Edinburgh v Newcastle Fri 7.45

[fivepointer]

Edinburgh: Kinghorn; Graham, Johnstone, Dean, Van der Merwe; Van der Walt, Pyrgos; Schoeman, McInally (c), Nel, Toolis, Gilchrist, Ritchie, Watson, Mata

Replacements: Cherry, Dell, Berghan, Hunter-Hill, Hamilton, Fowles, Hickey, Socino

Newcastle: Tait; Arscott, Harris, Bettencourt, Radwan; Connon, Takulua; Brocklebank, McGuigan, Wilson, Cavubati, Young, Burrows (c), Graham, Chick.

Replacements: Socino, Davison, Mavinga, Green, Uzokwe, Stuart, Flood, Williams

[Mellsblue]

Richards prioritising the Prem? A few senior players missing there. Could be injured, of course.

[Galfon]

I thought this - just shows where the dollars are these days.Still, good to see Radwan & Uzokwe featuring.

[Puja]

Apparently Sinoti and Goneva are injured.

Friday night game could be to Newcastle's advantage - a good scrap in inclement weather is just the kind of game they like.

Puja

[switchskier]

Is it just me or is that a second team from Newcastle? Bizzare when they've got a good shot at qualifying. Relegation that much of a concern?

[Mellsblue]

It does seem strange. Win these two matches against Edinburgh and they’re are through and could afford to rest players in the final two pool matches. I suppose that might be too late if they pick up injuries and go on another run of Prem loses. I’ve changed my mind, it’s the correct decision.

[fivepointer]

"Explaining a selection which contains a whole raft of enforced changes, Richards added: “We have had three tight-head injuries in the last 24 hours, and with Jon Welsh, Craig Mitchell and Paul Mullen all also unavailable, if these props are unfit we have no tight-head cover. We are in dialogue with EPCR to try and resolve the issue, and that communication will continue.

“We lost a load of guys to head knocks last weekend including Kyle Cooper, Sean Robinson broke his arm again during the game, Mark Wilson has an ear infection, Nemani Nagusa has a leg problem, then we have Michael Young out with a fractured cheek bone. Our captain Will Welch is out long term with an ankle, Jon Welsh is out for a while, Will Witty has injured his knee, Josh Matavesi is out with an ankle, Joel Hodgson has broken a leg and Tom Penny is out with an ACL – you get the idea, and then we have a few other guys who are not registered for Europe due to the tournament regulations.”

So there are injury issues but Newcastle didnt put out their strongest team for the previous 2 CC games. The premiership has to be their priority with 3 very important games coming up (home to Glos and Quins, away to Bristol)

[Peej]

Didn't Newcastle's second team win at Toulon though?

Sound like they're going through Wasps levels of front row injuries.

[Puja]

Guardian has suggested that Davey Wilson is also struggling with an injury and, if he can't make it, Newcastle will be forced to start with 14 players and uncontested scrums.

Puja

[Peej]

In a serious question, what's to stop him starting the game, then immediately getting injured and having to come off and go uncontested? Could they bring, say, a flanker off the bench into the front row, or would they have to play the rest of the game with 14 men?

[Puja]

In a serious question, what's to stop him starting the game, then immediately getting injured and having to come off and go uncontested? Could they bring, say, a flanker off the bench into the front row, or would they have to play the rest of the game with 14 men?

As soon as you go uncontested through injury, you have to go down to 14. I don't know if there's a law against replacing the rest of your front row with flankers at that point, but there's certainly a convention against it.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Is there a worse pair of analysts than these two?

[OptimisticJock]

Apparently Sinoti and Goneva are injured.

Friday night game could be to Newcastle's advantage - a good scrap in inclement weather is just the kind of game they like.

Puja

Embra play most of their games on a Friday night in shite weather.

[Puja]

Is there a worse pair of analysts than these two?

Who are they? I don't recognise the voices, but they're rubbish.

Given how much Davison is struggling in his first ever game at tighthead, you'd have to wonder if Newcastle might not be better to have a tactical injury and to take uncontested with 14 players.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Is there a worse pair of analysts than these two?

Who are they? I don't recognise the voices, but they're rubbish.

Given how much Davison is struggling in his first ever game at tighthead, you'd have to wonder if Newcastle might not be better to have a tactical injury and to take uncontested with 14 players.

Puja

Andys Robinson and Nicol.

That’s a very harsh high tackle pen.

[Puja]

Newcastle definitely would've been better with 14 players. Edinburgh were taking the piss by following up the pushover penalty try by replacing international tighthead Nel with international tighthead Berghan.

Shame, cause they've fought so hard with so few resources available to them today, but I think the game has now gone. The only thing left to Newcastle is to try and prevent a try bonus point for Edinburgh.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Newcastle did well to be competitive for so long. Eventually not having a scrum had its impact. Lockwood stood up manfully and certainly played a full part in the loose, but LH and TH are so different that its extremely hard to switch. Is there anyone in the pro game that can play both sides well?