Edinburgh vs Racing Metro Heineken Cup return fixture.

First topic message reminder :

Edinburgh Team:

15. Greig Tonks
14. Lee Jones
13. Ben Cairns!
12. Ben Atiga
11. Dougie Fife

10. Piers Francis
9. Chris Leck

1. John Yapp
2. Ross Ford
3. Geoff Cross
4. Robert McAlpine
5. Grant Gilchrist
6. Stuart McInally
7. Roddy Grant
8. Netani Talei

Substitutes
16 Andy Titterrell
17 Allan Jacobsen
18 Willem Nel
19 Perry Parker
20 Dimitri Basilaia
21 Richie Rees
22 Gregor Hunter
23 Sep Visser

Racing Metro:

(1-8) Ben Arous, Szarzewski, Ducalcon, Ghezal, van der Merwe, Battut, Le Roux, Cronjé
(9-15) Descons, Barkley, Imhoff, Dumoulin, Bousses, Bobo, Germain
Subs: Bianchin, Brugnaut, Orlandi, Qovu, Galindo, Belie, Martín Hernández, Estebanez

I dunno about a loosehead, I would say Yapp has done pretty well and equally chunk won't be distracted with international rugby. Will he play on for Edinburgh?

I wonder if the great unwashed out west will let us have Grant back?

Yapp has been fine, but I'd assume Chunk will retire, and behind him we don't really have anyone serious. Letting Kyle Traynor go (as well as Ryan Grant) isn't looking like the smartest decision.

Glasgow have Grant, Welsh and Reid, so perhaps one of those guys could come over (rather like us handing them Kellock a few seasons back), but I suspect something draft will happen instead. Some 30+ NSQ fatty on a bloated salary who was once compared as a teenager to a young Mattie Stewart.

Yeah Kyle Traynor seemed to be quite capable against Tonga too. He surprised me.

I think I've said it before on here but I think we're missing a big hard running centre who is a rock in defence and can cope on his own if isolated. We really lack a physical presence in the backs and someone like Lua Lua would make such a difference (not that he's available). The only strong and physical player we've got in the backs is Visser but he's a big jessie!

Basically looking for all the things we hoped Atiga would be.

RDW_Scotland wrote:I think I've said it before on here but I think we're missing a big hard running centre who is a rock in defence and can cope on his own if isolated. We really lack a physical presence in the backs and someone like Lua Lua would make such a difference (not that he's available). The only strong and physical player we've got in the backs is Visser but he's a big jessie!

Basically looking for all the things we hoped Atiga would be.

Graeme Morrison

That's not funny!

And anyway we can debate it all we want - we all know that Edinburgh will sign a NSQ 22 year old winger from the Argentinian 2nd division and a 6ft 4 and 16 stone 2nd row from the Welsh premiership!

RDW_Scotland wrote:And anyway we can debate it all we want - we all know that Edinburgh will sign a NSQ 22 year old winger from the Argentinian 2nd division and a 6ft 4 and 16 stone 2nd row from the Welsh premiership!

Whilst Richie McCaw comes out of his sabbatical to play for Glasgow, taking Carter and Conrad Smith with him - all persuaded by Lineen!

RDW_Scotland wrote:I think I've said it before on here but I think we're missing a big hard running centre who is a rock in defence and can cope on his own if isolated. We really lack a physical presence in the backs and someone like Lua Lua would make such a difference (not that he's available). The only strong and physical player we've got in the backs is Visser but he's a big jessie!

Basically looking for all the things we hoped Atiga would be.

Oh dear RDW, what have you said?? Atiga is all of those things - he has the mobility of a rock, can cope on his own of left isolated (in Greggs) and there can be no doubt whatsoever that he has a physical presence (the Royal Mail have given his backside its own postcode)

Call me a glutton for punishment but just watched the game on youtube. have to say we weren't as bad as I had read/heard!

Take away his goal kicking and I though Francis had a solid game. Similarly take away the lineout throwing and Ford had a good game!

One thing stayed the same though - Atiga really is rubbish. He's so slow and looks more cumbersome than our props!