The Official Scottish Rugby Thread

[dkm57]

Heriots have some coaching set up now they have all the pieces in place

Head Coach Ben Cairns, Backs Coach Stuart Edwards and Forwards Coach Finlay Gilles, John Hardie as Defence and Collision Coach, assisted by Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Sinclair, and the medical team led by Sandi Lyall.

Supporting the Heriot’s Rugby development pathway is Head of Rugby Development Sean Lineen, Blues Head Coach Phil Smith and Blues 2nd XV Head Coach Robert McKillop.

Would be truly something if all the Super6 teams could evolve the same infrastructure.

[Dogbert]

Time for Glasgow to get back to their winning ways - really need a five pointer from this one to keep pressure up for a top 4 place.

Allan Dell making his first appearance in a Glasgow jersey

Scott Cummings packing down at 6 , along with Darge & Vailanu . makes for an interesting back row.

Horne and Smith released from Scotland duties adds more bite to the backs

1 Allan Dell (1)
2 Johnny Matthews (41)
3 Simon Berghan (26)
4 Lewis Bean (32)
5 JP du Preez (16)
6 Scott Cummings (97)
7 Rory Darge (23)
8 Sione Vailanu (12)

9 George Horne (91)
10 Tom Jordan (16)
11 Josh McKay (26)
12 Sam Johnson (100)
13 Stafford McDowall (C) (50)
14 Cole Forbes (33)
15 Ollie Smith (26)

Replacements

16 Fraser Brown (135)
17 Jamie Bhatti (82)
18 Oli Kebble (84)
19 Alex Samuel (5)
20 Gregor Brown (11)
21 Thomas Gordon
22 Jamie Dobie (45)
23 Duncan Weir (131)

Unavailable for selection: Sebastian Cancelliere (knee), Angus Fraser (head), Sintu Manjezi (knee), Jack Mann (head), Ally Miller (back), Enrique Pieretto (chest), Murphy Walker (neck), Ryan Wilson (knee).

International duty: Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson, Richie Gray, Huw Jones, Ali Price, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu, George Turner.

[Tichtheid]

I hope both teams are at full strength, or as close to, given that Gilchrist won’t be in the 23.

With a bit of luck Darcy Graham will be back.

[westport]

Going to be a great effort from them

The Scottish Schools Touring squad of 1988 will come together some 35 years later when they will take on the Doddie88 challenge later this month to raise funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

https://scottishrugby.org/scottish-scho ... cfnlbhDxas

[Big D]

Heriots have some coaching set up now they have all the pieces in place

Head Coach Ben Cairns, Backs Coach Stuart Edwards and Forwards Coach Finlay Gilles, John Hardie as Defence and Collision Coach, assisted by Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Sinclair, and the medical team led by Sandi Lyall.

Supporting the Heriot’s Rugby development pathway is Head of Rugby Development Sean Lineen, Blues Head Coach Phil Smith and Blues 2nd XV Head Coach Robert McKillop.

Might be the next +1 Edinburgh coaching set up if it goes well.

[charltom]

I hope both teams are at full strength, or as close to, given that Gilchrist won’t be in the 23.

With a bit of luck Darcy Graham will be back.

He won't be. He's hosting some beery breakfast that morning.

Unless that's some clever ploy to fool the Irish.

[Tichtheid]

I hope both teams are at full strength, or as close to, given that Gilchrist won’t be in the 23.

With a bit of luck Darcy Graham will be back.

He won't be. He's hosting some beery breakfast that morning.

Unless that's some clever ploy to fool the Irish.

That's a real shame, he had been on absolute fire all year until Munster did him in.

[I like neeps]

Heriots have some coaching set up now they have all the pieces in place

Head Coach Ben Cairns, Backs Coach Stuart Edwards and Forwards Coach Finlay Gilles, John Hardie as Defence and Collision Coach, assisted by Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Sinclair, and the medical team led by Sandi Lyall.

Supporting the Heriot’s Rugby development pathway is Head of Rugby Development Sean Lineen, Blues Head Coach Phil Smith and Blues 2nd XV Head Coach Robert McKillop.

