Edinburgh 2024/25

[Mikey Brown]

I hope he does. Good for him.

[Cameo]

Yeah good on him. Been a great player but time to move on. May even be rejuvinated in a shorter season.

[BaldiePete]

Edinburgh have a friendly against Saracens on Friday night. There’s a few squad and academy players getting a chance but they’ve only listed six replacements, have they run out of players?

Not Yet Scottish Fergus Burke picked for Saracens but of particular note is the return of Andy Onyeama-Christie after his ankle injury.


Edinburgh R McCann; S Leweni, M Bennett, F Thomson, R McKnight; C Scott, C Shiel (c); R Hislop, H Morris, J Sebastian, R Carmichael, G Young, E McVie, T Currie, L McConnell. Subs: J Blyth-Lafferty, M Jones, A Williams, E Hasdell, C McAlpine, J Shedden

Saracens: T Elliot; R Segun, A Lozowski, O Hartley, L Cinti; F Burke, I van Zyl (c); E Mawi, J Hadfield, F Balmain, H Tizard, H Wilson, T McFarland, M Eke, N Michelow. Subs: J Isaaca, R Carre, A Clarey, K Pearce-Paul, J Gonzalez, G Simpson, L Johnson, B Jackson, P Brantingham, K Sylvester, A Onyeama-Christie, R Hammick, J Hallett, C Bracken.



Unavailable for Edinburgh: Matt Scott (neck), Ben Healy (hip), Harry Paterson (concussion), Emiliano Boffelli (hamstring), Jamie Hodgson (tricep), Lewis Wells (ankle), Tom Dodd (shoulder), Luke Crosbie (pec), Connor Boyle (knee), Hector Patterson (foot), Jack Hocking (pec).

International duty: Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry, Patrick Harrison, D’arcy Rae, Grant Gilchrist, Sam Skinner, Marshall Sykes, Ben Muncaster, Jamie Ritchie, Matt Currie, Darcy Graham, Duhan Van der Merwe

U20 International duty: Olly Blyth-Lafferty, Jamie Stewart, Freddy Douglas, Oliver Duncan, Hamish MacArthur, Isaac Coates, Ross Wolfenden, Nairn Moncrieff, Jack Brown

[Big D]

Don't really care about a friendly but it's incredible to see the name A Onyeama-Christie listed. Terrific news.

[BaldiePete]

Vellacott has been re-signed till summer 2027. Now give him more starts.

[BaldiePete]

Vellacott gets a start and Douglas gets a bench place. He should be starting. Currie out on the wing again. Ashman starts FFS.

Edinburgh: W Goosen; M Currie, J Lang, M Tuipulotu, R McCann; R Thompson, B Vellacott ©; B Venter, E Ashman, P Hill, M Sykes, S Skinner, B Muncaster, H Watson, M Bradbury. Subs: P Harrison, R Hislop, D Rae, G Young, F Douglas, A Price, C Scott, J Brown.

Benetton: R Smith; I Mendy, T Menoncello, I Brex, P Odogwu; J Umaga, A Uren; T Gallo, B Bernasconi, S Ferrari, S Scrafton, E Snyman ©, A Izekor, M Zuliani, T Halafihi. Subs: A Creevy, M Spagnolo, G Zilocchi, F Ruzza, R Favretto, M Lamaro, A Garbisi, T Albornoz.

Unavailable: Mark Bennett (quad), Emiliano Boffellli (hamstring), Connor Boyle (knee), Luke Crosbie (pec), Tom Dodd (shoulder), Ben Healy (knee), Jamie Hodgson (tricep), Harry Paterson (foot), Matt Scott (neck), Charlie Shiel (concussion), Lewis Wells (ankle).

Rest protocol: Dave Cherry, Grant Gilchrist, Darcy Graham, Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman, Duhan van der Merwe.

[Cameo]

Yeah, decent team but wish Douglas was starting.

[Big D]

I'm past debating with anyone who thinks Everitt and co should remain.

Players need to shoulder blame too but they are a shockingly coached team.

[BaldiePete]

Another terrible performance. Shat the bed at the end, 2 minutes to play, Edinburgh lineout on their 22, lose it for the umpteenth time and Benetton go the length for the winning try. In commentary they said Edinburgh had the most one out passes in the URC which doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. When they got near the line everybody knew it was going to be one out passes until we coughed the ball up.

[BaldiePete]

I’m getting tired of thinking that’s a decent team only for them to play like shit. But come on, it’s the fucking Dragons and they’re playing at home.


Edinburgh Rugby (versus Dragons ) : W Goosen; D Graham, M Currie, J Lang, D van der Merwe; R Thompson, B Vellacott co-©; P Schoeman, P Harrison, D Rae, M Sykes, G Gilchrist, J Ritchie, H Watson, M Bradbury. Subs: D Cherry, B Venter, J Sebastian, G Young, F Douglas, A Price, C Scott, R McCann.

Unavailable: Mark Bennett (quad), Emiliano Boffellli (hamstring), Connor Boyle (knee), Luke Crosbie (pec), Tom Dodd (shoulder), Ben Healy (knee), Paul Hill (neck), Jamie Hodgson (tricep), Ben Muncaster (concussion), Harry Paterson (hamstring), Matt Scott (neck), Mosese Tuipulotu (suspended), Lewis Wells (ankle).

[Cameo]

I’m getting tired of thinking that’s a decent team only for them to play like shit. But come on, it’s the fucking Dragons and they’re playing at home.


