Edinburgh v Newport Gwent Dragons, 27 November

                           
Edinburgh Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons
Friday 27 November 2015
KO: 19:35
BT Murrayfield

Live on BBC Scotland and BBC Wales

Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR, 44th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Sam Grove-White, Cammy Rudkin (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: Iain Goodall (SRU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

A. Head to Head

24 Played 24
11 Wins 12
12 Losses 11
1 Draws 1
476 Points 448

B. Form

11 October 2014
Edinburgh Rugby 24 - 10 Newport Gwent Dragons  

8 May 2015
Newport Gwent Dragons 19 - 5 Edinburgh Rugby

C. Teams

Edinburgh Rugby

[tbc]

Newport Gwent Dragons

[tbc]

Hope Boris the blade is fully fit for this. Can't stand the thought of Price v Nel again.

If not then at least make it Garrett v Nel.

Hoping to see a repeat of the last time these two teams me at Murrayfield!

I think it will come down to Solomons selection policy - normally it is play his best team every single game, all season long, but even he can't do that this year given there are 16 games in a row.

If our first choice front row plays I think it will be a long evening for the Dragons - they have annihilated all comers so far this season. If it is our reserve front row we will at least have parity but we probably won't be dominant. That would lead to Edinburgh having to find a way to win that doesn't involve demolishing the opposition scrum - it may be a good thing for the team to test whether or not they can do that.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Hoping to see a repeat of the last time these two teams me at Murrayfield!

I think it will come down to Solomons selection policy - normally it is play his best team every single game, all season long, but even he can't do that this year given there are 16 games in a row.

If our first choice front row plays I think it will be a long evening for the Dragons - they have annihilated all comers so far this season. If it is our reserve front row we will at least have parity but we probably won't be dominant.  That would lead to Edinburgh having to find a way to win that doesn't involve demolishing the opposition scrum - it may be a good thing for the team to test whether or not they can do that.

I don't believe such a plan exists in Solly's tactical notebook.

I'm taking a mate along who's never been to an Edinburgh game before, I therefore fully expect this game to be the worst 80 mins of rugby you have ever seen, which has been the case the last couple of times I've tried to introduce some friends to the delights of Murrayfield with 4k people in it.

one for the purists!

EWT Spoons wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Hoping to see a repeat of the last time these two teams me at Murrayfield!

I think it will come down to Solomons selection policy - normally it is play his best team every single game, all season long, but even he can't do that this year given there are 16 games in a row.

If our first choice front row plays I think it will be a long evening for the Dragons - they have annihilated all comers so far this season. If it is our reserve front row we will at least have parity but we probably won't be dominant.  That would lead to Edinburgh having to find a way to win that doesn't involve demolishing the opposition scrum - it may be a good thing for the team to test whether or not they can do that.

I don't believe such a plan exists in Solly's tactical notebook.

I'm taking a mate along who's never been to an Edinburgh game before, I therefore fully expect this game to be the worst 80 mins of rugby you have ever seen, which has been the case the last couple of times I've tried to introduce some friends to the delights of Murrayfield with 4k people in it.

one for the purists!

I should also warn you that I might be going along to this one as well. I think I was single-handedly responsible for the Michael Bradley era.....

I took my football mad friend to that horrific Scotland-Wales game in 2014 – the one with all the scrums and penalites.

He’s not been back since.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

EWT Spoons wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Hoping to see a repeat of the last time these two teams me at Murrayfield!

I think it will come down to Solomons selection policy - normally it is play his best team every single game, all season long, but even he can't do that this year given there are 16 games in a row.

If our first choice front row plays I think it will be a long evening for the Dragons - they have annihilated all comers so far this season. If it is our reserve front row we will at least have parity but we probably won't be dominant.  That would lead to Edinburgh having to find a way to win that doesn't involve demolishing the opposition scrum - it may be a good thing for the team to test whether or not they can do that.

I don't believe such a plan exists in Solly's tactical notebook.

I'm taking a mate along who's never been to an Edinburgh game before, I therefore fully expect this game to be the worst 80 mins of rugby you have ever seen, which has been the case the last couple of times I've tried to introduce some friends to the delights of Murrayfield with 4k people in it.

one for the purists!

I should also warn you that I might be going along to this one as well. I think I was single-handedly responsible for the Michael Bradley era.....

I thought you always by a season ticket but never actually use it?

I did back then! That was pre-babyfES. Now I just buy the ticket as a show of support, the rugby is a bonus!

RDW_Scotland wrote:I took my football mad friend to that horrific Scotland-Wales game in 2014 – the one with all the scrums and penalites.

He’s not been back since.

Do you not mean 2012? When every single scrum resulted in a penalty or free kick? I travelled I travelled up for that with young Bigson. it was his first international and bless him he loved it. Couldn't understand why everyone else was having a such a miserable time.

It was 2013 actually - we had them at home this year so we would have had them at home in 2013

Wasn't that another game ruined by Craig Joubert?

funnyExiledScot wrote:Wasn't that another game ruined by Craig Joubert?

