Planet Rugby Forum

Can now play cup semis at home grounds.
After silver saturdaygate would be little amusing if there was still 2 Edinburgh v Glasgow games at Murrayfield.

slick wrote:

Big D wrote:Jones out of the 6N.

Probably what he needed TBH.

We are going to be getting a stack of players back pre WC, grin and bear it for this season.

He needs to find some form, not to get injured.

It's a loss. He's not been performing but he plays at a level when on form beyond the others, and again weakens the bench / back ups.

Injury gods have damned us this year. Fingers crossed it clears up in time for the WC.

dargotronV.1 wrote:

slick wrote:

Big D wrote:Jones out of the 6N.

Probably what he needed TBH.

We are going to be getting a stack of players back pre WC, grin and bear it for this season.

He needs to find some form, not to get injured.

It's a loss. He's not been performing but he plays at a level when on form beyond the others, and again weakens the bench / back ups.

Injury gods have damned us this year. Fingers crossed it clears up in time for the WC.

It’s not just the number of injuries, it’s that they all seem to be affecting the centres and the back row.

Jones hasn’t been on form, but he leaves a hole all the same. Will we now see Horne at 12 with Johnson at 13? As long as we don’t start Harris...

Doc Rob wrote:

dargotronV.1 wrote:

slick wrote:

Big D wrote:Jones out of the 6N.

Probably what he needed TBH.

We are going to be getting a stack of players back pre WC, grin and bear it for this season.

He needs to find some form, not to get injured.

It's a loss. He's not been performing but he plays at a level when on form beyond the others, and again weakens the bench / back ups.

Injury gods have damned us this year. Fingers crossed it clears up in time for the WC.

It’s not just the number of injuries, it’s that they all seem to be affecting the centres and the back row.

Jones hasn’t been on form, but he leaves a hole all the same. Will we now see Horne at 12 with Johnson at 13? As long as we don’t start Harris...

Yeah, you are both right.

Steamin Beamin wrote:Scarlets fans on Twitter confirming Chib is still out with concussion and they have real concerns about him now. Don't blame them, he's been out for 3 months now.

I share their concerns. He’s been out for a really long time with few updates.

Sometimes concussion can take years to get better though. You never know. I feared for Russell’s career after his head injury a couple of years ago and he now seems none the worse. I guess we just hope for the best.

They say you can’t miss what you never had - but you can’t help but think that if we were to design a player to be exactly what we currently lack in our back row, Blade Thomson would fit the bill pretty well. (To be fair, so would Bill Mata!)

Doc Rob wrote:

dargotronV.1 wrote:

slick wrote:

Big D wrote:Jones out of the 6N.

Probably what he needed TBH.

We are going to be getting a stack of players back pre WC, grin and bear it for this season.

He needs to find some form, not to get injured.

It's a loss. He's not been performing but he plays at a level when on form beyond the others, and again weakens the bench / back ups.

Injury gods have damned us this year. Fingers crossed it clears up in time for the WC.

It’s not just the number of injuries, it’s that they all seem to be affecting the centres and the back row.

Jones hasn’t been on form, but he leaves a hole all the same. Will we now see Horne at 12 with Johnson at 13? As long as we don’t start Harris...

In a classic Toony shock.....Dunbar in from the freezing cold!!

Doc Rob wrote:

dargotronV.1 wrote:

slick wrote:

Big D wrote:Jones out of the 6N.

Probably what he needed TBH.

We are going to be getting a stack of players back pre WC, grin and bear it for this season.

He needs to find some form, not to get injured.

It's a loss. He's not been performing but he plays at a level when on form beyond the others, and again weakens the bench / back ups.

Injury gods have damned us this year. Fingers crossed it clears up in time for the WC.

It’s not just the number of injuries, it’s that they all seem to be affecting the centres and the back row.

Jones hasn’t been on form, but he leaves a hole all the same. Will we now see Horne at 12 with Johnson at 13? As long as we don’t start Harris...

