1872 Cup Champions

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Looks like Embra have fked their season. Weeg will need the points next week too (I can’t see Weeg winning in Dublin today nor if they have to return in the play-offs).

Suspect the Embra players are a bit jaded - they haven’t had a rest since the end of the 6N.

It's odd, most of the Edinburgh losses (at least the domestic ones) have been ones you'd expect them to win or be competitive in at least. Something mentally lacking?

[whatisthejava]

Looks like Embra have fked their season. Weeg will need the points next week too (I can’t see Weeg winning in Dublin today nor if they have to return in the play-offs).

Suspect the Embra players are a bit jaded - they haven’t had a rest since the end of the 6N.

It's odd, most of the Edinburgh losses (at least the domestic ones) have been ones you'd expect them to win or be competitive in at least. Something mentally lacking?

They have lost 12 - 16 points with some absolute horrific last minute disions by refs

At start of season Ford got pinged for not releasing even though tackle wasnt complete
Kings - last minute try which was forward
Beneton - quickest TMO ever


Thats 12 right there and there has been a couple of others ,

Edinburgh have had some bad games and Pyrgos needs someone challenging him, i dont like the game plan as Pyrgos isnt a good enough kicker as well as making Greig look like Speedy gonzales

[OptimisticJock]

Pyrgos and VDW were shite. Turned off after Ulster's 3rd try.

Zebre won't be able to do them any favours in a fortnight.

[OptimisticJock]

So assuming benetton pump zebre is there a playoff between the 2 4th placed teams fir the champions cup?

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Any news on where the departing SQ Edinburgh players are going?

It would be a shame if Ford & Brown were lost to Scottish rugby by retiring.

I understand Hamilton has already got options as he rejected an Edinburgh deal, Dell off to LI & I'm not particularly bothered about Kennedy or Fowles.

[OptimisticJock]

Fowles has a club I think. Can't remember who though.

I think Kennedy and Brown will be offered 7s contracts.

[Adder]

Ealing

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[switchskier]

No interest in the 1872? The teams are:

15. Darcy Graham (23)
14. Dougie Fife (123)
13. James Johnstone (40)
12. Chris Dean (85)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (40)
10. Simon Hickey (18)
9. Henry Pyrgos (23)

1. Pierre Schoeman (22)
2. Stuart McInally (136) CAPTAIN
3. WP Nel (133)
4. Ben Toolis (109)
5. Grant Gilchrist (136)
6. John Barclay (4)
7. Hamish Watson (99)
8. Bill Mata

Replacements: 16. Ross Ford (198); 17. Rory Sutherland (74). 18. Simon Berghan (66); 19. Callum Hunter-Hill (17); 20. Magnus Bradbury (64); 21. Charlie Shiel (5); 22. Jason Baggott (1); 23. Mark Bennett (19)


1. Jamie Bhatti (44)
2. Fraser Brown (C) (87)
3. Zander Fagerson (78)
4. Scott Cummings (55)
5. Jonny Gray (101)
6. Rob Harley (209)
7. Tom Gordon (3)
8. Matt Fagerson (45)

9. Ali Price (74)
10. Adam Hastings (28)
11. Niko Matawalu (114)
12. Sam Johnson (49)
13. Kyle Steyn (7)
14. Tommy Seymour (129)
15. Stuart Hogg (118)

Replacements

16. Grant Stewart (22), 17. Alex Allan (89), 18. D’Arcy Rae (60), 19. Tevita Tameilau (5). 20. Ryan Wilson (151), 21. George Horne (39), 22. Pete Horne (156), 23. Rory Hughes (45)

No idea how this will go. Never seen Tevita Tameilau before, has anyone got any info?

[OptimisticJock]

Too much fear that Betton will win. What happens if they do but without the BP and Embra get the win and BP?

[ARM]

Too much fear that Betton will win. What happens if they do but without the BP and Embra get the win and BP?

First Italian team in the playoffs? Lots of Euros stuffed into Zebre boots I fear.

Edinburgh goosed for playoffs and need a BP win just to get a Champions Cup play-off. Unlikely.

Weeg sail triumphantly into a home semi and then a home final. And glory.

Please bookmark this and I will eat it, if Embra win today!

[ARM]

No interest in the 1872? The teams are:

15. Darcy Graham (23)
14. Dougie Fife (123)
13. James Johnstone (40)
12. Chris Dean (85)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (40)
10. Simon Hickey (18)
9. Henry Pyrgos (23)

1. Pierre Schoeman (22)
2. Stuart McInally (136) CAPTAIN
3. WP Nel (133)
4. Ben Toolis (109)
5. Grant Gilchrist (136)
6. John Barclay (4)
7. Hamish Watson (99)
8. Bill Mata

Replacements: 16. Ross Ford (198); 17. Rory Sutherland (74). 18. Simon Berghan (66); 19. Callum Hunter-Hill (17); 20. Magnus Bradbury (64); 21. Charlie Shiel (5); 22. Jason Baggott (1); 23. Mark Bennett (19)


1. Jamie Bhatti (44)
2. Fraser Brown (C) (87)
3. Zander Fagerson (78)
4. Scott Cummings (55)
5. Jonny Gray (101)
6. Rob Harley (209)
7. Tom Gordon (3)
8. Matt Fagerson (45)

9. Ali Price (74)
10. Adam Hastings (28)
11. Niko Matawalu (114)
12. Sam Johnson (49)
13. Kyle Steyn (7)
14. Tommy Seymour (129)
15. Stuart Hogg (118)

Replacements

16. Grant Stewart (22), 17. Alex Allan (89), 18. D’Arcy Rae (60), 19. Tevita Tameilau (5). 20. Ryan Wilson (151), 21. George Horne (39), 22. Pete Horne (156), 23. Rory Hughes (45)

No idea how this will go. Never seen Tevita Tameilau before, has anyone got any info?