An exciting coaching staff and impressive set up for sure. Heriot's have clearly been taking the super6 very seriously with the player calibre they've signed but so far it's not gone very well.

A bit of a concern we're seeing Heriot's, Sonians and Ayrshire really commit money and being in Edinburgh helps the first two attract semi pros. Stirling, Knights and Bears are falling behind a bit. Hopefully Knights with a few Melrose 7s under their belt can compete again. I like the Bears building through youth too.

[Tichtheid]

I'm beginning to wonder if there is some kind of appeal or non-acceptance going on with Gilchrist that has caused the delay to the announcement of any sanction.

The only mitigation could be that Fagerson's tackle knocked Jelonch sideways and into Gilchrist, but he was still high, still didn't wrap and still smacked him in the puss with a shoulder.

[KingBlairhorn]

I'm beginning to wonder if there is some kind of appeal or non-acceptance going on with Gilchrist that has caused the delay to the announcement of any sanction.

The only mitigation could be that Fagerson's tackle knocked Jelonch sideways and into Gilchrist, but he was still high, still didn't wrap and still smacked him in the puss with a shoulder.

That would be a very daft appeal. The other potential outcome I've seen others discussing is that his ban is longer than Haouas' and they are looking to mitigate the bad PR that will cause but I would expect the SRU to have been very loud about it if that were true. I expect its much more mundane, probably Gilchrist's hearing was postponed for some reason and nobody has thought it worth a press release to clarify it has been rescheduled. He'll be getting 3 games minimum so is out the 6N anyway.

[Tichtheid]

I'm beginning to wonder if there is some kind of appeal or non-acceptance going on with Gilchrist that has caused the delay to the announcement of any sanction.

The only mitigation could be that Fagerson's tackle knocked Jelonch sideways and into Gilchrist, but he was still high, still didn't wrap and still smacked him in the puss with a shoulder.

That would be a very daft appeal. The other potential outcome I've seen others discussing is that his ban is longer than Haouas' and they are looking to mitigate the bad PR that will cause but I would expect the SRU to have been very loud about it if that were true. I expect its much more mundane, probably Gilchrist's hearing was postponed for some reason and nobody has thought it worth a press release to clarify it has been rescheduled. He'll be getting 3 games minimum so is out the 6N anyway.

That's far too normal an explanation for anything involving a disciplinary hearing, I'm going for Alien abduction as a bare minimum cause of postponement.

[I like neeps]

15. Emiliano Boffelli (26)

14. Damien Hoyland (102)
13. Mark Bennett (83)
12. James Lang (34)
11. Wes Goosen (9)

10. Charlie Savala (27)
9. Ben Vellacott (34)

1. Boan Venter (41)
2. Stuart McInally (172)
3. Lee-Roy Atalifo (31)
4. Marshall Sykes (37)
5. Sam Skinner (9)
6. Luke Crosbie (82) CAPTAIN
7. Hamish Watson (136)
8. Viliame Mata (111)

Replacements

16. Dave Cherry (66)
17. Jamie Jack (2)
18. Elliot Millar-Mills (3)
19. Jamie Hodgson (51)
20. Nick Haining (35)
21. Charlie Shiel (54)
22. Jaco van der Walt (95)
23. Chris Dean (132)

Exciting looking team for what is a free hit as the champs cup is gone now. Not keen on these prop loans but oh well.

[Tichtheid]

Exciting looking team for what is a free hit as the champs cup is gone now.

Not if we win it.

[Jock42]

Decent looking side, not enough to put away leinster B but you never know.

[Tichtheid]

Decent looking side, not enough to put away leinster B but you never know.

It's coming up four years since Leinster last played us in Edinburgh, we beat them 28 - 11.

[Tichtheid]

Very strong team considering they've got about 73 away with Ireland

[KingBlairhorn]

Decent looking side, not enough to put away leinster B but you never know.

It's coming up four years since Leinster last played us in Edinburgh, we beat them 28 - 11.

As you say in your following post, a strong Leinster team as always. I don't think this Edinburgh have enough to put that side away. In fact, I can see a pretty comfortable 20pt win for the bad guys.

