Glasgow v Edinburgh 22nd

[Frank]

Just back from Hampden and the rugby aside it wasn't the dreadful experience I was warned about. Easy in, easy parking and easy out. Little bit far from the pitch in the South Stand, but perfect view for both Boan's try.
Catering not great, but toilets much better than Murrayfield. The atmosphere was flat though, maybe too many transient Wedgies in attendance. Certainly not the hostility of Scotstoun.

The game was shocking. We were 2nd best at every aspect. Two soft consolation tries only polished the turd.
Considering the players available, this was dreadful.
Duhan continues to be a very average player who can do exceptional things. The gap between him and Steyn was huge and Steyn has been on the sick for months. Even his moment of the match was an epic failure.

One consolation is that we can't be that bad again. On the other hand, Smith gave his big hitters a rest while the likes of Ritchie and Gilchrist were flogged for the full 80. Home advantage and a noisy crowd may help or maybe I'm just clutching at straws.

[Castlecannon]

We have always been competitive in this fixture until today . Glasgow exposed our lack of cohesion and mentality . Oh for the days of Rambo , Mata , Watson, Kinghorn , Dean et al who stood up in these matches . Today was woeful . Contrarily I believe we can win on Saturday as I believe the players will demand it of themselves and let the coaches sort the selection and water carrying . I would hope Scott and Watson return either starting or on bench to improve on experience and quality in attack and winning mentality.

[The Feral Goat]

Contrarily I believe we can win on Saturday as I believe the players will demand it of themselves and let the coaches sort the selection and water carrying . I would hope Scott and Watson return either starting or on bench to improve on experience and quality in attack and winning mentality.

May end up being the case but the team and coaches should demand it of themselves every match and not just as a result of being pumped by Glasgow.

It is not good enough.

The amount of possession we kicked away was ridiculous and so many were poor straight to the Glasgow back 3.

I hope Vellacott is fit and to be honest fire in cammy scott as I don't see either Thompson or healy as the answer.

[doedin]

Let's be honest about it - we looked like a makeshift team who had only just got together for a game. There was little structure to our game, Price was slow and Thompson looked lost and confused by Glasgows usual rush defence. Both kicked very poorly. We had no plan B to get the ball to our three strike runners - Duhan, Darcy and Goosen. Our forwards were poor, we got done over in the rucks and failed to get beyond the gain line. Any ball our forwards produced was slow and scrappy. Scrums and lineouts were ok but we failed to produce anything off first phase ball and ended up wasting it with a poor kick or turnover.

Bottom line is we are a poorly coached team who had no idea how to cope with Glasgows usual game nor how to break down their defence. It looked like our guys were just making it up as they went along with one man out carries until we knocked on or kicked. I cant remember a single successful backs move to try and break the Weegies line defence or take advantage of a mismatch in defence.

All of this is down to the coaching team, most of our team played completely different when in a Scotland jersey in the AIs and 6Ns and they certainly look more positive, excited and direct in the dark blue shirt. There is no evidence that we are seeing any progress with the current coaching team in place, indeed many players look to have taken a step backwards. As I have said before a few times, I think the SRU need to bite the bullet, admit it was the wrong appointment and ship Everitt before we sink even lower. Anyone willing to tell me I'm wrong?

[Wottie]

As I have said before a few times, I think the SRU need to bite the bullet, admit it was the wrong appointment and ship Everitt before we sink even lower. Anyone willing to tell me I'm wrong?

Not this pilgim that's for sure. Poor appointment from the outset and clearly was not the guy they were after and waited for during the RWC. To extend his contract by two years when they did, after such a short period of achieving the square root of nothing, was pure negligence. Our new attack coach has been in position for over 4 months now. Even after having all that time during the AI's, not sure anyone can see anything in terms of attack strategy and structure. This Edinburgh outfit has a strangely familiar "Solomoney" feel about it, where the coaching and game plan get's about 60% out of what is an experienced and expensive squad. Meanwhile across the M8 there is a guy getting 125% out his squad. I'm with doedin on this one.

[Cammo Gunner]

As I have said before a few times, I think the SRU need to bite the bullet, admit it was the wrong appointment and ship Everitt before we sink even lower. Anyone willing to tell me I'm wrong?

Not this pilgim that's for sure. Poor appointment from the outset and clearly was not the guy they were after and waited for during the RWC. To extend his contract by two years when they did, after such a short period of achieving the square root of nothing, was pure negligence. Our new attack coach has been in position for over 4 months now. Even after having all that time during the AI's, not sure anyone can see anything in terms of attack strategy and structure. This Edinburgh outfit has a strangely familiar "Solomoney" feel about it, where the coaching and game plan get's about 60% out of what is an experienced and expensive squad. Meanwhile across the M8 there is a guy getting 125% out his squad. I'm with doedin on this one.

We've had some ex ER players in some reasoable coaching roles, like Scott Murray & Simon Cross in MLR, Newlands in Fr D2 & Roddy 'Heid like Irn Bru' Grant as forwards coach in Ulster... They can't be worse than the current set-up.

