Squad 19/20

[TheSmidge]

Another resigning coming this morning with strong hints of DVDM!

[Croft_No.6]

Edinburgh Rugby have been handed a massive boost ahead of Saturday’s European Challenge Cup match against Agen at BT Murrayfield with the re-signing of star winger, Duhan van der Merwe.

[Pitfitter446]

That is great news, now for him and Darcy to run riot on Saturday.

[Tichtheid]

Great stuff, I can see him topping Viss's record eventually, he's playing in a better team than TV ever did, but he's also not the only try scorer.

[The Nudger]

More good news judging by the photos on the official club website is that Chris Dean looks like he's back in full training. I thought he was really good last year and if he can maintain that standard will be a very valuable player for us during the 6 nations. Pretty sure I saw big Fraz in the background as well, another who we could really do with having back.

[Tichtheid]

Looking through the Scotland squad I think we'll be missing pretty much our starting pack for the games during the 6N period, we have games against Cardiff, Scarlets, Connacht, Kings and Cheetahs, so three of our immediate rivals in the conference plus two difficult away games in SA.

I can't see us getting many players back, tbh, all four props will either be in the match day squad or kept aside in case of injury. We might get one of Toolis or Gilchrist back, similarly Haining or Crosbie, but I'd love to see Luke get a run during this 6N. I hope we can call Miller back from the 7s, there are on going tournaments but he has proved a more than useful addition to the team this season so far. We still have Big Bill and Kunavula and of course JB, I guess Steenkamp must be offski by now?

Pyrgos will be retained, so Charlie Shiel will get some more time on the park, he really does look the business, so the squad for the games during the 6N will look something like

Schoey, then ? - (seems like an odd time to let Marfo go)
Willemse, Cherry, Fenton
McCallum, Stanley (assuming Ceccerelli is retained by Italy)
Fraz, Carmichael, Hodgson, Thompson
Barclay, Mata, Kunavula, maybe one of Haining or Crosbie, Miller?

Groom, Shiel, Nutton?
vdW, Hickey, Baggott

Dean (crosses fingers), Taylor, Bennett, JJ,
vdM, Hoyland, Farndale, Sau, Fife maybe?

[Friday Knight Lights]

We'll likely get Toolis, I'm not convinced GG will be in every 23 either with Cummings looking mustard and Skinner to be added later. Definitely one flanker (Haining) maybe two (Crosbie) back, also I don't think both Kinghorn and Graham will be in every 23. Probably a prop too.

[Tichtheid]

We'll likely get Toolis, I'm not convinced GG will be in every 23 either with Cummings looking mustard and Skinner to be added later. Definitely one flanker (Haining) maybe two (Crosbie) back, also I don't think both Kinghorn and Graham will be in every 23. Probably a prop too.

Graham is a nailed-on starter for me, Kinghorn covers Hogg and Maitland. They always retain players on the day in case someone turns an ankle in the warm up, so even if he's not in the 23 I'd expect Kinghorn to be with Scotland for the whole time.

Gray and Cummings looked very good against Exeter, Gray was my motm, they would be my starting locks, with the caveat that Cummings still has one or two things to prove at the higher level.

[robdinsdale]

Toolis has re-signed, which is good news. The best lineout operator in the league and important part of the pack.

[Tichtheid]

Toolis has re-signed, which is good news. The best lineout operator in the league and important part of the pack.

Good news, he still has four years or more at his best.

There was a list of 20 OOC players a few pages back, we must have re-signed well over half of them by now, Rambo and WP are two of the big names still to extend, iirc

[TheSmidge]

Another resigning coming at 12 noon...

[TheSmidge]

Rambo on “long-term deal”.

[Tichtheid]

Rambo on “long-term deal”.

Good stuff, we must have re-signed at least a dozen from that list of twenty OOC players a few pages back.

Has anyone been keeping tabs?

[The Feral Goat]

Unless i have missed someone it appears to be key men first (or at least announced first)

Still quite a bit to be announced and defo need a couple of 10s for next season

Sutherland - extended
McInally - extended
Fenton
Cherry
Nel
Ceccarelli
Stanley
Toolis - extended
Hodgson
Thomson
Barclay
Bradbury - extended
Shiel - extended
VDW
Hickey
Baggott
Scott
VDM - extended
Fife
Hoyland

[TheSmidge]

Unless i have missed someone it appears to be key men first (or at least announced first)

Still quite a bit to be announced and defo need a couple of 10s for next season

Sutherland - extended
McInally - extended
Fenton
Cherry
Nel
Ceccarelli
Stanley
Toolis - extended
Hodgson
Thomson
Barclay
Bradbury - extended
Shiel
VDW
Hickey
Baggott
Scott
VDM - extended
Fife
Hoyland

Still plenty of work to do to full squad places for next season, particularly in the front row, half-back and back 3.

Would like to see us get Ashman from Sale (imagine the SRU would like him in our system) and that would probably mean one of Cherry or Fenton not renewing. Can’t see Baggott being retained but hope VDW and Hickey are, and Shiel is an urgent priority now.