Glasgow and Edinburgh Ongoing Banter Thread 26

[Hazel Sapling]

First topic message reminder :

A continuation on previous threads discussing the past, the present and the future of Scottish rugby. A dose a day, keeps optimism away

Halfway through a Covid season and not far from the Rainbow cups, both teams are on the precipice of missing out on the top tier in Europe next year. The Rainbow Cup is a well thought out idea of including sides from South Africa, the home to a new Covid variant that vaccines may not work on, with international travel involving several regions of Europe.

Glasgow Squad

LH: Kebble, Bhatti, Lambert
Hooker: F Brown, Turner, Stewart, Matthews,
TH: Z Fagerson, Berghan, Pieretto, McCallum, McQuillan
Locks: Cummings, R Gray, Harley, McDonald, Bain, Bean
Back Row: Wilson, Gordon, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey, Miller, G Brown

SH: Price, G Horne, Dobie, Kennedy
FH: Weir, Miotti, P Horne, Thompson
Centres: S Johnson, McDowall, Tuipulotu, Grigg, Fergusson
Back Three: McLean, Forbes, McKay, Cancelliere, Tagive, Steyn, O Smith


Edinburgh Squad

LH: Schoeman, Venter, Grahamslaw
Hooker: McInally, Cherry, McBurney, Harrison
TH: Nel, De Bruin, Atalifo, Williams
Locks: Gilchrist, Toolis, Young, Hodgson, Sykes, Phillips
Back Row: Mata, Ritchie, Watson, Bradbury, Crosbie, Haining, Boyle, Kunavula, Muncaster

SH: Pyrgos, Vellacott, Shiel
FH: VDW, Chamberlain, Savala
Centres: Lang, Taylor, Bennett, Dean, Johnstone, Venter, Currie, Hutchison
Back Three: Graham, Kinghorn, Hoyland, Blain, Bofelli, Moyano, Immelman, Owsley


Previous Thread
https://www.606v2.com/t69760-the-glasgow-and-edinburgh-general-chat-discussions-are-limited-to-6-people-before-10pm-to-prevent-the-spread-of-jimboish
https://www.606v2.com/t69555-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-24-covid-funtimes?highlight=banter
https://www.606v2.com/t69038-glasgow-and-edinburgh-banter-thread-no-23-new-season-new-thread?highlight=banter

[RDW]

Shame he's not s tighthead! We're not short of looseheads over the new few years.

[EST]

The tramps in Stockbridge actually hunt Weegies, just to give you a sense of the due and proper pecking order.

Just to briefly go back to rugby, I was really impressed with Kyle Steyn in the derbies. His basics were excellent and with Maitland getting slower and slower, and Graham being somewhat fragile, there's a slot on the right wing that's fairly open at the moment. We could do worse.

Kyle Steyn has come back into the team showing some serious intent, almost as good as a new signing - he is a quality player and definitely has an international future.

[BigGee]

Alex Dunbar with Mark Palmer and on life on the farm.


The best an athlete can hope for when the curtain falls is that it’s more or less on their terms. The way things went for Alex Dunbar in the latter part of his career, that was never likely to be the case. “I suppose you could say that the last three years haven’t been on my own terms,” he smiles. “You have some days you’re a bit pissed off with things; other days when you’re alright. But there’s really no point dwelling on things — you’ve got to move on.”

He’s speaking at the 500-acre farm near Maybole, South Ayrshire, where the 31-year-old has just completed his second week as manager. Although he formally announced his playing retirement only last Monday, he has long been looking forward.

“I knew I needed to change something,” he said, “and speaking to Lois [my fiancée], the timing was right for us to make that change. I would have loved to play for another couple of years, but that’s not the way it’s gone. So you move on. From what I’ve seen so far, I’m going to be happy here.”

Dunbar had been injured since just before Christmas 2019. He was scheduled to undergo ankle surgery the week France went into its first lockdown and, by the time he was able to have the operation, in mid-June, Brive had already announced he wasn’t being kept on for a second year.

