Agen - 15th Nov 2019

[Tichtheid]

I didn't see the game so maybe I'm missing something in terms of the ebb and flow of pressure but with a healthy lead in a competition with much less meaning to it would it not have been worth giving Baggott 10/15/20 minutes? 2 years at Stage 3 in the Academy, 2nd season as full-time pro and he's played 42 minutes for Edinburgh in total.

There are legitimate criticisms of Cockers not trusting some of the young players last season, but I'm not sure Friday falls under that. We had four half backs needing game time and to have fielded three of them isn't a bad outcome - we were dominant in the first half but less so in the second and when Shiel gave way to Nutton, a Super 6 player, I think it would be a bit much to ask Baggott and him to close out the game when we weren't quite so much on top as we had been.

We need Hickey to be playing like the guy he was supposed to be when he signed, he has shown brief periods of it but nothing consistent so far imo

[Friday Knight Lights]

I didn't see the game so maybe I'm missing something in terms of the ebb and flow of pressure but with a healthy lead in a competition with much less meaning to it would it not have been worth giving Baggott 10/15/20 minutes? 2 years at Stage 3 in the Academy, 2nd season as full-time pro and he's played 42 minutes for Edinburgh in total.

There are legitimate criticisms of Cockers not trusting some of the young players last season, but I'm not sure Friday falls under that. We had four half backs needing game time and to have fielded three of them isn't a bad outcome - we were dominant in the first half but less so in the second and when Shiel gave way to Nutton, a Super 6 player, I think it would be a bit much to ask Baggott and him to close out the game when we weren't quite so much on top as we had been.

We need Hickey to be playing like the guy he was supposed to be when he signed, he has shown brief periods of it but nothing consistent so far imo

I think this season Hickey is playing a lot better than he is. I can see him getting the backline moving and he's a nice attacking player. It's an interesting strategy playing Hickey when we expect an open game and VdM when it's going to be close.

Shiel certainly didn't look like it's been his first start - he really was very good. Passing was good and controlled the game well. Promising stuff, I guess we can argue if it's because he's good and should've played earlier or Cockers has worked well drip feeding him in.

Also George Taylor! Where did this barnstorming centre who is solid in defence come from?! Very interested to see how Cockers manages all 5 centres.

Great stuff, enjoyable game and a lot of depth in the squad which is good to see.

[robdinsdale]

I didn't see the game so maybe I'm missing something in terms of the ebb and flow of pressure but with a healthy lead in a competition with much less meaning to it would it not have been worth giving Baggott 10/15/20 minutes? 2 years at Stage 3 in the Academy, 2nd season as full-time pro and he's played 42 minutes for Edinburgh in total.

To be fair, we weren't that comfortable in the second half.

[biffer]

I didn't see the game so maybe I'm missing something in terms of the ebb and flow of pressure but with a healthy lead in a competition with much less meaning to it would it not have been worth giving Baggott 10/15/20 minutes? 2 years at Stage 3 in the Academy, 2nd season as full-time pro and he's played 42 minutes for Edinburgh in total.

Bonus point still to be got, and for a good ten or fifteen they were pummelling us - they were held up over the line twice remember. I think hell get a run in some of the games though, reckon we'll see second and third string in a tier n a lot in Europe this year.

[joe soap]

I didn't see the game so maybe I'm missing something in terms of the ebb and flow of pressure but with a healthy lead in a competition with much less meaning to it would it not have been worth giving Baggott 10/15/20 minutes? 2 years at Stage 3 in the Academy, 2nd season as full-time pro and he's played 42 minutes for Edinburgh in total.

Bonus point still to be got, and for a good ten or fifteen they were pummelling us - they were held up over the line twice remember. I think hell get a run in some of the games though, reckon we'll see second and third string in a tier n a lot in Europe this year.

Guess it depends on how important we think a BP was, or even the win. Sheil went off with 67 mins on the clock. Keeping Sheil on and giving Baggot a dozen mins maybe a better idea than bringing on a super 6 player? If Baggot has any prospect of a future at Murray field under Cockerill of course, which looks unlikely.

[dolf_lundgren]

I couldn't actualy say whether Baggott is a good player or not, I really haven't seen him

I agree he clearly isn't in the thoughts of Cockers at the moment and therefore giving him time probably isn't on the radar either.

We will have to find a new 10 form somewhere thought, are both Hickey and VDW out of contract in the summer? Would be nice to think they would both stay. It would be typical if Hickey came into come form in the second half of the season and we lost him as we couldn't compete financially.

