1872 Cup Champions

[OptimisticJock]

Thought I'd start the catch all Embra thread.

Sutherland - Cochrane - Andress
Bresler - B Toolis
Coman (Capt) - du Preez - Watson

Fowles - Burleigh
Brown - Beard - Allen - Hoyland
Tonks

Turner, Dell, Berghan, A Toolis, Ritchie, Kennedy, Kinghorn, Fife

For the match on Friday, BBC2 Scotland.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Ha, Fred title made I R larf.

Did we really pull those cats from the U20's to stick them on the bench? I suppose Embra trumps the junior national set up, but still, seems rough on nearly everyone involved.

[OptimisticJock]

Sure but at least start them, 6 minutes off the bench or a full 80 very Wales?

[Chunks Baws]

Sure but at least start them, 6 minutes off the bench or a full 80 very Wales?

I agree, they'd have been better off staying with the U20s if they're not going to get good minutes with Edinburgh.

Loving the thread title too

[switchskier]

Yup, great thread title and yup, better to play for the U20's than five minutes off the bench, especially when you consider who is starting ahead of them at Edinburgh.

Is Bradbury injured and is he now too old for the U20s?

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Jesus... Not even a restart... Just THE start... Omni shambles Embra.

[hp18]

Ha, Fred title made I R larf.

Did we really pull those cats from the U20's to stick them on the bench? I suppose Embra trumps the junior national set up, but still, seems rough on nearly everyone involved.

Kinghorn got 10 minutes tops. Ritchie a bit more but still a fecking waste.

[Chunks Baws]

Team for Ospreys. Nice to see Ritchie get a start and Gilco on the bench. Thought he was out for longer.

[OptimisticJock]

Not too bad a team. Would rather see Hoyland on the wing, brown at FB, Kinghorn starting (rather than being shunted about between backup fh and fb) with Burleigh at 12, anyone but andress.

Good backrow though.

[switchskier]

Gilchrist is back, finally. Let's see if he can stay fit for a while now. Odds on him being called in for the last 6N game?

Don't really understand why SHC is on the bench, he's only played about three minutes in the last month. Actually that's probably why he's benching.

[OptimisticJock]

Gilchrist is back, finally. Let's see if he can stay fit for a while now. Odds on him being called in for the last 6N game?

Don't really understand why SHC is on the bench, he's only played about three minutes in the last month. Actually that's probably why he's benching.

Yeah would be happy to see him start with Kennedy on bench

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Solomons has to be one of the worst selectors I've seen - at least for the backs. There are so many improvements that could be made to it with the players available... but that's been the case in almost every game. Frustrating to see their potential hampered by this.

[Big D]

Rumours elsewhere (Edinburgh forum and PR) that Gilchrist is Toulon bound.

[Chunks Baws]

Rumours elsewhere (Edinburgh forum and PR) that Gilchrist is Toulon bound.

Edinburgh will announce a re-signing to appease us. Are we actually going to bring in anyone new for next season?

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Rumours elsewhere (Edinburgh forum and PR) that Gilchrist is Toulon bound.

Will he even make the starting XV? Too many of our lot just drop off the radar when moving to France.

[Chunks Baws]

Saw this on the Edinburgh board, taken from the Times. About time someone in Scottish rugby stood up against pish officials.

Line judge is removed from Edinburgh game
The Welsh assistant referee who was at the centre of the controversial penalty decision that cost Edinburgh victory against Scarlets last weekend has been removed from the list of officials in charge of the capital side’s Guinness PRO12 meeting with Ospreys in Swansea tonight.

Edinburgh lost last Friday’s game 22-21 after Craig Evans, who was running the line, advised the match referee that their players were offside at a lineout four minutes from the end, allowing Aled Thomas to kick a match-winning penalty. Evans had been named as a touch judge for tonight’s game as well, but Ed Morrison, the PRO12’s refereeing commissioner, has now told The Times that he will have no involvement in the game.

Morrison refused to provide a reason for Evans’ removal, but it is understood that Edinburgh have submitted a scathing report on his part in their defeat. Alan Solomons, the Edinburgh coach, was fiercely critical of the incident in a BBC interview after the match, calling for neutral officials at all Pro12 games. Solomons confirmed yesterday that he has not been disciplined for making his remarks.

Most commentators who have viewed the footage have agreed that there was no offside offence. However, Morrison indicated that the practicalities and cost of the PRO12 using neutral assistant referees — currently, they are appointed by the host country — would be prohibitive, not least because so few of them are full-time officials.