[Tichtheid]

Decent looking side, not enough to put away leinster B but you never know.

It's coming up four years since Leinster last played us in Edinburgh, we beat them 28 - 11.

As you say in your following post, a strong Leinster team as always. I don't think this Edinburgh have enough to put that side away. In fact, I can see a pretty comfortable 20pt win for the bad guys.

Aye, it's definitely one I'll record and then watch depending on the score and match reports.

As much as anything there are two completely different moods in he camps, they are flying, we have really struggled in the league. It's good to see Rambo back, though, and Christine on the bench

[westport]

Have they forgotten about Gilcho's sending off?

[dkm57]

Matthews having a good first half

careless start though.

[mos_eisely_]

Have they forgotten about Gilcho's sending off?

Apparently he's been training with the international squad today so who knows that that means

[Dogbert]

So 50 points , 8 tries , - and five more points to push us up to 3rd in the table ( well until Ulster play tomorrow ) and yet on the journey home the general consensus was , well , underwhelming ( at least it was dry tonight )- not a classic game for the highlight reel for the season

Zebre tried to make a game of it , but they were poor , and were lucky that that they did not come up against a more efficient Glasgow .

No one on Glasgow played badly , but neither did anyone really excel.

Actually the best part of Glasgow's game tonight was their defence- rally solid , and in the second half especially they frustrated Zebre

Saying that Cummings played the full 90 and was good - Du Prez is now really showing his class , not only in the line out , but in the loose as well , If RG doesn't carry on with Glasgow next season , then we have a perfect replacement

Darge was good , but not great , but looks like a few more games will get him back to where he was pre injury.

Ollie Smith is really coming into his own as a really classy player.

Tom Jordon looks to have been working on his kicking game , and was getting much better distance tonight , which combined with Glasgow's catch & maul l proved pretty devastating.

It wasn't much of a contest tonight- but back to winning ways & points in the bag

Munster away will be a very different proposition

[Tichtheid]

I do feel for Zebre, they try to play an attacking game but just get whupped every time.

15 games, 572 points conceded , that's over 38 points per game.

It must be difficult to get their players up for training and up for games when this happens every weekend, and everyone knows it's going to happen, there is no chance it won't.

[KingBlairhorn]

So 50 points , 8 tries , - and five more points to push us up to 3rd in the table ( well until Ulster play tomorrow ) and yet on the journey home the general consensus was , well , underwhelming ( at least it was dry tonight )- not a classic game for the highlight reel for the season

Zebre tried to make a game of it , but they were poor , and were lucky that that they did not come up against a more efficient Glasgow .

No one on Glasgow played badly , but neither did anyone really excel.

Actually the best part of Glasgow's game tonight was their defence- rally solid , and in the second half especially they frustrated Zebre

Saying that Cummings played the full 90 and was good - Du Prez is now really showing his class , not only in the line out , but in the loose as well , If RG doesn't carry on with Glasgow next season , then we have a perfect replacement

Darge was good , but not great , but looks like a few more games will get him back to where he was pre injury.

Ollie Smith is really coming into his own as a really classy player.

Tom Jordon looks to have been working on his kicking game , and was getting much better distance tonight , which combined with Glasgow's catch & maul l proved pretty devastating.

It wasn't much of a contest tonight- but back to winning ways & points in the bag

Munster away will be a very different proposition

I agree with all of this, pretty underwhelming for an 8 try win!

I thought Darge looked good over the ball but his tackling was technically poor a number of times, it was like he was trying to bump players rather than tackle with no attempt to wrap. I’m not sure what he was trying to do but it was seemingly deliberate as he did it a number of times.

One more to add to your list above for me is Stafford McDowall at 13. He has been very good this year and really does have the full skill set. He is huge, tackles well, seems defensively sound, can kick, pass and offload and has an eye for a gap. He has all the tools, it’s a shame it has taken so long for him to put the package together after his early breakthrough into the Glasgow team 5 or 6 years ago but I think he has a good chance for full international caps in time.

