Edinburgh team v Racing Metro 92

Edinburgh side named for Friday's clash with Racing Metro 92 at Murrayfield:
1 A Jacobsen
2 R Ford
3 G Cross
4 E Lozada
5 G Gilchrist
6 N Talei
7 R Grant
8 S McInally

9 G Laidlaw (c)
10 H Leonard
11 T Visser
12 M Scott
13 N De Luca
14 L Jones
15 J Thompson

Subs: 16. Lawrie, 17. Traynor, 18. Niven, 19. Turnbull, 20. Rennie, 21. Blair, 22. King, 23. Brown

Good to see that the back-line remains largely intact, with the only change being Laidlaw replacing Blair. We definitely played with more attacking panache when Greig came on last week, so I'm fairly happy.

The head-knock to Denton has forced a change in the back row, with Talei coming in at blindside, but the formidable front-row combination stays unchanged.

Grant instead of Rennie??

Otherwise absolutely spot on Mr Bradley - exactly the team I would have chosen.

Do we know the identity of the subs? Curious to know if Blair and CP will be on the bench.

The key for me is maintaining Leonard and Scott at 10/12. I was worried Laidlaw might be picked at 10, which I think would have been a mistake.

Altho Grant did well when he came on against London Irish, I am surprised to see him preferred to Rosco Rennie on the openside, unless Rennie is injured. Laidlaw over Blair reflects the good from the former has been in, and it's great to see that Bradley hast tinkered with the youthful backline that has been playing so well. Think Metro will provide a big physical challenge, so hopefully we'll see Edinburgh moving the ball around and looking to play a less structured game

here's Racing team :

Wisniewski ; Saubade, Chavancy, Bousses, Imhoff ; (o) Hernandez, (m) Lorée ; Le Roux, Chabal, Leo'o ; Nallet, Ghezal ; Coetzee, Noirot, Tuugahala.

bench: Bianchin, Ben Arous, Orlandi, Qovu, Vaquin, Battut, Descons, Vakatawa.

so estebanez out injured while Chabal makes his return and Wisniewski unusually starts as FB (his normal position is 10). Bobo is not even on the bentch but he wasnt exactly great against the Blues anyway.

Oh well, I guess Edinburgh have a pretty handy impact sub in Ross Rennie. Roddy Grant is not quite the player Rennie is, but all his coaches have rated him highly and he gets through a shed load of work.

Big game for Talei to re-establish himself. We'll need his physicality for this one I think.

I think Edinburgh will win this one.

I think he might have gone for Grant for physicality and work rate. I would have stuck with Rennie mind!

What kind of crowd do you guys think would be reasonable to expect? I'd hope for 5000-6000 as anything above that in the past has been from travelling supporters from the likes of Munster or Leinster. The team had a good win last week, and it is on a Friday, so no excuses really.

Saying that, I am at a 40th birthday that night so can't make it!

get someone to call you with an "emergency" around about half seven...

See with problem with that is I am the +1, therefore if there was an emergency the missus would want to know what it was!

Cox banned for a week for his elbow in the face - lucky boy. Rumour has it that Hape is getting 4 weeks for knocking Dave D into next week

Interesting preview from young stand-off Fraser Gillies, who spent a season in Paris as part of the RM academy:

"When Racing Metro and Edinburgh were drawn together I was over the moon. As yet, neither club has sought to engage me in some sort of well paid analytical role, asking me to spill the beans on the other, so I’ll spill the beans on both for Scottish Rugby Blog. Frankly, when the draw was made, I assumed that Edinburgh would get stuffed both home and away but a lot has changed since then and I now make Edinburgh slim favourites.

The Racing of last season was a juggernaut that, after finishing 2nd in the Top 14, deserved better than to self-destruct in the Marseille semi-final against Montpellier. But that was all one year ahead of the club’s long-term plan. This season was to be when Racing finally returned to the pinnacle of French rugby after a wait of 21 years.

