Edinburgh Rugby Supporters Club

fifelass · Established pro Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 42

Anyone know who is replaceing Craig Smith now he has moved to full squad?

Arlene · World Cup Star Joined: 07 Sep 2005 Posts: 579

Jim Thompson, the 23-year-old Heriot’s fullback/centre who signed for Edinburgh Rugby just yesterday, has been called up to the Scotland A squad for the 2008 Barclays Churchill Cup in North America.

Scotland A team head coach, Rob Moffat, who is also assistant coach for Edinburgh, said: “This is a great opportunity for Jim. He’s a talented young player with impressive natural ability and that’s why he’s been awarded a professional contract for next season.

“Having already developed on the international sevens stage, now is the time for Jim to prove himself at international XV-a-side level.”

Elsewhere in the backs, Edinburgh trio Matt Dey, Andrew Turnbull and Greig Laidlaw will also travel to North America.

Turnbull and Laidlaw will join the squad along with Thompson and Colin Gregor in North America following their involvement with the Scotland 7s squad at the Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s at Murrayfield this weekend (Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June).

Dey takes the place of Scott Barrow who has become unavailable and Thompson replaces Marcus Di Rollo who withdraws due to contractual obligations with his club, Toulouse.

Meanwhile, due to the promotion to the senior national team of forwards Geoff Cross and Craig Smith (the latter pulling out of the senior tour yesterday) and back Max Evans, Moffat today confirmed the players taking four of the five remaining places in the Scotland A squad.

With the withdrawal of Craig Smith, Rotherham prop Stuart Corsar is called up whilst Tommy McGee of Leeds Carnegie is a direct replacement for Geoff Cross.

One more forward will be added next week.

The Scotland A squad (sponsor Murray) to compete at the 2008 Barclays Churchill Cup in North America next month is…

Backs: David Blair (Edinburgh), Rob Dewey (Ulster), Matt Dey (Edinburgh), Colin Gregor (Glasgow Warriors), Steve Jones (Newcastle Falcons), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh), Calum MacRae (Edinburgh), Mark McMillan (Wasps), Roland Reid, Mark Robertson (both Edinburgh), Gordon Ross (Saracens), Jim Thompson (Heriot’s), Andrew Turnbull (Edinburgh)

Forwards: Stuart Corsar (Rotherham), Jon Dunbar (Leeds Tykes), James Eddie, Ed Kalman (both Glasgow Warriors), Andrew Kelly, Alan MacDonald (both Edinburgh), Tommy McGee (Leeds Carnegie), Andy Miller (Exeter), Scott Newlands (Edinburgh), Fergus Pringle (Edinburgh), Stevie Swindall, Fergus Thomson, Dan Turner (all Glasgow Warriors), David Young (Leicester Tigers), plus one more forward still to be selected.

Scotland A’s fixtures at the 2008 Barclays Churchill Cup
Saturday 7 June, Twin Elm Rugby Park, Ottawa – Canada v Scotland A (kick-off 4:30pm local time)
Wednesday 11 June, Richardson Stadium, Kingston – Argentina Pumas v Scotland A (kick-off 4:35pm)
Saturday 21 June, Toyota Park, Chicago – Finals Day

All of Scotland’s games will be broadcast live on Sky Sports – see skysports.com for more information

ratty · World Cup Star Joined: 16 Jul 2007 Posts: 315

Once again this squad highlights the lack of exposure to professional rugby problem in Scotland. We've got an amateur South African, several apprentices and a number of players who haven't played any rugby this year at all.

Jon · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 9:58 pm Post subject:

From the squad my match day 22 would be:

15 MacRae
14 Turnball
13 Dewey
12 Dey
11 Reid
10 Blair
9 McMillan

1 Young
2 Thomson
3 Kalman
4 Eddie
5 Turner
6 Newlands
7 MacDonald
8 Swindall

16 Kelly
17 McGhee
18 Miller
19 Dunbar
20 Laidlaw
21 Jones
22 Robertson

jimc · International Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 83

Jon · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 10:44 pm Post subject:

Its a fair cop - there were a few guesses there - worrying for Scotland...

The Nudger · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 11:08 am Post subject:

According to today's hootsman MDR is out of the tour because Toulouse have refused to release him due to 'contractual obligations' despite earlier in the season saying he would never play for them due to his heart condition. Does that mean tha he has a future at Toulouse after all? I've been critical of Marcus in the past but I would love to see him make some sort of success at Toulouse becasue I think he deserves great credit for backing himself to go there. It must have been an incredibly frustrating season for him and must have been particularly galling in the run up to the HC final when Toulouse did nothing but whinge about how many injuries they had in the backline but still wouldn't pick him.

