v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

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v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby Tichtheid on Tue Nov 23, 2021 3:05 pm

So, back to the day to day.

I imagine we won't see many back from international duty for this match, I assume Mike Blair has been working towards this game with that in mind for a couple of weeks.
We might see Sykes, Bradbury and Crosbie, they'd be a welcome addition to the pack.

Looseheads - Venter and Grahamslaw are the options, I don't want to say "only" because that could be taken the wrong way, but they are the only options that aren't Schoey, and he will be rested

Hooker - Cherry, with either McBurney or Harrison on the pine.

Tighthead - WP and De Bruin

Locks - I hope we see Sykes, plus Phillips. I suppose it would be too much to ask that Toolis is fit, we need him back.

Backrow - Crosbie, Bradbury and Muncaster would do nicely

Scrum half Velacott

Fly half Jaco

Left wing Hoyland

Inside centre - depends on who is fit, in no particular order Lang, Hutchison or Dean
Outside centre - I hope Bennett is recovered, otherwise JJ or Taylor who I saw was training again.

Right wing, I think Blain has been a bit below par so far, maybe Moyano here

Fullback - Immelmann, he was good last time out

Bench - whoever is left in the tight five, Boyle, Chamberlain/Savala, Taylor or one of the other centres, Shiel
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby BigD163 on Tue Nov 23, 2021 4:50 pm

Would hope several of the internationals are back. Hodgson, Haining and Mata haven't played for a couple of weeks. Kinghorn has a relatively light game last week.
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby joe soap on Tue Nov 23, 2021 6:37 pm

BigD163 wrote:Would hope several of the internationals are back. Hodgson, Haining and Mata haven't played for a couple of weeks. Kinghorn has a relatively light game last week.


Mata had a few games no?

Kinghorn did have a relatively light game last week, managed to avoid tackling as well
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby Tichtheid on Tue Nov 23, 2021 7:52 pm

I’m pretty sure Mata and Kunavula played against Georgia at the weekend and they played all of Fiji’s games. Atalifo wasn’t in the most recent Fiji side and I’ve been impressed with him, however the playing group not involved in internationals will have been together for the last few weeks and training for this one.
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby BigD163 on Wed Nov 24, 2021 1:03 am

Tichtheid wrote:I’m pretty sure Mata and Kunavula played against Georgia at the weekend and they played all of Fiji’s games. Atalifo wasn’t in the most recent Fiji side and I’ve been impressed with him, however the playing group not involved in internationals will have been together for the last few weeks and training for this one.



I meant to check on Mata before I posted but was running out of time.

Player rest will be an interesting one. The best 23 available really need to play Benneton and if Blair rests guys for Saracens then they could have an extended break as there is a free week the following weekend so someone like Watson who hasn't had a lot of rugby up to the internationals may benefit from playing these two then having a rest.

The way the fixtures are laid out I think the next 5 league games are key, they are against Dragons, Benneton, Glasgow x2 and Cardiff. After that there are some tough games, in our last 8 games we ay 4 of the current top 5 and a mini tour to SA. Connacht won't be easy either (Zebre should be).

With the way the conferences work, the three games with Benneton and Glasgow in and around Christmas will go a fair way to narrowing down the conference race.
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby Friday Knight Lights on Wed Nov 24, 2021 9:47 am

BigD163 wrote:Would hope several of the internationals are back. Hodgson, Haining and Mata haven't played for a couple of weeks. Kinghorn has a relatively light game last week.


I'd be hugely surprised if Sykes, Hodgson, Crosbie, Haining, Kinghorn aren't all playing. Sykes/Crosbie haven't played in 3 weeks! Kinghorn has played 100 minutes in a month and the only test there was 20 minutes Vs SA. Hodgson again played what 120 minutes?

Mata and Kunavula being rested but are they covered in SRU rest protocols? Could probably get away with Bradbury, Crosbie, Haining and Boyle making up the back row though. Or Muncaster get him involved.

Will be interesting to see where Kinghorn plays. The backs have mostly been training here (only 2 with Scotland) so wonder if he is on the bench.
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby Tichtheid on Wed Nov 24, 2021 12:41 pm

Bill has played 8 out of a possible 8 games on the trot, starting in 7 of them.

I'm wary of flogging him into injury or exhaustion/staleness.
Kunavula subbed twice for us and started the three Fiji tests.

I'd be more inclined to get the three I mentioned in the op starting, plus maybe Haining as an option.
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby robdinsdale on Thu Nov 25, 2021 8:28 am

Tichtheid wrote:Bill has played 8 out of a possible 8 games on the trot, starting in 7 of them.

I'm wary of flogging him into injury or exhaustion/staleness.
Kunavula subbed twice for us and started the three Fiji tests.

I'd be more inclined to get the three I mentioned in the op starting, plus maybe Haining as an option.


I think Bill must be due a rest. And it's an ideal chance for Bradbury to put in a strong performance.
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby TheSmidge on Thu Nov 25, 2021 3:32 pm

ִStrangely, Mike Adamson is the referee for this one and Jaco Peyper is officiating Bulls v Munster.

With COVID, it is understandable that ARs and TMOs couldn't be neutral, but very odd not to be able to put a neutral referee in place.
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby bignose on Thu Nov 25, 2021 7:21 pm

TheSmidge wrote:ִStrangely, Mike Adamson is the referee for this one and Jaco Peyper is officiating Bulls v Munster.

With COVID, it is understandable that ARs and TMOs couldn't be neutral, but very odd not to be able to put a neutral referee in place.


All referees are neutral. It's the perception of them that isn't
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby Tichtheid on Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:10 pm

Venter, McBurney, Nel, Sykes, Hodgson, Haining, Crosbie, Bradbury

Vellacott, Kinghorn, Moyano, Lang, Currie, Hoyland, Boffelli

Cherry, Courtney, Williams, Boyle, Muncaster, Pyrgos, Savala, Hutchison
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby Tichtheid on Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:16 pm

Hefty pack, with a first chance to see McBurney in action. Courtney is with Watsonians (ty google), 22 year old Kiwi, Scottish-qualified.

I’m excited to see Currie back for us, Boffelli had a tough time on Sunday, I hope he gets back on the horse tomorrow with a belter of a game
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby TheSmidge on Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:20 pm

Presumably Haining and Bradbury covering lock. With 3 experienced locks on the injury list and Gilcho rested, it shows how easy it can be to enter a full blown selection crisis in certain positions.

Very excited to see Boffelli in an Edinburgh shirt!
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby Tichtheid on Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:29 pm

TheSmidge wrote:Presumably Haining and Bradbury covering lock. With 3 experienced locks on the injury list and Gilcho rested, it shows how easy it can be to enter a full blown selection crisis in certain positions.

Very excited to see Boffelli in an Edinburgh shirt!



Boffelli has played against New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, France, Italy and Ireland in recent months, but can he do it at Rodney Parade on a wintery Saturday evening?
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Re: v Dragons Sat 27th of November.

Postby Friday Knight Lights on Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:41 pm

TheSmidge wrote:Presumably Haining and Bradbury covering lock. With 3 experienced locks on the injury list and Gilcho rested, it shows how easy it can be to enter a full blown selection crisis in certain positions.

Very excited to see Boffelli in an Edinburgh shirt!


And props! Who is Harrison Courtney? Have to question why the SRU let a man they clearly had doubts about allow McCallum to leave.

Exciting backline though! Bofelli is one of the best full backs in the league if his international form translates. Matt Currie is going to be very good as well.
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