Edinburgh Rugby (versus Dragons ) : W Goosen; D Graham, M Currie, J Lang, D van der Merwe; R Thompson, B Vellacott co-©; P Schoeman, P Harrison, D Rae, M Sykes, G Gilchrist, J Ritchie, H Watson, M Bradbury. Subs: D Cherry, B Venter, J Sebastian, G Young, F Douglas, A Price, C Scott, R McCann.

Unavailable: Mark Bennett (quad), Emiliano Boffellli (hamstring), Connor Boyle (knee), Luke Crosbie (pec), Tom Dodd (shoulder), Ben Healy (knee), Paul Hill (neck), Jamie Hodgson (tricep), Ben Muncaster (concussion), Harry Paterson (hamstring), Matt Scott (neck), Mosese Tuipulotu (suspended), Lewis Wells (ankle).

Yeah, have to be beating Dragons with a bonus point. Could we not have started Douglas. I know we don't want to rush him, but he still hasn't starter a URC game and Dragons at home is about as good an opportunity as you are going to get.

[Big D]

It's a must 5 pointer. No excuse really.

[BaldiePete]

According to RugbyPass Dylan Richardson is being lined up to replace Dave Cherry who is rumoured to be off to France. I’d be happy with that, as long as he’s not expected to be backup to Ashman.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/test-roo ... -scotland/

[BaldiePete]

They got the five points against a poor Dragons team. All tied up in the first half but it would have been more if not for some terrible handling. They suffered from the Edinburgh/Scotland disease of falling off the game at the start of the second half. Luckily Dragons were only good enough to take advantage of that to score one try. Darcy deservedly MOTM. DvDM off very early with an ankle knock.

[Cameo]

According to RugbyPass Dylan Richardson is being lined up to replace Dave Cherry who is rumoured to be off to France. I’d be happy with that, as long as he’s not expected to be backup to Ashman.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/test-roo ... -scotland/

Yeah, though in theory that puts Scotland's top three hookers at one club once Cherry has gone (though personally I prefer Hiddlestone). Need Harrison to be getting games.

[Cameo]

They got the five points against a poor Dragons team. All tied up in the first half but it would have been more if not for some terrible handling. They suffered from the Edinburgh/Scotland disease of falling off the game at the start of the second half. Luckily Dragons were only good enough to take advantage of that to score one try. Darcy deservedly MOTM. DvDM off very early with an ankle knock.

A win, but worry about DVDM. Seen a picture of him in a moon boot.

Probs sounding like a broken record but with the win sewn up at half time, why did Douglas only get 10/15 minutes at the end?

[BaldiePete]

DVDM is out injured for at least this week and is awaiting an MRI scan result.

Full injury update. That’s four back row injuries. We need to give Douglas a good run at 7 to see how he goes.

Duhan van der Merwe (ankle) – Awaiting results of MRI scan.
Marshall Sykes (foot) – Awaiting results of MRI scan.
Ben Muncaster (concussion) – Progressing through return to play protocols. Expected back next week.
Ben Healy (knee) – Back fit and available for selection
Harry Paterson (hamstring) – Back fit and available for selection
Emiliano Boffelli (hamstring) – Back in training. Remains week to week.
Mark Bennett (quad) – Out until mid-April.
Matt Scott (neck) – Out until late April.
Jamie Hodgson (tricep) – Out until late April.
Luke Crosbie (pec) – Out until June.
Tom Dodd (shoulder) – Out until June.
Lewis Wells (ankle) – Out until May.
Connor Boyle (knee) – Expected back in September.

[BaldiePete]

DVDM out until at least May.

[Big D]

Bad news for Edinburgh but at least both VdM and Sykes will be fit for the summer tours.

[BaldiePete]

Bad news for Edinburgh but at least both VdM and Sykes will be fit for the summer tours.

For DVDM the question is, which tour? Given the injury he might not make the Lions tour. If he doesn’t but he’s fit I’d give him a rest from the Scotland tour.

[BaldiePete]

Goosen has signed a 2 year contract extension. As one of Edinburgh’s few successes this is very welcome news.

[Cameo]

Bad news for Edinburgh but at least both VdM and Sykes will be fit for the summer tours.

For DVDM the question is, which tour? Given the injury he might not make the Lions tour. If he doesn’t but he’s fit I’d give him a rest from the Scotland tour.

I suspect the injury won't affect his Lions chances too much. Farrell knows what he can do and won't have been thinking about Pro14 or Challenge Cup form.

If he doesn't go, I'd take him with Scotland. I think we go full bore on this tour apart from in areas where we need to move on (like hooker and lock, though even there I'd be tempted to take everyone but look to play the newer players).

This tour will be tougher than the last one and World rankings are at stake. More importantly, I think we should treat these as proper games and our priority now should be improving our top team. We will already be missing a bunch of our best players too.

[BaldiePete]

Edinburgh go as strong as they can for the Challenge Cup against Lions, although I’d prefer Harrison to Ashman on the bench. Still no start for Douglas.

Edinburgh Rugby : W Goosen; D Graham, M Currie, J Lang, R McCann; R Thompson, B Vellacott co-©; P Schoeman, D Cherry, P Hill, S Skinner, G Gilchrist, J Ritchie, H Watson, M Bradbury. Subs: E Ashman, B Venter, J Sebastian, G Young, F Douglas, A Price, C Scott, J Brown.

Unavailable: Mark Bennett (quad), Emiliano Boffellli (hamstring), Connor Boyle (knee), Luke Crosbie (pec), Tom Dodd (shoulder), Jamie Hodgson (hip), Ben Muncaster (concussion), D’Arcy Rae (ankle), Matt Scott (neck), Marshall Sykes (foot), Mosese Tuipulotu (suspended), Duhan van der Merwe (ankle), Lewis Wells (ankle).