RugbyRebels

Kunavula getting his first cap for Fiji right now. Not really been in the game though, I'd say he's struggling to make an impact, with maybe his lack of rugby showing.

He gets a try in the end, running a nice supporting line to take an offload and fall over the line. Fijians ended up having fun, it was a good game to watch.

Edimburgo have announced two new signings under the SQ programme and stuck them in the squad for the La Rochelle match. I don’t know any more than this tweet at the moment - I can’t find any footage online that might confirm YouTube legend status either.

One Aussie and one kiwi.

Profiles are here.


https://www.edinburghrugby.org/edinburg ... lie-savala

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/edinburg ... ie-winters

No real indication how good they are but we shall see.

Pretty much first choice team for Edinburgh tonight against La Rochelle, or at least cockers first choice. No hint of prioritising the league. Distressing to see that Savala hasn't even arrived yet and is on the injury list.

That La Rochelle back-row looks awesome though, and the halfbacks are no slouches.

15. Blair Kinghorn (91)
14. Darcy Graham (35)
13. Mark Bennett (43)
12. Chris Dean (98)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (61)
10. Jaco van der Walt (62)
9. Henry Pyrgos (40) CC

1. Pierre Schoeman (51)
2. Stuart McInally (147) CC
3. WP Nel (146)
4. Ben Toolis (123)
5. Andrew Davidson (9)
6. Jamie Ritchie (71)
7. Hamish Watson (113)
8. Viliame Mata (76)

Substitutes:
16. Mike Willemse (28)
17. Rory Sutherland (86)
18. Simon Berghan (84)
19. Andries Ferreira (4)
20. Magnus Bradbury (84)
21. Nic Groom (17)
22. Nathan Chamberlain (6)
23. James Johnstone (56)

Unavailable due to injury (14): Lewis Carmichael, Luke Crosbie, Dan Gamble, Grant Gilchrist, Matt Gordon, Nick Haining, Damien Hoyland, Charlie Jupp, Mesu Kunavula, Fraser McKenzie, Murray McCallum, Dan Nutton, Charlie Savala, George Taylor.

Sinzelle, Leyds, Doumayrou, Botia, Rhule, Plisson, Kerr-Barlow; Alldritt, Gourdon, Liebenberg, Skelton, Lavault, Atonio, Bourgarit, Wardi.

Replacements: Bosch, Aouf, Joly, Tanguy, Bourdeau, Berjon, West, Alonso-Munoz

switchskier wrote: Distressing to see that Savala hasn't even arrived yet and is on the injury list.

believe he's been here over a month

Has will Skelton lost weight? Or lost fat, more accurately?

I’d take 8-3 to them at half time. All to play for!

I don’t like to see dissent there, but Watson correct with “you’re fvcking joking” to the ref. Never a knock on.

There was 6min left down 5 with a kick able pen. Kick the damn penalty.

Big D wrote:There was 6min left down 5 with a kick able pen. Kick the damn penalty.

I said the same thing. Well, I said “fucking” instead of “damn”, but I agree with you.

Big D wrote:There was 6min left down 5 with a kick able pen. Kick the damn penalty.

nah. Given how toothless Edin were, go for the try to draw, conv to win. Probably wouldn't have got back into the oppo 22 never mind score. About the only sensible thing they did all night.

I noted that the response to the criticism that VDW stands too deep was for him to stand even deeper. Poor player, shit coaching, a structure a decade old and a game plan even older with a pack coached from a weapon to a slow rumbling set of plodders

septic 9 wrote:

Big D wrote:There was 6min left down 5 with a kick able pen. Kick the damn penalty.

nah. Given how toothless Edin were, go for the try to draw, conv to win. Probably wouldn't have got back into the oppo 22 never mind score. About the only sensible thing they did all night.

I noted that the response to the criticism that VDW stands too deep was for him to stand even deeper. Poor player, shit coaching, a structure a decade old and a game plan even older with a pack coached from a weapon to a slow rumbling set of plodders

Can't agree with that. They had hardly made a dent from a maul all night and showed nothing in the backs should the ball.had made it that far.

6 minutes is a long time in rugby and there was more than enough time to get back in kickable penalty or drop goal range (probably 40m in). If the maul had shown signs of being hard to stop then sure but it had been easily defended most of the night.

Cockerill and Hodge need to go.

Big D wrote:

septic 9 wrote:

Big D wrote:There was 6min left down 5 with a kick able pen. Kick the damn penalty.

nah. Given how toothless Edin were, go for the try to draw, conv to win. Probably wouldn't have got back into the oppo 22 never mind score. About the only sensible thing they did all night.

