1872 Cup Champions

[General Zod]

Boan Venter signs, presumably to be Boan McVenter in a few years.

Anyway, he’s a good scrummager and carries well, according to my sources!

[switchskier]

Boan Venter signs, presumably to be Boan McVenter in a few years.

Anyway, he’s a good scrummager and carries well, according to my sources!

Apparently he's a loose head, which seems a strange use of resources (again) when we have Sutherland and Schoeman already. The comments do say however that he's international cover for when the latter qualifies.

He's also only 23. If he starts for the rest of the season you'd have to assume its game over for McCullum (24).

[septic 9]

Boan Venter signs, presumably to be Boan McVenter in a few years.

As likely is henceforth all Edinburgh players will be known by their first 2 initials and the club relocated here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh,_Mpumalanga

[Big D]

Boan Venter signs, presumably to be Boan McVenter in a few years.

Anyway, he’s a good scrummager and carries well, according to my sources!

Apparently he's a loose head, which seems a strange use of resources (again) when we have Sutherland and Schoeman already. The comments do say however that he's international cover for when the latter qualifies.

He's also only 23. If he starts for the rest of the season you'd have to assume its game over for McCullum (24).

McCallum may be permanently staying at TH

[switchskier]

Boan Venter signs, presumably to be Boan McVenter in a few years.

Anyway, he’s a good scrummager and carries well, according to my sources!

Apparently he's a loose head, which seems a strange use of resources (again) when we have Sutherland and Schoeman already. The comments do say however that he's international cover for when the latter qualifies.

He's also only 23. If he starts for the rest of the season you'd have to assume its game over for McCullum (24).

McCallum may be permanently staying at TH

I meant that if he starts aged 23 then it suggests that it's not age holding him back

[Cameo]

Didn't watch all of it but looked like another standard Edinburgh performance under Cockerill. Couldn't create anything but didn't get stuffed because it's hard for the opposition to score too many points when the ball spends half the match sat at the back of Edinburgh rucks while they get themselves organised.

[Scottish Caley Fan]

Didn't watch all of it but looked like another standard Edinburgh performance under Cockerill. Couldn't create anything but didn't get stuffed because it's hard for the opposition to score too many points when the ball spends half the match sat at the back of Edinburgh rucks while they get themselves organised.

Edinburgh were toothless, poor discipline wise and dire at the set piece, think that sums it up pretty well .

[switchskier]

Haining has resigned. Which by my reckoning means that the only back-rows not under contract for next year are Darge and Boyle, who will remain a long way from game time.

I've nothing against Haining, who can be a good abrasive carrier, but I really question whether this is the best way to use limited resources. Miller stepped up earlier in the season and looked explosive off the base and worked hard in defense. You'd hope that Bradbury will be fitter next season. Has Kunavula actually played for us yet? He looked ok for Fiji in the autumn. When are Darge or Boyle going to play? If budgets are tight i think we could have been ok without this contract and put the cash into signing a better 12 than Lang or upgrading on VdW.

There's also a rumour that Kerr might be headed to Edinburgh, which makes no sense when McInally and Cherry have proven themselves and there's decent hookers stacking up at Glasgow. Still at least it might mean that Wilhemse is off.

[Cameo]

Agree with all of that. If Wilhemse is off, Kerr maybe makes sense if he is struggling to get a look in down south but both pro teams seem to like stacking certain positions.

In not long, I wouldn't be surprised if Glasgow's 9s are first, second and third choice for Scotland.

[whatisthejava]

Edinburgh qualify for the last 16 of the cc

Really cant make this up

Clubs who won their two matches - without either being affected by Covid-19 - will be at home in the round of 16. Therefore Racing 92, Leinster, Wasps, Bordeaux and Munster will all have home advantage.

Have home advantage ?
Leinster
R 92
Wasp
Bordeaux
Munster

Who knows
Lyon
Toulouse
La Rouchelle

Scarlets
Clermont
Bristol
Exeter
Glouster
Toulon
Sale


I can honestly say there is not one team in the top half we could beat at home with a red card against us
And maybe 1-2 teams in the bottom if they suffered injuries before kick off

[Cameo]

I can't help but find the Champions Cup organisation funny. In many ways it's a farce but they clearly take the view that once they get to the quarters, no one will care how they got there and viewing figures etc. will be just the same as normal. Hey are probably right too.