It will be interesting to see if he gets any game time now that they have refused to let him tour.

Jon · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 12:23 pm Post subject:

They probably don't want him to have any heart issues whilst he is on their books - duty of care?

The Nudger · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject:

I wondered about that but presumably as he has been cleared by the Scotland medical staff then if anything did happen to him then any liability would lie with the SRU.

I've always thought there was something a bit fishy about this whole business. If as Toulouse contend, MDR is unable to play due to his heart condition then surely they would have released him from or paid up his contract. This is usually what happens if a player suffers some other kind of career ending injury. This suggests to me that the Toulouse medical staff are unable to prove that he is unfit to play.

The SRU have cleared him and they have a history of being overcautious when it comes to this as was seen with the Barry Stewart fiasco. It has always frustrated me a great deal that while we have endured years of scrummaging woes, the best Scottish tighthead of his generation had a very succesful career in the GP while not being picked for Scotland because the SRU did not consider him to be fit.

Rugby Girl · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject:

STILL TIME TO IMPRESS SAYS MOFFAT

Head coach Rob Moffat has named his first Scotland ‘A’ team for their opening game of the 2008 Barclays Churchill Cup in North America.

The squad was fully assembled on Tuesday evening when four players that took part in the Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s joined them in Ottawa along with Wasps scrum-half Mark McMillan who was on club duty at the Guinness Premiership final.

Despite naming his team today, Moffat stressed that there are still opportunities for players to impress ahead of the game on Saturday.

“We arrived on Saturday and have been training since Sunday and the players have prepared well. However the remaining members of the squad joined us on Tuesday so today is our first session as a full squad and I want to give everyone the best possible opportunity to stake a claim for a jersey ahead of the game.

“I’ve been encouraged by how the players have applied themselves so far and their desire to make this a successful tour. The team announced today is one I feel will do our country proud, but we still have training this morning and a captain’s run tomorrow to ensure that this is our best 22 for this particular game.”

Scotland A team to play Canada in the Barclays Churchill Cup at Twin Elm Park on Saturday 7 June (kick-off 4:30pm)

15 Calum MacRae (Edinburgh)

14 Mark Robertson (Edinburgh)

13 Steve Jones (Newcastle Falcons)

12 Rob Dewey (Ulster)

11 Roland Reid (Edinburgh)

10 Gordon Ross (Saracens)

9 Mark McMillan (Wasps)

1 Stuart Corsar (Rotherham)

2 Fergus Thomson (Glasgow Warriors) CAPTAIN

3 Ed Kalman (Glasgow Warriors)

4 James Eddie (Glasgow Warriors)

5 Dan Turner (Glasgow Warriors)

6 Scott Newlands (Edinburgh)

7 Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh)

8 Stevie Swindall (Glasgow Warriors)

Substitutes

16 David Young (Leicester Tigers)

17 Andrew Kelly (Edinburgh)

18 Fergus Pringle (Edinburgh)

19 Andy Miller (Exeter Chiefs)

20 Colin Gregor (Glasgow Warriors)

21 David Blair (Edinburgh)

22 Andrew Turnbull (Edinburgh)

Scotland A’s fixtures at the 2008 Barclays Churchill Cup

Saturday 7 June, Twin Elm Rugby Park, Ottawa – Canada v Scotland A (kick-off 4:30pm local time)

Wednesday 11 June, Richardson Stadium, Kingston – Argentina Pumas v Scotland A (kick-off 4:35pm)

Saturday 21 June, Toyota Park, Chicago – Finals Day

All of Scotland’s games will be broadcast live on Sky Sports – see skysports.com for more information.

Jon · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:25 pm Post subject:

The 30- seconds of game time for Mark Robertson this season must have swung his selection over Turnball - who has played in virtually every game this season and is top try scorer!

Good luck to them all - will probably watch as I can't watch the main game!

Oldsalt · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:31 pm Post subject:

Andy has got into the habit of checking his run too often. In the sevens at the weekend I don't remember him beating anyone at all on the outside, went inside a couple of times though. He should trust his speed and sometimes just go for it - beileve!

Good luck to the A side, I'll be recording the matches at least.

Jon · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:23 am Post subject:

I thought the same Oldsalt but did he not beat a Fijiasn on the outside to put us 14-7 up?

Oldsalt · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:05 am Post subject:

Wasn't quite 100% on that one, that's why I said as far as I can remember. I think Andy is a super player and can become even better if he is just that little bit more positive when attacking.
Best of luck to all the A team it isn't going to be easy at all out there. Wink

Weegie · International Joined: 15 Sep 2005 Posts: 71