He arranged his own physio, consulted several specialists, and did as much as he could in the gym, but his ankle refused to settle. Even the most straightforward of tasks, like taking his now seven-month old daughter Elsie for a spin in her pram, brought terrible pain.

“They had said that four months should be fine [for the recovery] — maybe six if you get complications,” he says. “I kept rehabbing, kept working away, but it never really got any better. When it’s sore walking, or doing basic things like trying to bath Elsie, I was like, ‘What’s the point?’ Even if I got back [to rugby], I doubt I would have been any good. If you’re strapping it up that much and feeling it just walking, imagine what it would have been like going on to a rugby pitch. I gave it a year, then decided enough was enough.”

Dunbar was raised on a dairy, sheep and beef farm near Lockerbie, and has been studying for an HND in agriculture via distance learning with SRUC, Scotland’s rural college. One of his lecturers put him in touch with his new employers, and though the days are long and distinctly lacking in glamour, Dunbar is clearly thriving on a renewed sense of purpose.

“I’m really enjoying it,” he says. “It’s good to get back in the country, working with animals, and just to have something to do with your day. I’ve got staff to keep right as well, so that’s a bit of a change, but it’s been great so far.

“I turn up around 4.45am, go fetch in the cows [all 360 of them] and get them started milking. That all keeps you busy until around nine; you try and do a few jobs through the day then you’re back at 3pm to do it all again. The days are definitely a lot different to rugby, and you’re ready for your bed at 8 or 9pm, but I’m where I want to be.”

This weekend he was due to meet up for food with some of his old Glasgow team-mates. After close to a decade of rugged yet considered service for the Warriors, Dunbar deserved better than having to leave through the back door.

Dave Rennie clearly did not fancy him. In the Kiwi coach’s first season in the job, he could point to the run of injuries that seriously limited Dunbar’s availability, but in 2018/19 the centre was just about always fit and just about never played. Two weeks after starting two of Scotland’s autumn Tests, he was playing for Ayr on the same weekend that Glasgow went to Lyon in the Champions Cup. In a previous interview with The Sunday Times, Dunbar described the experience of being frozen out as “like falling off a cliff”, and he is yet to rationalise it even now.

“I suppose part of you will always wonder what might have been,” he says. “At that age [mid-to-late 20s], you should be at the top of your career. You look back and think if you would do anything differently. Should I have had a few more conversations [with Rennie]? We did have conversations before I re-signed, and I thought everything was going to be alright, and then it went how it went. With such a strong squad, so many internationals, it’s hard to keep everyone happy, but I tried to leave twice and he wouldn’t let me, so I was struggling to understand.”

Dunbar eventually went on loan to Newcastle Falcons in January 2019, but a groin injury scuppered his chances of winning a permanent deal. He wants to revisit Scotstoun as a fan, and reflects with pride on his part in the club’s rise on and off the pitch, even if ruptured cruciate ligaments meant him miss the seminal 2015 Pro12 final as well as that year’s World Cup — and therefore his one and only chance at being part of a global gathering.

“I definitely say I’d go back [to Glasgow],” he says. “The last two years there, I don’t really know what was going on. But I still enjoy watching them, and I still support the boys, so it would be good to go back up, watch a game and have a couple of drinks with them.

“It was so great the progression the whole club went on. When I first started, if we finished above Aironi it was classed as a decent season. But the club got it together, everyone bought into it, and we managed to go out and get the whole city behind us. The way they developed that was right. A big part of the reason I stayed at Glasgow that last contract was that I really wanted to keep playing and make the 2019 World Cup. That was one of the key things I wanted to do. Another thing that didn’t go to plan.”

There were, regardless, some great days in his 31-cap Scotland career. The brilliant piece of deception with which he scored at a lineout in the 2017 win over Ireland; his tireless midfield work with Duncan Taylor in the historic beating of the Wallabies in Sydney three months later. That tour, incidentally, was the last time he got to travel to Tasmania, where his parents took their farming skills a decade ago.

