Edinburgh V Dragons

First topic message reminder :

Edinburgh Rugby V Newport Gwent Dragons
 
Friday 13th September 2013, KO 19:45
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
 
Referee: [TBC]
Assistant Referees: [TBC]
Citing Commissioner: [TBC]
TMO: [TBC]
 
 
A. Teams:
 
Edinburgh 

15 Greig Tonks

14 Nikki Walker

13 Dougie Fife

12 Nick De Luca

11 Tim Visser



10 Harry Leonard

9 Sean Kennedy



1 Alasdair Dickinson

2 Ross Ford CAPTAIN

3 Willem Nel

4 Grant Gilchrist

5 Izak van der Westhuizen

6 Dimitri Basilaia

7 Roddy Grant

8 David Denton



Substitutes

16 Aleki Luitui

17 Wicus Blaauw

18 Geoff Cross

19 Sean Cox

20 Hamish Watson

21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne

22 Michael Tait

23 Jack Cuthbert
 
Dragons 

Dan Evans, Matthew Pewtner, Pat Leach, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos, Jason Tovey, Richie Rees; Owen Evans, T.Rhys Thomas (c), Dan Way, Adam Jones, Matthew Screech, Lewis Evans, Nic Cudd, Netani Talei.
 
B. Form - head to head:
 
22 Played 22
8 Wins 13
1 Draws 1
45 Tries 49
36 Conversions 30
43 Penalties 46
0 Drop Goals 3
426 Points 452
25 Avg. Age 25
 
C. Form - last season:
 
Dragons 32 - Edinburgh 12
 
Edinburgh 31 - Dragons 24

Well 'ast' is Welsh for bitch...

Myfanwy

I'd love to see you shouting that on the Meadows!

I think you'll find I'm a Roseburn resident - I'll be shouting it in front of Murrayfield stadium! On that basis, "FFS Scotland" is probably more appropriate!

An aunt of mine had a cat called Bala, which is a place in north Wales. She's dead now, don't know about the cat.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Are there any welsh words that would be a good dog name? And before anyone tries any funny business I will check it isn’t something dodgy! 

Splott

My friend called his grandmother's cat 'Minge'.
 
She liked the name, didn't get the reference and proceeded to spent happy, warm summer evenings calling the cat back into the house from her doorstep. Her neighbours thought that she was a great lady.

My mum wouldn't have got the reference either. She used to sit of an evening stroking what was on her lap and whispering, 'oh my lovely pus$y.'

George Carlin wrote:My friend called his grandmother's cat 'Minge'.
 
She liked the name, didn't get the reference and proceeded to spent happy, warm summer evenings calling the cat back into the house from her doorstep. Her neighbours thought that she was a great lady.

I literally just LOL'd at work - can imagine people asking her what she was up to and she would innocently say "i'm just stroking my...."

True story. Apologies if I've told it before.

I used to live in Amsterdam almost 30 years ago.

There were 2 young Donegal lads living in the centre of town who owned a black labrador.

Now you might find this hard to believe but back then in Donegal (and many other parts of Ireland), N*gger was a perfectly acceptable name to call a black dog. There were no racist overtones to it and you were unlikely to meet a black person in Donegal.

Amsterdam Centruum however........

The day the dog escaped from their flat and we were all treated to 2 young (and extremely white) youngfellahs from Donegal shouting "Here N*gger, c'mon boy. Here N*igger" running past the bemused denizens of Amsterdam (Many of whom were Surinamers)

The phrase "lucky to escape with their lives" comes to mind.

Be interesting to see if the Dragons can actually go away in the Rabo and win, especially with all the signings they've made.

gcBlues wrote:Be interesting to see if the Dragons can actually go away in the Rabo and win, especially with all the signings they've made.

There's already a glimpse that we have more of a spine to our team and a better defensive attitude, so we should certainly be more competitive on the road (and if we replicate our defensive performance v Ulster, then results could/should follow away from Dave).

RDW_Scotland wrote:Well looks like I'm going to miss the game on Friday - going to pick up our first dog (a springer spaniel puppy), both of which probably have long term benefits for my health!

