Edinburgh women - 2024/5 Celtic Challenge

[andthefoxsays]

The Celtic Challenge is back for another season! Edinburgh kick off with a home match against Glasgow tonight.

Here are some pre-match thoughts: https://bit.ly/ElectricOrangeBoogaloo

And here're the 2 teams.

Edinburgh Rugby side to face Glasgow Warriors at Hive Stadium (Friday 20 December, kick-off 7.35pm) – live on RugbyPass TV and BBC iPlayer.

15. Lucia Scott (Gloucester Hartpury)*

14. Cieron Bell (Loughborough Lightning)
13. Holly McIntyre (University of Edinburgh)*
12. Lucy MacRae (University of Edinburgh)*
11. Hannah Walker VICE-CAPTAIN (University of Edinburgh)

10. Hannah Ramsay (University of Edinburgh)
9. Rhea Clarke (University of Edinburgh)*

1. Alison Wilson (Heriot’s)
2. Aila Ronald VICE-CAPTAIN (University of Edinburgh)
3. Molly Poolman (Watsonian FC)
4. Adelle Ferrie (Corstorphine Cougars)
5. Natasha Logan (University of Edinburgh)
6. Merryn Gunderson (Corstorphine Cougars)
7. Alex Stewart CAPTAIN (Corstorphine Cougars)
8. Samaanther Taganekurukuru (Stirling County)

Replacements

16. Karis Craig (Watsonian FC)*
17. Talei Tawake (Watsonians FC)*
18. Hannah McMahon (University of Edinburgh)*
19. Lucy Christie (Newcastle University)*
20. Faye Sutherland (Corstorphine Cougars)*
21. Shona Campbell (GB Sevens)*
22. Sarah Denholm (Ealing Trailfinders)
23. Giselle Chicot (Watsonian FC)*

*Edinburgh Rugby debut

Think it's a really exciting Edinburgh 23 - really looking forward to seeing how they go.

A lot of experience (and experienced units) in the pack. And a real spine of Uni players in the backs, with some real class brought by the exiles.

Glasgow team also looks strong and with so much turnover, it be basically starting again.

1 Ailie Tucker (C)
2 Aicha Sutcliffe
3 Katie Lindsay
4 Holland Bogan
5 Kate Yeomans
6 Eilidh MacGilvray
7 Emily Coubrough
8 Freya Walker

9 Mairi McDonald
10 Ceitidh Ainsworth
11 Grace Deane
12 Lisa Martin
13 Orla Proctor
14 Sky Phimister
15 Roma Fraser

Replacements

16 Megan Hyland
17 Poppy Clarkson
18 Alex Ward
19 Aisha Zameer
20 Erinn Foley
21 Mary Nelson
22 Poppy Mellanby
23 Briar McNamara

[andthefoxsays]

Just in from the game. What a performance from Embra. And a huge win!

Didn't see that result coming after 10 minutes. Big games all over the team, and a huge impact from the bench.

Hopefully the sign of things to come from the squad this season.

Edinburgh Rugby 63 - 15 Glasgow Warriors

Edinburgh tries: Walker (3), Bell (2), Scott, Ronald, Campbell, Tawake, Sutherland
Cons: MacRae (5)
Pens: MacRae (1)

Next up - Brython Thunder at home on Saturday 4th Jan.

[The Feral Goat]

Watched it online cracking performance, who is the attack coach? asking for a neighbouring team

[andthefoxsays]

Edinburgh Rugby side to face Brython Thunder at Hive Stadium (Saturday 4 January, kick-off 2pm) – live on RugbyPassTV.

15. Lucia Scott

14. Cieron Bell
13. Giselle Chicot
12. Lucy MacRae
11. Hannah Walker VICE-CAPTAIN

10. Hannah Ramsay
9. Rhea Clarke

1.Alison Wilson
2. Aila Ronald VICE-CAPTAIN
3. Molly Poolman
4. Adelle Ferrie
5. Natasha Logan
6. Merryn Gunderson
7. Alex Stewart CAPTAIN
8.Samaanther Taganekurukuru

Replacements

16. Kaylee Fraser*
17. Talei Tawake
18. Hannah McMahon
19. Lucy Christie
20. Charlotte Fosbeary*
21. Pip Benson*
22. Sarah Denholm
23. Lisa Brown*

*Edinburgh Rugby debut

1 change to the starting XV, and 4 potential debuts off the bench. Will be a different challenge against a less familiar foe this week. Looking forward to seeing how the team go.