“I’ve quite a few fond memories of playing for Scotland,” he says. “People and experiences you’ll always treasure. But it’s time to look forward, and I’ve been given a great opportunity to manage, to hopefully get more and more responsibility, and learn and develop as I go. Longer-term, I’d love to have my own farm one day, but let’s see how things go and how much money we have.”

The curtain has come down, but Dunbar already looks at home on his new stage. It’s not the ending he would have chosen, but there is a lot to like in his new start.

[BigGee]

Nice Mark Palmer interview with Kyle Steyn as well, who made his Scotland debut in difficult circumstances and then has had an appalling time with injury. Good to see him back and firing on all cylinders. I am sure we will see him in a Blue shirt again over the summer.


Test debuts are supposed to be memorable, and Kyle Steyn’s certainly was. The Glasgow Warriors back won his first Scotland cap as a replacement in the win over France on March 8 last year. The match killed French hopes of a grand slam and soon took on global significance as the last Tier One international to be played before sport — and life — shut down.

For Steyn, the South African-born 27-year-old, there was a deeply personal story to the day as well. One that went well beyond the thrill of running out in front of a Murrayfield full house (remember those?) or taking delivery of some bespoke headwear post-match.

Steyn was playing for Scotland, but also for his gran, Evelyn Young. His Scottish qualification can be traced back to her and her husband, Douglas, two Glaswegians who married and had his mother, Gillian, before moving to South Africa.

Neither of them lost their accent in 40-plus years, and they made sure the grandchildren were well aware of their Caledonian lineage. In March 2019 Evelyn was part of the family group who made the long journey north to Scotstoun to watch Steyn score against the Cheetahs, but the week before his Scotland bow, she died.

“That was the Friday, and we were back in camp on the Sunday,” he explains. “I spoke to [the head coach] Gregor [Townsend] and said, ‘If I’m not going to be involved this week, is there any chance I can fly home?’ He said I might be involved and so we chatted about how it might affect my mental state if I was picked. On the Monday, he said they’d decided to put me on the bench. There were a lot of things to process, but playing rugby has always been a good way for me to express myself.

“Being able to play that game, that occasion for my Scottish gran where all the heritage comes from, it was just a great way to be able to celebrate her life and the impact she had on mine. Once I’d spoken with my parents, got their view, I was dead keen to be out there and use the game to celebrate her.”

Steyn’s father, Rory, who used to be in charge of Nelson Mandela’s personal security detail and was seconded to head security for the All Blacks at the 1995 World Cup, managed to make it across.

“My gran’s funeral was on the Thursday, he landed at 1pm on Sunday [match day] in Glasgow, got a train straight through, watched the game and was at the after-match [function]. He flew home the next day. My parents were meant to be coming back for Easter, but obviously that never happened.

Steyn has had a couple of painful injuries in recent years
Steyn has had a couple of painful injuries in recent years
PAUL DEVLIN/SNS GROUP
“We’ve not had a full Murrayfield since then either, so I’m thankful I took the time to cherish every minute of the experience. I still remember it like it was yesterday, and hopefully there are more days like that soon.”

Until April 24 of this year, the France match was the last one in which Steyn had played. Ten days out from the first game back after the initial lockdown, ironically enough at Murrayfield, against Edinburgh, he tore his hamstring off the bone in training and had to undergo surgery. The target was the first batch of European fixtures in December but, three weeks before those ties, his hamstring went again and he was back under the knife.

“When results aren’t going the team’s way, the most frustrating thing is not being able to be out there influencing it. As a group of long-term injured players, that was always the first thing we’d say on a Monday morning. The way the restrictions were at the time, I was able to go back to South Africa for ten days. That was massive, just to get away and get a change of scenery to process the setback. See my brothers, see my mum and dad and chat everything through with them.

“It allowed me to get through the initial two or three weeks after the op when everything is really niggly, you’re on crutches, in a brace and uncomfortable.”

The wretched 46-19 loss to Benetton was nobody’s idea of a perfect comeback match, but since then Glasgow have looked much more like themselves in back-to-back wins over Edinburgh. Steyn scored in the first of those, and can’t hide his disappointment that there are only a couple of Rainbow Cup matches left, unless the Warriors make the final.

