HK round 3 - Racing Metro V Edinburgh

Saturday 8th December 2012, KO 20:00 UK time
Stade Olympique Yves du Manoir, Paris
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon

Teams:
[posted here when announced]

HC Form:
Edinburgh
Don't ask.

Racing Metro

20/10/12 Saracens 30 - 13 Racing Métro
13/10/12 Racing Métro 22 - 17 Munster
22/1/12 C Blues 36 - 30 Racing

Waffle:

So unfortunately for us Edinburgh fans we're back to the Heineken cup! After such a positive year last year Edinburgh have been ridiculously bad this year. Off the boil, not at the races, pure mince, baws - whatever words you want to use, the bottom line is Edinburgh have been terrible.

Racing on the other hand have had a mixed start - good win at home over Munster but loss away to Sarries. I was kind of hoping they would have lost 2 from 2 by now so they would lose interest, but unfortunately not.

I genuinely have no idea how Edinburgh will do, but I think we will lose. Worryingly we were bullied a bit by a significantly weakened Connacht pack, so am concerned what will happen again the beasts of Racing!

So i'm holding out for a losing BP, but in all honesty would settle for some points scored!

prediction - RM 27, Edinburgh 10

Hopefully the players still feel the sting of Munster and Saffacens. Combined with the dissapointment of the AI's, I would be dissapointed if none of our international players have cracked and gone insane with a hunger for blood on the pitch to redeem their embarrasing season so far, or if none of the youngsters see this as an opportunity to leapfrog said internationals in the pecking order.

I excpect, nay demand a yellow card for fighting from a player not known for being hot headed.

On a more serious note, players I want to see involved and stick their hands up in the next two games:

Funf, Brown, King, Leonard, Hunter, Walker, Watson, Bomber

Obviously not all at once, and unlikely to see all of them, but id settle for 4 of the above over the two games.

Edinburgh should be aiming to keep their recent momentum going - good luck

Good work RDW.

Does anyone know if Fife and Farndale are in the HC squad? Would be good to see them on the field. Similarly, can anyone update me on the injury wrapped in a riddle sellotaped into a conundrum that is Mr Benjamin Cairns?

If I were Bradley, I would try out any new combinations that he fancies given the dead rubber status of these games from a Gunners perspective.

Thank goodness that Big Izak looks like the real deal at lock.

Looking back, Munster came very close to winning away from home so there's definitely hope - but if the tight five don't front up, then Edinburgh are toast.

You weedge are being awfy nice just now - obviously the calm before the 1872 storm!

Farndale broke his leg a while ago and will probably still be out for a wee while yet. Fife is in the squad and will probably be on the bench.

No idea about cairnsy - they said mid to late November but can't see him being brought back straight into hk or 1872 action so suspect he'll get game time with Currie until the New year. He's been out for 15 months!!

Also - very happy with vdv. He's a big strong lad and brings real aggression to the forwards. Or maybe he's just averagely aggressive but looks like the hulk in comparison to the limp Edinburgh forwards!

I think that Scotland can look back on a massive amount of potential wasted in Cairns. What a shame.

No false niceness RDW .

We'll be even nicer when we've taken 10 points off the Diddies by the new year.

Agreed - cairnsy came along just at the end of Di rollo so was obviously a revelation in comparison.

Unfortunately for cairnsy one missed tackle against the welsh and the combination of Evans, de Luca and ansbro got in the way of his international career.

One of the most gifted natural 'rugby' players in Scotland IMO but the game has changed a lot even in this 15 months and I can't help but think he's been left behind

George Carlin wrote:
We'll be even nicer when we've taken 10 points off the Diddies by the new year.

+1

Never trust a 'nice' Weegie!!

Anyone going to the game? Probably gonna but tickets today and would be nice to be in a section not surrounded by Frenchies!

Nah, Sadly I'm not going. It's a bit dear with Xmas just around the corner. Might make the trip through to Edinburgh to watch from the pub though.

RDW_Scotland wrote: Anyone going to the game? Probably gonna but tickets today and would be nice to be in a section not surrounded by Frenchies!

