Edinburgh V Cardiff Blues

by **RDW** Thu 10 Apr 2014, 11:20 am

Edinburgh V Cardiff Blues

At Meggetland, 7.45pm.
Referee: Dudley Phillips (IRFU, 42nd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Peter Allan, Graeme Marshall (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: John Kirk (SRU)

TV coverage - nope!

Edinburgh

15 Jack Cuthbert

14 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne

13 Matt Scott

12 Andries Strauss

11 Tom Brown

10 Harry Leonard

9 Grayson Hart

1 Alasdair Dickinson

2 Ross Ford

3 Willem Nel

4 Grant Gilchrist

5 Izak van der Westhuizen

6 Mike Coman CAPTAIN

7 Cornell Du Preez

8 David Denton

Substitutes

16 James Hilterbrand

17 Wicus Blaauw

18 Simon Berghan

19 Ollie Atkins

20 Roddy Grant

21 Sean Kennedy

22 Carl Bezuidenhout

23 Sam Beard

Cardiff Blues

15 Dan Fish, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Isaia Tuifua, 11 Chris Czekaj, 10 Gareth Davies, 9 Lewis Jones
1 Gethin Jenkins (c), 2 Kristian Dacey, 3 Taufa’ao Filise, 4 Lou Reed, 5 Filo Paulo, 6 Macauley Cook, 7 Josh Navidi, 8 Robin Copeland

16 Matthew Rees, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Bradley Davies, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Simon Humberstone, 23 Dafydd Hewitt

by **RDW** Thu 10 Apr 2014, 11:22 am

Solomons has kept the same squad that beat the Dragons away last week. Edinburgh's chances of a 6th place finish have pretty much evaporated but, after the win against the Dragons last week, if they can manage to win tomorrow and follow up against Zebre they will be looking strong for 7th place.

The Blues meanwhile pulled of a shock result against Ulster last game out, so confidence will be high going into this one. On the other hand, they haven't won away from home in over a year....and that was against Edinburgh.

by GLove39 Thu 10 Apr 2014, 11:25 am

Hope we can maintain our 100% winning record at fortress Megatland!

by **RDW** Thu 10 Apr 2014, 11:27 am

They have increased the capacity to 3700, and will increase it even further to 4400 for the Munster game.

If it wasn't for the fact that it is quite far out the city centre and there's no decent boozers near-by, it would be a very good venue! The lack of seating isn't great either, with the majority of the crowd standing.

by funnyExiledScot Thu 10 Apr 2014, 11:43 am

Never been to Meggatland so I may make an effort to go to this one. Bit of a trek mind, and I don't like the idea of there being a lack of booze. One thing I've learned as a season ticket holder at Edinburgh for the last two years - you need a couple of beers to avoid severe depression.

I'm pleased that Solomons favours continuity, and whilst I'd prefer Scott at 12 and Beard at 13, Scott did play well at 13 last week.

It's a good team and I expect us to be winning at home against Cardiff.

by **RDW** Thu 10 Apr 2014, 11:46 am

We have done well this season against teams we have dominated up front, and the Blues have one of the weaker packs in the league. Saying that they massively fronted up against Ulster, so we can't take anything for granted.

Conditions are set to be pretty good, so hopefully we'll see more from the time than we did against the Dragons.

I know it is very much a lot to ask for, but the only comfortable win we have had all season was when we put 40 odd points on Connacht - it would be nice to have a stress free win instead of a nail bighting finish!

by justified sinner Thu 10 Apr 2014, 12:02 pm

Don't get this lack of booze thing, Kilted Pig just across the road, pretty sure the club house was open for the last game as well and bottle bars in the ground. Not that difficult to get to either decent enough bus service.

Main gripe for me is lack of cover, if it's chucking it down could be a bit miserable.

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Thu 10 Apr 2014, 12:07 pm

justified sinner wrote:Don't get this lack of booze thing, Kilted Pig just across the road, pretty sure the club house was open for the last game as well and bottle bars in the ground. Not that difficult to get to either decent enough bus service.

Main gripe for me is lack of cover, if it's chucking it down could be a bit miserable.

