The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[Jock42]

I hadn't realised Sutherland had injured his shoulder and could be out of contention for the Lions if he needs surgery.

[Yr Alban]

There’s a great line in Educating Rita where she claims posh folk are the worst for swearing, “It’s all ‘pass the foking pheasant’ with that lot”

I believe this to be true. Really upper class people often swear like troopers. Fussing about people’s language is a very middle class pursuit!

[westport]

Cockers on current injuries

On current injuries in the squad
"With Stuart McInally, we hope he'll be fit for Glasgow Warriors which is great.

"Rory Sutherland is having more scans on his shoulder to decide whether he needs surgery or whether it can just be rehabbed.

"First diagnosis was a lot better than it could have been, potentially, so we’re hoping now that he will have another scan which will show a bit more detail and, hopefully, we’ll be able to avoid the surgeon’s knife.

“It would still be several weeks if it was non-surgical. It would put him in the timeframes potentially to be in and around some of those tours, but it would be touch and go I think.”

“Darcy has had surgery on his shoulder to repair a long-standing issue.

"That was scanned last week and the best form of treatment, given where we are in the season,
is to have surgery to repair the injury, and that will probably be the best part of between 12 and 16 weeks to recover.”

[Begbie]

Dicko is joining Glasgow's coaching team.

https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/sc ... in-glasgow

[robmatic]

Dicko is joining Glasgow's coaching team.

https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/sc ... in-glasgow

That's a good addition to their coaching team.

[Begbie]

Edinburgh have signed second row Pierce Philips from Agen. Big lad, 6'9 and 119 kg.

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-club ... lips-signs

[inactionman]

Struggling to work this out - what's going on with season tickets for Edinburgh next season?

Appreciate I'm being hopeful, but no idea whether these will be released - it's not up on website anywhere I can find it, and think my membership lapsed last summer so no notifications I can find.

[KingBlairhorn]

Struggling to work this out - what's going on with season tickets for Edinburgh next season?

Appreciate I'm being hopeful, but no idea whether these will be released - it's not up on website anywhere I can find it, and think my membership lapsed last summer so no notifications I can find.

I wouldn't think its a good idea to be selling season tickets at this point. Next season doesn't kick off for what, 4 months? It seems to me a lot will change between now and then and opening themselves up to having to refund etc. would be poor management.

[Tichtheid]

Edinburgh have signed second row Pierce Philips from Agen. Big lad, 6'9 and 119 kg.

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-club ... lips-signs

Going the other way, Mike Willemse is joining London Irish for next season

[Margin__Walker]

Edinburgh have signed second row Pierce Philips from Agen. Big lad, 6'9 and 119 kg.

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-club ... lips-signs

Going the other way, Mike Willemse is joining London Irish for next season

Is he any good (as squad hookers go)? Don't remember seeing him play.

[Big D]

Edinburgh have signed second row Pierce Philips from Agen. Big lad, 6'9 and 119 kg.

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-club ... lips-signs

Going the other way, Mike Willemse is joining London Irish for next season

Is he any good (as squad hookers go)? Don't remember seeing him play.

Maybe as a 3rd of 4th string hooker.

[Margin__Walker]

Cool. Cheers

[Tichtheid]

Edinburgh have signed second row Pierce Philips from Agen. Big lad, 6'9 and 119 kg.

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-club ... lips-signs

Going the other way, Mike Willemse is joining London Irish for next season

Is he any good (as squad hookers go)? Don't remember seeing him play.

Decent in the tight and he carries fairly well.

His darts are absolutely criminal.

[robmatic]

Edinburgh have signed second row Pierce Philips from Agen. Big lad, 6'9 and 119 kg.

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-club ... lips-signs

Going the other way, Mike Willemse is joining London Irish for next season

Is he any good (as squad hookers go)? Don't remember seeing him play.

He's very dynamic in open play and seems to scrummage well (as far as I can tell) but his lineout throwing is not tremendously reliable, which is a bit of a drawback for a hooker.

[Margin__Walker]

Cool. Cheers

^^

And again. If he can't throw, he'll fit right in.