[Dogbert]

So 50 points , 8 tries , - and five more points to push us up to 3rd in the table ( well until Ulster play tomorrow ) and yet on the journey home the general consensus was , well , underwhelming ( at least it was dry tonight )- not a classic game for the highlight reel for the season

Zebre tried to make a game of it , but they were poor , and were lucky that that they did not come up against a more efficient Glasgow .

No one on Glasgow played badly , but neither did anyone really excel.

Actually the best part of Glasgow's game tonight was their defence- rally solid , and in the second half especially they frustrated Zebre

Saying that Cummings played the full 90 and was good - Du Prez is now really showing his class , not only in the line out , but in the loose as well , If RG doesn't carry on with Glasgow next season , then we have a perfect replacement

Darge was good , but not great , but looks like a few more games will get him back to where he was pre injury.

Ollie Smith is really coming into his own as a really classy player.

Tom Jordon looks to have been working on his kicking game , and was getting much better distance tonight , which combined with Glasgow's catch & maul l proved pretty devastating.

It wasn't much of a contest tonight- but back to winning ways & points in the bag

Munster away will be a very different proposition

I agree with all of this, pretty underwhelming for an 8 try win!

I thought Darge looked good over the ball but his tackling was technically poor a number of times, it was like he was trying to bump players rather than tackle with no attempt to wrap. I’m not sure what he was trying to do but it was seemingly deliberate as he did it a number of times.

One more to add to your list above for me is Stafford McDowall at 13. He has been very good this year and really does have the full skill set. He is huge, tackles well, seems defensively sound, can kick, pass and offload and has an eye for a gap. He has all the tools, it’s a shame it has taken so long for him to put the package together after his early breakthrough into the Glasgow team 5 or 6 years ago but I think he has a good chance for full international caps in time.

Agree about Stafford, plus his ability in the line out is pretty good for a back.

[Tichtheid]

Also noteworthy was Sam Johnson, who went in as a lifter for McDowall

[Slick]

Finn starting against Toulouse…..

[KingBlairhorn]

Edinburgh doing okay against Leinster on the scoreboard at least but Leinster devastating whenever they have the ball. They can more or less make metres at will and the strike plays are so good.

[KingBlairhorn]

Edinburgh doing okay against Leinster on the scoreboard at least but Leinster devastating whenever they have the ball. They can more or less make metres at will and the strike plays are so good.

And just like that a 5 point game becomes a 25 point game.

[KingBlairhorn]

Edinburgh doing okay against Leinster on the scoreboard at least but Leinster devastating whenever they have the ball. They can more or less make metres at will and the strike plays are so good.

And just like that a 5 point game becomes a 25 point game.

A point is more than most will score against Leinster. A not very disappointing shellacking because it was exactly what I expected.

[Tichtheid]

Yup, unless urged otherwise I don't think I'll watch that, straight to delete.

We can beat Saracens, who are head and shoulder above everyone else in the Gallagher Premiership, but as soon as we go down to second choices in the tight five (and not all of today's players are second choices there) we get absolutely hammered.

There was negative talk about Savala on the league thread, he hasn't kicked on in the way I'd hoped - Kinghorn will be playing a lot of games at ten next season

[Dogbert]

Yup, unless urged otherwise I don't think I'll watch that, straight to delete.

We can beat Saracens, who are head and shoulder above everyone else in the Gallagher Premiership, but as soon as we go down to second choices in the tight five (and not all of today's players are second choices there) we get absolutely hammered.

There was negative talk about Savala on the league thread, he hasn't kicked on in the way I'd hoped - Ben Healy will be playing a lot of games at ten next season

Fixed it for you , I suspect that the Blair switch project will be dead ,once Edinburgh get a new head coach

[Tichtheid]

Yup, unless urged otherwise I don't think I'll watch that, straight to delete.

We can beat Saracens, who are head and shoulder above everyone else in the Gallagher Premiership, but as soon as we go down to second choices in the tight five (and not all of today's players are second choices there) we get absolutely hammered.

There was negative talk about Savala on the league thread, he hasn't kicked on in the way I'd hoped - Ben Healy will be playing a lot of games at ten next season

Fixed it for you , I suspect that the Blair switch project will be dead ,once Edinburgh get a new head coach

I don't think so, you can't play a season with one ten.

