The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[KingBlairhorn]

Was there not a rumour doing the rounds a few years ago that the SRU were considering buying Woos to function as a kind of 3rd pro team, but in the Prem? I wonder if that might be resurrected if they can take it on for pennies on the pound or free of debt post-administration? It would be a terribly risky play IMO but that doesn’t mean the SRU won’t be interested.

I wonder what view the RFU would have on it. On one hand, the SRU with their hands in the RFU sweetie jar will be poorly received. On the other, a club not going defunct is good.

Given the rules for EQ players and non EQ players I don't think it would be feasible. Rugby clubs aren't normally profitable.

I don't think the intention was for it to be profitable. The 'business plan' if you can call it that was that the loss expected on an annual basis to run the team with lots of SQ players was significantly less than the c.£6-10m per annum needed to run a 3rd pro team in Scotland.

[I like neeps]

Was there not a rumour doing the rounds a few years ago that the SRU were considering buying Woos to function as a kind of 3rd pro team, but in the Prem? I wonder if that might be resurrected if they can take it on for pennies on the pound or free of debt post-administration? It would be a terribly risky play IMO but that doesn’t mean the SRU won’t be interested.

I wonder what view the RFU would have on it. On one hand, the SRU with their hands in the RFU sweetie jar will be poorly received. On the other, a club not going defunct is good.

Given the rules for EQ players and non EQ players I don't think it would be feasible. Rugby clubs aren't normally profitable.

I don't think the intention was for it to be profitable. The 'business plan' if you can call it that was that the loss expected on an annual basis to run the team with lots of SQ players was significantly less than the c.£6-10m per annum needed to run a 3rd pro team in Scotland.

It was easily one of the stupidiest ideas the SRU have had and that's saying something.

(A) the RFU wouldn't have allowed a Trojan horse third Scottish pro team anyway. Nonsense.
(B) what did they think would happen to the fans at Worcester/Newcastle wherever? They all become big fans of the Scottish team? The club would therefore lose the academy credits, lose the match day revenues, lose the local community, and lose a hell of a lot of money with no route to even being close to break even. Just hugely damaging losses and wiping out an English club.
(C) the players we'd have sent would be the ones not good enough for a Scottish pro team. They'd get massacred weekly.

It's a fundamentally unserious plan that makes you concerned about the strategic vision of those in charge.

[Slick]

Quite keen on the new strip I saw earlier - can't find an image to post though!

[Jock42]

Yeah it's OK. Seems a bit of a lazy design though, looks like they've just changed the purple trim to light blue

[Slick]

Yeah it's OK. Seems a bit of a lazy design though, looks like they've just changed the purple trim to light blue

Isn’t the “retro” collar new as well?

[Jock42]

Yeah it's OK. Seems a bit of a lazy design though, looks like they've just changed the purple trim to light blue

Isn’t the “retro” collar new as well?

Aye I think so

[Biffer]

Collar is completely different. There’s a pattern on the shoulders as well, wasn’t there last year, there was a different pattern lower down.

Given the pelters they inevitably get when they try anything different, this is a sound effort.

[Blackmac]

Yeah it's OK. Seems a bit of a lazy design though, looks like they've just changed the purple trim to light blue

What was wrong in just making it white.

[dpedin]

I know it's not rugby but the news of the death of Rap Wardell is just tragic - heart attack in his sleep at just 37. He had just won the National XC Mountain Bike title a couple of days ago. His partner Katie Archibald is rightly devastated. Just awful news.

[S/Lt_Phillips]

I know it's not rugby but the news of the death of Rap Wardell is just tragic - heart attack in his sleep at just 37. He had just won the National XC Mountain Bike title a couple of days ago. His partner Katie Archibald is rightly devastated. Just awful news.

It's so sad. His family must be in shock. I really feel for Katie Archibald too - she's had a pretty awful year with injuries, crashes and getting hit by a car, and now this. I hope she and the rest of the family are getting the support they need.

[S/Lt_Phillips]

Yeah it's OK. Seems a bit of a lazy design though, looks like they've just changed the purple trim to light blue

What was wrong in just making it white.