Springers are awesome. I've been trying to convince the trouble and strife to get a couple of springers for ages. Was planning to name them Hateley and McCoist after the great Rangers strikers, or Basil and Toonie.....

My cousin has two Jack Russells called 'Trouble' and 'Strife'.

 

This is a rugby forum guys FFS.

FFS has a ring to it actually...

Risca Rev wrote:

gcBlues wrote:Be interesting to see if the Dragons can actually go away in the Rabo and win, especially with all the signings they've made.

There's already a glimpse that we have more of a spine to our team and a better defensive attitude, so we should certainly be more competitive on the road (and if we replicate our defensive performance v Ulster, then results could/should follow away from Dave).

Away form has surely got to be the main focus of improvement for your lads Risca, no?

Not after some of our capitulations at home last season, George. No team should lose more heavily at home than they do away.

I'll worry about away form when we start regularly getting 4 points at home again (the odd 5 would be nice too)

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:FFS has a ring to it actually...

Hilarious how seriously some posters take themselves

Did you quote the wrong person ASBO?

munkian wrote:I'll worry about away form when we start regularly getting 4 points at home again (the odd 5 would be nice too)

 

RDW_Scotland wrote:Did you quote the wrong person ASBO?

Nope, I loved Lucky's quote, and the second part was in reference to some other posters, certainly not Lucky

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Did you quote the wrong person ASBO?

Nope, I loved Lucky's quote, and the second part was in reference to some other posters, certainly not Lucky

 

I've never seen you this diplomatic before!

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Did you quote the wrong person ASBO?

Nope, I loved Lucky's quote, and the second part was in reference to some other posters, certainly not Lucky

Ahhhh, thought the  and text below were related to the same post!

If anyone is interested, we're thinking of Luna...

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Did you quote the wrong person ASBO?

Nope, I loved Lucky's quote, and the second part was in reference to some other posters, certainly not Lucky

Don't listen to him, RDW. He's had it in for me ever since I keyed his Aston Martin.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Did you quote the wrong person ASBO?

Nope, I loved Lucky's quote, and the second part was in reference to some other posters, certainly not Lucky

Don't listen to him, RDW. He's had it in for me ever since I keyed his Aston Martin.

Bar-steward!!  

Come on lads this is a rugby forum - no banter allowed.

Anyone going tomorrow night?

This game is literally the only Rabbo game this weekend not on TV!

I'll be going. I have the bandana looked out and will give it an iron this evening.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Come on lads this is a rugby forum - no banter allowed.

Anyone going tomorrow night?

This game is literally the only Rabbo game this weekend not on TV!

Some Scottish dude on Facebook told me its not beign televised as Scotland's main club is having THEIR match televised...  

munkian wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Come on lads this is a rugby forum - no banter allowed.

Anyone going tomorrow night?

This game is literally the only Rabbo game this weekend not on TV!

Some Scottish dude on Facebook told me its not beign televised as Scotland's main club is having THEIR match televised...  

Nice to see where the SRU's priorities lie. Apparently Edinburgh have spent all their pennies on free bandanas.

Edinburgh team announced:

15 Greig Tonks

14 Nikki Walker

13 Dougie Fife

12 Nick De Luca

11 Tim Visser



10 Harry Leonard

9 Sean Kennedy



1 Alasdair Dickinson

2 Ross Ford CAPTAIN

3 Willem Nel

4 Grant Gilchrist

5 Izak van der Westhuizen

6 Dimitri Basilaia

7 Roddy Grant

8 David Denton



Substitutes

16 Aleki Luitui

17 Wicus Blaauw

18 Geoff Cross

19 Sean Cox

20 Hamish Watson

21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne

22 Michael Tait

23 Jack Cuthbert

That's an excellent team selection. Spot on 1st XV. Very pleased to see Blaauw on the bench as well.

Delighted Basilia is at 6, NDL and Fife in the centres (rather than Cuthbert or Atiga) and that's our first choice back three, which is pretty decent.

Also pleased for Harry Leonard. Time for he and Kennedy to step up to the plate. A very exciting and young Scots qualified half back pairing. Whatever happens they'll have the full backing of the supporters.

Only slightly odd one for me is Michael Tait. Don't know who that is, and surprised that Francis is completely left out.

