V Sharks 18 April

[The Feral Goat]

Sharks sending full strength squad by look of it.

Since we get them first the may not be acclimatised , still beating the Bulls should give us confidence.

[dolf_lundgren]

Certainly wont be an easy one.

We have to keep going all out from here I think. Room to rotate a little in the back row and we have already in the front row. I would keep midfield the same, they seem to be finally starting to Gel.

It was good to see Harry Paterson warming up, hopefully not far away.

When the non-playing squad members went to the mini game at half time. was it just me or were Bennet and Matt Scott nowhere to be seen? Looked like most of the others, including Crosbie, Healy & Boff were there, along with a lot of the young lads.

[liveinhope]

Think we need to rotate a bit in the next couple of (URC) games.
Specifically Paterson,Tuipolotu,Sheill,Young,Douglas,Harrison and Hislop should be getting game time perhaps starts for some.Hill as well obviously if fit.

[dolf_lundgren]

Looks like we are losing a few more to injury, Carmichael getting an op and Vellacott a scan.

[Castlecannon]

Sharks are looking formidable at least on paper given the potential to unleash massive fSpringbok forward and backs pedigree . This will make it very difficult to rotate and rest key players . With Bath semi final in mind it is more likely that such rest and rotation that can be accommodated will wait until Zebre next week .

Vellacott of course is injured which is unfortunate, as I thought he was excellent on Saturday v Bulls. but cover from Shiel and Price is strong . Harry Paterson may well replace McAnn on tne left wing as he probably offers stronger aerial and defensive capabilities assuming he is fully match fit.

Our midfield is looking much sharper and cohesive over the last few games and one would expect Lang and Currie to continue with a partnership that is looking at last like .. well a strong partnership combining with Ross Thomson’s quick thinking and slick hands showing every sign that creative evasion and movement are being drilled and worked in much more detail in training between forwards and backs in attack with some success.

Upfront will be a tasty affair that will be relished by Schoeman and Venter . Skinner and Gilchrist are no strangers to going toe to toe with Etzebeth & co and will have no fear . Our back row might see a change with Muncaster physicality in the starting line up and Watson off the bench to energise things in the last 25/30. It’s the last quarter that is a concern as the power of the Sharks will likely pose the biggest challenge.

[liveinhope]

Well that's some Sharks lineup! Looks nearlly as strong as the Leinster team of last Saturday-so not a day to see Vellacott and Sebastien added to our huge injury list and to rest Graham and Watson!
Having said that it will be a good test of a team starting to play with a bit of confidence at last in light of recent results.And looks like it will come pretty close a full house tomorrow night (and unlike the Bath match can't be too many opposition supporters) so what a chance to perform against Kolisi,Etzebeth,Mapimpi,Am,Koch,Esterhuizen Ox Nche et al...yikes scary!

[The Feral Goat]

Ashman in to knock etzebeth back, nothing to fear

[Croft_No.6]

Ashman in to knock etzebeth back, nothing to fear

Most likely via a wayward lineout throw....

[The Feral Goat]

Some of the worst game management in the last 6/7mins i have ever seen.

Letting the goal line dropout bounce.

Not paying attention while ball still in play, knocked on.

That should have been a BP win but we managed to lose it.

There were some good performances. Thought Brown did really well, backrow and pack in general. Lang good and one of Thompsons best outings.

Attack coach is stealing a living we have not done a single 5m tap move just give it to a front rower.

Sheil clearly came on with instruction to slow the game down yet that is not his game, I don't get it.

LawrenceBryce pish

[Pitfitter1105]

How did the ref see a knock on when it came off the back of the Edinburgh players legs/erse.
But we squandered at least one chance by trying to batter through the sharks line instead of going wide sooner. Ah well.

[Wottie]

What a phenomenal game of rugby. Team fronted up physically to a massive SA side. First time this season I can remember a goal line drop out finding grass. Wrong time and place for that to happen and was ultimately our undoing as it gave them field position from the loss of control that resulted. Fine lines and evidence of the usual Scottish issue with concentration and mindset in these big game pressure situations. Hard to leave the game unhappy as the guys defied expectations for all but 5 mins of the game at the beginning and end of the 2nd half. Injuries beginning to stack up which is a concern with 3 must win games left and a Q/F against an very good Bath team who are going really well.

Some shout outs: Jamie showed us what we are going to miss badly next season but Magnus and Ben also had huge games. Great 1st game back from Harry who looks like he can make the 15 jersey his own. Won't do any harm having Wes back bolstering the wing roster. Langers had another massive game. Said it before but I think he is the key to the backline finally firing. Prefer him at 12 outside and helping the 10.

[The Chiel]

Difficult to decide whether the glass is half full or half empty. Really should have won, but the physicality of the performance was a class above. If we had played like that earlier in the season we'd be comfortably in the play offs.

I only hope Farrell was watching Ritchie instead of reading the English and Irish media. And Price's best game for ages - I do wonder whether Brace's non stop demands for quick use was a contributory factor.

[doedin]

Just watched the game with a raging hangover this morning. How did we manage to lose that? I thought we were going to get gubbed given the Sharks line up and our injury list but it should have been a TBP win. Pack were immense, matched the power of the Sharks Boks and speed of ball presentation was impressive - someone has been doing a lot of work with them on the practice pitches. We still don't have the power to go from 5ms out and a wider ball might have resulted in more chances to score when on top. Very impressed with Paterson given it was in effect his first game back after injury. Shame we had to move Currie out wide due to injury and break up the partnership with Lang.

Again our game management let us down in the last 5 mins of the game. No doubt tiredness played its part but as pro players they should be able to concentrate for 80mins and not make these stupid mistakes when under pressure late into the game.

Im not sure what has changed/clicked for the team but this was miles better than early season showings. I have been very critical of the team - the lack of application and game plan was awful at times. However a bit more of this version of Edinburgh with more cutting edge and better decision making at the critical times and we would have been safely in the top half of the league. As it is we are going to struggle to make it I am afraid.

[Frank]

The performance was one of the best Edinburgh performances in recent times. We almost saw it out and with a bit of pragmatism we could/should have. Chasing the try bonus point seems to be de rigeur so don't want to criticise too harshly a group who really put their bodies on the line against what looked like insurmountable odds on paper.
Looking ahead, the next two games have the potential to make or break our season. Zebre in Parma will not be easy and they showed against Glasgow they can't be underestimated. I don't think we can anything for granted.
Bath are definitely beatable and if we continue like we did against Sharks, then beating a French side in Cardiff is also possible.
The season is on a knife edge, but we're in a much better position than we were before Christmas.