Busy Bees at the Hive - Edinburgh 23/24

[septic 9]

Back in Edinburgh and at my first actual game in forever. Halftime and so far so good. Three tries, all through the forwards.

Zebre are pretty bad though and there's not much sign of an attacking game. Thing is, there just doesn't need to be. Hopefully we open up a bit in the second half.

Currie us my guy but he's not a winger. Dont get that selection at all. Is there noone else?

unusual number of back 3 injured - Boffelli, Paterson, Henry, Sweeney and of course Graham off the top of my head. Van der Merwe was also missing last night, really dreadful. Rare indeed that aplayer can be credited in one run with breaking 4 tackles and lose ground on each of them!

[BaldiePete]

Currie us my guy but he's not a winger. Dont get that selection at all. Is there noone else?

Edinburgh have a couple of sevens players on their books, Ross McCann and Jordan Edmunds. McCann is with the GB Sevens squad, I’ve no idea what’s happened to Edmunds.

[BaldiePete]

McCann has just been signed on a 2 year full-time contract. Presumably he was splitting his time with the Sevens when he played against Dragons at the start of the season.

[BaldiePete]

End of season leavers confirmed.

https://edinburghrugby.org/news-and-fea ... confirmed/

WP Nel, Viliame Mata, Charlie Savala, Luan de Bruin, Adam McBurney, Jamie Campbell and Scott Steele will all leave at the end of the current campaign.
Mata (Bristol Bears), Savala (Northampton Saints), De Bruin (Newcastle Falcons) and McBurney (Connacht) all join new clubs, while Steele announced earlier today his decision to retire from rugby at the end of the season.
Double centurion Nel confirmed that he will hang up his boots at the end of the season in March, while Campbell is set to pursue playing opportunities outside of the UK this summer.

It’s a shame for Scott Steele, he never managed to play a game for Edinburgh and now he’s retiring, at 30 years old, from professional rugby altogether due to the injuries he’s had.

[switchskier]

McCann has just been signed on a 2 year full-time contract. Presumably he was splitting his time with the Sevens when he played against Dragons at the start of the season.

See this drives me crazy. If he wasn't injured and they were presumably fairly advanced in contract negotiations then why wasn't he trusted to play against Zebre of all teams and instead we had Currie out of position on the wing?

So really, what's the point?

[BaldiePete]

McCann has just been signed on a 2 year full-time contract. Presumably he was splitting his time with the Sevens when he played against Dragons at the start of the season.

See this drives me crazy. If he wasn't injured and they were presumably fairly advanced in contract negotiations then why wasn't he trusted to play against Zebre of all teams and instead we had Currie out of position on the wing?

So really, what's the point?

He was away with GB Sevens in Singapore.

[switchskier]

McCann has just been signed on a 2 year full-time contract. Presumably he was splitting his time with the Sevens when he played against Dragons at the start of the season.

See this drives me crazy. If he wasn't injured and they were presumably fairly advanced in contract negotiations then why wasn't he trusted to play against Zebre of all teams and instead we had Currie out of position on the wing?

So really, what's the point?

He was away with GB Sevens in Singapore.

In which case I take it all back. Dammit.

Wonder if this is his wanting to concentrate on 15's post Olympics or if the funding is just drying up.

[septic 9]

Edin "develop" another half back*. Signed Ross Thompson from Glasgow.

* Heavy sarcasm. When did Edinburgh last develop a half decent half back

[switchskier]

Edin "develop" another half back*. Signed Ross Thompson from Glasgow.

* Heavy sarcasm. When did Edinburgh last develop a half decent half back

Laidlaw?

I quite like Thompson, but he's quite different from Healy, and not just in build. I'm not sure what the point is if he's going to come in and run the seconds in the way that Cammy Scott has, who I would have liked to see given more chances. It doesn't feel like needed competition, though I hope that I'm wrong.

Weird from Glasgow too to choose Hastings over Thompson, but he's clearly never been trusted by Smith.

[septic 9]

Edin "develop" another half back*. Signed Ross Thompson from Glasgow.

* Heavy sarcasm. When did Edinburgh last develop a half decent half back

Laidlaw?

I quite like Thompson, but he's quite different from Healy, and not just in build. I'm not sure what the point is if he's going to come in and run the seconds in the way that Cammy Scott has, who I would have liked to see given more chances. It doesn't feel like needed competition, though I hope that I'm wrong.