[robmatic]

Going the other way, Mike Willemse is joining London Irish for next season

Is he any good (as squad hookers go)? Don't remember seeing him play.

Decent in the tight and he carries fairly well.

His darts are absolutely criminal.

I was trying to couch it a bit more politely about their new signing, but this is correct.

[Jock42]

Going the other way, Mike Willemse is joining London Irish for next season

Is he any good (as squad hookers go)? Don't remember seeing him play.

Maybe as a 3rd of 4th string hooker.

This, not disappointed to see him go. Would rather younger players got more game time.

[inactionman]

Struggling to work this out - what's going on with season tickets for Edinburgh next season?

Appreciate I'm being hopeful, but no idea whether these will be released - it's not up on website anywhere I can find it, and think my membership lapsed last summer so no notifications I can find.

I wouldn't think its a good idea to be selling season tickets at this point. Next season doesn't kick off for what, 4 months? It seems to me a lot will change between now and then and opening themselves up to having to refund etc. would be poor management.

Not so much to buy, just to know what's likely to be happening with the new ground (well, the new scaffolding at the existing ground) and season tickets. I seem to have fallen off comms from the club, but that might just be as there's not much to communicate.

[KingBlairhorn]

Is he any good (as squad hookers go)? Don't remember seeing him play.

Decent in the tight and he carries fairly well.

His darts are absolutely criminal.

I was trying to couch it a bit more politely about their new signing, but this is correct.

He was really good in his first season and looked like he had first reserve locked down and possibly was even challenging Rambo. This year he has been godawful in my view. His darts are indeed criminal, but he has also looked off the pace in most other facets of his game.

[westport]

Edinburgh Rugby has reached a mutual agreement to release Nic Groom and Sam Kitchen with immediate effect to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere, with their contracts not scheduled for renewal at the end of the season.

[Tichtheid]

Edinburgh Rugby has reached a mutual agreement to release Nic Groom and Sam Kitchen with immediate effect to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere, with their contracts not scheduled for renewal at the end of the season.

That leaves us with two hookers plus academy guys, hopefully we'll see someone else coming in.

I'd like it to be Ashman, but that's a wish list name.

Groom ran the scrum half support line very well and got a few scores from it, but I always kind of held my breath until he got his kicks away without being charged down, if it happens often to the one player and not the others the fault is with the player.

[Jock42]

Edinburgh Rugby has reached a mutual agreement to release Nic Groom and Sam Kitchen with immediate effect to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere, with their contracts not scheduled for renewal at the end of the season.

That leaves us with two hookers plus academy guys, hopefully we'll see someone else coming in.

I'd like it to be Ashman, but that's a wish list name.

Groom ran the scrum half support line very well and got a few scores from it, but I always kind of held my breath until he got his kicks away without being charged down, if it happens often to the one player and not the others the fault is with the player.

There's a hooker from ulster coming in

[robmatic]

Edinburgh Rugby has reached a mutual agreement to release Nic Groom and Sam Kitchen with immediate effect to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere, with their contracts not scheduled for renewal at the end of the season.

That leaves us with two hookers plus academy guys, hopefully we'll see someone else coming in.

I'd like it to be Ashman, but that's a wish list name.

Groom ran the scrum half support line very well and got a few scores from it, but I always kind of held my breath until he got his kicks away without being charged down, if it happens often to the one player and not the others the fault is with the player.

Yeah, he's not a great box kicker - don't think they were always that well placed when he did get them away. I thought he was the best passer of our 9s and was quite effective when we actually played with some pace.

[Tichtheid]

Edinburgh Rugby has reached a mutual agreement to release Nic Groom and Sam Kitchen with immediate effect to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere, with their contracts not scheduled for renewal at the end of the season.

That leaves us with two hookers plus academy guys, hopefully we'll see someone else coming in.

I'd like it to be Ashman, but that's a wish list name.

Groom ran the scrum half support line very well and got a few scores from it, but I always kind of held my breath until he got his kicks away without being charged down, if it happens often to the one player and not the others the fault is with the player.

