1872 Cup Champions

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Fife with the sevens squad for the next tournament. A sign that he's on his way? Certainly out of favour and we're not exactly overflowing with wing options.

Sign that he quite fancies going to an Olympics perhaps.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Fraser McKenzie has resigned. Odd for him, he's nowhere near the squad normally.

I assume Toolis x 2 and Bresler are both under contract. If Gilchrist is indeed staying then Edinburgh are looking well stocked at lock.

[Mikey Brown]

What happened to McKenzie? Seemed like a good prospect or am I misremembering?

[Cameo]

What happened to McKenzie? Seemed like a good prospect or am I misremembering?

yeah, before he left to England he was turning into a big aggressive lock. Looked like he had an international future

[ARM]

Fife with the sevens squad for the next tournament. A sign that he's on his way? Certainly out of favour and we're not exactly overflowing with wing options.

Sign that he quite fancies going to an Olympics perhaps.

Dougie Fife at the Olympics? Steady now...

[no sleep]

There are four changes to the starting XV that edged Dragons at Rodney Parade on Sunday, to take on Zebre at BT Murrayfield on Friday (1 April, kick-off 7.35pm).

On-loan stand-off Jason Tovey, who arrived at the club last week, will start in the 10 jersey with Phil Burleigh moving to inside centre. Moving up from the bench, Sean Kennedy starts in the number 9 jersey.

Blair Kinghorn, who kicked off last week’s win with a long-range penalty, remains at fullback while Damien Hoyland and Tom Brown again occupy the wing berths.

Meanwhile there’s just one change in the pack with Mike Coman returning to lead the team on the blindside, earning his 50th cap for the club in the process.

Packing down in the front row again are Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and WP Nel, with Anton Bresler and Ben Toolis making up the second row. Try scorer against Dragons Hamish Watson remains at openside and Cornell Du Preez runs out once more in the number 8 shirt.

There are three changes to the bench, with the return of Allan Dell and Will Helu, and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, who is within two points of kicking 300pts for the club, moving to the replacements.

The capital side currently sit in seventh spot in the table with four matches remaining in the league. Last year at BT Murrayfield Edinburgh overcame Zebre 37-0, five tries from McInally, Fife, Ford and Grant (2). The last time the two sides met, at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in October 2015, the outcome was reversed as Zebre won 19-11.

Head coach Alan Solomons said:

“Every game is absolutely vital for us and it is imperative that we deliver on Friday night.”

Friday’s fixture is crucial to the impact on the club’s aim to make the top six of the Guinness PRO12 and a place in the top tier of European competition next season.

Tickets can be purchased online, via phone on 0131 346 5180 and in person from the Ticket Centre in Roseburn Street.

Players not considered due to injury: Jack Cuthbert (knee), Grant Gilchrist (arm), John Hardie (neck/groin), Nasi Manu (neck), Fraser McKenzie (neck), Jamie Ritchie (hamstring), Matt Scott (arm), Andries Strauss (knee/ankle), Jade Te Rure (knee).

Edinburgh Rugby v Zebre, Friday 1 April, kick-off 7.35pm, BT Murrayfield

15 KINGHORN Blair
14 HOYLAND Damien
13 ALLEN Michael
12 BURLEIGH Phillip
11 BROWN Tom
10 TOVEY Jason
9 KENNEDY Sean

1 DICKINSON Alasdair
2 FORD Ross
3 NEL WP
4 BRESLER Anton
5 TOOLIS Ben
6 COMAN Michael (C)
7 WATSON Hamish
8 DU PREEZ Cornell

Substitutes

16 MCINALLY Stuart
17 DELL Allan
18 ANDRESS John
19 TOOLIS Alex
20 BRADBURY Magnus
21 HIDALGO-CLYNE Sam
22 DEAN Chris
23 HELU Will

[no sleep]

Hoping that My Little Pony does better at 12...

[switchskier]

Hoping that My Little Pony does better at 12...

I don't get the nick-name?

Same front row starting again I see. I hope that they're all getting the summer off completely as we're going to need them over the next few years.

[Big D]

Fraser McKenzie has resigned. Odd for him, he's nowhere near the squad normally.

I assume Toolis x 2 and Bresler are both under contract. If Gilchrist is indeed staying then Edinburgh are looking well stocked at lock.