[The Feral Goat]

VDW becomes SQ at some point prior to 2020 Autumn tests if I recall correctly (?) so assuming he stays, which would make sense for all, we will then have an SQ 10 and I think Baggott probably makes way for another NSQ 10.

I think our contract renewal process is going to become increasingly difficult over the next two/three seasons we have a lot of top performers due to renew and I can’t see us affording all of them, unless some of the reported CVC windfall is used but that would not be a sustainable model.

Probably for another thread but does anyone have the OOC list for this season handy? We usually get a couple of renewals at least announced in the run up to Christmas and the 1872?

[Friday Knight Lights]

VDW becomes SQ at some point prior to 2020 Autumn tests if I recall correctly (?) so assuming he stays, which would make sense for all, we will then have an SQ 10 and I think Baggott probably makes way for another NSQ 10.

I think our contract renewal process is going to become increasingly difficult over the next two/three seasons we have a lot of top performers due to renew and I can’t see us affording all of them, unless some of the reported CVC windfall is used but that would not be a sustainable model.

Probably for another thread but does anyone have the OOC list for this season handy? We usually get a couple of renewals at least announced in the run up to Christmas and the 1872?

VdW needs capped to stay SQ and I'm not sure he's really good enough for a Scotland cap. Could be the one who is SQ and then suddenly NSQ again.

[Tichtheid]

The best way for us to be able to afford to keep players, and to make them want to stay, is to be in the mix at the sharp end of the season and then move up to winning silverware.

[joe soap]

Haining cited

[Tichtheid]

Haining cited

SCRUM says "Haining is alleged to have committed an act of foul play by striking the Agen stand-off, Thomas Vincent, with his head in the 33rd minute of the match, in contravention of Law 9.12."

I don't recall seeing anything during the live stream.

[The Feral Goat]

I don't recall seeing anything during the live stream.

Didn't think the steam was that bad
Don't recall anything either not even an adverse reaction from any Agen players.

Watson, graham and McInally all back training watson still a few weeks away from playing though.

[robdinsdale]

VDW becomes SQ at some point prior to 2020 Autumn tests if I recall correctly (?) so assuming he stays, which would make sense for all, we will then have an SQ 10 and I think Baggott probably makes way for another NSQ 10.

I think our contract renewal process is going to become increasingly difficult over the next two/three seasons we have a lot of top performers due to renew and I can’t see us affording all of them, unless some of the reported CVC windfall is used but that would not be a sustainable model.

Probably for another thread but does anyone have the OOC list for this season handy? We usually get a couple of renewals at least announced in the run up to Christmas and the 1872?

VdW needs capped to stay SQ and I'm not sure he's really good enough for a Scotland cap. Could be the one who is SQ and then suddenly NSQ again.

There aren't that many pro standard SQ 10s around and all it will take is a concussion and a hamstring tweak before we would be grateful to see him in the matchday squad.It would be foolish not to get him on the bench in one of next year's autumn tests.

[Friday Knight Lights]

VDW becomes SQ at some point prior to 2020 Autumn tests if I recall correctly (?) so assuming he stays, which would make sense for all, we will then have an SQ 10 and I think Baggott probably makes way for another NSQ 10.

I think our contract renewal process is going to become increasingly difficult over the next two/three seasons we have a lot of top performers due to renew and I can’t see us affording all of them, unless some of the reported CVC windfall is used but that would not be a sustainable model.

Probably for another thread but does anyone have the OOC list for this season handy? We usually get a couple of renewals at least announced in the run up to Christmas and the 1872?

VdW needs capped to stay SQ and I'm not sure he's really good enough for a Scotland cap. Could be the one who is SQ and then suddenly NSQ again.

There aren't that many pro standard SQ 10s around and all it will take is a concussion and a hamstring tweak before we would be grateful to see him in the matchday squad.It would be foolish not to get him on the bench in one of next year's autumn tests.

You'd think he's behind at least Russell, Hastings, Weir and then perhaps Horne.

I just don't like the idea of cynically capping VdW because we might need him.

[joe soap]

You'd think he's behind at least Russell, Hastings, Weir and then perhaps Horne.

I just don't like the idea of cynically capping VdW because we might need him.

In a serious selection, he is surely well behind all of those, unless Weir has been permanently ditched, which would be odd at 28 and VDW is essentially a slightly younger bit taller poorer defender and generally less good version of Weir.
And which 2020 AI would be feature in - Arg, Japan or ABs. No simple games.