There's a hooker from ulster coming in

I had forgotten about McBurney. Given that Rambo and Cherry are both now 30 and will be around the Scotland set up, we need at least another hooker I would think.
Patrick Harrison is 18, and although he made his debut against Cardiff a few weeks back it will be at least a couple of years until he is ready to challenge for the shirt.

[Tichtheid]

Edinburgh Rugby has reached a mutual agreement to release Nic Groom and Sam Kitchen with immediate effect to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere, with their contracts not scheduled for renewal at the end of the season.

That leaves us with two hookers plus academy guys, hopefully we'll see someone else coming in.

I'd like it to be Ashman, but that's a wish list name.

Groom ran the scrum half support line very well and got a few scores from it, but I always kind of held my breath until he got his kicks away without being charged down, if it happens often to the one player and not the others the fault is with the player.

Yeah, he's not a great box kicker - don't think they were always that well placed when he did get them away. I thought he was the best passer of our 9s and was quite effective when we actually played with some pace.

I really like Shiel's pass, it has real zip and accuracy to it off both hands.
He is prone to hurry things a little, if he can play with his natural pace but under control he could be very special.

[robmatic]

That leaves us with two hookers plus academy guys, hopefully we'll see someone else coming in.

I'd like it to be Ashman, but that's a wish list name.

Groom ran the scrum half support line very well and got a few scores from it, but I always kind of held my breath until he got his kicks away without being charged down, if it happens often to the one player and not the others the fault is with the player.

There's a hooker from ulster coming in

I had forgotten about McBurney. Given that Rambo and Cherry are both now 30 and will be around the Scotland set up, we need at least another hooker I would think.
Patrick Harrison is 18, and although he made his debut against Cardiff a few weeks back it will be at least a couple of years until he is ready to challenge for the shirt.

Jake Kerr has left Leicester, wonder where he will end up.

[Begbie]

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-club ... cup-opener

Crosbie to captain Edinburgh this weekend. Quite a few youngsters involved

Mish listed as injured Hopefully nothing serious.

[I like neeps]

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-club ... cup-opener

Crosbie to captain Edinburgh this weekend. Quite a few youngsters involved

Mish listed as injured Hopefully nothing serious.

Matt Currie is going to be special.

[Jock42]

Despite it being a dead rubber I'm looking forward to this with that team. The derbies could be interesting if they both field young teams.

[Tichtheid]

I've read some good things about Muncaster, if he lives up to the billing that is some back row.

[Yr Alban]

Edinburgh Rugby has reached a mutual agreement to release Nic Groom and Sam Kitchen with immediate effect to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere, with their contracts not scheduled for renewal at the end of the season.

That leaves us with two hookers plus academy guys, hopefully we'll see someone else coming in.

I'd like it to be Ashman, but that's a wish list name.

Groom ran the scrum half support line very well and got a few scores from it, but I always kind of held my breath until he got his kicks away without being charged down, if it happens often to the one player and not the others the fault is with the player.

Could have seen them offering Ashman a deal if not for Covid. No chance of it now.

[KingBlairhorn]

There's a hooker from ulster coming in

I had forgotten about McBurney. Given that Rambo and Cherry are both now 30 and will be around the Scotland set up, we need at least another hooker I would think.
Patrick Harrison is 18, and although he made his debut against Cardiff a few weeks back it will be at least a couple of years until he is ready to challenge for the shirt.

Jake Kerr has left Leicester, wonder where he will end up.

A bit of speculation that it will be Edinburgh but as noted above, Edinburgh already have two senior hookers with another inbound from Ulster, plus Harrison from the academy. That's plenty I would think, especially as Cherry will only make Scotland squads when there are injuries to Rambo/Brown/Turner.

Glasgow, on the other hand, could do with a clear 3rd choice to challenge Turner for the bench spot and to step up when both he and Brown are off with Scotland. Dolokoto and Stewart have never convinced me and I think Mathews is off at the end of the season.