Cockerill, of all people, was the first to play Kinghorn at ten in a pro game

[Dogbert]

True , but I will bet you that Healy next season will be Edinburgh's first choice Ten ,

Kinghorn will be shunted to fullback or wing , and will cover 10 when Healy is unavailable

[mos_eisely_]

Blair is one of those players that you play. I don't care if its 10, wing or FB just have him playing.

[Slick]

True , but I will bet you that Healy next season will be Edinburgh's first choice Ten ,

Kinghorn will be shunted to fullback or wing , and will cover 10 when Healy is unavailable

Yes

[Tichtheid]

True , but I will bet you that Healy next season will be Edinburgh's first choice Ten ,

Kinghorn will be shunted to fullback or wing , and will cover 10 when Healy is unavailable

Yes

No.

The guy is third choice at Munster, he has to earn his place at Edinburgh, I really don't know why you lot are assuming he just steps in there without question.

I'm more inclined to agree with mos_eisely_, though it might have been easier to do so if it was easier to type that name.

The current best backline Edinburgh have is Vellacott, Kinghorn, van der Merwe, Dean, Bennett, Graham, Boffelli

I have not seen Healy do anything that approaches what Kinghorn can do - if we want someone who can kick a rugby ball to the touchline then we should have re-employed Weir. We already have a terrific goal kicker in Boff, so why are you assuming Healy is the guy who will make that backline sing?

The best players we have in the centres and back three thrive off broken field and pull-back passes, not chasing a forward pack up the touchline as the flyhallf makes ten metres at a time for the opposition to throw in.

[Camroc2]

True , but I will bet you that Healy next season will be Edinburgh's first choice Ten ,

Kinghorn will be shunted to fullback or wing , and will cover 10 when Healy is unavailable

Yes

No.

The guy is third choice at Munster, he has to earn his place at Edinburgh, I really don't know why you lot are assuming he just steps in there without question.

I'm more inclined to agree with mos_eisely_, though it might have been easier to do so if it was easier to type that name.

The current best backline Edinburgh have is Vellacott, Kinghorn, van der Merwe, Dean, Bennett, Graham, Boffelli

I have not seen Healy do anything that approaches what Kinghorn can do - if we want someone who can kick a rugby ball to the touchline then we should have re-employed Weir. We already have a terrific goal kicker in Boff, so why are you assuming Healy is the guy who will make that backline sing?

The best players we have in the centres and back three thrive off broken field and pull-back passes, not chasing a forward pack up the touchline as the flyhallf makes ten metres at a time for the opposition to throw in.

FWIW, that was Leinster's third choice OH out there tonight, until the 4th/5th choice came on. Don't disrespect the third place ranking.

[Tichtheid]

Yes

No.

The guy is third choice at Munster, he has to earn his place at Edinburgh, I really don't know why you lot are assuming he just steps in there without question.

I'm more inclined to agree with mos_eisely_, though it might have been easier to do so if it was easier to type that name.

The current best backline Edinburgh have is Vellacott, Kinghorn, van der Merwe, Dean, Bennett, Graham, Boffelli

I have not seen Healy do anything that approaches what Kinghorn can do - if we want someone who can kick a rugby ball to the touchline then we should have re-employed Weir. We already have a terrific goal kicker in Boff, so why are you assuming Healy is the guy who will make that backline sing?

The best players we have in the centres and back three thrive off broken field and pull-back passes, not chasing a forward pack up the touchline as the flyhallf makes ten metres at a time for the opposition to throw in.

FWIW, that was Leinster's third choice OH out there tonight, until the 4th/5th choice came on. Don't disrespect the third place ranking.

At the moment, all things considered, Kinghorn is Scotland's second choice fly half right now.

Healy has to displace him, if the game plan is to play heads up rugby and attack, ie modern rugby, Healy has a fight on his hands

[Tichtheid]

btw, I haven't seen the game yet, but was that the younger Byrne playing for Leinster?

He's better than his brother, even if he is behind him in the pecking order