“I was saying that to the coaches in the review from the Murrayfield game. It feels like we’re just building into it nicely but we’ve only two more games and then it’s done. It is a strange feeling, even more so with what the last year to 18 months has thrown at us. We’ve just got to enjoy what’s left of this season.

“It’s been a good couple of weeks for the club. Certainly from an emotional point of view, we managed to get ourselves into a good place for both Edinburgh games and you could see that, particularly in the defensive effort. Defence always shows your character, and there was a lot of energy and a lot of big hits that went into our ‘D’.

“The hamstring has been all good. It takes a couple of weeks to acclimatise again, but since then it’s been no problem.”

Steyn played a lot at outside centre under Dave Rennie, and though he has started the past three games on the wing, in an ideal world he’d like to be back there. Versatility can be both blessing and curse, but ought to stand him in good stead for involvement in Scotland’s summer assignments, an A-team fixture against England in Leicester before Tests in Romania and Georgia.

“I would love to be on the summer tour but I understand the circumstances I’m in and the lack of game time I’ve had,” he said. “I’ve just got to focus on Glasgow and doing as well as I can — we’ll see what comes off the back of that.”

The highs, the lows, the memories: that’s what makes a life.

[BigGee]

and last in the series of interesting ST articles from Mark Palmer, one on the coaching situation at Edinburgh,

Spoiler - Don't be expecting any changes!



It has been fashionable this season to hammer Glasgow Warriors and the largely underwhelming time of it they’ve had. Yet if we’re talking degrees of disappointment, Edinburgh have arguably fared worse.

It was, let’s not forget, only in September that Richard Cockerill’s side lost to an 80th minute penalty in their Guinness Pro14 semi-final against Ulster, having topped their conference at the end of a truncated regular season.

There are, of course, caveats to what has happened, from Covid-related diary muddles to the long-term injuries sustained by stalwarts like lock Ben Toolis and, most damagingly of all, the absence of Test players for huge chunks of the season. Between them, Edinburgh’s three British & Irish Lions — Hamish Watson, Rory Sutherland and Duhan van der Merwe — made eight starts in the Pro14, Jamie Ritchie appeared twice and Darcy Graham four times. As has been the case in the west, the second stringers have largely proved not good or consistent enough, while nobody has broken through to the same extent as Ross Thompson, Rufus McLean or Jamie Dobie.

Defensively, Edinburgh have dropped off, conceding an average of 2.69 tries per game in 2020/21, compared to 1.80 last time round. Attack, however, continues to be the most obvious weakness, with very little variety, spark and tempo.

Edinburgh have gone from scoring more than three tries (3.13) per league game in season 2019/20 to under two (1.93). That is far from a calamitous decline, but it speaks to a system with still no definite identity beyond waiting for a moment of inspiration from Van der Merwe, Graham or Bill Mata. When some or all of those men aren’t there, what started off as one-dimensional can appear flatter still.

Long-serving attack coach Duncan Hodge finds himself in the odd position of having helping bring through some exceptional individual talents (the self-same van der Merwe and Graham) while having his name above the door of a structure which continues to underwhelm.

Edinburgh’s strength has long been in the pack, but all too often we are left to wonder about balance and variety. Cockerill’s impressive pragmatism can sometimes drift towards something more dogmatic. Change would be welcome.

Ben Vellacott, the zippy Wasps scrum half who came through the Scotland age-grades, is joining, and it will be interesting to see whether Cockerill can land another stand off to mix things up. James Lang, who is about to move north from Harlequins, always looks more effective as a second playmaker. Sometimes, Edinburgh don’t even have one.

The canny addition of Henry Immelman will increase options across the backline, as will incoming Bristol Bears academy wing Freddy Owsley. All the same, it is hard to tell how Edinburgh replace the tries, defenders beaten and metres made by Worcester-bound Van der Merwe.

Although the club have not made any announcement, it is understood that Hodge (and indeed fellow assistants Calum MacRae and Stevie Lawrie) have signed extensions to the contracts which took them to this summer. Cockerill is tied until 2023.