There is usually a section for away supporters in stade yves du manoir. I dont expect it to be full with the recent dire performances from Racing (they manage to lose at home against Mont de marsan before the the AIs and the team morale seem to be very low). They just ended a 5 loss serie with a win against an equaly dreadfull stade français last weekend but it was a very poor game. I will certainly not bet on a Racing win. I might go depending on my mood but the last few times I went to see racing, the entertainment was not really there.

Good luck Edinburgh.

WHat hurts the most is that you get flashes of the team they could be, with just a wee bit more composure.

Last season we had some cracking performances and vicotrys in the HC. Beating Toulouse, London Irish, RM and Cardiff. Again against the Ospreys in the Rabo and Cardiff Blues this season we have shown in glimpses what we are capable of.

Shutting down Connacht in Galway doesn't sound like much but it will give the team a real boost.

Hopefully the Edinburgh season will have turned a corner and will go out and play some rugby now. There is a really good team in Edinburgh that is doing it's best to come out.

I'm not going either, in London this weekend - will be at the Murrayfield leg though.

Can't see this going well for us, but Edinburgh should take inspiration from England against the All Blacks. Play with intensity and togetherness, and attack and defend with confidence, and anything can happen.

Well I've bitten the bullet (and faced the wrath of my girlfriend for making us go to the rugby on our last nigh in Paris!!!!!) and got tickets in section 7/8 in case anyone is going. No idea if there are any Edinburgh fans there but from the sound of things we will probably be able to move around.

I can't see us wining this one

shame coz we need the momentum

It is heartening to hear that RM's form has been pretty poor too. I had visions of them being on a massive winning streak with confidence high.

As long as we are competitive (and score points!) I will be happy!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Well I've bitten the bullet (and faced the wrath of my girlfriend for making us go to the rugby on our last nigh in Paris!!!!!) and got tickets in section 7/8 in case anyone is going. No idea if there are any Edinburgh fans there but from the sound of things we will probably be able to move around.

section 7 is where the press sits so its quite decent. 8 is closer to the posts. one of the nice things about this stadium (if not the only one) is the bodega (the bar under a big tent) which is next to the ground and just behind the posts (you can drink, eat and smoke outdoors).

Enjoy

Thabks for the info!

Francis has been added to the hk squad at Ross Rennie's expense, who has been ruled out of the next 2 games.

They haven't said when he'll be back, but maybe promising that they've specifically said the next 2 games...

Fantastic news on the cairnsy front

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/top-rugby-stories/melrose-cup-tie-marks-big-step-in-cairns-injury-return-1-2677228

sounds like it's been rough for Cairns. Glad to see him getting back at it.

Hopefully he's still got it too - his pace and dynamic running has always been his strongest asset and knee injuries aren't good for those things!

Now that the T14 is in full flow, I actually fancy Edinburgh to sneak a win in this one, despite it being in Paris and the French who generally detest losing at home. The team are beginning to get a rythym to their play which given their start to the season can only be an improvement.

Will be interesting to see if gilchrist comes straight back in. Parker, vdv and cox have been playing very well.

The curse of being called up by Scotland!

That VDV is some unit, and I anticipate he'll become a great player. Is he Scottish elligible?

Not for 3 years...

[JUST IGNORE ME]

I'm assuming there's no fit Backrow?

Where did you see the team? Not on the website or social media...

Got it from the webshite...

Is that not the team from Connacht?

It's exactly the same squad....gc getting mixed up??

I was slightly surprised to see such continuity from Bradley!!

It's not his style at all.

I mean, theres no chance Hunter would be included in the team after pulling the strings against ospreys. That was a droppable offense, and I expect never to see him pull on an edinburgh shirt again! Throw him on the scrapheap with all our other tens who have done nothing wrong despite no proper development structure! Bah!

Still nothing on the website - suspect it won't be announced til tomorrow

Just arrived at our hotel in Paris and am doing some sly 606ing - apparently it is frowned upon to go on a rugby forum while you're in a romantic city with your girlfriend - who knew!

