Glasgow & Edinburgh Discussion Thread 31: The Roadmap for Success Vs The Perpetual Roadworks of Incompetence

[NeilyBroon]

First topic message reminder :

As requested, another thread connected by the M8. Two teams about as comparable as Adam Peaty and Eric the Eel.

Will Glasgow build on their title win next season?

Will Edinburgh even make the top half of the table?

Speculation and more on another volume of the patter papers.

[Welshmushroom]

I do think the new 5 year residency rule hasnt done scottish rugby any favours....they will either really have to recruit overseas even earlier before they can play or totally develop their own which infrastructure for pathways could be a problem....

[TJ]

Anyone got any links for the game? Mine seem to have stopped working :-( PM me ta

[Welshmushroom]

Have to say Glasgow will have their hands full keeping Sione whenever his contract expires.....I'd be amazed if the Top14 dont put some silly money on the table.....he is class and performs at club level as well.

[TJ]

Given he is 29 i would probably let him go now......hes probably on a massive wedge as well.....He's probably only going to make the next WC for Scotland so they will need to find a replacement wing at some point.  Plus I'm guessing he probably wants a bigger contract this time round and at club level im not sure he is worth it.

I very much doubt he is on a massive wedge - remember he went to England then his club went bust so he came back to Edinburgh. I expect we got him relatively cheap

[TJ]

Have to say Glasgow will have their hands full keeping Sione whenever his contract expires.....I'd be amazed if the Top14 dont put some silly money on the table.....he is class and performs at club level as well.

I bet he goes. He will be offered money we cannot afford to match. Its long been the pattern

[Welshmushroom]

For me on form right now I'd have to say he is the inform 12 in the UK & Ireland. Almost a shoe in for the Lions if he keeps playing like he is...

[BigGee]

Glasgow line out maul working better tonight

Taken a little while, but finally we get first score

7-0 Glasgow

[BigGee]

And a second comes immediately when Huw Jones cuts Zebre open

14-0 Glasgow

[jimbopip]

Gee, keep up with the updates please; like TJ my stream is non existent.

[BigGee]

Having made the last one, Shuggy scores the third

Hastings has his kicking boots on as well

21-0 Glasgow

[BigGee]

Gregor Brown not only looks like Rob Harley he plays like him to. Straight through the middle of the maul to steal the ball!

[TJ]

jimbo - found one - pm sent

[BigGee]

HT and all very comfortable for Glasgow.

Dempsey is rampant tonight and Shuggy and Lord Stafford look dangerous every time they get the ball.

Hard not to see a BP coming soon.

[BigGee]

And the 4th try, another cracker from Shuggy from a really beautiful pass from Scott Cummings, pretty impressive from the big man.

Franco now empties the bench

28-3 Glasgow

[BigGee]

Hornito nearly goes coast to coast with a break up the blind side of the scrum!

[BigGee]

Grant Stewart on the scorecard at the back of another driven lineout

That has been going much better tonight

33-3 Glasgow

[BigGee]

Hornito goes out to the wing this week when Afshar comes on and immediately scores

40-3 Glasgow

But there is a TMO

[BigGee]

Try chalked off for a knock on by Hastings

[RDW]

Speaking of lions, Jack Dempsey has the ability to find himself in the mix which would be hilarious. Lots of competition though. He's been great since moving to Scotland.

[BigGee]

Speaking of lions, Jack Dempsey has the ability to find himself in the mix which would be hilarious. Lots of competition though. He's been great since moving to Scotland.

The way he is playing tonight, he could easily be in the mix!

[BigGee]

Tuipolotu is a much better bet to go though, just to remind the Aussies what could have been!

[TJ]

Glasgow do seem to be able to get the best out of players.

[BigGee]

Shuggy MoM

[BigGee]

Glasgow still putting in the defensive yards but game feels over now, Glasgow thinking ahead to the SA trip

[bsando]

Great result at home for Glasgow. Good to see Horne back and Jones getting POM.

Dempsey is worthy of lions inclusion but with so many good no.8s in the NH it may be tough. Doris seems likely to perhaps even captain the Lions, Earl is a very consistant performer for England and Conan is another who may get the nod with Farrell as head coach.

Plus if Scotland finish poorly in the six nations then it’ll be back to the weak numbers prior to last tour.

[RDW]

Muncaster at 7 is a bit strange but they're obviously going for bulk against the big Saffers. I'd say that's a strong team but unless they break the Edinburgh curse we'll never know!

[jimbopip]

Muncaster at 7 is a bit strange but they're obviously going for bulk against the big Saffers. I'd say that's a strong team but unless they break the Edinburgh curse we'll never know!

What you mean, stop being the anti-Glasgow?

[RDW]

BBC News - My wife was everything, and depression took her - Scott Hastings
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c05gd83vnj7o

Desperately sad read - absolutely heartbreaking

[TJ]

Now for the Edinburgh game. The lot of the edinburgh fan is a harsh one

[BigGee]

Edinburgh definitely looking a lot more up for this one.