[westport]

Scottish Rugby has confirmed an unprecedented funding package of £6.5million to support community clubs in Scotland as the sport emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/gras ... kHFRS28lj8

[Slick]

Scottish Rugby has confirmed an unprecedented funding package of £6.5million to support community clubs in Scotland as the sport emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://www.scottishrugby.org/news/gras ... kHFRS28lj8

Interesting from misery guts Alasdair Reid on this

“There is no such thing as a coincidence” was a mantra of one of my early mentors in journalism. Now you could argue the toss over the literal truth of his view, but it is a decent working assumption in our game.

So when Mark Dodson and John Jeffrey, chief executive and chairman of the Scottish Rugby Union, released a statement that said “unprecedented funding” would be “allocated to the grassroots game both in the short term as we emerge from the lockdown enforced by Covid-19 and in the longer term over the next five years”, it seemed fair to conclude that questions concerning the SRU’s use of the Scottish government’s recent £15 million emergency grant lay behind the move.

The union was given the money — and a £5m loan facility — as part of a £55m emergency package to cover shortfalls and difficulties created in sport by the pandemic. However, when the funding was agreed last December the governing body was coy about how it was to be used.

Now, though, thanks to a club member lodging a Freedom of Information request, the terms of the award have become clear. According to the government letter confirming the sums, the money should be used “to assist rugby clubs and organisations across Scotland”. An application form for clubs to apply for funding was also included.

However, clubs were not told about this. The terms became clear through the FOI request. No sooner had those details entered the public domain than Dodson and Jeffrey put out their statement. Just a coincidence of course.

[KingBlairhorn]

I saw that story in the usual anti-SRU publication. Whilst there may be some substance to the story, the fact that every single article they write accuses the SRU of some form of malfeasance somewhat reduces the impact of each one.

I’d also note that they seem to have completely failed to grasp that both Edinburgh and Glasgow are ‘clubs’, and more than likely received the balance of the funding. Perhaps they should have confirmed whether that is the case before essentially (and loudly) implying fraud. Confirming whether the money went to those clubs and asking whether it should have gone to those two clubs to the exclusion of all community clubs is more than enough to form a good story. The way they went about approaching the story yet again taking an unbalanced and unnuanced view is a complete turn-off for me.

[Slick]

I saw that story in the usual anti-SRU publication. Whilst there may be some substance to the story, the fact that every single article they write accuses the SRU of some form of malfeasance somewhat reduces the impact of each one.

I’d also note that they seem to have completely failed to grasp that both Edinburgh and Glasgow are ‘clubs’, and more than likely received the balance of the funding. Perhaps they should have confirmed whether that is the case before essentially (and loudly) implying fraud. Confirming whether the money went to those clubs and asking whether it should have gone to those two clubs to the exclusion of all community clubs is more than enough to form a good story. The way they went about approaching the story yet again taking an unbalanced and unnuanced view is a complete turn-off for me.

Good post.

I don’t know enough about how the grass roots clubs feel about the SRU to comment to be honest but I think the SRU do a pretty decent job on most things

[Yr Alban]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... 65eANFbTPM

Visser putting the boot into Gatland... for not selecting him. Now, Gats is one of my least favourite people in rugby, but Visser doesn’t come out of this well either - he sounds like a massive bellend with an equally massive ego. He was a great club player and he was good for Scotland, but I doubt many of us really thought he was overlooked for a Lions spot.

EDIT: although I still think Visser is a dick, I hadn’t realised that Gatland called up Christian Wade as a replacement, who had had one England cap in a tour game and never got another. That must have stung.

[Begbie]

Anyone got the scoop on what's happening at Edinburgh? Rumours of a mutiny, Cockers going, a player being sacked!!

[robmatic]

Anyone got the scoop on what's happening at Edinburgh? Rumours of a mutiny, Cockers going, a player being sacked!!

That sounds a bit nuts.

[robmatic]

Anyone got the scoop on what's happening at Edinburgh? Rumours of a mutiny, Cockers going, a player being sacked!!

That sounds a bit nuts.

Thistle Rugby Podcast seem to have heard something.