RugbyRebels

Edinburgh sign centre Charlie McCaig from Exeter and loosehead Ben White from Melrose. Can't say that I've seen much of either, and White is an odd one if the youngsters are all that they're cracked up to be, but we were probably a player light in both positions for next year, so some SQ competition is fine.

Good luck with the ref here ffs

Patterson is out of his depth here, he's really costing ye

Paterson is a bombscare a sub scrum half on the wing would be better

Blatant forward pass for last bulls try, yes it was clear and obvious

Edinburgh are going to run out of numbers 2nd half

I’m on holiday in the Highlands so haven’t seen any of this. It sounds like the usual terrible start to a second half after a promising first half.

BaldiePete wrote: ↑Sat May 31, 2025 6:20 pm I’m on holiday in the Highlands so haven’t seen any of this. It sounds like the usual terrible start to a second half after a promising first half.

Yes

Hard to know what to think of that. Attack looked quite good for the most part, but it seemed for too easy for Bulls to score when they needed to. Also some unnecessary drops which just invited pressure.

Don't agree with you on Patterson. Played his part. I did, though, think there was a difference in the backfield coverage of the respective back three's. Edinburgh kept trying little chips that went straight to their opposite numbers, Bulls kept finding grass. Graham didn't seem as full of confidence as normal either, maybe caused by the knock he took.

Ashman was very good I thought.

Cameo wrote: ↑Sat May 31, 2025 10:48 pm Ashman was very good I thought.

How was his lineout throwing?

BaldiePete wrote: ↑Sun Jun 01, 2025 9:34 am

Cameo wrote: ↑Sat May 31, 2025 10:48 pm Ashman was very good I thought.

How was his lineout throwing?

Mostly not bad I thought but they did largely go to the front.

Cameo wrote: ↑Mon Jun 02, 2025 12:34 am

BaldiePete wrote: ↑Sun Jun 01, 2025 9:34 am

Cameo wrote: ↑Sat May 31, 2025 10:48 pm Ashman was very good I thought.

How was his lineout throwing?

Mostly not bad I thought but they did largely go to the front.

Sensible calls... it'll never catch on.

Boan Venter has been selected in the Springboks squad for the summer internationals, about seven months before being eligible for Scotland. He’s a very good player and deserves his chance with them but I’m sure there’s some pissed off people at Murrayfield.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cn8484gw3ego

BaldiePete wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 11:37 am Boan Venter has been selected in the Springboks squad for the summer internationals, about seven months before being eligible for Scotland. He’s a very good player and deserves his chance with them but I’m sure there’s some pissed off people at Murrayfield.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cn8484gw3ego

doubt that TBH. He wasn't signed as a project player - 5 years residency saw the end of that. The only people who will be pissed off are Edinburgh fans and coaches. Those people at Murrayfield have shown their colours, they do not like or want non Scots. The other person who could well be pissed off if he isn't careful is Venter. If he gets a cap he is almost certainly out of a job here after next season

He might not have been signed as a project player but I’m sure there’s been an expectation for a while now that he’d be capped by Scotland. He’ll have no problem getting a job elsewhere, especially if his agent can say “Springbok Boan Venter” to prospective employers. As an Edinburgh supporter I would want him to stay but, as you say, we are reducing the number of NSQ players in the pro teams.

Yeah, that's cone from nowhere, though a very good player. I think you are both right. Not signed as a project player but they will have definitely marked him down in their pipeline.

Cameo wrote: ↑Mon Jun 16, 2025 12:21 am Yeah, that's cone from nowhere, though a very good player. I think you are both right. Not signed as a project player but they will have definitely marked him down in their pipeline.

depends who you mean by "they"
Those on th rugby side of SRU (ie Townsend etc) will definitely have had him on the radar. The new management (Chair, President, using Nucifora as a fall guy) are simply not interested. I think they are a couple of the lunatics who post about not "scottish enough" on The Offside Line. They also think pro teams are simply a cost which can be cut, because Scotland brings in all the money

septic 9 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 5:22 pm

BaldiePete wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 11:37 am Boan Venter has been selected in the Springboks squad for the summer internationals, about seven months before being eligible for Scotland. He’s a very good player and deserves his chance with them but I’m sure there’s some pissed off people at Murrayfield.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cn8484gw3ego

doubt that TBH. He wasn't signed as a project player - 5 years residency saw the end of that. The only people who will be pissed off are Edinburgh fans and coaches. Those people at Murrayfield have shown their colours, they do not like or want non Scots. The other person who could well be pissed off if he isn't careful is Venter. If he gets a cap he is almost certainly out of a job here after next season

I think prop will be a position the NSQ players are used. There isn't enough local depth at prop to discard both Glasgow and Edinburgh NSQ props or argue there are realistic Scottish options without putting players that aren't ready or up to it in.

