taken the points as well but hey what do we know?

19-14 Ulster, a 1 score game now

Things looking a lot healthier now. Breakdown has been much better contested, forwards have finally turned up and JJ is leading the charge in the backs. More of this please!

And we win a breakdown penalty, nice work

Remarkable turnaround this. We're even winning turnovers now!