Johnson's only started at 13 twice for Glasgow so that would be a pretty big risk.

topofthemoon wrote:

Doc Rob wrote:

dargotronV.1 wrote:

slick wrote:

Big D wrote:Jones out of the 6N.

Probably what he needed TBH.

We are going to be getting a stack of players back pre WC, grin and bear it for this season.

He needs to find some form, not to get injured.

It's a loss. He's not been performing but he plays at a level when on form beyond the others, and again weakens the bench / back ups.

Injury gods have damned us this year. Fingers crossed it clears up in time for the WC.

It’s not just the number of injuries, it’s that they all seem to be affecting the centres and the back row.

Jones hasn’t been on form, but he leaves a hole all the same. Will we now see Horne at 12 with Johnson at 13? As long as we don’t start Harris...

Johnson's only started at 13 twice for Glasgow so that would be a pretty big risk.

Hmmm. Horne doesn't play 13 either IIRC, so I guess he'll be on the bench and I guess Toony will play Johnson and Harris. Or Grigg, though that's not a massive upgrade TBH.

We're getting to the point where we are genuinely fielding a B team.

There was a 10 minute spell in the second half of the game that really killed things for Scotland. It started on a positive note (just after Laidlaw's kick to bring them within a score) but at the point when they would have been looking to try and challenge they were almost completely shut down.

62.29 - kick-off by Ireland after Laidlaw had made the score 13-19 leading to:

- Strauss carry;
- Laidlaw box kick;
- Tap back by Gray to Gilchrist;
- Strauss carry;
- Laidlaw box kick - recovered by Ireland;

63.38 - Blair Kinghorn knocks on from Conor Murray's box kick

64.23 - Ireland scrum put-in leading to:

- 27 phases around the Scotland 22

67.20 - penalty awarded against Josh Strauss (not rolling away)

68.28 - penalty scored by Joey Carbery making the score 13 - 22

68.37 - Scotland kick-off bounces into touch

69.20 - penalty awarded against Jonny Gray (collapsing maul - harsh as Roux was trying to lever him down)

70.08  - Ireland throw in to lineout

70.53 - maul turnover (Rob Harley and Jamie Ritchie)

72.27 - Scotland put-in to the scrum

10 minutes when Scotland only carried the ball 3 times and where Ireland showed their experience in how to close out a game.

It's amazing how quickly the time can run away - a couple of errors and all of a sudden the clock is very much against you chasing 2 scores.

Was playing the percentages and going straight to the box kick the right option just after scoring? Ireland frequently go through massive phases so it's always a bit of a risk giving them the ball back. Townsend and Rennie have both used starter plays from kick offs for Glasgow, running another carry off the initial ruck and allowing the backline to take a look at how the defence is aligned. If it's on they can go. If it's not they can still kick. Scored a number of tries from those kinds of positions. Might trying to keep up the momentum having just moved back within a score of Ireland have worked on Saturday?

King Ragnar and Turner both fit for Glasgow, good news that the missing troops are beginning to return to the fray.

Kyle Steyn on the wing over Robbie Nairn is interesting. Anyone know anything about Steyn?

Edinburgh huffed and puffed a bit, but got the job done in the end. Bradbury was brilliant, unbelievable kick chase all nigh, tackled hard and scored a try. MOTM.

Alba wrote:Edinburgh huffed and puffed a bit, but got the job done in the end. Bradbury was brilliant, unbelievable kick chase all nigh, tackled hard and scored a try. MOTM.

Bring him straight in for France?

Alba wrote:Edinburgh huffed and puffed a bit, but got the job done in the end. Bradbury was brilliant, unbelievable kick chase all nigh, tackled hard and scored a try. MOTM.

According to Mark Palmer, Bradbury has been doing up to 3 or 4 conditioning sessions per day whilst recovering from his shoulder injury.

