Edinburgh Team Named for Aironi

15 Chris Paterson

14 Lee Jones
13 Nick De Luca
12 James King
11 Tim Visser

10 Harry Leonard
9 Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN

1 Allan Jacobsen
2 Ross Ford
3 Geoff Cross
4 Esteban Lozada
5 Grant Gilchrist
6 Sean Cox
7 Roddy Grant
8 David Denton

Substitutes
16 Steven Lawrie
17 Kyle Traynor
18 Lewis Niven
19 Netani Talei
20 Ross Rennie
21 Chris Leck
22 Tom Brown
23 Phil Godman

Not available through injury: Ben Cairns (knee), Andrew Kelly (knee), Matt Scott (hip), Jim Thompson (knee), Alan MacDonald (shoulder)

A powerful pack with some pacy backs. Looks like a good team. The game has more significance leadin into the HC since Cardiff murked this lot 38 zip already in the pro 12.

Team is what I would pick considering the injury list my only change would be Grant for Rennie. Interesting to see if Jim King can lay down a marker since Scott is injured. King and NDL have played well together in the past.

With that team out we really should be getting a BP against Airioni. What I'd like to see though is a few less tries being leaked - our defensive record this year is laughable!

Big, powerful back row and exciting backs - should do well.

Agree regarding Rennie, am getting worried that Bradley doesn't see him as being first choice and he loses his form come the 6N.

On a side note, was speaking to someone recently who is friends with Cairnsy - apparently the knee injury isn't as bad as first thought. He has had exploratory surgery and they think there isn't too significant damage. He started running a week ago and hopes to be fit around the 6N time, if things go well.

So good to hear!

Good side - Edinburgh need to win this to start moving up the table. BP should certainly be the target here.

Strong physical pack with Cox at 6 and Denton at 8 - should be able to control the game and I'm really pleased to see Leonard back at 10. With CP handling the kicks he should be able to focus entirely on getting Jones and Visser some room.

Talei and Rennie are also pretty handy impact subs to have coming on.

Looks like McInally is being given a deserved rest ahead of Cardiff. That'll be a big game for him against Rush.

Looks a good team. Need to keep winnig these to get them up the table

Great news on the marketing as well, with free tickets to the Edinburgh game if you buy a France 6 nations ticket

https://www.606v2.com/t19335-scotland-v-france-free-ticket-offer

Maybe things are slowing turning around - maybe

Rests for McInally and Blair, but other than that pretty much a full team given those out with injury. Grant keeps his place ahead of Rennie after some very good performances, but would expect to see Rosco back in there for the Heino. Would be great to have Matt Scott fully recovered before the trip to Cardiff too

any links for a stream for the game? My usual sources are failing me

Try sportlemon.tv they usually have loads of links for pretty much every sporting event.

Ta

Nope :-(

I'm using Radio Scotland and my well-developed imagination.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7062860.stm

TJ wrote:Nope :-(

Sorry

What a game for Tim Visser. The man is a hose beast

Hi guys, I was at my work Christmas night out last night so missed the game (again!) So would appreciate a run down on the stand out players, how the game went etc.

Sounds like we did exactly what Laidlaw said we would - blew them away!

I was there mate, and it was nice to see 4000+ fans there to watch it.

Standouts were Ford, Visser, Denton and DeLuca.

Ford again got through a mountain of work, he made a fabulous clean break in the first half and gained nearly 30 yards on the hoof. He also made some thumping tackles when aironi were piling on the pressure at the end of both halves.

Visser was a class above again. Stand out moment from him was when the aironi full back chipped the ball towards him. Visser hit the ball on the full volley gathered the ball and made some great ground. He also made some good chips and chases bundling the gatherers into touch. A well deserved MOTM.

Denton also had a great game. He made some bruising carries and his bulldozing run resulted in his first try for Edinburgh. He made another handful big hits. The only black mark against him was his trip to the sin bin. I was too far away to see if it was deserved.

NDL played his best game in years. His tackling was ferocious,literally smashing opponents backwards on more than one occasion. His passing from 13 put Patterson,Visser and Jones in acres of space all night and he sold a great dummy to ghost between his opposite numbers for his try.