I know I'm a bit of a dinosaur about these things, but I hark back to the days of the simple navy blue Umbro jersey. I know they were heavy in the rain and not really suitable for the modern professional game, but we've had some pretty shocking iterations in the last few years. Still, makes some money for the SRU.

[Jock42]

I take it the alternate top hasn't been released?

[clydecloggie]

I know it's not rugby but the news of the death of Rap Wardell is just tragic - heart attack in his sleep at just 37. He had just won the National XC Mountain Bike title a couple of days ago. His partner Katie Archibald is rightly devastated. Just awful news.

It's so sad. His family must be in shock. I really feel for Katie Archibald too - she's had a pretty awful year with injuries, crashes and getting hit by a car, and now this. I hope she and the rest of the family are getting the support they need.

It's really weird watching him get interviewed on Nine one evening and reading about his death the next. I love the gorgeous YouTube doc where he sets the record on the West Highland Way and he came across there and in other interviews as a really good guy. RIP.

[westport]

Great late afternoon was had at Goldenacre watching The Nails beating Stirling, not the best of matches for quite a bit but still enjoyable. All followed by a couple of beers catching up with folk not seen for years

[Tichtheid]

Great late afternoon was had at Goldenacre watching The Nails beating Stirling, not the best of matches for quite a bit but still enjoyable. All followed by a couple of beers catching up with folk not seen for years

How did the Nails’ fly half play?

He’s just signed a partnership deal with Embra

[westport]

Great late afternoon was had at Goldenacre watching The Nails beating Stirling, not the best of matches for quite a bit but still enjoyable. All followed by a couple of beers catching up with folk not seen for years

How did the Nails’ fly half play?

He’s just signed a partnership deal with Embra

He was alright, a few mistakes and his tactical kicking could be better

[Tichtheid]

Great late afternoon was had at Goldenacre watching The Nails beating Stirling, not the best of matches for quite a bit but still enjoyable. All followed by a couple of beers catching up with folk not seen for years

How did the Nails’ fly half play?

He’s just signed a partnership deal with Embra

He was alright, a few mistakes and his tactical kicking could be better

It's a shame Nathan Chamberlain didn't work out.

[Slick]

Fucking hell the SRU are making it difficult to keep going to Murrayfield, website is so user unfriendly and £75 to go to the Italy match! It's becoming a little unjustifiable for me.

[SaintK]

Fucking hell the SRU are making it difficult to keep going to Murrayfield, website is so user unfriendly and £75 to go to the Italy match! It's becoming a little unjustifiable for me.

You should be so lucky!
£119 for Premium tickets at Twickenham for Italy, cheapest £67!!!
And that's the club subsidised pricing

[Jock42]

Unsurprisingly both teams interested in signing the Jocks at Worcester should they become available.

[KingBlairhorn]

Unsurprisingly both teams interested in signing the Jocks at Worcester should they become available.

Looks like Duhan will choose France (as per an earlier poster's guess) and Fin Smith has chosen Northampton (as also speculated). That leaves Sutherland as the only marquee player left. In many ways the likes of McCallum is probably better staying if there will be any rugby there this year - he likely becomes close to first choice. Even if they are getting beasted every week that is probably better than sitting on the Edinburgh/Glasgow bench (and even that is if he is lucky).

[robmatic]

Great late afternoon was had at Goldenacre watching The Nails beating Stirling, not the best of matches for quite a bit but still enjoyable. All followed by a couple of beers catching up with folk not seen for years

How did the Nails’ fly half play?

He’s just signed a partnership deal with Embra

He was alright, a few mistakes and his tactical kicking could be better

From what I saw of him last season he's decent enough at S6 level but he's not going to be pushing the senior pros at Embra. I guess it will be handy to have him around the squad in case of emergencies and he'll get regular gametime at Heriots.

[Slick]

How did the Nails’ fly half play?

He’s just signed a partnership deal with Embra

He was alright, a few mistakes and his tactical kicking could be better

From what I saw of him last season he's decent enough at S6 level but he's not going to be pushing the senior pros at Embra. I guess it will be handy to have him around the squad in case of emergencies and he'll get regular gametime at Heriots.