Four years into his reign, it is still a patchy success story. With their new home ready to move into, something has to change and fast.

[funnyExiledScot]

I just hope that should the day come when I prove hopeless at my job and fail to deliver any measurable single iota of success, I'm shown the same loyalty as Edinburgh and the SRU show Hodge.

Decent bloke, so I'm told, and was a solid player. But as an attack coach, demonstrably not up to it.

[George Carlin]

I just hope that should the day come when I prove hopeless at my job and fail to deliver any measurable single iota of success, I'm shown the same loyalty as Edinburgh and the SRU show Hodge.

Decent bloke, so I'm told, and was a solid player. But as an attack coach, demonstrably not up to it.

You should take guidance from young Bru and get to that stage right now.

[EST]

Alex Dunbar with Mark Palmer and on life on the farm.

Glad big Eck has progressed into another career, but it's quite a depressing read that one. I broadly think Rennie did a good job at the Warriors, he took a squad that was on the wane a bawhair away from winning another title and for every player who criticised his man management, you get another who praises it....but not playing Dunbar for that 18/19 season was strange.

[TheMildlyFranticLlama]

I just hope that should the day come when I prove hopeless at my job and fail to deliver any measurable single iota of success, I'm shown the same loyalty as Edinburgh and the SRU show Hodge.

Decent bloke, so I'm told, and was a solid player. But as an attack coach, demonstrably not up to it.

This is the first time I've seen anyone in the media come anywhere close to asking questions about Hodge's dismal record as attack coach, so in a funny way I see this as a very small amount of progress. He's flown under the radar for too long has old teflon Duncan, so let's hope people continue to ask questions about what it is he is actually doing to earn his keep.

[jimbopip]

Speaking of coaches...
Furra Linee and Big Bad are to join Ayr as backs and forwards coaches next season. Apparently they will still be full time players at Glasgow.
I think Ayr will really be a World Class side soon enough.

[BigGee]

Could potentially be a first move into coaching for those two, who despite still having a lot to offer, are undoubtedly nearer the end of their careers than the beginning.

Time to dip in the toe and see if it is something they like doing. Not a bad idea for senior pros who might be thinking of life after playing.

[BigGee]

Lokotui leaving Warriors and off to Agen next season.

I think he has actually been a pretty good player for us and would personally have been happy to see him kept on. As that clearly has not happened, it is good that he has put himself in the shop window and at least got another contract out of his Warriors experience. as he is going to France, you would also hope that it is a bit more lucrative as well.

Good luck to him over in France, he seems a very honest pro.

[EST]

Lokotui leaving Warriors and off to Agen next season.

I think he has actually been a pretty good player for us and would personally have been happy to see him kept on. As that clearly has not happened, it is good that he has put himself in the shop window and at least got another contract out of his Warriors experience. as he is going to France, you would also hope that it is a bit more lucrative as well.

Good luck to him over in France, he seems a very honest pro.

Glad Lokotui has managed to find a decent gig, like you said he has been a good player for us, a real honest grafter.

I recall Wilson mentioned recently he was in the market for another player in the back 5 of the scrum, if he was ready to let Lokotui go hopefully whoever we get in is a step up in quality.

[jimbopip]

Glasgow announced that Alex Allan and Madmad Mata are leaving at the end of the season.
Mata has had more highlights and plenty of breathtaking moments; good and bad.
Allan should be in his prime as a prop but leaves with a slight sense of underachievement.

[BigGee]

The changing of the guard continues at Glasgow with the news that Niko and Alex Allen both will leave at the end of this season.

No news on where on what they will do. AA you would imagine will head into retirement following his injury this season, which has kept him out for the whole term.

Niko, while clearly not quite the players he was, may still get picked up by someone and I don't think any of us will forget his time at Scotstoun. When he first arrived, the rest of the league had never quite seen anything like him and just could not play him at all. He has made a big impression up here.

[BigGee]

Glasgow announced that Alex Allan and Madmad Mata are leaving at the end of the season.
Mata has had more highlights and plenty of breathtaking moments; good and bad.
Allan should be in his prime as a prop but leaves with a slight sense of underachievement.