It shows.

zt1903 wrote:

Alba wrote:Edinburgh huffed and puffed a bit, but got the job done in the end. Bradbury was brilliant, unbelievable kick chase all nigh, tackled hard and scored a try. MOTM.

According to Mark Palmer, Bradbury has been doing up to 3 or 4 conditioning sessions per day whilst recovering from his shoulder injury.

It shows.

It really does, hopefully this will become par for the course under Cockerill. Hunter-Hill looked massive too, I wonder if he has also upped his conditioning game.

Who is S&C coach? Still Lumley and Stroker?

Alba wrote:

zt1903 wrote:

Alba wrote:Edinburgh huffed and puffed a bit, but got the job done in the end. Bradbury was brilliant, unbelievable kick chase all nigh, tackled hard and scored a try. MOTM.

According to Mark Palmer, Bradbury has been doing up to 3 or 4 conditioning sessions per day whilst recovering from his shoulder injury.

It shows.

It really does, hopefully this will become par for the course under Cockerill. Hunter-Hill looked massive too, I wonder if he has also upped his conditioning game.

Who is S&C coach? Still Lumley and Stroker?

Yes. There’s 3, those 2 plus Luke Vela

Not perfect but a solid bonus point for Glasgow, thought Horne, Turner and Hughes played solid games, Thomas Gordon was impressive on his first start and put in a great try saver in the corner. Ashe played well but still behind Bradbury especially after Last nights preformance.

Finn Russell hasn’t returned to the pitch after an HIA in today’s Rqcing 93 game.

clydecloggie wrote:Finn Russell hasn’t returned to the pitch after an HIA in today’s Rqcing 93 game.

Did it look a bad one?

Alba wrote:

clydecloggie wrote:Finn Russell hasn’t returned to the pitch after an HIA in today’s Rqcing 93 game.

Did it look a bad one?

Apparently a knee to the head.

If he's stayed off then he's likely out. Joy of joys.

Russell, Hogg, Jones down. Our only arguably world class players

I like haggis wrote:

Alba wrote:

clydecloggie wrote:Finn Russell hasn’t returned to the pitch after an HIA in today’s Rqcing 93 game.

Did it look a bad one?

Apparently a knee to the head.

If he's stayed off then he's likely out. Joy of joys.

Russell, Hogg, Jones down. Our only arguably world class players

We still have Rambo. It's properly shit though.I

Horne was decent yesterday, but he was probably pencilled in for centre.

I was just looking back at TOTM's (excellent) summary of Edinburgh's Pro14 run in. Edinburgh are doing ok, but are already behind the required form.

From Kevin's analysis:
Game : Target : Result
Kings : BP : BP
Kings : BP : LBP
Drags : BP : BP

So 11\15 points.

The remaining game targets are:
Cardiff : BP
Treviso : BP
Leinster : W
Scarlets : LBP
Ulster : W
Glasgow : L

Based on current form, the Treviso result looks a tough ask, as does Leinster, but perhaps more should be targeted from Scarlets and Glasgow.

As for the other teams, their progress is as follows:
Team : points Target : points Gained : Deficit
Ulster : 39 : 59 : 20
Treviso : 41 : 45 : 4
Scarlets : 36 : 62 : 26
Edinburgh : 41 : 63 : 22

Dammit. So if Finn is out...Horne at 10. Johnson and Grigg in the centre. Harris and Hastings on the bench.

dargotronV.1 wrote:Dammit. So if Finn is out...Horne at 10. Johnson and Grigg in the centre. Harris and Hastings on the bench.

I'd rather have Hastings at 10. What's the point in him being there at all if not for exactly this?

I like haggis wrote:

dargotronV.1 wrote:Dammit. So if Finn is out...Horne at 10. Johnson and Grigg in the centre. Harris and Hastings on the bench.

I'd rather have Hastings at 10. What's the point in him being there at all if not for exactly this?