My wee preview here: https://open.substack.com/pub/theburghw ... d&r=3cmm5d

On another note, I'm not actually sure who the attack coach is. I haven't seen anyone named in any of the releases. So, that might mean Cruikshank herself is coaching the attack. Now she's full time, that might be more possible.

[bignose]

Do we seriously have to re-use the thread from last season for this year's games?

[andthefoxsays]

Unfortunately, I can't seem to start new threads. Which is why I've continued using this one.

[Pitfitter1105]

Good win, watched the game on BBCi player.

[bignose]

Good win, watched the game on BBCi player.

Closer than it should have been. Big improvement from the Welsh team from last week, and a dip in Edinburgh form. Glasgow look to be in some bother having lost heavily again this afternoon.

I suspect that the Irish teams will find more space around the edges of our defence unless we can alter the shape a bit. In the Glasgow game, and again today, the last defender is turning in on an already narrow shape, but they've had the foot speed to be able to recover. Better teams won't allow that recovery.

I'd also like to see Ramsay getting closer to the gain line, Clarke shifting it a little quicker and the entire set of backs running straighter lines to make more space for the speedsters.

Good win though, and winners are grinners.

[andthefoxsays]

Good win, watched the game on BBCi player.

Closer than it should have been. Big improvement from the Welsh team from last week, and a dip in Edinburgh form. Glasgow look to be in some bother having lost heavily again this afternoon.

I suspect that the Irish teams will find more space around the edges of our defence unless we can alter the shape a bit. In the Glasgow game, and again today, the last defender is turning in on an already narrow shape, but they've had the foot speed to be able to recover. Better teams won't allow that recovery.

I'd also like to see Ramsay getting closer to the gain line, Clarke shifting it a little quicker and the entire set of backs running straighter lines to make more space for the speedsters.

Good win though, and winners are grinners.

Yeah, definitely some work ons from that game, and the second half was pretty poor by our standards.

But, having said that, it was probably closer on the scoreboard than the pitch and it's another BP win.

There were some great performances in the forwards again this week, despite the lineout misfiring.

[bignose]

Edinburgh Rugby side to face Clovers at Virgin Media Park in the Celtic Challenge (Saturday 11 January, kick-off 3pm) – live on RugbyPass TV and on BBC iPlayer.

15. Lucia Scott

14. Cieron Bell
13. Giselle Chicot
12. Lucy MacRae
11. Hannah Walker VICE-CAPTAIN

10. Hannah Ramsay
9. Rhea Clarke

1. Alison Wilson
2. Aila Ronald VICE-CAPTAIN
3. Hannah McMahon
4. Adelle Ferrie
5. Natasha Logan
6. Charlotte Fosbeary
7. Alex Stewart CAPTAIN
8. Samaanther Taganekurukuru

Replacements

16. Kaylee Fraser
17. Talei Tawake
18. Megan Riach*
19. Lucy Christie
20. Lauryn Walter*
21. Pip Benson
22. Sarah Denholm
23. Nicole Marlow

Molly Poolman seemingly picked up a post-game citing which has earned her a 4-week ban for a dangerous clear-out. If you care for checking this sort of thing, it's about 20 minutes into the game at a ruck on about the half-way line after a clearing kick from Edinburgh. She drives the Brython scrum half backwards, they rotate and the scrum half ends up on her head. For my money, it's a neck roll and a yellow card but the citing officer obviously decided that he/she/they wanted to make their mark. Charlotte Fosbeary is in for Merryn Gunderson, who is noted as "unavailable". I don't know if that is injury or something else.

This will be a very different challenge for the Edinburgh team, and I hope that they can rise to it.

[andthefoxsays]

Edinburgh Rugby side to face Clovers at Virgin Media Park in the Celtic Challenge (Saturday 11 January, kick-off 3pm) – live on RugbyPass TV and on BBC iPlayer.

15. Lucia Scott

14. Cieron Bell
13. Giselle Chicot
12. Lucy MacRae
11. Hannah Walker VICE-CAPTAIN

10. Hannah Ramsay
9. Rhea Clarke

1. Alison Wilson
2. Aila Ronald VICE-CAPTAIN
3. Hannah McMahon
4. Adelle Ferrie
5. Natasha Logan
6. Charlotte Fosbeary
7. Alex Stewart CAPTAIN
8. Samaanther Taganekurukuru

Replacements

16. Kaylee Fraser
17. Talei Tawake
18. Megan Riach*
19. Lucy Christie
20. Lauryn Walter*
21. Pip Benson
22. Sarah Denholm
23. Nicole Marlow

Molly Poolman seemingly picked up a post-game citing which has earned her a 4-week ban for a dangerous clear-out. If you care for checking this sort of thing, it's about 20 minutes into the game at a ruck on about the half-way line after a clearing kick from Edinburgh. She drives the Brython scrum half backwards, they rotate and the scrum half ends up on her head. For my money, it's a neck roll and a yellow card but the citing officer obviously decided that he/she/they wanted to make their mark. Charlotte Fosbeary is in for Merryn Gunderson, who is noted as "unavailable". I don't know if that is injury or something else.