Weird from Glasgow too to choose Hastings over Thompson, but he's clearly never been trusted by Smith.

Yeah, Laidlaw from. 2007 iirc. Would fit I. Really well these days with glacial ruck ball, plenty of time for meerkat impression then pontless.box kick .

Point being no player has gone from academy or Scot U20 to Edin regular (never mind Scotland) since that at half back. A fckin disgrace.

[septic 9]

I quite like Thompson, but he's quite different from Healy, and not just in build. I'm not sure what the point is if he's going to come in and run the seconds in the way that Cammy Scott has, who I would have liked to see given more chances. It doesn't feel like needed competition, though I hope that I'm wrong.

Weird from Glasgow too to choose Hastings over Thompson, but he's clearly never been trusted by Smith.

I wish Thomson well. I think he is a decent back up 10, but not a top one, although he was excellent in Glasgow's last 2 games againt Italian opposition when he started.

Doesn't look like he fitted with Smith at Glasgow. OTOH Smith's reaction to the announcement that Hastings had been signed was less than enthusiastic. We have gone back completely to SRU central dictating totally who plays where. I just hopenthe next DOR can see the folly of that.

[switchskier]

Edin "develop" another half back*. Signed Ross Thompson from Glasgow.

* Heavy sarcasm. When did Edinburgh last develop a half decent half back

Laidlaw?

I quite like Thompson, but he's quite different from Healy, and not just in build. I'm not sure what the point is if he's going to come in and run the seconds in the way that Cammy Scott has, who I would have liked to see given more chances. It doesn't feel like needed competition, though I hope that I'm wrong.

Weird from Glasgow too to choose Hastings over Thompson, but he's clearly never been trusted by Smith.

Yeah, Laidlaw from. 2007 iirc. Would fit I. Really well these days with glacial ruck ball, plenty of time for meerkat impression then pontless.box kick .

Point being no player has gone from academy or Scot U20 to Edin regular (never mind Scotland) since that at half back. A fckin disgrace.

Aye, the lack of ability of develop anyone is really daming. Didn't Laidlaw come straight from the club game too, via a bit of sevens? Don't think that he was a product of the SRU system.

I'm trying to think who we've had and it's not a good list:

Scrum halves
Richie Rees
Nathan Fowler
Sean Kennedy
Charlie Shiel
Nic Groom
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
Henry Pyrgos

Fly halves
Harry Leonard
Greig Tonks
Nathan Chamberlain
Piers Frances
Gregor Hunter
Jaco van Der Walt
Jason Tovey
Rory Hutton (for old times sake)

Lots of players in there but also loads of imported players to block development. Hard to say that the results justified bringing any of them in.

SHC is still the one that bothers me. Feel he had real untapped potential (though maybe he knew it).

[Big D]

See this drives me crazy. If he wasn't injured and they were presumably fairly advanced in contract negotiations then why wasn't he trusted to play against Zebre of all teams and instead we had Currie out of position on the wing?

So really, what's the point?

He was away with GB Sevens in Singapore.

In which case I take it all back. Dammit.

Wonder if this is his wanting to concentrate on 15's post Olympics or if the funding is just drying up.

It his last chance to give 15s a go really. 2 year deal is short enough where he could try and revert back to 7s if need be.

[Big D]

We need to stop pretending Thompson is a young laddie. A lot of thr chat on Twitter etc makes it sound like he's not long out the u20s.

He's 25. That's older than Healy and Scott and 2 years younger than the likes of Kinghorn and Tuipulotu. This is a chance to kick on and get a head of Healy for a starting shirt.

[Cameo]

Yeah, good move for him I think as he needs to play some games and prove himself. I've yet to make my mind up how good he is. Looked very composed when he came in and seemed to read a game well but doesn't have any outstanding physical attributes.

Fingers crossed.

[BaldiePete]

Why a chaotic pile of shit that was. Zero control by a shambolic Edinburgh. Kinghorn goes from hero to zero, scores two tries then makes an absolute cunt of a kick through and gifts them the winning try.

At the start of the season who’d have thought Kinghorn would end up with a Champions Cup winners medal? His play has improved immeasurably since his move. He is being better coached and is surrounded by world class players. He used to have brain farts where he would do something incredibly stupid but now he doesn’t seem to feel he has to take those stupid risks. Even his kicking has improved.

[BaldiePete]

Edinburgh really struggling in the back three.