Yes. That's where Joubeeeeeeeeeeeert!!! (while shaking fist) originally came from.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Wasn't that another game ruined by Craig Joubert?

That doesn't really narrow it down now does it?

Besides, the game I'm thinking of I'm sure it was Romaine Poite who was ruining the spectacle.

2013 was Craig Joubert. It was a horrible game of rugby.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:2013 was Craig Joubert. It was a horrible game of rugby.

Right you are on all three counts Luckless. It was a horrible match.

When Fatrick Swayzee got the only try of the match? Horrible, horrible afternoon

As far as horrible games go, I'm trying to remember the last time a game against Wales didn't have some kind of major drama!

Mossy's 100th cap (and Tom Evans' last cap) being by far the worst.

Im trying to remember the last time we lost...

2007

RDW_Scotland wrote:2007

I think you are mistaken, there was never a 2007

It went 2005, 2006, 2008

The last time we lost to Scotland was 8 yrs ago. I remember as I went up there to celebrate my 30th birthday. It was one of the worst games I ever went to and summed up the Gareth Jenkins era really. There were no tries and we lost 21 to 9. It was freezing and the worst game of rugby I think I have ever seen.

Since 2003 when the regions first started, we have played Scotland 13 times and have only lost once. There have been quite a few hidings for Scotland in those run of games as well.

2007 was pretty poor all round if I remember - Hook stuffed England and that was about it.

So Faletau is ruled out for us. Everything is crossed that Jackson is fit, for me

LordDowlais wrote:The last time we lost to Scotland was 8 yrs ago. I remember as I went up there to celebrate my 30th birthday. It was one of the worst games I ever went to and summed up the Gareth Jenkins era really. There were no tries and we lost 21 to 9. It was freezing and the worst game of rugby I think I have ever seen.

Since 2003 when the regions first started, we have played Scotland 13 times and have only lost once. There have been quite a few hidings for Scotland in those run of games as well.

I was at that game as well. Took the future Mrs fES to it and she complained that she couldn't walk at the end of the game as her legs were so cold.

It was an awful game. So bad that I'm not sure the consolation of Scotland winning mattered much to me at the time.

I went to. It even got to a point that I was celebrating Scottish penalties just to keep warm (dancing to Chelsea Dagger anyway).

Robin Davey thinks we have doubts over 5 back rowers and 6 backs for this game .

Risca Rev wrote:I went to. It even got to a point that I was celebrating Scottish penalties just to keep warm (dancing to Chelsea Dagger anyway).

Robin Davey thinks we have doubts over 5 back rowers and 6 backs for this game   .

I admire his optimism, personally I've got doubts over far more of our squad than that.

Risca Rev wrote:I went to. It even got to a point that I was celebrating Scottish penalties just to keep warm (dancing to Chelsea Dagger anyway).

Robin Davey thinks we have doubts over 5 back rowers and 6 backs for this game   .

I saw that, but if he's including players who've been out for a while then it makes it sound worse than it is.

Stone Motif wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:I went to. It even got to a point that I was celebrating Scottish penalties just to keep warm (dancing to Chelsea Dagger anyway).

Robin Davey thinks we have doubts over 5 back rowers and 6 backs for this game   .

I admire his optimism, personally I've got doubts over far more of our squad than that.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:I went to. It even got to a point that I was celebrating Scottish penalties just to keep warm (dancing to Chelsea Dagger anyway).

Robin Davey thinks we have doubts over 5 back rowers and 6 backs for this game   .

I saw that, but if he's including players who've been out for a while then it makes it sound worse than it is.

Probable actually. Good old Dobbin

Edinburgh Rugby team to play Dragons tomorrow (Friday 27 November) at BT Murrayfield in the Guinness PRO12 – live on BBC Scotland.



15 Greig Tonks



14 Tom Brown

13 Chris Dean

12 Matt Scott

11 Will Helu



10 Phil Burleigh

9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne



1 Alasdair Dickinson

2 Ross Ford

3 WP Nel

4 Alex Toolis

5 Fraser McKenzie

6 Mike Coman (CAPTAIN)

7 John Hardie

8 Cornell Du Preez



Substitutes



16 Neil Cochrane

17 Rory Sutherland

18 John Andress

19 Jamie Ritchie

20 Hamish Watson

21 Sean Kennedy

22 Mike Allen*

23 Blair Kinghorn



*Debutant



Players not available due to injury: Jade Te Rure (knee), Dougie Fife (groin), Damien Hoyland (leg), Otulea Katoa (leg), Allan Dell (hip), Stuart McInally (neck), George Turner (shoulder), Anton Bresler (concussion/ankle), Grant Gilchrist (Groin), Roddy Grant (knee), Ben Toolis (ankle) and Nasi Manu (Neck).

So who's going into the second row in the event of an injury? Jamie Ritchie looks long but he might just be gangly without being tall. Can Comon do a shift there?