This will be a very different challenge for the Edinburgh team, and I hope that they can rise to it.

Very much agree with the Poolman citing. We'll miss both her and Gunderson. Nice to see Marlow back, too.

Also agree that this is a different and, arguably, harder challenge for us.

My preview for the game here: https://open.substack.com/pub/theburghw ... d&r=3cmm5d

[andthefoxsays]

A real sore one yesterday, Clovers winning 40-19. They were indeed that step up in quality we'd expected.

Our tried from Hannah Walker, debutant Lauryn Walter and Cieron Bell, with Lucy MacRae converting the latter 2.

Hopefully the team can dust themselves down and draw a line under it.

[bignose]

Just watched the game on catch up. In honesty, there was some improvement in the defensive structure from previous weeks, despite the scoreline. Clovers found it harder to go around the outside. The negative from that was that they went through the middle instead. Time after time, the ruck went undefended and the ball carrier simply placed the ball, got up, picked it up and trundled on.

Far too passive on both sides of the ball, as well. I want to see these girls wanting to impose themselves.

Sarah Denholm had a better game than she's had up until now. You can see that she has a feel for what's on and whats not, but the timing of the attacking plays around her and Hannah Ramsay looks like all the drills have been run with no opposition putting any pressure on. By default, everything happens so far away from the opposition that the defenders can just bounce out each time, and as soon as the defence puts pressure on - just at that point where the distances are getting more favourable for the attack - Edinburgh panic or drop the ball.

A couple of good scores in the last 10 minutes showed what might have been. Need to up the skill levels and the intensity if we're going to compete though.

[andthefoxsays]

Just watched the game on catch up. In honesty, there was some improvement in the defensive structure from previous weeks, despite the scoreline. Clovers found it harder to go around the outside. The negative from that was that they went through the middle instead. Time after time, the ruck went undefended and the ball carrier simply placed the ball, got up, picked it up and trundled on.

Far too passive on both sides of the ball, as well. I want to see these girls wanting to impose themselves.

Sarah Denholm had a better game than she's had up until now. You can see that she has a feel for what's on and whats not, but the timing of the attacking plays around her and Hannah Ramsay looks like all the drills have been run with no opposition putting any pressure on. By default, everything happens so far away from the opposition that the defenders can just bounce out each time, and as soon as the defence puts pressure on - just at that point where the distances are getting more favourable for the attack - Edinburgh panic or drop the ball.

A couple of good scores in the last 10 minutes showed what might have been. Need to up the skill levels and the intensity if we're going to compete though.

Good summary there. Hopefully a couple of personnel tweaks will have a positive impact this week.

Edinburgh Rugby side to face Gwalia Lightning at Hive Stadium
Sunday 26 January, kick-off 11.30am – live on RugbyPass TV.

15. Lucia Scott
14. Cieron Bell
13. Shona Campbell
12. Sarah Denholm
11. Hannah Walker VICE-CAPTAIN
10. Hannah Ramsay
9. Rhea Clarke

1. Talei Tawake
2. Aila Ronald VICE-CAPTAIN
3. Hannah McMahon
4. Adelle Ferrie
5. Natasha Logan
6. Charlotte Fosbeary
7. Alex Stewart CAPTAIN
8. Merryn Gunderson

Replacements
16. Karis Craig
17. Alison Wilson
18. Chloe Brown*
19. Lucy Christie
20. Samaanther Taganekurukuru
21. Pip Benson
22. Lucy MacRae
23. Nicole Marlow

Unavailable: Holly McIntyre, Millie Capaldi, Molly Poolman

*Edinburgh Rugby debut

My preview : https://open.substack.com/pub/theburghw ... medium=web

[bignose]

Edinburgh Rugby 27 - 29 Gwalia Lightning

Again, too passive. Waaay too passive. No line speed and let the Welsh forwards (and backs, if we're honest) make far too many metres both before and after contact.

Body position poor, especially when defending mauls and when close to the try line both in attack and defence. Managed to get themselves held up over the line three times, including at the last play of the game. That latter incident involved a tackled in an offside position as far as I'm concerned, but neither referee nor AR seemed to consider that possibility.

Game is at https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/l ... -lightning