[BaldiePete]

A must win final game to get into the playoffs. The forwards look good, the backs less so (a theme of this season). If we’re going to score tries expect them to come from the front row. Apparently, Edinburgh have the most tries scored by props in the URC, Top 14 and English Premiership. I haven’t seen the stats for the backs but I’d expect them to be among the lowest.


Edinburgh (versus Benetton at Stadio Monigo on Saturday @ 1pm BST): J Lang; J Henry, M Currie, C Dean, D van der Merwe; B Healy, A Price; P Schoeman, E Ashman, W Nel, S Skinner, G Gilchrist ©, J Ritchie, L Crosbie, V Mata. Replacements: D Cherry, B Venter, J Sebastian, M Sykes, H Watson, B Vellacott, C Scott, C Dean.

Unavailable for selection: Emiliano Boffelli (back), Connor Boyle (back), Luan de Bruin (knee), Jamie Campbell (hand), Tom Dodd (bicep), Wes Goosen (foot), Darcy Graham (groin), Robin Hislop (knee), Mikey Jones (hamstring), Harry Paterson (quad), Scott Steele (hip), Nathan Sweeney (groin).

[Mikey Brown]

Lang at fullback is interesting, along with Dean starting at 12 and 23.

[switchskier]

Lang at fullback is interesting, along with Dean starting at 12 and 23.

Will be interesting to see. I might actually like it better than Currie at wing.

Win the game first and worry about tries later or it's all immaterial if you don't get a big win so give it a lash anyways? Would like the latter, expecting the former.

[BaldiePete]

Lang at fullback is interesting, along with Dean starting at 12 and 23.

Ha! Blame the Offside Line where I lifted the lineup from. Checking the Edinburgh website, it’s actually Bennett at 23.

[BaldiePete]

A disgraceful 31-6 loss to Benetton, five tries to nil against us. Benetton totally deserved the win, Edinburgh were toothless, clueless and useless. Unfortunately Everitt has had his contract extended but there’s no chance of an improvement with him in charge.

[switchskier]

That was a really awful to a very disappointing season. There's no incision or ideas in the backs: it's so strange how we can move from an all out but flaky attacking team under Blair to such a stodgy mess under Everitt with so many of the same players.

Pass marks for Ritchie who did some good spoiling. Fails for everyone else.

Am I foolish for hoping that Graham, Bofelli and Thompson make a huge difference next season? Or is that letting the coaching staff off too easily.

[septic 9]

That was a really awful to a very disappointing season. There's no incision or ideas in the backs: it's so strange how we can move from an all out but flaky attacking team under Blair to such a stodgy mess under Everitt with so many of the same players.

Pass marks for Ritchie who did some good spoiling. Fails for everyone else.

Am I foolish for hoping that Graham, Bofelli and Thompson make a huge difference next season? Or is that letting the coaching staff off too easily.

agree re Richie. Back to his best and has added several dimensions this season - carrying better, line out option a genuine one, kick and chase to recover kicks all much improved. Plus his jackal now as good as any. I will come back to Richie.
Otherwise TBH the backs could be Smith Carter Lomu Nonu Smith etc and it would make precious little if any difference. The forwards are poor or poorly coached or both. Ruck ball is about slowest in the league and presentation random to poor. All those big names are not delivering. Nel is done, has been for a season and more. Watson likewise; the odd flash simply not enough. Ashman has failed to live up to expectations, mine included. Schoeman a shadow of previous seasons. Gilchrist tries but again I think his time should be up. Skinner a big failure of a signing. Mata does not make the yards he used to.

So back to Richie. And Kinghorn. Kinghorn said he did not feel he was reaching his potential at Edinburgh, he felt there was complacency. Richie lost form stripped of Scotland captaincy then dropped by Scotland - now back to top form. These are messages, signals, lessons, call them what you will. But will/can edinburgh management hear them, understand them and act on them? Not at all sure they can

[Mikey Brown]

Ominous stuff.

I think Bradbury is returning a better player than he left, but sounds like it would take a fair bit more than that to get them back on track. Equally it may just be that Bradbury was used more effectively at Bristol.

Was there any detail given about the decision to continue with Everitt and whether any others were in the mix? It's such a shame they don't seem to be able to find any balance with their coaching/tactics, as it looked like they'd really found something with Blair and there were some good elements within the forwards under Cockerill.