Edinburgh sign some 2nd rows!!!!

Edinburgh have just announced on Twitter that two 2nd rows will be joining the team - young stick insect Robert McAlpine (signed from Glasgow I think) and also some 6ft 8, 118kg Esher lock called Perry-John Parker!

Anyone know anything about this guy??

He's a beast, which is good for a lightweight Edinburgh pack, but will he fit our style of play?

Good news on the McAlpine signing - he seriously needs to put on some beef but looks a good prospect, and is still young.

Edit - here's the article with a video of this Esher guy, will take a look at lunch time.

http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/edinburgh-news/4186-lock-stock-and-two-second-rows

Couldn't wait 'til lunch - that guy looks a fantastic signing based on that video! I know it's only the championship but he looks a big ball carrying, big tackling lock with good hands. He's only 24 too which is fantastic.

Good signing I think!

RDW, in my mind McAlpine is definitely one for the future for you guys, and could work very well alongside Gilchrist. But as you say, he's still got some way (and likely a couple of years) to develop physically. Not sure about your Esher man - he didn't play in their final must win fixture against London Scottish, unless he was injured, so I wouldn't get too excited just yet - one thing is for sure, he'll have a lot of work to do on his fitness. Think you might have been better off with someone like young Tomes from Bedford

Hmm interesting. I'd like to see the other locks at Esher if that guy didn't make the team! I know individual clips like in that video can be misleading, but the guy looks a great carrier and really aggressive in the rucks, which some of our forwards lack.

As you say though his fitness might be an issue, but he's got an entire pre-season in a professional team now so can't see that being a problem.

And at 6ft 8 and almost 19 stone he'll definitely add some bulk to the team!

Here's hoping he'll prove me right!

Sorry, my bad, he was on the bench, not injured at all - I was looking for the double-barrelled first name but he is listed as plain Perry

I love how he's grown to 6'8" altho his video highlights list as 6'7" - by the start of the season, he should be well over 7' tall (and fire lightning bolts from his erse!!)

Yeah you've got to love player stats - the Scotsman tried to claim a few years ago that Cairnsy was 6ft 3 and 16.5 stone!

He doesn't look 6ft 8 and 19 stone in that video, but maybe he ate some magic beans or something!

His running style reminds me of Denton - low into contact and tries to bump them over. Might not work quite so well against seasoned pros though.

Thinking about what Glasgow did with Ally Muldowney, who was signed from the Championship side Moseley, it is certainly possible to turn such a player into a Rabo standard forward within a season.

However dont know if he is as talented as Muldowney was. Also not convinced that Tom Smith is as good a forwards coach as Shade Munro.

So the Edinburgh locks next season will be:

4. Gilchrist, Parker or Turnbull

5. Cox or MacAlpine

I'm not massively convinced personally. The first choice pairing is ok, but I'll need to see Parker in action before making up my mind. Turnbull is a squad filler and MacAlpine needs to move onto the Chunk diet.

The pick of the signings is still Nel. Probably the only player coming in who I suspect will be in the 1st XV from day one. Perhaps Rees will be as well.

This is good news, but I'm not sure they've built on what's already there in the Edinburgh pack.

Edinburgh really could do with an international or at very least a bruiser for these younger guys to learn from.

What price a Simon Taylor or a Jason White to come in as an experienced pair of hands in the boiler room?

To answer my question, probably quite a high price, but I'd love to have seen a bit of cash spent on this position. Maybe a Mumm or an Ali Williams.

This wee chappy might have been worth a look too...

Neale Patrick - 6'6 and 18+ stone 2nd row - Rotherham http://www.rotherhamrugby.co.uk/squad/85/neale-patrick/

Still need at least one winger for when Viss and Lee are with Scotland - Maitland as our BIG signing? Another LH wouldn't go amiss either. Otherwise OK with how the squad is shaping up.

Top quality loosehead is a must if Edinburgh want to be taken seriously

Seem to remember when Nel signed they said he could also play loosehead, or did I just make that up?

The Hootsman suggests Cox is a target for Leicester. It would be a shame if he went, but I'm not convinced he's as hard as its being made out.

Not sure about Nel as a loosehead. Agree that Chunk and Yapp is not enough for next season. Shiells is the obvious candidate in my opinion. They should focus efforts on getting him in.

Can't see Leicester going for Cox. They already have Deacon, Slater, Parling, Mafi, Skivington and Kitchiner (unless any of those guys are leaving).

Cox should stay put. He's got a good thing going at Edinburgh, and we sorely need his experience alongside Gilchrist.

Still think they should have hung onto Thompson. As pointed out, there's a real lack of depth in the back three, unless someone like Fleming is going to sign up as a specialist wing (please no Danielli).

Cox just signed a 2 year deal didn't he? Wouldn't read much into an evening news article

I thought so. He's guaranteed to start with Edinburgh and get HC rugby, plus he gets to live in the greatest city on earth (or at least a better place than Sale).

He should stay and teach Gilchrist to be more nasty.

He should stay and teach the whole pack to be more nasty.

I'd like Edinburgh to sign at least one more back too.

Perhaps we could still see a surprise or two?

skiv is off to london irish

nickj wrote:He should stay and teach the whole pack to be more nasty.

I'd like Edinburgh to sign at least one more back too.

Perhaps we could still see a surprise or two?

I do hope that's not the end of the signings. When you think about the couple of million from the HK run, coupled with players leaving on large salaries (Blair, Godman, Webster etc) there should be plenty cash there.

As people have been saying - a winger and Shiells would be nice!

I'd love another massive signing too - the only big name we've got is Nel.

Thats not true, you've signed Welsh internationals Rees and Yapp too!

Sorry.

Think you'r going to be pleasantly surprised, well with Rees anyway!!!

He was ousting Phillips in the Welsh set up before the Blues management decided Bryn mor's son was going to be better. He never had a fair chance since, and does nothing wrong. I hope he does well up north!

Yapp is yapp, average around the park, struggle in the scrum and headbutting brick walls after a few!

Ha - don't get me wrong, I'm happy they're coming and will be decent squad signings, they're just not quite the big name players that I was thinking of!

Rees could be. In reality WC players don't want to live in Scotland without a mega pay deal, thats how Ulster had to do it!