Points of note - Francis is injured to Leonard steps in (solves that debate!).

Cox has been dropped - surprising but Solomons maybe wants the mental Georgian to counter the ball carrying threat of Talei - i.e. tell him to chop him down at every opportunity!

Michael Tait, ex Newcastle and under 20s player, on the bench. Anyone know anything about him?

Visser and Walker form a powerful wing combo. Let's hope they are fit.

Positive team selection, with the team looking a lot more balanced than previously. Looking forward to seeing what Blaauw can do off the bench.

 

Dragons Team to face Edinburgh
Dan Evans, Matthew Pewtner, Pat Leach, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos, Jason Tovey, Richie Rees; Owen Evans, T.Rhys Thomas (c), Dan Way, Adam Jones, Matthew Screech, Lewis Evans, Nic Cudd, Netani Talei.

Replacements
Hugh Gustafson, Phil Price, Francisco Chaparro, Rob Sidoli, Toby Faletau, Jonathan Evans, Kris Burton, Ross Wardle

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH I want to go to the game tomorrow!!!!

Still can't believe sidoli has a contract, surely that money would be better spent elsewhere?

Wait, one of your players has the last name screech??

Sidoi does well for us. Screech looking good too

Screetch!

SBTB:8) 

funnyExiledScot wrote:That's an excellent team selection. Spot on 1st XV. Very pleased to see Blaauw on the bench as well.

Delighted Basilia is at 6, NDL and Fife in the centres (rather than Cuthbert or Atiga) and that's our first choice back three, which is pretty decent.

Also pleased for Harry Leonard. Time for he and Kennedy to step up to the plate. A very exciting and young Scots qualified half back pairing. Whatever happens they'll have the full backing of the supporters.

Only slightly odd one for me is Michael Tait. Don't know who that is, and surprised that Francis is completely left out.

For Edinburgh, that's an unusually good and cohesive team selection. Amazing what can be achieved when you actually play specialists in specialist positions. Tonks, Visser and Walker is a back three with strength and nous. Hope Solomons gives them a couple of matches together.
 
Looks like the five Latvian heavies that I paid in cash behind the Scottish Parliament building came through as good as their word. Only five hundred nicker to stand on Francis' foot for a couple of hours. I even had change left for some chips.

Michael Tait was at Newcastle for quite a few years and was pretty close to their first team about 3 years ago until he damaged his knee pretty bad. He was out for just over a year with that injury as he had added complications with infection etc after the operation. Not heard to much about him playing the last year or so.
From what i remember playing against him he was a pretty direct and physical centre who had a decent turn of pace on him.
A bit surprised though they have taken him on trial when there are centres in the premiership who are probably more deserving of a shot at Edinburgh.

Majestic83 wrote:Michael Tait was at Newcastle for quite a few years and was pretty close to their first team about 3 years ago until he damaged his knee pretty bad. He was out for just over a year with that injury as he had added complications with infection etc after the operation. Not heard to much about him playing the last year or so.
From what i remember playing against him he was a pretty direct and physical centre who had a decent turn of pace on him.
A bit surprised though they have taken him on trial when there are centres in the premiership who are probably more deserving of a shot at Edinburgh.

Good info Maj - thanks. I agree that getting someone like Alex Grove back or Duncan Taylor from Sarries would seem to be more intuitive hires.

George Carlin wrote:

munkian wrote:I'll worry about away form when we start regularly getting 4 points at home again (the odd 5 would be nice too)

 

Same for me on that George.

Dragons team is ok. I would've preferred Wardle or Hughes on the right wing. I've never really been impressed by Pewtner for us. Also Chaparro would start over Way in my team. Good enough side out, but not sure how we will go.

Majestic83 wrote:From what i remember playing against him he was a pretty direct and physical centre who had a decent turn of pace on him.
A bit surprised though they have taken him on trial when there are centres in the premiership who are probably more deserving of a shot at Edinburgh.

I'd say more "disappointed" than surprised. We haven't been good at mining talents from the Premiership.

Thanks for the info.

Is he not Alan Tait's son? Might explain it...

Here's hoping

Is Adam Hughes injured? He didn't feature against Ulster either.