But things haven’t been going to plan. Recruitment over the summer was frugal and they are now paying for a lack of depth and quality that belies the annual budget of around €16 million. Lying 5th with 5 wins and 5 losses might not seem disastrous but with 3 home losses already (2 league and 1 H Cup), alarm bells are starting to ring.

When other clubs were getting their cheque books out to make the most of the Southern Hemisphere post World Cup exodus, estate agent magnate Jacky Lorenzetti brought in six players, all French and with only one recognisable name: Fabrice Estabanez, who isn’t involved this Friday. Some might laud this prudent approach to building a sustainable squad that doesn’t rely on quick fix star names (indeed, Edinburgh fans will recognise such an attitude). But qualité is qualité and Racing have picked up a few injuries and simply haven’t had the class that they had last year.

Racing once forged a reputation through their back line, famed for their show-bizz approach to the game, pink bow-ties and so on. But since the arrival of Pierre Berbizier, their game plan has become pragmatic in the extreme and relies on forward domination and the best boot in the league, Jonathan W…, no not Jonny Wilkinson, Jonathan Wisniewski. With Lionel Nallet back from New Zealand, the pack should return to the ferocity which lead the team so well last year. Hooker Benjamin Noirot and second rows Jone Qovu and Karim Ghézal are some of the best ball carriers in the league and Grant, McInally and co. will have to look sharp to keep them from building up a head of steam.

Francois Steyn and Benjamin Fall are big injury losses and the replacements Juan Imhoff and Gaëtan Germain are not up to the same standard. Edinburgh’s wide, mobile game should be able to exploit defensive frailties out wide, particularly those of the young pretender to Sireli Bobo, Viremi Vakatawa, even if he more than makes up for it with his idiosyncratic attacking style.

Both sides have inexperience in the backs. Where Edinburgh have Matt Scott and Harry Leonard, Racing have Fijian duo Vakatawa (who announced himself against Leinster around this time last year) and Josh Matavesi.

If Greig Laidlaw comes off the bench, it’ll be interesting to see how he matches up against Mathieu Lorée, a very similar player in style and development. Perhaps they’ll meet on the international stage in a few years time. And if Wisniewski remains on the bench, then Harry Leonard will be hoping his back-row are around when Juan-Martin Hernandez comes flying down his channel, gracefully chipping, weaving and off-loading.

Having lost a home opener in this competition, it is very easy to see Racing’s focus changing to the Top 14, but they also know they need to get back into that winning habit that they engendered last year. Many of the Racing squad will not be relishing the trip to chilly Edinburgh and may be thrown by the odd Murrayfield playing experience.

If I were Edinburgh I’d be looking to run the Racing pack off the park, having a real go and not being drawn in to Racing’s confrontational style. And if I were Racing I’d happily scrummage all day long and batter Edinburgh into submission around the fringes.

Key Match-Up: Juan Martin Hernandez v Harry Leonard"

Good read that.

I am quietly confident about this one. Haven't really heard of most of the players so it is not as if it is top level Internationalists we are up against. Yes they will be good but I think their name and reputation is the thing that causes most people to worry about them. I really hope we get the win because I think Racing's interest in the competition will just go out the window if we do, giving us a better chance of qualifying. Combine that with a win for Cardiff and we're looking good for at least 2nd place (although granted it is still very early doors).

Plus Chabal is getting on a bit and have never been overly impressed with him as an 8.

No doubt I am going to be well and truly proven wrong now!

I love the key match up at the end. Leonard will learn some stuff this evening, no doubt.

Cracking read. Is Fraser still with Racing? I remember him getting some rave reviews before he moved and I cant imagine a year in the academy has done him any harm.

He's just slagged off a load of his team mates at Racing if he is!

Have to say he is a great writer too - career as a journo if the rugby doesn't work out for him.

Ha. Don't they call that 'open and honest feedback'? By all accounts the French became quite good at that this autumn.