But sinner, the lads want to know where the nearest champagne and oyster bar is?

by IanBru Thu 10 Apr 2014, 12:13 pm

ASBO, just outstanding.

by Guest Thu 10 Apr 2014, 12:30 pm

Blues squad announced:

15 Dan Fish, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Isaia Tuifua, 11 Chris Czekaj, 10 Gareth Davies, 9 Lewis Jones
1 Gethin Jenkins (c), 2 Kristian Dacey, 3 Taufa’ao Filise, 4 Lou Reed, 5 Filo Paulo, 6 Macauley Cook, 7 Josh Navidi, 8 Robin Copeland

16 Matthew Rees, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Bradley Davies, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Simon Humberstone, 23 Dafydd Hewitt

by **RDW** Thu 10 Apr 2014, 12:34 pm

IronMike wrote:Blues squad announced:

15 Dan Fish, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Isaia Tuifua, 11 Chris Czekaj, 10 Gareth Davies, 9 Lewis Jones
1 Gethin Jenkins (c), 2 Kristian Dacey, 3 Taufa’ao Filise, 4 Lou Reed, 5 Filo Paulo, 6 Macauley Cook, 7 Josh Navidi, 8 Robin Copeland

16 Matthew Rees, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Bradley Davies, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Simon Humberstone, 23 Dafydd Hewitt

Don't know much about those highlighted - any able to enlighten?

by Guest Thu 10 Apr 2014, 12:43 pm

Dan Fish can be a good player but suffers from inconsistency, hes been there or thereabouts for the past few seasons but kept out of the side because of Halfpenny.

Gareth Davies was playing for Cardiff RFC until last season, due to our demand for a 10 hes come through, hes very good with ball in hand and getting the backline moving, more of an attacking 10 but hes awful in defence.

Lewis Jones has been second choice for a while behind Lloyd Williams, nothing remarkable about his game.

Lou Reed came from the Scarlets, I don't rate him that highly, a solid player nothing more.

Maccauley Cook played Lock for the U20s, again, another solid player

Ellis Jenkins is tipped to be a big player, already showing promise and is potentially a better prospect than Navidi and Warburton in the long term.

Simon Humberstone is a not so young relative new comer to the Blues, nothing special.

by **RDW** Thu 10 Apr 2014, 12:46 pm

Cheers IronMike, and I'm relieved to hear you say the words soild, inconsistency, nothing remarkable and nothing special - sounds like half of the Edinburgh squad! Very Happy

Happy to return the favour for any of the Edinburgh guys.

by Guest Thu 10 Apr 2014, 12:52 pm

To best honest I don't know most of that Edinburgh squad, what happened to Visser, injured?

My cynicism is because the Blues have not been doing well financially until very recently, therefore we are lacking a lot of quality to give us that strength and depth we need. Though some of the youngsters do look promising like Corey Allen, Owen Williams and Rhys Patchell. And the New Zealand centre starting at 12 tomorrow is one to keep an eye on.

We have signed Tavis Knoyle next year to give some competition to the scrum halves and Josh Turnbull from the Scarlets to bolster the pack a bit.

by **RDW** Thu 10 Apr 2014, 1:02 pm

Visser broke his leg late last year, he's back training now.

15 Jack Cuthbert - Scotland cap, very strong under the high ball and massive boot. Very, very slow but has got faster, and has been one of our players of the season.

14 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne - talented scrumhalf , playing on the wing due to the number of wing injuries. Flaky in defence.

13 Matt Scott - Scotland international

12 Andries Strauss - Saffer with Super rugby experience. The epitome of solid yet unspectacular, buta good leader apparently.

11 Tom Brown - Scotland cap, small but very brave, bordering on reckless!

10 Harry Leonard - young Scottish stand off, been given the boot at the end of the season.

9 Grayson Hart - Scottish qualified Kiwi import, very direct scrum half with a good service. Scotland cap in the future if he carries on his development.

1 Alasdair Dickinson - Scotland international

2 Ross Ford - Scotland international

3 Willem Nel - Saffer project player. A beast in the loose but his scrummaging is inconsistent.

4 Grant Gilchrist - up and coming Scotland cap. Unlucky to have such fierce competition with Scotland in the 2nd row.

5 Izak van der Westhuizen - tough Saffer, leaving at the end of the season

6 Mike Coman CAPTAIN - New Kiwi signing, solid all-rounder and a very good leader. Made Coombs look like a rank amateur last week in how to deal with a ref. Expect him to be talking to the ref a lot.