Not to worry RDW. It's not like you're going to abandon her for a rugby match on your last day in Paris or anything....

Chin up though - just take her here: http://www.lange20.com/lange20/Accueil.html

Rabbo Facebook page has the team announced as

Tonks
Brown
De Luca
Scott
Visser
Laidlaw
Rees
Yapp
Ford
Cross
Gilchrist
Cox
Denton
Grant
Mcinally

Chunk, titterell, nel, pjp, mcalpine, leck, Francis, fife



You were close gc!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Rabbo Facebook page has the team announced as

Tonks
Brown
De Luca
Scott
Visser
Laidlaw
Rees
Yapp
Ford
Cross
Gilchrist
Cox
Denton
Mcinally

Chunk, titterell, nel, pjp, mcalpine, leck, Francis, fife



You were close gc!

its missing a backrow player in the starting lineup and theres 2 locks on the bench, and i thought Ford was out for a while?
this doesnt smell right.

My bad - forgot grant!

Well that's the only place I've seen the team so got to wonder where they got it from...suspect it's correct though

No Backrow back up - talei and Basalaia injured

Heineken Cup: Racing Metro v Edinburgh (Sat)
Heineken Cup, Pool 1: Racing Metro v Edinburgh
Venue: Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, ParisDate: Saturday, 8 DecemberKick-off: 19:00 GMT
Coverage: Updates on BBC sport online

Edinburgh have made four changes to their forwards as they look for their first Heineken Cup points against Racing Metro.

John Yapp, Ross Ford and Geoff Cross will start, replacing Allan Jacobsen, Andy Titterrell and Willem Nel.

The other change is in the second row, where Grant Gilchrist returns in place of Perry Parker.

"We have the attacking options to record another famous win," said head coach Michael Bradley.

Bradley is expecting a reaction from the racing Metro players after they lost to Edinburgh home and away last season.

"To score 47 points away from home and not win and to be defeated by a last second drop goal at home will have caused a great deal of hurt for the Racing players and management," he said.

"A hurt for which they will seek revenge in these two games.

"Metro are a immensely physical team and have added more fire power to their squad since we last played.

"Like last season, our ability to cope with that, and their aggression, will be crucial to the outcome of this game.

"We've seen from our recent performances, particularly our win over Ospreys, that our pack has the ability to dominate the set piece and the contact area, and we will need a performance of that measure to establish a foothold in this game."

Piers Francis, the 22-year-old signed in the summer from Waikato Chiefs, has a place on the bench after being called up to the squad to replace the injured Ross Rennie.

Rennie suffered a shoulder injury during Scotland's defeat by the All Blacks last month.

Edinburgh go into the match in France not only looking for their first league points in the competition this season but their first points on the field of play after thumping defeats by Saracens and Munster.

Racing Metro opened with a victory over Munster but then lost away to Pool 1 leaders Saracens.

Edinburgh: Tonks, Brown, De Luca, Scott, Visser, Laidlaw (captain), Rees, Yapp, Ford, Cross, Gilchrist, Cox, Denton, Grant, McInally.

Replacements: Titterrell, Jacobsen, Nel, Parker, McAlpine, Francis, Fife, Jones.

Also related

RDW_Scotland wrote:No Backrow back up - talei and Basalaia injured

Watson. I know I keep saying it, but i want to see more of this guy, but even with the back row options so sparse, hes still not getting a game.

Where's VdW? Thought he'd been going well for the Gurners?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Where's VdW? Thought he'd been going well for the Gurners?

possibly not in the HK squad, but donw quote me on that. I know that of the two replacements you get, ones got to be a front rower, and weve added Francis as the other, so unless Izak was in it from before he arrived, hell be ineligible.

Gotcha, IBD

Calm before the storm - chilling out in the hotel before heading to the Parisian suburbs to sit and probably watching Edinburgh get pumped in -1 degrees!


Some points for us would be nice!

Really need a good result for Scottish rugby here.

Why can't the Reekie just realise that the pressure is off and they can play like it's, well, 2011.

Can I face watching this?