Toolis No.2 (Non capped so No.2 no idea what order they exited Mrs Toolis) isn't yet under contract and is being courted by Melbourne Rebels or Western Force.

Gilchrist is still TBC and there are only Lewis Carmichael of the EDP locks in the East/Borders.

Edit:GG has signed for another year.

[Big D]

Still Andress over Berghan. FFS.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Drafting Tovey straight into the 10 shirt is basically an admission that Solomons f*cked up hugely with regards to the 10 shirt. The guy is inept.

Tovey is a good player though if this is televised i'll be watching him.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

PS not surprised SHC is dropped. Rank rotten the last few weeks. Rightly lost his Scotland bench spot to a man who had just a few mins of club rugby. Edinburgh really needed to sign a competent scrum half and not fowles, a bit of competition will give him that much needed kick up the backside.

[OptimisticJock]

Drafting Tovey straight into the 10 shirt is basically an admission that Solomons f*cked up hugely with regards to the 10 shirt. The guy is inept.

Tovey is a good player though if this is televised i'll be watching him.

It's on alba.

Prefer Burleigh at 12 where he's decent tbf.

What are the 12 options next season?

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Drafting Tovey straight into the 10 shirt is basically an admission that Solomons f*cked up hugely with regards to the 10 shirt. The guy is inept.

Tovey is a good player though if this is televised i'll be watching him.

It's on alba.

Prefer Burleigh at 12 where he's decent tbf.

What are the 12 options next season?

Shite but at least perma-crock is someone elses problem. I don't find Weir/Burleigh very inspiring. Not enough running threat.

[OptimisticJock]

Scott? I'd rather he stayed from an embra pov.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Scott? I'd rather he stayed from an embra pov.

He's permanently broken. He needs a break and to be eased back into top flight rugby with managed game time. Edinburgh's lack of options have probably meant he has come back sooner than needed on some occasions. Glasgow were under absolutely no pressure to rush Dunbar back for example.

I am fairly worried about his prospects over the next couple of years if there is one thing the prem clubs love to do it is flog their players. It is the polar opposite of what Scott needs.

[OptimisticJock]

Scott? I'd rather he stayed from an embra pov.

He's permanently broken. He needs a break and to be eased back into top flight rugby with managed game time. Edinburgh's lack of options have probably meant he has come back sooner than needed on some occasions. Glasgow were under absolutely no pressure to rush Dunbar back for example.

I am fairly worried about his prospects over the next couple of years if there is one thing the prem clubs love to do it is flog their players. It is the polar opposite of what Scott needs.

Better he had stayed then.


Anyone watching?

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Scott? I'd rather he stayed from an embra pov.

He's permanently broken. He needs a break and to be eased back into top flight rugby with managed game time. Edinburgh's lack of options have probably meant he has come back sooner than needed on some occasions. Glasgow were under absolutely no pressure to rush Dunbar back for example.

I am fairly worried about his prospects over the next couple of years if there is one thing the prem clubs love to do it is flog their players. It is the polar opposite of what Scott needs.

Better he had stayed then.


Anyone watching?

Aye... Couple of things. Solly talking primarily about that new boys kicking game... Hmmm... Might make no difference who we have at fly half if we boot away all the ball we get.

Also... Caught the end of Albas news... Scotland have a fucking beach volleyball team.

That is all.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

Never mind... Seems like Kennedy is going to do all of our crap clearance kicking.

[OptimisticJock]

Ha. Pebble volleyball.

Bradbury's time to shine.

FFS don't let your full back try to clear 4 guys out.

[Edinburgh in Exile]

I wouldn't really call that high. Eskimo is about 5 foot 2, and he dipped into it.

Nice kick. Fair fucks.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Tovey has done more in 13 minutes than Burleigh has done all season.

Bradbury is a lot bigger than I remember. Is that guy still growing.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Bradbury is making the most of this, carrying everywhere.

[OptimisticJock]

Tovey has done more in 13 minutes than Burleigh has done all season.

Bradbury is a lot bigger than I remember. Is that guy still growing.

Must have a year in him

[hugh_woatmeigh]

I wouldn't really call that high. Eskimo is about 5 foot 2, and he dipped into it.

Nice kick. Fair fucks.

Aye he's a real manlet.