Plus a number of the old & bold need to consider moving to pastures new or collect their pensions... If they have been passed over for the next gen players, take the hint.

[liveinhope]

There is absolutely no chance that Everitt will be replaced before the end of his contract (June 2026 I believe).
Pure and simple SRU can't afford it .He ain't going to "walk" and would need to be paid out for remainder of his contract so effectively we'd be opaying for two head coaches at the same time if sacked.
As said above whoever sanctioned a new two year deal (presumably Dobson? )made a grave management error but can't do anything about it now.

[Castlecannon]

Agreed , any change to coaches would be expensive given 12 or even 18 months on Everitt’s contract although there should be a performance condition ?

Dan Mcfarland could be an option with an eye on bringing Mike Blair or Greig Laidlaw back from Japan next season in asst coach roles.?

[joe soap]

There is absolutely no chance that Everitt will be replaced before the end of his contract (June 2026 I believe).
Pure and simple SRU can't afford it .He ain't going to "walk" and would need to be paid out for remainder of his contract so effectively we'd be opaying for two head coaches at the same time if sacked.
As said above whoever sanctioned a new two year deal (presumably Dobson? )made a grave management error but can't do anything about it now.

can they afford to keep him?
There are costs associated with continual underperformance and occasional highs, always haled as green shoots.
Costs like fans not attending, season tickets not renewed, less attraction to sponsors, not extra gate money from play offs (prize money?), and not least good players leaving for rugby reasons (players with real ambition to get better and content to turn up and get picked week in week out. Like Kinghorn)

And there are a few players on big wages who can join Everitt to help fund his exit

Merry Xmas everyone

[doedin]

There is absolutely no chance that Everitt will be replaced before the end of his contract (June 2026 I believe).
Pure and simple SRU can't afford it .He ain't going to "walk" and would need to be paid out for remainder of his contract so effectively we'd be opaying for two head coaches at the same time if sacked.
As said above whoever sanctioned a new two year deal (presumably Dobson? )made a grave management error but can't do anything about it now.

can they afford to keep him?
There are costs associated with continual underperformance and occasional highs, always haled as green shoots.
Costs like fans not attending, season tickets not renewed, less attraction to sponsors, not extra gate money from play offs (prize money?), and not least good players leaving for rugby reasons (players with real ambition to get better and content to turn up and get picked week in week out. Like Kinghorn)

And there are a few players on big wages who can join Everitt to help fund his exit

Merry Xmas everyone

All of this plus it's not good for the National team for a number of core players to be playing sh1t in a sh1t team week in week out. The Glasgow players look so happy playing rugby and have fun, ours look miserable and lost. We need both teams to be competitive for the good of the Scotland team. I am not sure Everitt has ever had the confidence of the team and he sure hasn't developed players individually or the team collectively. He needs to go asap.

[Frenchy]

It's a funny old game sometimes, this rugby thing.

[The Feral Goat]

Positives - defended well, kept glasgow quiet.

Lineout went well although don't think Glasgow competed at any.

It was a win.

Negatives - possibly saved everitt his job.

Utterly clueless in attack.

2or3 times we had an attacking lineout around the 22 but ended up back near 10m/halfway.

VdW ran a line numerous times but was never passed to dummy only works if they may get the ball once.

Price too slow at everything.

We had the possession and opportunity to have overturned the first leg deficit but never in 1872 legs did we look like converting enough chances.

Worst attacking team in the league?

[bignose]

That was a hideous watch. I was sat in the West stand, and I think that I got closer to the gain line than Thomson during the first half. There were times when it genuinely looked like the Edinburgh players had met in the car park.

Someone sat behind me said that Edinburgh looked best when they just threw the ball around in the last 20 minutes of the first leg. That is not a serious attacking strategy at this level of rugby, but it seems to be better than what we actually have. In honesty, I cannot work out what our real attacking plan is though.

I'll not be back this season.

[Pitfitter1105]

Poor match to watch for all, but, 4 points, a big bonus, when in the red zone can we have the ball passed to men running in? and the odd change from trying to knock the wall down single handed to attacking space on the edges? Glasgow could have won the game if they’d taken 3 points from the penalties rather than going to the corner?

[doedin]

Horrible game and Glasgow must be kicking themselves. Price as slow as a Cuthbert and Thompson so far back in the pocket he was almost sitting in the stand! We just stood off Glasgow, defended deep and hoped we would kick a penalty or two. If it wasn't for a piece of Schooy magic we would still be there now trying to score a try. If that is how Everitt see us playing for the rest of the season then I'm out, that was just awful to watch. We got lucky with our try, our attack is non existent and I feel sorry for our outside backs who get slow ball with two defenders attached to it. Healy tried to lie flatter and he kicked better but by the time he came on the pattern was set. I cant believe how many times our 9 or 10 got the ball out of a scrum, line out or ruck and looked around lost. just awful!