You beat me to the button Jimbo!

[EST]

In Niko's first spell he had numerous moments of true brilliance, the whole team seemed to click into another gear when he got going - that spell seemed like a moment of alchemy: the perfect player for the club at the right time. His second stint hasn't been a disaster, but the style Glasgow play and the game itself itself have moved away from his strengths, still - a true Warriors legend.

Alex Allan has been a model of consistency his whole career, he never quite hit the heights I thought he might, but a really good club pro - good luck to both of them.

[Hazel Sapling]

Bittersweet to see Mata leave, the positional change to wing took the ball out of his hands and the magic was lost. Fingers crossed he can find something decent.

Allan is a shame but understandable. If he doesn't retire, might be an intriguing pick-up for an English club as a decent squad prop.

Lokotui was fine, and like most of the squad this year, asked to play above his natural place in the pecking order. If he got a decent offer, good on him.

[BigGee]

The front row sees George Turner retain his place at hooker after a Player of the Match-winning performance last time out, as props Aki Seiuli and Zander Fagerson come into the starting lineup.

Scott Cummings returns to the squad after missing the visit to BT Murrayfield, taking his place alongside Rob Harley in the engine room.

An unchanged back-row sees captain Ryan Wilson and Rory Darge line up on the flanks, with Matt Fagerson – a try-scorer on his last outing – starting at number eight.

Behind the scrum, Ross Thompson continues in the number 10 jersey, whilst Ali Price comes back into the matchday squad to start at scrum-half.

Sam Johnson starts in the midfield having missed the double-header with Edinburgh, with Nick Grigg starting his eighth consecutive match at outside-centre.

Cole Forbes – who has made more metres with ball in hand than all bar three players in the Rainbow Cup to date - is another to return to the matchday 23, as Kyle Steyn and Adam Hastings complete the back three.

The bench sees Tom Lambert included in his fourth successive matchday squad after impressing against Edinburgh a fortnight ago, the loose-head joining international duo Fraser Brown and Enrique Pieretto as the front row cover.

Kiran McDonald wears the 19 jersey, whilst Fotu Lokotui also comes back into the 23 to cover the back row positions.

George Horne and Stafford McDowall each rotate to the bench having started at BT Murrayfield, the former having touched down for one of the Warriors’ four tries on the night.

The replacements are completed by Rufus McLean, as the Scotland U20 star is included in a matchday 23 for the first time since the Challenge Cup clash with Montpellier at the start of April.


Speaking following selection, Head Coach Danny Wilson told glasgowwarriors.org: “After two good back to back wins against Edinburgh we’re looking forward to taking the field again this weekend.

“We’ve named a side that continues to blend our young players with seasoned internationals.

“Rory Drage has earned the opportunity to go again after his performance against Edinburgh and it’s great to be able to welcome Aki Seiuli and Scott Cummings back from injury.

“We’re excited for the challenge that Dragons will bring tomorrow evening.”

Glasgow Warriors team to face Dragons in the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup, Saturday 29 May, kick-off 7.35pm, live on Premier Sports 1. You can follow the action in our Live Match Centre at glasgowwarriors.org.

1. Aki Seiuli (27)
2. George Turner (60)
3. Zander Fagerson (100)
4. Rob Harley (250)
5. Scott Cummings (76)
6. Ryan Wilson (C) (190)
7. Rory Darge (2)
8. Matt Fagerson (69)

9. Ali Price (96)
10. Ross Thompson (12)
11. Cole Forbes (4)
12. Sam Johnson (70)
13. Nick Grigg (89)
14. Kyle Steyn (29)
15. Adam Hastings (51)

16. Fraser Brown (107)
17. Tom Lambert (3)
18. Enrique Pieretto (18)
19. Kiran McDonald (35)
20. Fotu Lokotui (12)
21. George Horne (64)
22. Stafford McDowall (26)
23. Rufus McLean (8)

Unavailable for selection: Alex Allan, Hamish Bain, Jamie Dobie, Chris Fusaro, TJ Ioane, Huw Jones, Oli Kebble, Ian Keatley, Robbie Nairn, Tommy Seymour.