Yeah, I remember from watching him at a couple of games last year that it was his kicking that was a bit of an issue. You'd think that could be sorted out reasonably over a summer, obviously not.

[I like neeps]

I think rather cynically the SRU give cheap partnership deals to better S6 players as an S6 recruitment ploy. Cammy Hutchison the only quote unquote success? Ross Thompson?

[robmatic]

I think rather cynically the SRU give cheap partnership deals to better S6 players as an S6 recruitment ploy. Cammy Hutchison the only quote unquote success? Ross Thompson?

I think you're probably right that they use them as an incentive for the S6 but they do make sense for the pro teams when they are filling out the fringes of the squad. There will be a certain number of positions in the squad where realistically someone might get a couple of games a season - may as well get part of their wage paid by a S6 club.

Angus Williams is an example of it working for Edinburgh. He was on a partnership deal with Watsonians, actually ended up making a few appearances and then got a full-time contract.

[I like neeps]

I think rather cynically the SRU give cheap partnership deals to better S6 players as an S6 recruitment ploy. Cammy Hutchison the only quote unquote success? Ross Thompson?

I think you're probably right that they use them as an incentive for the S6 but they do make sense for the pro teams when they are filling out the fringes of the squad. There will be a certain number of positions in the squad where realistically someone might get a couple of games a season - may as well get part of their wage paid by a S6 club.

Angus Williams is an example of it working for Edinburgh. He was on a partnership deal with Watsonians, actually ended up making a few appearances and then got a full-time contract.

I thought he and Courtney were still partnership deals. It does make sense as 4/5th choice guys you're right. But Edinburgh now have 6 contracted 10s!

[Tichtheid]

Mike Blair said the other day that he was monitoring the Wuss situation with a view to bringing players home, he also mentioned that there was money left to cover injury crisis signings, so my guess is the partnership deals don’t hit Edinburgh hard financially

[SaintK]

Mike Blair said the other day that he was monitoring the Wuss situation with a view to bringing players home, he also mentioned that there was money left to cover injury crisis signings, so my guess is the partnership deals don’t hit Edinburgh hard financially

The Rugby Paper were reporting last week that Van der Merwe was attracting significant interest in France if Worcester fold. Can't think of any other Prem club coming in for him this late given the cut in the salary cap.
Can Edinburgh really afford to match the salary that attracted him away from Scotland in the first place?

[robmatic]

Mike Blair said the other day that he was monitoring the Wuss situation with a view to bringing players home, he also mentioned that there was money left to cover injury crisis signings, so my guess is the partnership deals don’t hit Edinburgh hard financially

The Rugby Paper were reporting last week that Van der Merwe was attracting significant interest in France if Worcester fold. Can't think of any other Prem club coming in for him this late given the cut in the salary cap.
Can Edinburgh really afford to match the salary that attracted him away from Scotland in the first place?

The SRU won't want him (or any current international) being left without a club but I imagine all parties will be happy if he gets a decent paying deal in France.

As I understand it, the Edinburgh offer to him before was not too shabby but he wanted to leave anyway.

[Jock42]

Mike Blair said the other day that he was monitoring the Wuss situation with a view to bringing players home, he also mentioned that there was money left to cover injury crisis signings, so my guess is the partnership deals don’t hit Edinburgh hard financially

The Rugby Paper were reporting last week that Van der Merwe was attracting significant interest in France if Worcester fold. Can't think of any other Prem club coming in for him this late given the cut in the salary cap.
Can Edinburgh really afford to match the salary that attracted him away from Scotland in the first place?

£300 000? Nope. It was arguably just the icing on the cake when leaving the culture/cockerill at the time. Int players are better managed being in the SRU fold and I'm sure a decent offer is worth mulling over at the least.

[Big D]

Fucking hell the SRU are making it difficult to keep going to Murrayfield, website is so user unfriendly and £75 to go to the Italy match! It's becoming a little unjustifiable for me.

You should be so lucky!
£119 for Premium tickets at Twickenham for Italy, cheapest £67!!!
And that's the club subsidised pricing

Just got our applications through. 112/138 for England, 99/73/51 for France depending where we want to sit. I'll pass I think.

[Tichtheid]

From reading between the lines Blair was talking about a situation where these players found themselves without a contract or an offer, then money might be found.

