All Time Embra XV

[dolf_lundgren]

Yes a reminder that people put strange things on Wiki and to check sources!

The allstars list is a pretty eclectic mix, with some from a long time ago and some other quite strange inclusions, Im not sure Andy Kelly would have been offended not to make the shortlist!

Also a few others who I have no recollection of playing for Edinburgh, Craig Chalmers (He played for Glasgow Im sure after Quins), Craig Joiner? Kev Utterson (not being harsh but would a struggle to get in a Kelso allstars team). Or are they including this as an Edinburgh/South super district team? Which in turn means there are some huge exceptions which have been missed out, no JOhn Jeffrey, Colin Deans etc. So it does seem a bit odd.

The real odd ones are some I don't think I have even heard of Julian Scott? Also Aly Common who I remember playing for Hawks and I think a few times for Glasgow but did he play for Edinburgh? If he did then it wasn't much and I don't see how he can be on this list.

[disco]

Yes a reminder that people put strange things on Wiki and to check sources!

The allstars list is a pretty eclectic mix, with some from a long time ago and some other quite strange inclusions, Im not sure Andy Kelly would have been offended not to make the shortlist!

Also a few others who I have no recollection of playing for Edinburgh, Craig Chalmers (He played for Glasgow Im sure after Quins), Craig Joiner? Kev Utterson (not being harsh but would a struggle to get in a Kelso allstars team). Or are they including this as an Edinburgh/South super district team? Which in turn means there are some huge exceptions which have been missed out, no JOhn Jeffrey, Colin Deans etc. So it does seem a bit odd.

The real odd ones are some I don't think I have even heard of Julian Scott? Also Aly Common who I remember playing for Hawks and I think a few times for Glasgow but did he play for Edinburgh? If he did then it wasn't much and I don't see how he can be on this list.

Aye there are definitely better sources than Wikipedia at times! If it helps:

Chalmers had a season at Edinburgh after the 4 districts were combined into 2. Moved to Gasgow the following season and then Harlequina the season after that (although only after playing the first 2 games of the 2000/01 Welsh-Scottish league for Glasgow).

Joiner played at least 70 games for Edinburgh between 2000 and 2005 (25 in Europe and 45 Celtic League, would have expected some Welsh-Scottish league games in 2000/01 too but records for that are thin on the ground!)

Utterson played all 12 Heineken Cup matches for Edinburgh in seasons 2000/01 and 2001/02 (rather unhelpfully EPCR's stats no longer differentiate starts and sub appearances).

The only Julian Scott I can see was a scrum half for Stew Mel in the late 80s (and early 90s) so he would have been pre-pro teams.

Aly Common never played for Glasgow in the pro era. Could possibly have played Inter-District for Edinburgh but without making any Heineken Cup appearances? Assuming the Alastair Common on EPCR is the same fella his only European games were for Italian teams.

[dolf_lundgren]

Cheers Disco, obviously my memory of when the teams merged is hazy, was that in the period in between the first and second coming of the Borders? Was Bryan Redpath the same?

That will be the Ally common, he played for Hawks and scotred 2 tries in the Cup final when they won, I have a feeling he scored the in the final next season too, or one of them might have been a bowl/plate. Bit of a guess but think he went to L'Aquila after that?

A few other names in there Harry Burnett? Tom McClung? Donald McDonaldson? Maybe from before my time.

Whoever put Ben Atiga and Sean kennedy in there are clearly taking the TonySpreadbury!

[liveinhope]

Not sure where this "shortlist" is some are referring to? Anyone enlighten please?
Tom McLung was well before my time but I do know the name and think he was a pretty famous Accies player,not sure if he got capped.
Harry Burnett was a superb centre in the Heriots championsip winning team of 1979-in a back division including Irvine and Gammell with the likes of Iain "the Bear" Milne and his brother Jim,also capped,in the front row.He was a big "crash ball" centre but also had a lot of pace.Got very close to a cap but was always kept out by Alasdair Cranston (Hawick) who played in partnership with Jim Renwick at club level.

[dolf_lundgren]

Thanks, yes before my time those ones. Why it is almost impossible to pick s composite side.

