Edinburgh Vs Connacht Friday 21st

[Friday Knight Lights]

As the Scotland's team slow decline into the bad old days of the late 2000s early 2010s continues in Rome this weekend let's look to Edinburgh which is althogther more exciting.

Good news we're getting Crosbie and Haining back. Same backrow. Second row Carmichael and South? Wonder if they'll go for Barclay and Smith on the bench with Mata moving to lock or play Thomson/Hodgson?

Hopefully Bhatti, Berghan and Scott are all released.

[liveinhope]

We'll get back one of Bhatti or Bergham.
Similarly one of Haining or Crosbie will travel as cover.
Obviously Pyrgos will travel.
Possibly Matt Scott will also travel though perhaps Steyn will go as he covers wing and centre.

[doedin]

We will surely get Graham back for a 50 mins run out to prove fitness? Sau might need a rest to allow his sore neck to recover?

[TheSmidge]

We'll get back one of Bhatti or Bergham.
Similarly one of Haining or Crosbie will travel as cover.
Obviously Pyrgos will travel.
Possibly Matt Scott will also travel though perhaps Steyn will go as he covers wing and centre.

I would assume Berghan is travelling as he can cover both sides of the front row. Or at least, he has done for Scotland before.

[TheSmidge]

15. Damien Hoyland (72)
14. Eroni Sau (8)
13. Mark Bennett (35)
12. Matt Scott (93)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (55)
10. Simon Hickey (32)
9. Nic Groom (10) CAPTAIN

1. Pierre Schoeman (38)
2. Mike Willemse (16)
3. Simon Berghan (76)
4. Stan South*
5. Lewis Carmichael (43)
6. Nick Haining (9)
7. Luke Crosbie (37)
8. Viliame Mata (69)

Replacements: 16. Cameron Fenton (18) 17. Murray McCallum (54) 18. Dan Winning* 19. Jamie Hodgson (5) 20. John Barclay (12) 21. Charlie Shiel (14) 22. Jaco van der Walt (53) 23. George Taylor (18)

Unavailable: Jack Stanley, David Cherry, Jack Blain, Fraser McKenzie, Rory Sutherland, Stuart McInally, Ben Toolis, Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Magnus Bradbury, Blair Kinghorn, WP Nel, Grant Gilchrist, Henry Pyrgos, Jamie Bhatti, Darcy Graham, Pietro Ceccarelli

Look like Bhatti and Pyrgos are travelling to Rome as 24th/25th man.

[Tichtheid]

T O’Halloran, N Adeolokun, K Godwin, P Robb, J Porch; J Carty, K Marmion;

D Buckley, S Delahunt, F Bealham, N Murray, J Maksymiw, P Boyle, C Fainga’a, J Butler (captain).

Substitutes: J Murphy, P McAllister, D Robertson-McCoy, E Masterson, E McKeon, C Blade, C Fitzgerald, T Daly.


I think Bergs has to last at least as long as Buckley, he may not start for them as first choice these days but he is still a ferocious scrummager.
That's a strong Connacht selection, our pack needs to front up

[The Feral Goat]

That is a strong squad we are putting out Graham and Kinghorn away from a first choice backline, big physical back row, strong front row, mobile seconds.

Despite the number missing I think that team should be winning at home….may not be pretty, but should be winning for me.

[Friday Knight Lights]

Connacht are a good side and even better in the international windows. It's a huge test for us and I'm very excited to watch it.

[doedin]

Bit worried about Berghan v Buckley. I seem to remember that Bergs struggled to cope with Buckley in previous games with Buckley getting low in the scrum and driving up. He was subbed by Nel who did a lot better being a shorter and squatter TH. Problem is Bergs is tall for a TH prop and he struggled to get set as low as Buckley who is a bit of of a short KelvinDeaker. I would have preferred to have seen McCallum start for this reason as Buckley will go off after 50+mins and then we could have brought Bergs on to run riot.

Otherwise happy with that team and we should have enough power in pack to win ball. Unfortunately the weather looks AlainRolland awful for Friday night, wet and very very windy, so it could end up a bit of a lottery and the conditions might suit Connacht more than us?

[biffer]

Bit worried about Berghan v Buckley. I seem to remember that Bergs struggled to cope with Buckley in previous games with Buckley getting low in the scrum and driving up. He was subbed by Nel who did a lot better being a shorter and squatter TH. Problem is Bergs is tall for a TH prop and he struggled to get set as low as Buckley who is a bit of of a short KelvinDeaker. I would have preferred to have seen McCallum start for this reason as Buckley will go off after 50+mins and then we could have brought Bergs on to run riot.

Otherwise happy with that team and we should have enough power in pack to win ball. Unfortunately the weather looks AlainRolland awful for Friday night, wet and very very windy, so it could end up a bit of a lottery and the conditions might suit Connacht more than us?

I remember Berghan having that problem previously, but don't recall it happening so often recently - might have developed his technique to deal with it? Will be interesting to watch.

[Tichtheid]

We've listed McCallum as replacement loosehead, Dan Winning with the no 18 jersey.

Can anyone offer any insight? I think I remember his name from the U20s.

[JDCSR]

I think Winning is a very decent prospect. He spent a big chunk (at least a year) out with a bad ACL injury so his development has perhaps been stunted but hopefully this is a sign he's back on track.

[liveinhope]

Wondered how Italy can keep hold of Ceccarelli? I am fairly sure Scotland are never able to use those furth of Scotland as 24th/25th etc man cover (eg Weir,CDP).
Thoughts?

[TheSmidge]

Wondered how Italy can keep hold of Ceccarelli? I am fairly sure Scotland are never able to use those furth of Scotland as 24th/25th etc man cover (eg Weir,CDP).
Thoughts?

Not necessarily so - the World Rugby Regulations are as follows:

9.15 For International Matches (whether such Matches form part of an International Tournament or otherwise (but excluding the Rugby World Cup Tournament and any International Tours)) if a Player is not included in either the 26 or the 23 Players selected in accordance with Regulation 9.16 below then, if such Player at the time of non-selection is located in the same Regional Association of the Rugby Body or Club for whom he plays, he shall return to that Rugby Body or Club, subject always to the provisions of Regulation 9.24.

9.16 Prior to an International Match, the following shall apply:

(a) Unions shall reduce their Squad size to 26 no later than 96 hours prior to the kick off of an International Match;

(b) 72 hours before the kick off of an International Match Unions shall announce and exchange a list of the 15 Players who will start the Match and up to 8 replacements/substitutes.

It all depends on your definition of "Regional Association", which I can't find officially defined. If this is just Italy, then he doesn't have to return. If it means the Six Nations, then he probably does. However, I would imagine that it is not the best idea to have someone flown in from another country's training camp to go straight into a match day squad. So, if he was officially released back, then it is not outwith the realm of possibilities that Cockers has decided not to use him anyway.

[robdinsdale]

So the Premier Sports streaming service is completely goosed tonight. Money well spent on that subscription!