Other than that critically thin point of failure I like the look of the squad.

Coman or Du Preez I suspect.He's managed to rotate the squad without massively weakening it which is good, but until he rests that front row we really aren't going to know how we'll get on without them.

Good to see Michael Allen on the bench - looking forward to seeing what he can do.

Dragons team to face Edinburgh

Carl Meyer, Tom Prydie, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Ashton Hewitt, Dorian Jones, Charlie Davies; Boris Stankovich, Elliot Dee, Shaun Knight, Matthew Screech, Rynard Landman ©, Nick Crosswell, Ollie Griffiths, Ed Jackson.

Replacements: Thomas Rhys Thomas, Phil Price, Lloyd Fairbrother, Cory Hill, Nic Cudd, Sarel Pretorius, Jason Tovey, Ross Wardle.

How far off your first choice is that?

We are missing welsh internationals Amos, Tyler Morgan and Faletau at 11, 13 and 8. Jack Dixon, another player on the fringes of Welsh set up, would usualyl start at 12.

Brok Harris would be soncsidered our first choice 3 although Shaun Knight has kept him out of the side recently.

Lewis Evans would usually start over Nick Crosswell.

So in conclusion, a fair way off.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Coman or Du Preez I suspect.He's managed to rotate the squad without massively weakening it which is good, but until he rests that front row we really aren't going to know how we'll get on without them.

Good to see Michael Allen on the bench - looking forward to seeing what he can do.

When is Berghan going to get a proper chance to play? Nel might well be the single most important player in the Scotland set up currently, there are really no comparative options playing regularly at tighthead so we really need to be trying out other SQ no3s.

Well I suspect Solomons is either going to have to 'throw' next week's game against Ulster away and rest the front row, or he'll do it for the London Irish game.

I hope he does it for the European game.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Coman or Du Preez I suspect.He's managed to rotate the squad without massively weakening it which is good, but until he rests that front row we really aren't going to know how we'll get on without them.

Good to see Michael Allen on the bench - looking forward to seeing what he can do.

Hopefully 40 minutes max for the first choice front row. What I don't get is Cochrane and Dickinson (as well as having plenty of semi decent young looseheads) are both proven players so why not rotate the LH and Hooker? Chemistry in the front row can't be the only reason surely?

Going to say 26-10 victory to Edinburgh with 2 tries from the set piece for Edinburgh. Newport don't have the pack to compete on what will be a wet night in a library.

Forecast looks bad - that'll be 4 weeks in a row Edinburgh have played in appalling weather.

Can't see it being an open running game!

Solomons goes first choice again. Quelle surprise. Slightly surprised Hardie is playing his 3rd game in a row rather than giving Watson a game.

First choice pack certainly once you take injuries into account. No idea what our first choice backline is yet though!

Scott and Helu apparently linked up well last week but they've been split apart again.

RDW_Scotland wrote:First choice pack certainly once you take injuries into account. No idea what our first choice backline is yet though!

Scott and Helu apparently linked up well last week but they've been split apart again.

True, but I'm not going to complain that Chris Dean is getting extended opportunities to prove himself this season. It'll be interesting to see where Solomons wants Michael Allen to play.

Also interesting that Tom Brown seems to have nailed down that right wing slot. I would have had Dougie Fife in ahead of him but Solomons seems to rate Brown.

Brown has been excellent this season - I'd make him a dark horse for the 6N training squad at the moment if he carries on his form.

He seems to have bulked up a bit too so isn't quite so much of a rag doll!

This selection shows whey Solomons is not a very good coach, instead of resting front rowers each at a time he will probably rest all of them for the Ulster game. This wouldn't have weakened the team that much had Sutherland started here and Andress started against his former team next week.

Poor from the experienced coach who doesn't seem to have learned from his mistakes of the last 2 seasons.

To be fair if you rotate one player at a time that would be 3 games with a 'weaker' team whereas if you do it on a oner then it is just one game.

I agree on Sutherland too - he would do a decent job. Personally I'd rest the unit over two weeks - Andress is the weakest backup so I'd rest Nel one week and give Andress the support of Dickinson and Ford. The following week bring in Sutherland and Cochrane and combine them with Nel.

Yes i would have Andress with Dickinson and Ford for Ulster and i would have played Cochrane and Sutherland tonight. As it is all 3 of them will likely be rotated for Ulster although the reserve front row hasn't done too badly against them at Murrayfield sorry BT Murrayfield last month.

So I've just stuck 12.50 on the Dragons to win and 2.50 on a draw. Hopefully my money's not safe. Dragon's are our second bogey team though.

The forecast has improved - it is still going to be bitterly cold and a bit of rain but the heavy rain and sleet isn't forecast until later.

Still pretty minging in Edinburgh today though.

Norwegian forecast has been pretty consistent since yesterday.

http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/Scotland/Edinburgh/

I only use the met office when YR doesn't suit me.