[Slick]

Fucking hell the SRU are making it difficult to keep going to Murrayfield, website is so user unfriendly and £75 to go to the Italy match! It's becoming a little unjustifiable for me.

You should be so lucky!
£119 for Premium tickets at Twickenham for Italy, cheapest £67!!!
And that's the club subsidised pricing

Just got our applications through. 112/138 for England, 99/73/51 for France depending where we want to sit. I'll pass I think.

Where is this for?

[Big D]

You should be so lucky!
£119 for Premium tickets at Twickenham for Italy, cheapest £67!!!
And that's the club subsidised pricing

Just got our applications through. 112/138 for England, 99/73/51 for France depending where we want to sit. I'll pass I think.

Where is this for?

Scotland away ticket apications from the SRU via my club.

[Slick]

Just got our applications through. 112/138 for England, 99/73/51 for France depending where we want to sit. I'll pass I think.

Where is this for?

Scotland away ticket apications from the SRU via my club.

Ahh sorry, of course. I don't even contemplate going to Twickenham unless I'm getting a freebie, but keen to get to Paris this year - been a few times and got a nice little network of friends over there so love the trip. I remember when it was 10 Francs and sit where you want over there.

[robmatic]

I thought he and Courtney were still partnership deals. It does make sense as 4/5th choice guys you're right. But Edinburgh now have 6 contracted 10s!

Fair point, that is a lot of 10s, although I don't know a lot about the academy lads. Presumably they are even less likely to play than Houston this season.

There are a few S6 players in the Edinburgh squad for tomorrow night. Connor Gordon from Stirling, Kwagga von Niekerk from Watsonians and Korie Winters from Southern Knights. Maybe Super 6 is also a way to cheaply take a punt on Scottish qualified imports.

[Biffer]

From reading between the lines Blair was talking about a situation where these players found themselves without a contract or an offer, then money might be found.

Duhan won't be short of a club. The one I want to see in Scotland is Sutherland, given his injury record I'd like him looked after and his fitness managed in the run up to the RWC

[I like neeps]

I thought he and Courtney were still partnership deals. It does make sense as 4/5th choice guys you're right. But Edinburgh now have 6 contracted 10s!

Fair point, that is a lot of 10s, although I don't know a lot about the academy lads. Presumably they are even less likely to play than Houston this season.

There are a few S6 players in the Edinburgh squad for tomorrow night. Connor Gordon from Stirling, Kwagga von Niekerk from Watsonians and Korie Winters from Southern Knights. Maybe Super 6 is also a way to cheaply take a punt on Scottish qualified imports.

But then why have players in the academy if you don't think they're good enough to play? Especially Cammy Scott who is 21 now with two years of s6.

Yeah that is definitely a use for it.

[westport]

Edinburgh Rugby today issued the following squad update ahead of the club’s final pre-season fixture against Benetton Rugby in Treviso.

The club is pleased to report number 8 Viliame Mata (knee) has returned to full training and is once again available for selection, while tighthead prop Luan de Bruin (hamstring) is progressing well in his rehab and is expected to return to training in the coming weeks.

Unfortunately, newly-recruited wing Wes Goosen is expected to be side-lined until October, having sustained a calf injury in training.

All players are subject to the ongoing care and assessment of the Edinburgh Rugby medical team.

Stay tuned to the club’s social channels for all official team news and updates.

[Tichtheid]

Edinburgh Rugby today issued the following squad update ahead of the club’s final pre-season fixture against Benetton Rugby in Treviso.

The club is pleased to report number 8 Viliame Mata (knee) has returned to full training and is once again available for selection, while tighthead prop Luan de Bruin (hamstring) is progressing well in his rehab and is expected to return to training in the coming weeks.

Unfortunately, newly-recruited wing Wes Goosen is expected to be side-lined until October, having sustained a calf injury in training.

All players are subject to the ongoing care and assessment of the Edinburgh Rugby medical team.

Stay tuned to the club’s social channels for all official team news and updates.

Bugger, I was really looking forward to seeing Goosen, but a few more weeks is not too bad, I guess.

It will be good to see Big Bill back in action.