Because he's not on form and has just been dropped for Horne at Glasgow? Horne looked sharp yesterday. Hastings, hasn't fired a shot in weeks, maybe months? Hastings for the future yes but at the moment he's short on confidence

dargotronV.1 wrote:

I like haggis wrote:

dargotronV.1 wrote:Dammit. So if Finn is out...Horne at 10. Johnson and Grigg in the centre. Harris and Hastings on the bench.

I'd rather have Hastings at 10. What's the point in him being there at all if not for exactly this?

Because he's not on form and has just been dropped for Horne at Glasgow? Horne looked sharp yesterday. Hastings, hasn't fired a shot in weeks, maybe months? Hastings for the future yes but at the moment he's short on confidence

Impossible to know if he was dropped for the trip to Cardiff. Hastings has started all the big games for Glasgow this year, you'd think he starts Vs Sarries.

Horne isn't a 10, he's just not.

Neither is Hastings on recent form.

Is there a country in world rugby which has worse luck with injuries than we do?

If Russell doesn’t make it against France, then I reckon we will be missing five of our most important six players - Russell, Hogg, Watson, Barclay and Jones. I await the inevitable injury to McInally to complete the set.

Midi-Olympique are reporting he's out for Saturday This is f**king ridiculous now.

OptimisticJock wrote:Neither is Hastings on recent form.

Harsh.

Hastings is having a good first season as a starter, bumps expected.

Steamin Beamin wrote:Midi-Olympique are reporting he's out for Saturday This is f**king ridiculous now.

Anyone see the incident, whose knee caused it? Anything in it or just bad luck?

What is particularly galling is that this is our best chance of an away win (Italy aside) in ages. And we’ll have to field a B team.

Doc Rob wrote:What is particularly galling is that this is our best chance of an away win (Italy aside) in ages. And we’ll have to field a B team.

Exactly. What’s more, we’ve lost both our best kickers from hand, and France have proven themselves utterly incapable of dealing with that so far.

I still think we have enough to take the French. Great to see Bradbury and Fagerson back and on form.

clydecloggie wrote:

Doc Rob wrote:What is particularly galling is that this is our best chance of an away win (Italy aside) in ages. And we’ll have to field a B team.

Exactly. What’s more, we’ve lost both our best kickers from hand, and France have proven themselves utterly incapable of dealing with that so far.

Completely agree with this. Kicking game - gone. Flair game - gone.

Even with Bradbury back (one gave Vs the Dragons at home is a world away from Paris Vs France, same with Zander Vs Cardiff) the French are going to dominate in the pack.

We're not winning this. They'll keep in simple and just beat us up and grind a win out. Toonie is totally incapable of changing tactics and he's lost the key players in his tactical plan.

clydecloggie wrote:

Doc Rob wrote:What is particularly galling is that this is our best chance of an away win (Italy aside) in ages. And we’ll have to field a B team.

Exactly. What’s more, we’ve lost both our best kickers from hand, and France have proven themselves utterly incapable of dealing with that so far.

It would be a typically French thing to continue as they have but surely to fudge they will pick actual wingers and a full back for this game.

Cometh the hour, cometh the Meatball

Doc Rob wrote:Is there a country in world rugby which has worse luck with injuries than we do?

If Russell doesn’t make it against France, then I reckon we will be missing five of our most important six players - Russell, Hogg, Watson, Barclay and Jones. I await the inevitable injury to McInally to complete the set.

Every team has injuries, we just have a smaller pool of players.

On a slightly related note, Barclay isn't guaranteed a place in the Edinburgh 23 for the big games ahead, not sure he is guaranteed a world cup place.

Steamin Beamin wrote:Cometh the hour, cometh the Meatball

I know others wont agree. He is our best option for Saturday.

Thank fudge we had Italy first...

Had a feeling we would end up 5th this season but not like this.

Still, most, if not all, will be back for the WC to make a full squad which not many other teams can say