I'm also not sure Edinburgh would be able to afford the next Venter contract either. He has been very good for Edinburgh and it won't have gone unnoticed by the many clubs with bigger cheque books.

Big D wrote: ↑Wed Jun 18, 2025 6:47 pm

septic 9 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 5:22 pm

BaldiePete wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 11:37 am Boan Venter has been selected in the Springboks squad for the summer internationals, about seven months before being eligible for Scotland. He’s a very good player and deserves his chance with them but I’m sure there’s some pissed off people at Murrayfield.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cn8484gw3ego

doubt that TBH. He wasn't signed as a project player - 5 years residency saw the end of that. The only people who will be pissed off are Edinburgh fans and coaches. Those people at Murrayfield have shown their colours, they do not like or want non Scots. The other person who could well be pissed off if he isn't careful is Venter. If he gets a cap he is almost certainly out of a job here after next season

I think prop will be a position the NSQ players are used. There isn't enough local depth at prop to discard both Glasgow and Edinburgh NSQ props or argue there are realistic Scottish options without putting players that aren't ready or up to it in.

common sense says you are right, but this is not about common sense. It is about an SRU led by a fool.
Our new(ish) chair says that both teams will be able to do as well (or better next season) even though they will have fewer players, and more calls from an extra Scotland game as well as one less rest week during 6N. Tell that to Glasgow who had to have 4 hookers in match day squads this season due to a huge injury list. Our new(ish) chair says he is confident of that because they are changing the pathway. I mean, does he seriously think changing the pathway (whatever those changes are) will really provide more and better URC ready players next season? Of course it won't, next season and a couple after will see the same players who have come through the existing pathway. And out new(ish) chair says the new pathway aims to have young players URC ready quicker. Really? Nucifora's briefing said the aim was to have players ready over a 6 year period - and made to sound novel. That is no different to now

The SRU is led by fools

I read the pathway as aiming to prepare them quicker but with 6 years as a notional max.

I'm not as down on the sounds coming out of Murrayfield at the moment as you are (recognising if there was more cash there is more I would like to see happening), but we are also all judging off scraps at the moment. The reporting of the new pathway is quite strange. There is a lot of comment without anyone really setting out the detail of how it is intended to work and how it is different.

The pro squads will clearly be a bit weaker overall (more so in Glasgow's case). How that effects them will depend largely on whether their injuries are as bad this year. You would hope Glasgow wouldn't lose all their best players for so long next year.

Incidentally, not sure the one lest rest week in the 6N really affects the pro teams does it? Is there more overlap with the URC? Or does it just mean the overall 6N period is shorter by one week?

Cameo wrote: ↑Thu Jun 19, 2025 12:38 pm I read the pathway as aiming to prepare them quicker but with 6 years as a notional max.

I'm not as down on the sounds coming out of Murrayfield at the moment as you are (recognising if there was more cash there is more I would like to see happening), but we are also all judging off scraps at the moment. The reporting of the new pathway is quite strange. There is a lot of comment without anyone really setting out the detail of how it is intended to work and how it is different.

The pro squads will clearly be a bit weaker overall (more so in Glasgow's case). How that effects them will depend largely on whether their injuries are as bad this year. You would hope Glasgow wouldn't lose all their best players for so long next year.

Incidentally, not sure the one lest rest week in the 6N really affects the pro teams does it? Is there more overlap with the URC? Or does it just mean the overall 6N period is shorter by one week?

of course we are cash strapped but dressing up what are big cuts in player numbers at pro teams below as a new pathway idea is bullshit - its cuts pure and simple. Don't like having to cut but I do so much prefer honesty.
To respond to a couple of your points - 6Ns rest weeks allow us to rest international players, so are available sooner for club games later. One less rest week means they will need to be rested more from club games mid season or rested less overall. With a smaller squad, this is madness; and player welfare out the window.

The pathway having 6 years max to get a player to URC standard. Fine. What is the difference from now? Different players are ready at different times. Eg Fagerson*2 and Dobie all made their debut at 18. Others 21 or 22. Oguntibeju would not have been offered an academy place in the new set up. Its all smoke and mirrors

Venter not in the squad for the Springboks match against the Barbarians. They also have matches against Italy and Georgia. Rassie being Rassie, he’ll probably put him on the bench for the last of those and give him a minute at the end of the match.

Venter not picked for first Italy test.

Venter starts for SA against Georgia.