Wholeheartedly agree re his written skills. If he's as good verbally maybe the Beeb will sign him up in 15 years and we'll be rid of Mr Moore for good.

Nice that he posted on the SRB too, cracking little blog.

Fraser is at Exeter uni now

I think Edinburgh should fancy this and after a solid performance away last week, i expect them to turn over RM at home.

It will be a really good game. Looking forward to it. I would say the only change to the team I would make would have been Rennie in for Grant.

I'll be there tonight with my old man. Looking forward to it.

On another note I think it is worth mentioning how well Esteban Lozada has been playing. To be honest I did not think too much of him when he arrived but hes been playing very well this season.

At 6'4" and 109kg, I think that Lozada really needs to play a long a more physically impressive partner - and at 6'7" and 115kg (and still growing and developing), young Grant Gilchrist is a much better foil for him, similarly Turnbull at 6'7" and 117kg

It is a shame for you guys that Cox got banned, he was pretty handy against London Irish last weekend; and up until this point McInally was unheard of to me but is now making heads turn. As is your little outside half and both wingers. I can't see many points because Racing play a negative style of rugby but Edinburgh should take the 4 points.

Come on Edinburgh!

Cheers - Edinburgh are starting to get a bit of a mini-following from other supporters!

Michael Bradley is a top class coach . . . . .

Anyone know any good links to watch the game online?
I was meant to be travelling down for the game, but to ill to travel and don't have sky
A decent link would cheer up an ill fan who's had a busy week...

Can't make it tonight, but hopeful Edinburgh can win this one. Text updates appreciated.

Come on the Gunners !

Can't make it tonight cause off to a 40th instead

Come on Edinburgh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Visser Try!!!

Go Tim. Cheers Ian, quicker than erc.

Sinner, are you listening to the radio commentary?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/6407137.stm

No following on line on about 4 different sites. Great start.

Ediburgh concede 4 tries at home?
NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Didn't realise that it was on, I'm concentrating on the two Welsh games. Update?

Edinburgh shoot themselves in the foot, throw the ball away and Racing get their 5th try

20-41 down

Things getting worse at Murrayfield. Edinburgh 20- 44 Racing
Huge effort needed just to get a loosing bonus point...

20 minutes to go, Edinburgh need to average over a point a minute...
still 24 points down

TRY for Edinburgh.
25-44 conversion to come

Laidlaw converts Talei's try

Laidlaw converts Talei's try

Edinburgh get their 4th try (1bonus point in the bag)
Edinburgh score in the corner, Laidlaw adds the extras 34-47

Metro a man down, yellow card, 13 points in it, time ticking away at Murrayfield

Edinburgh get another try!!!!!!!!!!! 41-47
6 points in it

Edinburgh get another try
Laidlaw adds the conversion
47-46!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant. I'd almost given up looking at the BBC "updates". Cheers. How many minutes on the clock ?

Racing go for the drop goal.
Edinburgh win 48-47
What a comeback, amazing match.

I don't know what to say.

I'm having serious trouble typing.

Listening to radio. They're saying 48-47. Presumably to Edin. Can someone clarify ?

Edit: Got it. Fantastic Edinburgh. Well done.

wow..... what a game !!!!! c.mon glasgow!!

And not even televised- what tw@@ts!

GLove39 wrote:Racing go for the drop goal.
Edinburgh win 48-47
What a comeback, amazing match.

Brilliant. Those 5 points for Edinburgh really put the pressure on the Blues(who also won tonight).

And the Scarlets got 5 points in Northampton. Time for us Celts to gang up on them .

WOW!!! Stunning result for Scottish rugby.

Hats off to Edinburgh. At 17-3 I thought Edinburgh had the game in the bag and the French wouldn't be interested, then at 40 odd points to 20 I thought Edinburgh were on the rocks for a thrashing.

Stunning result - now on to Cardiff and Dan Parks.....

Greg Laidlaw = legend