“We have followed the correct protocol and that has all been dealt with through the proper channels,” said Solomons. “I can’t do more than that. We have to keep it in the proper channels, but I stand by my views.”

[Big D]

Rumours elsewhere (Edinburgh forum and PR) that Gilchrist is Toulon bound.

Will he even make the starting XV? Too many of our lot just drop off the radar when moving to France.

They are not particularly strong at second row are they? The Georgian boy is away apparently, Suta is ok, Taofifénua is decent and Manoa whilst excellent in the back row for Northampton is not IMO an exceptional second row. He could go there and do well or alternatively get well paid for being a sick note.

There are not many established Scottish international players (not that GG is properly established) that go over there in their prime. Gray is the only one really and up until this year and signing up for Toulouse next year he has played plenty of rugby. Off the top of my head:

• Cusiter went over after the Rievers went tits up and played a fair bit for Perpignan whilst sharing the 9 shirt internationally.
  Stroker went and maintained level enough to be around the Scotland set up.
  Beattie actually fought his way back into the Scotland set up.
  MEvans played a bit for Castres but was never really a stick on for the national side.
  Blair was already on his way out at international level at the time he went for the money.
  NDL past his best when he has moved.
  Newlands form what I can see has been a decent club pro over there.

There are youngsters who move over there but they are never really on the radar to begin with.

[Donny osmond]

Got schooled by the Os tonight. From what little I've seen of Embra this season, they know how to put some decent stuff together but just can't seem to do it consistently

[no sleep]

That wasn't pretty. Why do Edinburgh play My Little Pony at 10 - is there absolutely no-one else who can play there?

[Croft_No.5]

No. After Weir's performance this evening more than happy he is heading along the M8. What a mare of a game from Edinburgh.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Solomons has to go. Absolutely inept. Not going to happen as he's only recently been handed a new deal lol.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

No. After Weir's performance this evening more than happy he is heading along the M8. What a mare of a game from Edinburgh.

It'll make little difference if Solly keeps picking those centres, that 15, etc. Weir will improve the backline massively but who knows how he will fare in a team that plays that far behind the gain line where the backs rarely offer themselves as a running threat or produce good support lines, etc.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

No. After Weir's performance this evening more than happy he is heading along the M8. What a mare of a game from Edinburgh.

It'll make little difference if Solly keeps picking those centres, that 15, etc. Weir will improve the backline massively but who knows how he will fare in a team that plays that far behind the gain line where the backs rarely offer themselves as a running threat or produce good support lines, etc.

Valid enough I guess, that being said, right now all Embra are is a pack of forwards. We might as well be charging our outside backs for tickets. Adding a competent 10 will at least mean we can play 10 man rugby properly. I'm fairly sure that's the plan.

Either way, that was a shocking second half performance the night. Predictable too.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

No. After Weir's performance this evening more than happy he is heading along the M8. What a mare of a game from Edinburgh.

It'll make little difference if Solly keeps picking those centres, that 15, etc. Weir will improve the backline massively but who knows how he will fare in a team that plays that far behind the gain line where the backs rarely offer themselves as a running threat or produce good support lines, etc.

Valid enough I guess, that being said, right now all Embra are is a pack of forwards. We might as well be charging our outside backs for tickets. Adding a competent 10 will at least mean we can play 10 man rugby properly. I'm fairly sure that's the plan.

Either way, that was a shocking second half performance the night. Predictable too.

10 man rugby.. a bit behind the times here. We'll see if it works.

Scott leaving makes it a lot bleaker as well from an attacking POV.

Scott & Dean with a back 3 of Hoyland, Brown and Helu would have been decent enough outside Weir and SHC.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

It'll make little difference if Solly keeps picking those centres, that 15, etc. Weir will improve the backline massively but who knows how he will fare in a team that plays that far behind the gain line where the backs rarely offer themselves as a running threat or produce good support lines, etc.

Valid enough I guess, that being said, right now all Embra are is a pack of forwards. We might as well be charging our outside backs for tickets. Adding a competent 10 will at least mean we can play 10 man rugby properly. I'm fairly sure that's the plan.

Either way, that was a shocking second half performance the night. Predictable too.

10 man rugby.. a bit behind the times here. We'll see if it works.

Scott leaving makes it a lot bleaker as well from an attacking POV.

Scott & Dean with a back 3 of Hoyland, Brown and Helu would have been decent enough outside Weir and SHC.

Yeah, don't misinterpret my acknowledgement of our extremely limited game plan as some kind of endorsement.

10 man rugby will always exist so long as having ropey backs is a thing. It's as timeless as it is dull. It's brutal to watch even when it's done well... And right now... Well... We aren't doing it well.