7 Cornell Du Preez - A beast, and in the running for Pro 12 team of the year IMO. Edinburgh's best signing in a long time. He's not a 7 though.

8 David Denton - Scotland international

by funnyExiledScot Thu 10 Apr 2014, 1:05 pm

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:
justified sinner wrote:Don't get this lack of booze thing, Kilted Pig just across the road, pretty sure the club house was open for the last game as well and bottle bars in the ground. Not that difficult to get to either decent enough bus service.

Main gripe for me is lack of cover, if it's chucking it down could be a bit miserable.

But sinner, the lads want to know where the nearest champagne and oyster bar is?

Boom boom.

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Thu 10 Apr 2014, 1:12 pm

by PenfroPete Thu 10 Apr 2014, 2:06 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:
IronMike wrote:Blues squad announced:

15 Dan Fish, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Isaia Tuifua, 11 Chris Czekaj, 10 Gareth Davies, 9 Lewis Jones
1 Gethin Jenkins (c), 2 Kristian Dacey, 3 Taufa’ao Filise, 4 Lou Reed, 5 Filo Paulo, 6 Macauley Cook, 7 Josh Navidi, 8 Robin Copeland

16 Matthew Rees, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Bradley Davies, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Simon Humberstone, 23 Dafydd Hewitt

Don't know much about those highlighted - any able to enlighten?

Lewis Jones is 21, was the 2nd choice but now seems to be vying with full Welsh International Lloyd Williams for the starting line-up. He has 10 starts this season, with 12 as a replacement

http://www.cardiffblues.com/rugby/first_team_squad.php?player=90518&includeref=dynamic

Played for Beddau Youth, Blues Acadamy, then Pontypridd - where (as an 18 year old) he won the Man of the match award in the 2011 SWALEC Cup final, scoring 2 tries in the defeat of Aberavon. Also a member of Wales U20 at the 2011 RWC Junior World Championship

Here’s his thoughts ahead of the game against Edinburgh - http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_9257420,00.html

by **George Carlin** Thu 10 Apr 2014, 4:36 pm

Any truth to the rumour that Chris Czekaj has been the subject of one of the funnier chants from Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons fans over the past year?:

If Czekaj plays for Wales then so can I,
Yes, if Czekaj plays for Wales than so can I,
Oh, if Czekaj plays for Wales,
Czekaj plays for Wales,
My god if Czekaj plays for Wales then so can I.

I laughed my arse off when I first heard that.

by Guest Thu 10 Apr 2014, 4:52 pm

Haha thats great, truth be told Czekaj isnt that bad, hes a solid club player, you could compare him to Fussell in some respects, he does whats needed but doesn't have that x factor that will make him stand out.

by Bluedragon Thu 10 Apr 2014, 6:20 pm

Chris Czekaj really hasn't been the same player since he broke his leg playing for Wales in Australia. took a year to recover and came back a bit slower, seemed to have knocked his confidence too. Better now at fullback than wing where he no longer has the gas.

He did have the second best hairstyle in the Blues after Josh Navidi before they all shaved their hair off.

by 21st Century Schizoid Man Thu 10 Apr 2014, 9:16 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:Visser broke his leg late last year, he's back training now.

15 Jack Cuthbert - Scotland cap, very strong under the high ball and massive boot. Very, very slow but has got faster, and has been one of our players of the season.

14 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne - talented scrumhalf , playing on the wing due to the number of wing injuries. Flaky in defence.

13 Matt Scott - Scotland international

12 Andries Strauss - Saffer with Super rugby experience. The epitome of solid yet unspectacular, buta good leader apparently.

11 Tom Brown - Scotland cap, small but very brave, bordering on reckless!

10 Harry Leonard - young Scottish stand off, been given the boot at the end of the season.

9 Grayson Hart - Scottish qualified Kiwi import, very direct scrum half with a good service. Scotland cap in the future if he carries on his development.

1 Alasdair Dickinson - Scotland international

2 Ross Ford - Scotland international - can't hook, can't throw and really not very good at rugby

3 Willem Nel - Saffer project player. A beast in the loose but his scrummaging is inconsistent.

4 Grant Gilchrist - up and coming Scotland cap. Unlucky to have such fierce competition with Scotland in the 2nd row.

5 Izak van der Westhuizen - tough Saffer, leaving at the end of the season

6 Mike Coman CAPTAIN - New Kiwi signing, solid all-rounder and a very good leader. Made Coombs look like a rank amateur last week in how to deal with a ref. Expect him to be talking to the ref a lot.