I noted that the response to the criticism that VDW stands too deep was for him to stand even deeper. Poor player, shit coaching, a structure a decade old and a game plan even older with a pack coached from a weapon to a slow rumbling set of plodders

Can't agree with that. They had hardly made a dent from a maul all night and showed nothing in the backs should the ball.had made it that far.

6 minutes is a long time in rugby and there was more than enough time to get back in kickable penalty or drop goal range (probably 40m in). If the maul had shown signs of being hard to stop then sure but it had been easily defended most of the night.

Oh I know what you are saying. But it looked obvious to me that Edin had that one shot, they were not going to get another. And no way would I bank on them managing to convert a dg

The maul was a huge weapon for Edin a few seasons back. Mainly the same players, arguably with some better ones now. WTF has Cockerill done to it?

VDM off?

septic 9 wrote:

Big D wrote:

septic 9 wrote:
nah. Given how toothless Edin were, go for the try to draw, conv to win. Probably wouldn't have got back into the oppo 22 never mind score. About the only sensible thing they did all night.

I noted that the response to the criticism that VDW stands too deep was for him to stand even deeper. Poor player, shit coaching, a structure a decade old and a game plan even older with a pack coached from a weapon to a slow rumbling set of plodders

Can't agree with that. They had hardly made a dent from a maul all night and showed nothing in the backs should the ball.had made it that far.

6 minutes is a long time in rugby and there was more than enough time to get back in kickable penalty or drop goal range (probably 40m in). If the maul had shown signs of being hard to stop then sure but it had been easily defended most of the night.

Oh I know what you are saying. But it looked obvious to me that Edin had that one shot, they were not going to get another. And no way would I bank on them managing to convert a dg

The maul was a huge weapon for Edin a few seasons back. Mainly the same players, arguably with some better ones now. WTF has Cockerill done to it?

I just feel they could still be there now and not maul them over.

Mikey Brown wrote:VDM off?

If I were any of the back 3 I'd want out. No designed plays for one of the most dangerous wings in the competition is infuriating. Read somewhere he touched the ball 4 times last night.

Mikey Brown wrote:VDM off?

?
thought he signed a contract extension in January this year

Big D wrote:

septic 9 wrote:

Big D wrote:
Can't agree with that. They had hardly made a dent from a maul all night and showed nothing in the backs should the ball.had made it that far.

6 minutes is a long time in rugby and there was more than enough time to get back in kickable penalty or drop goal range (probably 40m in). If the maul had shown signs of being hard to stop then sure but it had been easily defended most of the night.

Oh I know what you are saying. But it looked obvious to me that Edin had that one shot, they were not going to get another. And no way would I bank on them managing to convert a dg

The maul was a huge weapon for Edin a few seasons back. Mainly the same players, arguably with some better ones now. WTF has Cockerill done to it?

I just feel they could still be there now and not maul them over.

and I'd likely agree with you. For me the LBP was already secure, so going for a draw/win was a correct gamble, and a better one than thinking they would get back close enough again to nick another score

Its all a bit of a deflection for an inept all round display and inept game plan (whatever that was)

septic 9 wrote:

Mikey Brown wrote:VDM off?

?
thought he signed a contract extension in January this year

He did. Length unknown.

No idea if there’s anything to it, simply read it on the other board and wondered if there had been any noise.

It would be a shame for Edinburgh to lose him, and certainly doesn’t look great immediately after qualification, but I could understand him wanting to play in a team that want to give him attacking ball* to work with.

*assuming this concept still exists in rugby at all.

Mikey Brown wrote:No idea if there’s anything to it, simply read it on the other board and wondered if there had been any noise.

.

The Rugby Paper reporting move to Gloucs for £300k pa

Would be a very strange move for Gloucester if they’re keeping their existing 4 international wingers.

Mikey Brown wrote: but I could understand him wanting to play in a team that want to give him attacking ball* to work with.
.

In an Alan Solomon's coached side?

switchskier wrote:

Mikey Brown wrote: but I could understand him wanting to play in a team that want to give him attacking ball* to work with.
.

In an Alan Solomon's coached side?

eh? Solomons coaches Worcester

He's also looking a better bet than Cockerill these days

septic 9 wrote:

switchskier wrote:

Mikey Brown wrote: but I could understand him wanting to play in a team that want to give him attacking ball* to work with.
.

In an Alan Solomon's coached side?

eh? Solomons coaches Worcester

He's also looking a better bet than Cockerill these days

I thought that the rumour was DVM to Worcester to play outside of WFD? Current Edinburgh are bad but still not as turgid as in the nadir of the Solomon days