Gilchrist scores first try

Or does he?

[BigGee]

No try, Gilchrist loses it while going over the line

[BigGee]

They do however eventually make it, despite ignoring vast overlaps on the outside.

Harrison scores from close in

7-0 Edinburgh

[BigGee]

Then Muncaster shows what he is all about with a run straight through the middle for a score.

He is one of the few Edinburgh players making a big push for Scotland selection!

14-0 Edinburgh

[TJ]

Are we Glasgow in disguise?

Edit later - nope!

[BigGee]

Edinburgh relapsing a bit now

Stormers score to make it even, but then disallowed

Still 14-7 Edinburgh

[BigGee]

Edinburgh lineout has given up the Ghost, lost 4 in a row all in the OPPO 22m area

[BigGee]

Despite that, Edinburgh staying in the game

Graham scores in the corner when Edinburgh eventually try putting it wide

21-7 Edinburgh

[BigGee]

Edinburgh definitely got the feeling now

Another great forward thrust and Gilchrist goes over to remind Edinburgh what a try BP feels like

28-7 Edinburgh

[TJ]

Have Edinburgh forgotten we have two good wings? How many one out forwards carries from a standing start? How few balls to the backs? Must be tactics but what a waste

[BigGee]

We'll again Edinburgh ignore massive space out wide ( no wonder why DVD wants offski)

Eventually Muncaster powers over for his second try for a well deserved win

38-7 Edinburgh at FT

Just got to ask the question why they are so inconsistent?

[TJ]

Well a bonus point win is good but gawd that was poor. We are not going to trouble the top half of the table without showing a bit more rugby intelligence. Poor old Duhan - must have been freezing out on his wing.

Thompson looked decent with what little ball he was given. Forwards scrapped hard. Nice to see the wee man back but .................

Bah!

[BigGee]

Sorry TJ

I think I deleted your post by mistake.

In answer to your question about Edinburgh struggling against the top teams.

Surely Stormers are a top team ( previous winners and runners up of the comp)

Arguably, the Lions are not!

[TJ]

Stormers may be a decent team - when they have all their players - were they not missing a lot today? They certainly did not look like a top team today

But yes - inconsistency is infuriating.

[BigGee]

Stormers may be a decent team - when they have all their players - were they not missing a lot today?  They certainly did not look like a top team today

But yes - inconsistency is infuriating.

I think Stormers had a pretty decent team out there today!

In some ways, that is a credit to Edinburgh but it does beg the question about the week's they don't turn up

[TJ]

Todays game looked like the proverbial two bald men fighting over a comb to me Neither side looked like troubling the top half of the table

[bsando]

Edinburgh are back baby! No one stopping us now… right?

[RDW]

Well a desperately needed win for Edinburgh - first since May! Seems silly being critical after a BP win over the Stormers, but take out last week's aberration and you'd look at that performance and have no more confidence that Edinburgh will do anything this season.

They went back to basics with a very forward orientated game of pick and goes and one out passes. Attacking intent otherwise was pretty bland - Stormers wingers may as well have had a little nap whenever Edinburgh had the ball, as we were never going to send it that way. No wonder Duhan is looking elsewhere.

Other issues were the lineout - I think at one point we lost 4 in a row in their 22. It's been like this for years at Edinburgh (and Scotland) with set piece falling apart just when you need it most.

Defence was a positive but worth saying Stormers were well below their best.

Our next three league games are very winnable at home to Cardiff, away with Ospreys then at home to Bennetton. I'd go as far as saying if we lose any of those then a top 8 is going to be very challenging. Win them all and well go into the AIs in a decent place.

[jimbopip]

That was a much needed result for the Luvvies yesterday. Cardiff are very beatable, away to O's maybe not so much. However, Benetton totally skelped the Sharks yesterday; one of their tries would have the commentators going on about it for hours had it been scored by a French side. I think if the MFL end up with one win from the next three matches then it's plus ca change. It occurs to me that Cardiff were at home, against 13 men for nearly 10 minutes and requiring a converted try to win....and they fecced it up, against one out Embra might not be a try fest.
I think they win against Cardiff, lose to Ospreys and then lose to Benetton.
Unless you actually play more than 10 man rugby you will lose more than you win.

The Champions on the other hand are off to Bokkieland to play the Sharks and Stormers. we should be looking at 10 points there.

[TJ]

The Champions on the other hand are off to Bokkieland ..............

I read that as " the champions of buckieland"  

[RDW]

Without labouring the point, I've now caught up with all the highlights of the AP and URC games and the variety and inventiveness of attacking plays from pretty much every other game was far superior to what Edinburgh managed. I don't think I've seen them pull off a successful first phase backs move in 2 seasons.

Hopefully the simplified approach at the weekend can be built upon this week and we get some more variety in play with the ball in hand.

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