7 Cornell Du Preez - A beast, and in the running for Pro 12 team of the year IMO. Edinburgh's best signing in a long time. He's not a 7 though.

8 David Denton - Scotland international - has lovely hair

Fixed that for you RDW

by Bluedragon Thu 10 Apr 2014, 10:22 pm

by XR Fri 11 Apr 2014, 8:10 am

Never heard that czekaj chant before. Just been announced he's off to Colomiers next season too.

by **RDW** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 11:27 am

Lovely day for a game of rugby today - no excuses for the conditions!

by munkian Fri 11 Apr 2014, 11:46 am

C'mon Embra !!! Very Happy

by GLove39 Fri 11 Apr 2014, 2:40 pm

Is there any coverage of the game at all?

by **RDW** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 2:45 pm

by **RDW** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 2:46 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:Edinburgh V Cardiff Blues

At Meggetland, 7.45pm.
Referee: Dudley Phillips (IRFU, 42nd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Peter Allan, Graeme Marshall (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: John Kirk (SRU)

TV coverage - nope!

Do you not read my threads?? Very Happy

by GLove39 Fri 11 Apr 2014, 3:05 pm

Course, but was wondering if I could tune the old wireless in and listen to the game?

by munkian Fri 11 Apr 2014, 3:05 pm

Nope

by **RDW** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 3:07 pm

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Fri 11 Apr 2014, 3:13 pm

Perhaps fES could send along his man servant with a flock of carrier pigeons?

by **BigGee** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 6:41 pm

S H-C is out injured and so Timbo Visser makes his long awaited return to Edinburgh colours. He will notice some differences to when he played last time, the main one being that tackling is no longer optional!

by **RDW** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 6:43 pm

Hope visser isn't being rushed back too early.

Regular updates would be appreciated from anyone at the game thanks!

by **BigGee** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 6:45 pm

RDW_Scotland wrote:Hope visser isn't being rushed back too early.

Regular updates would be appreciated from anyone at the game thanks!

He is warming the pine, but hopefully will get a bite in the second half. From his twitter feed he sounds like he is champing at the bit1

by justified sinner Fri 11 Apr 2014, 7:16 pm

Following on from my earlier post can confirm Kilted Pig serves booze

by **George Carlin** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 8:43 pm

Exfoliators 10 - 17 Cardiff at half time.

One for Matt Scott, two for the lively Corey Allen.

by **George Carlin** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 8:46 pm

Smeg. Looked away for a second and it's 10-24.

by **George Carlin** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 9:00 pm

17-24. Am bantering with myself here.

by jimbopip Fri 11 Apr 2014, 9:03 pm

George Carlin wrote:17-24. Am bantering with myself here.

Is that a metaphor? Shocked

by Argybargy Fri 11 Apr 2014, 9:04 pm

GC - before you go blind from selfbantering - is this televisualised anywhere?

by **George Carlin** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 9:07 pm

Argybargy wrote:GC - before you go blind from selfbantering - is this televisualised anywhere?

The filth I have to put up with on these boards (etc). Argy - nope, not on anywhere.

by Argybargy Fri 11 Apr 2014, 9:08 pm

Jimbo - beat me to it.... Not a metaphor by the way

by jimbopip Fri 11 Apr 2014, 9:17 pm

Argy, I refuse to beat you to anything, certainly not to Je t'aime mais non plus.

by Argybargy Fri 11 Apr 2014, 9:20 pm

Well that's a relief.....

by jimbopip Fri 11 Apr 2014, 9:21 pm

by justified sinner Fri 11 Apr 2014, 9:41 pm

That was awful the whole team looked disinterested. Only pass marks Cuthbert, Brown, Du Preez and Leonard.

by **RDW** Fri 11 Apr 2014, 10:14 pm

What the hell happened??

Incredibly disappointing result

by justified sinner Fri 11 Apr 2014, 10:23 pm

See above post, from the first five minutes the body language was wrong. Strauss coughed up two tries by missing tackles. Hart spent the whole game kicking the wrong length too far for the kick chase and not a long touch finder. We were woeful at the breakdown no number 7, that backrow doesn't work. VDW was rubbish, clearly his head is on the new contract. Just bleah.

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