There is a selector tool on the website with a list of players for each position.

https://www.edinburghrugby.org/forms/ed ... -all-stars

[The Incredible Shug]

I only went for 'modern era' players.

Kinghorn; Graham, Bennett, Scott, van der Merwe; Paterson, Blair
Schoeman, McInally, Nel; Hines, Murray; Blackadder, Watson; Taylor
(Fordy, Dickinson, Berghan, Gilchrist, Mata, Laidlaw, Laney, Visser)

There are some controversial choices there. Probably Schoeman starting (penalties?), Berghan over Cross, no Chunk, no Ritchie.

It's another thought but, out of all the clubs in the Celtic League, we've probably had the best back-rowers (shout out to Cardiff Blues).
Taylor, Watson, Blackadder, Mata, Rennie, Ritchie, Hogg, Denton, Mather, Hardie, Bradbury, Talei, Grant...on the next rung, you have du Preez, Barclay and Haining, who have had some great matches for us, even if they're not club legends, and Coman and Manu are solid club players. Boyle and Crosbie will be on future lists if we can keep hold of them.

[The Incredible Shug]

Jokes lads, this is the real XV

Yapp
Hilterbrand
Gilding
Metcalfe
Parker
Blake
Nayalo
Reid
Rees
Francis
Katoa
Strauss
Atiga
Scholes
Penn

[joe soap]

Jokes lads, this is the real XV

Yapp
Hilterbrand
Gilding
Metcalfe
Parker
Blake
Nayalo
Reid
Rees
Francis
Katoa
Strauss
Atiga
Scholes
Penn

It sometimes an idea to put players into context of the overall team, its ethos, and the coaching team. That apart, Reid was a proper player, Francis went to a RWC. That's far from the worst Edin team ever, and it has a distinctly unpleasant flavour to it.

[The Incredible Shug]

Jokes lads, this is the real XV

Yapp
Hilterbrand
Gilding
Metcalfe
Parker
Blake
Nayalo
Reid
Rees
Francis
Katoa
Strauss
Atiga
Scholes
Penn

It sometimes an idea to put players into context of the overall team, its ethos, and the coaching team. That apart, Reid was a proper player, Francis went to a RWC. That's far from the worst Edin team ever, and it has a distinctly unpleasant flavour to it.

I'd happily admit to that. The depressing thing there is that some of those players were quality. Apologies if it came off as a bit knobbish or mean-spirited.

[dolf_lundgren]

Results of the "poll" are beign announced on twitter.

1. Chunk
2. Ford
3. Nel

All polls are only as good as those voting and being on line and on social media there are probably a lot who don't remember David Sole or Iain Milne, so hard to blame them for getting it completely wrong!

[The Incredible Shug]

Here's the team so far:

1 • Allan 'Chunk' Jacobsen
2 • Ross Ford
3 • WP Nel
4 • Nathan Hines
5 • Grant Gilchrist
6 • Todd Blackadder
7 • Hamish Watson
8 • Simon Taylor

Honourable mentions:
Alasdair Dickinson
Stuart McInally
Iain 'The Bear' Milne
Kenny Milne
Scott Murray
Pierre Schoeman
David Sole
Ben Toolis

[dolf_lundgren]

Maybe slightly controversial but I think Ross Rennie was a better player than Hamish.

He was awesome, but what he could have been was truly PaulHoniss, the only real weakness was passing under pressure, which let him down a few times, albeit to get into the position usually highlighted his other strenths of support running and pace.

I remember the 6n when Warburton broek through and they were raving about him, when you looked at all the stats Rennie blew him out of the water.

Id have Scot Murray as the no1 2nd row too.

[JDCSR]

Ross Rennie is my favourite ever player. I remember all the hype about Warburton and Pocock around a similar time and I rated a fully fit Rennie higher than both. Unbelievable player.

[The Feral Goat]

Interview with Hines on rugby pass

https://amp.rugbypass.com/news/nathan-h ... ssion=true

[robdinsdale]

Ross Rennie is my favourite ever player. I remember all the hype about Warburton and Pocock around a similar time and I rated a fully fit Rennie higher than both. Unbelievable player.

Rennie had real class. Unfortunate with his injuries and Scotland being dreadful at the time.