Expectations

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Re: Expectations

Postby Friday Knight Lights on Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:23 pm

Stage 3 have full preseason with the squad though? He might not have for the Under20s getting a break after the JWRC but he would've been there if not. He should be better every year as a young player.

Anything less than repeating last year isn't good enough for me. Last year we had all the same problems! This year we at least know we have good players!
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Re: Expectations

Postby doedin on Tue Jul 10, 2018 9:14 pm

Crosbie was crocked in latter half of the season and has been rested over the summer to make sure he will be fit for pre season. He made an impression last season and I expect big things from him this coming season.

We will do well this coming season in terms of results but in order to make the next big step up we will need to develop our game further. I think it will take a bit of time to find the 9-10-centre combinations that work for us against the likes of the Leinster, Munster, Scarlets, etc. We need more consistency in our decision making, our attack and make better use of the ball when we get to the red zone. It will come but I reckon we will not see the Cockerill efforts fully materialise until 19-20. I'm happy with that, it is good to see the team developing and moving on, playing real rugby and being aggressive and fronting up to teams - thank AlainRolland after watching the dirge of the Bradley/Solomons eras.
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Re: Expectations

Postby Friday Knight Lights on Thu Jul 12, 2018 12:24 pm

There are combinations to sort out and hopefully the game plan develops however we probably hadn't heard of VdW this time last year and he started 10 for us in the quarter finals! So there's no excuse young players can't develop and combinations can't form whilst we match or push on from a QF this season.

With this group of players and Richard Cockerill leading the charge I believe we will win the league in 2-3 years time and anything else for me is a failure for me.
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Re: Expectations

Postby dolf_lundgren on Thu Jul 12, 2018 5:38 pm

I think that's pretty ambitious to say it would be failure not to win the league.

If you look at teams who have won it, they tend to go through a cycle of knocking on the door a few times before they get there. If you look at Glasgow their title win was building for a number of seasons. I would love to see it and maybe its the natural pessimism but I cant see us winning the league in that short a time period. Leinster are perennially strong and Munster are on the up again. Scarlets are strong now and the Os and Blues wont be as bad forever.

I think a semi next season would be a good result, play offs the minimum. We wont have enough depth to compete on all fronts, although it is better than for a long time, but any wins in Europe will be a bonus, we need to get a bit of home form though to try and encourage better attendances, which is the first priority. Too many situations like Blues in the quarter final where we get a crowd and the team don't show up.
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Re: Expectations

Postby Friday Knight Lights on Thu Jul 12, 2018 6:56 pm

Yeah and we're in our cycle now. We have excellent coaches, we have a ferocious pack with very, very good depth and our back line looks like it's coming together too.

I'm not saying we'll win the league this year - I don't think we will. However, with this side and with Cockers in charge I'd be disappointed if we didn't.
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Re: Expectations

Postby dolf_lundgren on Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:48 pm

I really hope you are right and it would be some transformation. My fear is that if we do take steps forward, will we be able to keep hold of Cockers? I know he has said he is here for the long haul but £££ talks.

I think we should keep bidding for the pro 14 final in Edinburgh, best to keep home advantage if we can. 8)
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Re: Expectations

Postby Edinburgh Shark on Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:23 pm

dolf_lundgren wrote:I really hope you are right and it would be some transformation. My fear is that if we do take steps forward, will we be able to keep hold of Cockers? I know he has said he is here for the long haul but £££ talks.

I think we should keep bidding for the pro 14 final in Edinburgh, best to keep home advantage if we can. 8)


Guessing last comment is at least a bit tongue in cheek but realistically where is there that can hold finals?

Aviva
Murrayfield
Principality - showing no interest in doing so
Celtic Park
Several test venues in SA - Brave choice considering likely finalists, one thing teams and supporters arranging trip over Irish Sea with week's notice, to arrange trip to SA is quite another.
Several venues in Italy - Brave choice again considering likely finalists, would Italians come as neutrals?

Realistically we're looking at the top 4 for at least a couple of years. Unless there's a change of heart in Cardiff it can't be long until it's Murrayfield's go again
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Re: Expectations

Postby dolf_lundgren on Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:22 pm

Absolutely.

At some point you would think they will need to look at a rotation, the Dublin, Dublin, Dublin, Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Dublin, type cycle is not good for the competition. SA would be interesting, it is possible that it would be exotic enough to draw a lot of us over if it was not often. Funny that Wales don't seem interested, is there not monster trucks or something at the Pirncipality that week every year? You would think that Cardiff city stadium or Swansea could host?

Anyway, worrying about where the final is would be a great problem to have. Although if both Scottish teams are in the mix it makes it easier to take a punt and get tickets early. Personall I am buying tickets for St James next year in expectation!
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Re: Expectations

Postby Rico on Fri Jul 13, 2018 7:54 am

If we wanted to be really "blue sky" about this, why not hold the final in a non-Pro14 country in Europe (assuming that's allowed under the rules)?

Germany seem to be taking an increasing interest in the sport (at international level, at least) and Spain hosting the Champions/Challenge Cup finals seems to have worked out alright, so either of those could be options for something a bit different.
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Re: Expectations

Postby Edinburgh Shark on Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:07 pm

dolf_lundgren wrote:Absolutely.

At some point you would think they will need to look at a rotation, the Dublin, Dublin, Dublin, Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Dublin, type cycle is not good for the competition. SA would be interesting, it is possible that it would be exotic enough to draw a lot of us over if it was not often. Funny that Wales don't seem interested, is there not monster trucks or something at the Pirncipality that week every year? You would think that Cardiff city stadium or Swansea could host?

Anyway, worrying about where the final is would be a great problem to have. Although if both Scottish teams are in the mix it makes it easier to take a punt and get tickets early. Personall I am buying tickets for St James next year in expectation!


Spoken to Welsh journalist Simon Thomas on Twitter and he believes it's considered too much of a risk, too many Welsh supporters wouldn't go unless their teams were involved.
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Re: Expectations

Postby adi1314 on Mon Jul 16, 2018 8:44 am

Scarlets have had a few changes for this season Bierne (sp?), Barclay & Scott Williams (?) and Pivac is on his way out, could be a bit of a minor rebuilding for them.

I would say Edinburgh squad is a Top 2 squad in that Pool. Some things need to gel including Pygros, Hickey etc, but 9-10 is a huge upgrade on the start of last season IMHO.
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Re: Expectations

Postby BeardofScottishRugby on Mon Jul 16, 2018 8:45 pm

That is how I understood Richard Cockerills comments as well.

I was under the impression from comments made by Cockerill that he had made an explicit decision to reshape the squad as smaller but better. Releasing some 20 players was the mechanism that let him do that, not wodges of extra cash.[/quote]
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