[BigGee]

Strong looking team Glasgow are putting out for this one, which suggests they have not completely given up on the competition and also continue their theme of developing players for next season.

That is a pretty tasty looking back three, with Mclean to come on later.

Hopefully a good game on saturday night.

[BigGee]

D'arcy Rae to bath for next season.

Interesting move for him. He definitely seems to be stagnating at Glasgow and does not seem to be very highly rated by DW, so a move could be the making of him.

Hard to see him being anything other than a squad player down there in the Kyle Traynor type mode, except he made a pretty good career out of it. You might hope as well that a change in scenery and coaching will benefit him as will having to fight hard for any game time.

Good luck to him down there. I see Bhatti is starting for them this weekend, so maybe they have been impressed with their Glasgow imports.

[jimbopip]

Glasgow announced that Alex Allan and Madmad Mata are leaving at the end of the season.
Mata has had more highlights and plenty of breathtaking moments; good and bad.
Allan should be in his prime as a prop but leaves with a slight sense of underachievement.

You beat me to the button Jimbo!

that's what she said. Far too often

[BigGee]

Glasgow get the BP win down in Cardiff against the Drags. Sounds like the TMO was on a mission to derail that, with 3 Glasgow tries chalked off and the BP one scored at the death, referred to a captains challenge. I am at work tonight and have not seen it, so I will reserve judgement.

Almost impossible for us to top the table though, with Munster having a huge PD over us and a pretty much certain 5 points against Zebre to come. Any win for Benetton down in Swansea though will take them through.

Our season should end next week, which will disappoint no-one and it has at least ended on a promising note.

[George Carlin]

I see D'Arcy Rae announced as off to Bath for next season.

Really hope he kicks on there - it should be a great experience for him.

[jimbopip]

A lot of positives in last night's game. Sadly, the ref wasn't one of them. First minute Seaman hit a ruck and the Dragons prop gets him in a headlock and neck rolls him. Ref totally ignored it.  I think this set the tone for a niggle fest. Batman received a nasty shoulder charge to the head at a ruck which was a red all day long and the ref refused to review it. Oh and Glasgow had three tries disallowed.
Ross Thompson finished off a breathtaking try.Titman came on late and scored the TBP try. He seems to make things happen whenever he comes on... as opposed to Ollie Smith who seems dogged by bad luck at the moment.
Sam Johnson had a quiet game other than hitting the line on practiced moves from quick lineout ball. Mind, the Dragons line speed was the best aspect of their game all night long.
Glasgow's scrum was on top all game. Lambert started a rammy when he won a penalty against their tight head and really rubbed it in by ruffleing his hair and smiling at him. Cue stern telling off and penalty reversed. Overall our discipline was poor and we kept allowing Dragons back into the game.
Cummings needs a partner in the second row.
Batman may not be the answer at 6.
We probably have a couple of better 15s than Haircut.
Aldi Price and Ragnar should start for the Lions against Japan.

[EST]

I'ts been pleasing seeing how well Glasgow have responded to that nightmare against Treviso, they are showing a togetherness and purpose at the end of a tough season in a nothing competition - no signs that Wilson has lost the changing room that's for sure.

The pack still feels a bit lightweight, Wilson has said he is looking for a 4/5/6 which is re-assuring. Final word on Rory Darge - looks like a real quality operator and i'm delighted the SRU saw sense and split up him and Boyle.

[Hazel Sapling]

With Rae and Nicol gone, Glasgow are looking a tad light at TH for SQ talent. It was overdue on both to go and find game time elsewhere as Wilson did not seem to rate either.

Hopefully a Premiership or Top14 club looks at Murray McCallum and sees a prop that can be utilised.

Only read about the game on Saturday and it sounds like a case of we could have won by 10-15 points more than we did. Leinster will be a real test next week and that is where we really get to see if the team has come together. The Darge move sounds like it is going to pay off for Glasgow and Scotland.