Leonard was quieter than usual, although had a hand in a couple of the tries which was good to see. King was pretty good aswell, he was involved in a lot of good stuff going forward, and for a man of his size, hes a great defender.

Leck had his best game for us so far, and put the ghosts of the connacht game to rest. Didnt get to see him on the back foot, but he took his try well, and has an absolute bullett of a pass. Far more zing in it than Blair or Laidlaws. Much more confident about him filling in while the other two are on international duty.

On the downside, I thought Mossy was very poor. He wasnt finding touch, and when running the ball from deep, cut back inside everytime straight into the onrushing defence, and never once tried the outside.

Great reviews, chaps, thanks. Think Mossy is still carrying a groin niggle which I'd rather see him rest completely for a while rather than try and play thru it. Great news about Dumper Denton and Fordy in the pack - will need both of them at their best in Cardiff on Friday

While i really rate denton and think hes got a great future ahead of him, Id be more inclined to picking rambo against cardiff who plays a more expansive heads up game

Dumper at 6 then, or Talei at blindside, with Denton to come on to make an impact?

NDL seems to have rediscovered his old self in recent months. A good thing really as Ansbro has dropped off the radar a little at Irish.

Delighted for Edinburgh getting the bonus point win, hopefully they can take this expansive approach into the game against Cardiff.

NDL has been playing brilliantly for Edinburgh. A few seasons ago I would have been stoned off the forum for even suggesting this but NDL has been the best tackling back in the Edinburgh setup at the moment. He has really been working on the physical aspects of his game and is much stronger in the tackle and seemingly harder to turnover. I reckon he is nailed on to start for Scotland at 13, however using him at 12 would be a mistake. S Lamont would be who I reckon who will take the 12 role but I would rather see Scott, Leonard, Weir or Jackson play at 12.

The herald posted up a great article on Denton's ascendency too.

click here for Denton Article

In it he talks about his aspirations on playing for Scotland, and the hardships of being brought up in Zimbabwe. Denton is also most likely going to be involved in the 6N in some capacity.

Stroks is not playing well for Glaws atm and I think Brown and Dents will be the 6 & 8 choices for Scotland in the 6N. What a wealth of Talent we have in the back row though.

Agreed Radge - unfortunately also that Stroker is not playing well for the Cherries (his sin binning was quite key to them losing their last match) and than Ansbro has still to get on the score sheet this season.

We desperately need AR to change the habit of a coaching lifetime and select solely on form.

GC, I just can't see it, unfortunately - I imagine that Robbo will stick with known entities for the 6Ns, but then hopefully the youngsters will all get their chances on the tour down under in the summer

If robbo ignores the youngsters it shows he is not up to it and has to go as I believe

Highlights here

http://player.stv.tv/programmes/stv-rugby/2011-12-04-2230/

Some cracking tries!

Great highlights - thanks for those.

Some observations:

1. Leonard has the makings of a good option at 12. His kicking option for one of the tries was a great call and showed a cool head on young shoulders.

2. De Luca is on storming form, some great breaks and running lines, as well as good distribution at pace.

3. Aironi's defensive coach should apply for the England job.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Great highlights - thanks for those.

Some observations:

1. Leonard has the makings of a good option at 12. His kicking option for one of the tries was a great call and showed a cool head on young shoulders.

2. De Luca is on storming form, some great breaks and running lines, as well as good distribution at pace.

3. Aironi's defensive coach should apply for the England job.

Considering the shambles the RFU is in he might get it!

TJ wrote:If robbo ignores the youngsters it shows he is not up to it and has to go as I believe

There's something in that.

George Carlin wrote:

TJ wrote:If robbo ignores the youngsters it shows he is not up to it and has to go as I believe

There's something in that.

Nah, nothing in it, unless you change it to: "If robbo ignores the in-form players it shows he is not up to it and has to go"

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

George Carlin wrote:

TJ wrote:If robbo ignores the youngsters it shows he is not up to it and has to go as I believe

There's something in that.

Nah, nothing in it, unless you change it to: "If robbo ignores the in-form players it shows he is not up to it and has to go"

Jeebus, I'm starting to think like fES