v Dragons Friday 28th

[Tichtheid]

Edinburgh Rugby side to face Dragons RFC at Hive Stadium in the BKT United Rugby Championship
Friday 28 March, kick-off 7.35pm – live on Premier Sports.

15. Wes Goosen (48)
14. Darcy Graham (75)
13. Matt Currie (55)
12.James Lang (67)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (102)
10. Ross Thompson (17)
9. Ben Vellacott (72) CO-CAPTAIN
1. Pierre Schoeman (126)
2. Paddy Harrison (27)
3. D’arcy Rae (19)
4. Marshall Sykes (79)
5. Grant Gilchrist (214) CO-CAPTAIN
6. Jamie Ritchie (124)
7. Hamish Watson (171)
8. Magnus Bradbury (125)

Replacements
16. Dave Cherry (101)
17. Boan Venter (83)
18. Javan Sebastian (23)
19. Glen Young (44)
20. Freddy Douglas (3)
21. Ali Price (32)
22. Cammy Scott (14)
23. Ross McCann (9)

Unavailable: Ewan Ashman (rest), Mark Bennett (quad), Emiliano Boffellli (hamstring), Connor Boyle (knee), Luke Crosbie (pec), Tom Dodd (shoulder), Ben Healy (knee), Paul Hill (neck), Jamie Hodgson (tricep), Ben Muncaster (concussion), Harry Paterson (hamstring), Matt Scott (neck), Sam Skinner (rest), Mosese Tuipulotu (suspended), Lewis Wells (ankle).


To be honest this is the sort of match I'd like to see players like Euan McVie and Liam McConnell getting a run. Douglas on the bench is a good selection but it's obvious to everyone that he is going to be a top internationalist very soon, the others need time on the park.
Big Ollie B-L needs to play senior rugby too

[liveinhope]

Exactly,we really shouldn't need all the big guns out for this one.There is a heavy schedule ahead,paricularly if we make more progress in the Challenge Cup so surely no harm in giving the likes of VDM and Schoemann (who could both feature in the Lions tour) another week off.
Of course Everitt is terrified of losing this one so is going all out.

[The Feral Goat]

Last minute loss last week removes the wiggle room for rest and rotation, we have to go out and win our remaining games and if we manage to get a couple of tries on the board make sure we push for a try BP.

Top8 and Champions cup qualification is probably more important now than the Challenge Cup.

Likes of Schoeman, Graham, Ritchie and VDW who "may" be in Lions contention will probably need to be playing and playing well to keep their profiles up but being at ER may unfortunately cost them a spot.

Otherwise this is exactly the sort of game to bring one or two youngsters into the squad.

[Tichtheid]

Anything other than a very good win tonight is unacceptable

[The Feral Goat]

2 tries in first quarter, want to see ruthlessness. Keep pressure on, keep scoring for next 60 no drop in intensity.

[Tichtheid]

2 tries in first quarter, want to see ruthlessness. Keep pressure on, keep scoring for next 60 no drop in intensity.

pffft - this is Embra we are watching

[The Feral Goat]

Try BP first half, but despite Graham and goosen in particular shining it is all off kick return, in 'attack' our midfield has been quiet. Lang and Currie are decent players but they appear to be getting bypassed.

We have left a load of points out there and still no attacking shape.

[Tichtheid]

Try BP first half, but despite Graham and goosen in particular shining it is all off kick return, in 'attack' our midfield has been quiet. Lang and Currie are decent players but they appear to be getting bypassed.

We have left a load of points out there and still no attacking shape.

I think Currie is potentially a top internationalist, but we aren't using him

[The Feral Goat]

Solid win, good performances from Harrison,Schoeman, Vellacott and goosen.

Graham and Ritchie very good carrying on 6n form.

An expected try BP win, good first 40, second 40 meh better oppo will not be scared of coming to the Hive which is not how it should be.

[Tichtheid]

Solid win, good performances from Harrison,Schoeman, Vellacott and goosen.

Graham and Ritchie very good carrying on 6n form.

An expected try BP win, good first 40, second 40 meh better oppo will not be scared of coming to the Hive which is not how it should be.

I've gone from being a dyed in the wool happy clappy to being very critical of the team, or the coaching team at least.
It's all in the head and this coaching team have not instilled a tough mindset.

That is where we are losing games which we should have won, going back to Leinster on the opening weekend.

The attack seems to be "gie it tae Darcy/Duhan/Wes"

It's MattGoddard

[The Feral Goat]

Yeah we look fragile, ht 26-0 with the wind as it was, I was worried about a dragons comeback.

Most of the blame has to be on coaching team but our senior players have been there through various regimes and know what produced results eg the aggression of cockerill and attacking mindset of Blair.

Everything looks confused with no identity or shape.

[doedin]

Dragons were plain awful. We played ok but the number of handling errors etc is just unacceptable. We also have no attack lines when in the opposite 22 and given a penalty we just chuck it out and hope for the best. Attack is very poor, no real cohesion. I am afraid I dont think Thomson is good enough with ball in hand for this level, he has a good boot but gets caught in the headlights too far behind the gain line too often to create anything for our centres to work with. Vellacot is a good 9 but won't control a game from 9 like some do, he is more a sniper and runner and will get the pack moving so with him at 9 we really need a 10 who can bring control and can launch attacks out wide - Thomson aint the man.

We aren't going to win games against better opposition playing like we did against the Dragons who have only one win all season!

[liveinhope]

Any half decent team would have wracked up 50/60 points last night v Dragons.far too many spilled balls and lost opportunities near the opposition line.
Need to go up a few levels next weekend against the Lions to have any chance of progressing in the Challenge Cup.Just hope we have enough fit backs left! With Duhan likely sidelined once again a dearth of wingers especially with Currie needed in the centre with Tuipolotu still banned. By my count Bofelli,Paterson, Wells, Matt Scott,Bennett and possibly Sweeney are all on the injured list plus now Duhan and then Tuipolotu out for at least one more game.
As well Cammy Scott can cover FB and centre as well as stand off.

[Pitfitter1105]

I hope you’re not suggesting he does all three at the same time? Will be an altogether different game next week with no room for errors.

[liveinhope]

He (Cammy Scott) might need to the way injuries are stacking up in the backs!
And despite their 42-0 defeat to Glasgow last night Lions will be a very tough opposition for us.WE'll need to be a whole lot better to win this one.