[bsando]

Agree and anything competitive would be great for Glasgow vs Leinster. They've been such a dominant team in recent seasons and getting back on a competitive level with them (lost since the Pro14 final in Glasgow) would show some real progress. It seems like it's coming together so hopefully Wilson can make some good final tweaks to the team to put them back into that top level of the Pro14.

[RDW]

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-clubhouse/scotland-stars-return-for-bt-murrayfield-farewell

Some children being picked in the Edinburgh team. I wonder if Cockers is being asked to give the under 20s a run out? Most of the players won't have played a game of rugby in 18 months!

23 players unavailable - that's got to be some kind of record.

[EST]

Can't believe Hamish and Duhan are being risked in this game, there must just be nobody else available?

[RDW]

There doesn't seem to be anyone else, plus they have barely played in weeks, particularly Watson who hasn't played in ages. They need to play to stay sharp.

[BigGee]

A combination of injuries and Covid call offs has done for them. I doubt Watson and VDM would be playing in normal circumstances.

[RDW]

Aye I wonder how many of the unavailables are from the Covid outbreak + close contacts.

[George Carlin]

God, Scottish Lions are so rare - I will be so pished if someone gets injured during a pointless club game.

I agree with Brian Moore in the Torygraph this week - any Lions tourist who claims that they are still giving 100% to their club at this stage is lying their @rse off.

[BigGee]

God, Scottish Lions are so rare - I will be so pished if someone gets injured during a pointless club game.

I agree with Brian Moore in the Torygraph this week - any Lions tourist who claims that they are still giving 100% to their club at this stage is lying their @rse off.

Trouble with that is that the Pros will often say you are more likely to get injured if you are not fully committed than if you are.

It us always a risk though, i don't suppose the training fortnight they are about to go on will be a walk in the park either, often someone gets injured in that. The English and French based players will be playing right up to the death as well, some of them in very committed games. It will unfortunately probably go wrong for somebody, it usually does.

[BigGee]

Well I imagine that the Wilson must go brigade will have gone a little bit quieter now!

It is actually oddly reminiscent of when Toonie took over the reigns from Lineen and it is probably fair to say, did not make that great a start either.

Lets hope for a similar trajectory from here onwards.


I bet that the Luuvies fans can't believe that they did not even play Rory Darge in 2 seasons before sending him over to us. I think they may have missed a trick there:picard:

[TheMildlyFranticLlama]

Good win that weegies, congrats. I’m confused though because I thought Danny Wilson was a terrible coach and needed to be fired immediately?

The problem with that thinking BG is that he was part of a conveyor belt of back row talent at Edinburgh and hardly screaming out for game time above the other options. Over in the backrow that is Glasgow he’s obviously going to look great!

[BigGee]

We'll see who turns out to be the best of the bunch.

You may produce them over in the east, but we teach them how to play attacking entertaining rugby

I bet he could not hit the M8 quickly enough!

[jimbopip]

The question is did Darge hit the M8 quicker than The Mullet hit the Porter just after the George Clancy Tribute Act yellow carded Batman.

[jimbopip]

Well the Luvvies have just kicked off. How long before I give up in disgust?

[BigGee]

What the hell is going on with Edinburgh, 2 tries in 8 mins?

Ulster don't look that interested!

[jimbopip]

Luvvies chucking it around with gay abandon.
Cockers must be raging.

[BigGee]

That Patrick Harrison looks a prospect at 18 years old!

[BigGee]

Tackling seems to be optional in this game!

[BigGee]

Hamish Watson taking unorthodox routes to reduce his game time today

10 mins in the bin

[BigGee]

That was entirely caused by Blairhorn with a crazy offload on his own line

[BigGee]

Nelly needs a breather as well, bit to much chuckabout going on

He gets 10 mins in the bin as well

Edinburgh down to 13 men

[TJ]

normal service resumed!

[jimbopip]

Luvvies started like a greyhound out the traps but proceeded to collapse like a flat pack bookcase.
All four coat and no knickers.

[BigGee]

How was that not a YC when Watson got one in the first half?

Clear deliberate knock down

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