Tameilau hasn’t had much game time but has looked pretty unconvincing when I’ve seen him. Gibbons failed a last minute RTP protocol - only reason Tameilau on bench.

[OptimisticJock]

Handy turn around so far.

[OptimisticJock]

Too much fear that Betton will win. What happens if they do but without the BP and Embra get the win and BP?

Edinburgh goosed for playoffs and need a BP win just to get a Champions Cup play-off. Unlikely.

So far so good. I hope your other predictions go the same way.

[ARM]

Too much fear that Betton will win. What happens if they do but without the BP and Embra get the win and BP?

Edinburgh goosed for playoffs and need a BP win just to get a Champions Cup play-off. Unlikely.

So far so good. I hope your other predictions go the same way.

Ha.

With Scarlets getting 2 BPs - what would happen if Edinburgh got a losing BP v Weeg and end level on points with Scarlets?

[Adder]

Scarletts have +40point difference. Edinburgh only 19. Edinburgh need a win

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[ARM]

Scarletts have +40point difference. Edinburgh only 19. Edinburgh need a win

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Cheers fella. So no scope for a contrived result.

Very tasty at Scotstoun tonight...

[Adder]

Scarletts have +40point difference. Edinburgh only 19. Edinburgh need a win

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Cheers fella. So no scope for a contrived result.

Very tasty at Scotstoun tonight...

A bonus point win for both teams wouldn't be too bad

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[OptimisticJock]

Scarletts have +40point difference. Edinburgh only 19. Edinburgh need a win

Sent from my Moto G (5S) using Tapatalk

Cheers fella. So no scope for a contrived result.

Very tasty at Scotstoun tonight...

A bonus point win for both teams wouldn't be too bad

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It would be the way the Italian match is going. Needing to fuck the weegies up.

[ARM]

Proper spanking.

Hope some of the Embra boys injuries aren’t as serious as they looked - McInally.

[Adder]

Glasgow were terrific. Rutheless in Defence and made their 4 scores look very easy.

Concerns wit Bennett and McInally. Graham seemed to be walking ok, at the end of the game

Shame for Edinburgh who will be competing in the Disney European cup next year, however, their attacking system is so dull and easy to read and they can't expect to be more competitive until they sort that out. VDM is terribly underused in attack.

[Adder]

HI-LA-RI-OUS

[Cameo]

I know I bang on about this but Edinburgh's game plan is so simplistic. You cant rely on slowly grinding your way through good teams. The solution is trickier as bringing in attack coaches with serious influence didnt seem to work alongside Cockerill at Leicester. They are currently wasting the best (on paper) scottish club pack I have seen.

[Big D]

I think last season Edinburgh won something like 7 or 8 games by 7 points or less and lost 1 game by 7 or less. This season have won 4 games by less than 8 and lost 5 by 7 or less. That equals losing too many close games and that's the shortfall in league points.

The root cause of that is difficult to pin point. Scoring 60ish less and also conceding 60ish more so both attack and defence has under performed. To end the season on negative points difference is poor.

Part of my issue with the way the attack has gone, other than the very forward orientated nature of it, is that there appears to be very little strike or set plays off of phase ball. Against Munster in the QF rather than fall back on moves there were needless and crap miss passes thrown.

On paper that is one of the best back 3 units in the league (IMO), the aim of the off season has to be how to get them involved more.

Cockerill isn't blind to issues, it was he who went looking for help at the Tigers. Fair enough it didn't work out but given how they have went since he left I would suggest it wasn't all his fault it went tits up. He must see there needs to be a change in attacking philosophy.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Edinburgh need a better 9, 10 and potentially 12 to run the attack & bring the strike runners into the game. But as others have already pointed out the fundamental issue is the lack of an attack coach and/or plan. I know it's apples & oranges but being coached primarily by Toony and then Rennie vs Hodge & Cockerill are going to yield two very different results attack-wise. The right personnel & vision is key.

I'd also probably swap Kinghorn & Graham around next season. Kinghorn is great but his runs from 15 are often ineffective IMO.

[Big D]

Edinburgh need a better 9, 10 and potentially 12 to run the attack & bring the strike runners into the game. But as others have already pointed out the fundamental issue is the lack of an attack coach and/or plan. I know it's apples & oranges but being coached primarily by Toony and then Rennie vs Hodge & Cockerill are going to yield two very different results attack-wise. The right personnel & vision is key.

I'd also probably swap Kinghorn & Graham around next season. Kinghorn is great but his runs from 15 are often ineffective IMO.

I think Graham needs to be managed carefully next season. Second* season blues is a real risk especially as he'll have a few weeks off then enter a RWC camp where he will be exclusively a winger then have to come back with maybe a few weeks off before entering the cycle of Euro games, 1872 games, euro games and 6N. Post WC years need to be managed carefully. On one hand the lack of the big euro cup should be beneficial to the Edinburgh big lads and Graham being properly rested for the league and 6N.

That and now teams will have plenty of information about him to play to his weaknesses which teams have started to do with Kinghorn.

*Technically will be his 3rd year but this season was his 1st as 1st choice.