[whatisthejava]

I kinda feel they picked what ever method they could to try and guarantee that as many big teams where there

Bristol is a potential banana skin as is Clermont if they don't implode

[switchskier]

What do you all think of Bradbury moving into the second row a bit more permenantly? I can see it working, even if I don't really think it's in his long term interest when I look at the emerging competition for places.

15. Damien Hoyland (78)

14. Darcy Graham (37)
13. James Johnstone (58)
12. George Taylor (28)
11. Eroni Sau (18)

10. Jaco van der Walt (68)
9. Nic Groom CO-CAPTAIN (21)

1. Pierre Schoeman CO-CAPTAIN (57)
2. Mike Willemse (32)
3. Lee-Roy Atalifo (4)
4. Magnus Bradbury (90)
5. Grant Gilchrist (156)
6. Nick Haining (19)
7. Ally Miller (20)
8. Viliame Mata (82)

Substitutes:
16. David Cherry (32)
17. Boan Venter (1)
18. Murray McCallum (59)
19. Andries Ferreira (7)
20. Luke Crosbie (49)
21. Charlie Shiel (27)
22. Nathan Chamberlain (6)
23. Chris Dean (104)



Unavailable through injury (10): Mark Bennett, Lewis Carmichael, Andrew Davidson, Dan Gamble, Jamie Hodgson, Blair Kinghorn, Stuart McInally, Fraser McKenzie, Dan Nutton, Ben Toolis.

Unavailable on Scotland duty (6): Simon Berghan, Willem Nel, Jamie Ritchie, Rory Sutherland, Duhan van der Merwe, Hamish Watson

[septic 9]

What do you all think of Bradbury moving into the second row a bit more permenantly? I can see it working, even if I don't really think it's in his long term interest when I look at the emerging competition for places.

Cockerill likes a big pack, so I expect Bradbury to back to 6/8. Loads of locks unavailable for Edin this week, mainly injured.
That said, he could play lock, but I fear he would go from a monster backrow bruiser who should be terrorising opponents at all levels, to a smallish journeyman lock who would never trouble the national team.
He has 2 problems. His work rate and concentration have always wavered. And he plays in such a stilted system its difficult for him to do the damage he could (and Mata is the go to wide back row carrier for Edinburgh) Both could be helped by a move elsewhere IMHO

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah I don’t see him going anywhere as a lock. I’m sure he can jump a bit and push in a scrum a bit, but it seems a weird use of his skills and don’t see how it would help develop him.

Maybe it allows a harder working 6 to come in, but that just sounds like giving up on him to me. Surely he’s not a lost cause already? We produce so few big ball carriers we really need to get him on track.

[Big D]

Embarrassingly bad at the end.

[septic 9]

Embarrassingly bad at the end.

word

[switchskier]

Embarrassingly bad at the end.

word

Decided I had better things to do. What happened?

[Big D]

Embarrassingly bad at the end.

word

Decided I had better things to do. What happened?

Set scrum about 30m out to the right. Then there is about 20+ phases of going backwards and occasionally forwards with no one taking control and failing to get a drop goal off to win the game.

[Cameo]

That was actually a fun game (for an Edinburgh game) though. Probably came from players' handling errors rather than any great intent but some breathless passages of play. Graham made a few little errors with offloads but looked electric.

[Big D]

Vellacott confirmed. Time for him to kick on.

[switchskier]

Vellacott confirmed. Time for him to kick on.

Presumably one of Pyrgos or Groom will be gone then, or both. Quite a big shift from having a SH room that is 2/3rds game manager and kicking 9's to one that is at least 2/3rds about pace and sniping around the fringes. Will work horribly with our current laborious, 20 meter behind the gain line approach.

[Big D]

Vellacott confirmed. Time for him to kick on.

Presumably one of Pyrgos or Groom will be gone then, or both. Quite a big shift from having a SH room that is 2/3rds game manager and kicking 9's to one that is at least 2/3rds about pace and sniping around the fringes. Will work horribly with our current laborious, 20 meter behind the gain line approach.

Rumours that Pyrgos might retire.

[switchskier]

Miller and Darge off to Glasgow, which is good for them but terrible for Edinburgh. I think that we've kept the wrong players and let go players that could add dynamism and pace to a very stodgy current effort. Poor planning and I wouldn't be surprised to see both become internationals within 24 months if Wilson shapes a coherent side.

[whatisthejava]

Ally Millars a lose, not sure i can remember Rory Darge