In the wake of Sky’s irritating but sadly unsurprising dismissal of the 11 try thriller – that has been called the “match of the decade” by Iain Morrison in the Scotland on Sunday – here are the best we can find to assuage your Twanger (that’s Twit-anger).
NOW UPDATED WITH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS (23/11)
(video after the jump)
After the launch party last week, and Edinburgh Rugby’s victory at the weekend, we thought you might like to see some of your favourite comeback kings with their tops off. For the third year running Edinburgh Rugby players have bared all (well almost) to raise money for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, and for those of you who didn’t rush out after the launch to buy one already, we’ve got a sneak preview.
Edinburgh Rugby 48 -47 Racing Metro ‘92
Sometimes it hurts to be proven wrong. In this instance, though, one would take the abuse. Edinburgh book-ended a fantastic handling display by Racing with some heart-stopping tries and the kind of tenacity few on these isles, particularly in the executive suites of major broadcasters, thought the capital side were capable of.
“Maybe a draw would have been fair. 50 points each?” Michael Bradley gregariously told a bewildered press pack after the game, “but we’ll take 48-47.”
When Racing Metro and Edinburgh were drawn together I was over the moon. As yet, neither club has sought to engage me in some sort of well paid analytical role, asking me to spill the beans on the other, so I’ll spill the beans on both for Scottish Rugby Blog. Frankly, when the draw was made, I assumed that Edinburgh would get stuffed both home and away but a lot has changed since then and I now make Edinburgh slim favourites.
Oh, what might have been.
It’s not unusual to start an Edinburgh match report with such a sentiment, but in this case the one that got away was the 4 try bonus point. Referee Roman Poite twice went upstairs to the TMO for tries that on other days we’ve all seen given (usually against Scottish teams) and came back with a no try ruling, thus making this game a lot closer than it really had any right to be.
When the first European weekend comes around it normally serves as the perfect time to kick back and forget it all. Those lovely, fluffy ERC guys even delayed the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup by a few weeks so that World Cup heroes were well rested and ready to reaffirm themselves as fan favourites. We should all be able to throw our cares away, partake in the oncoming feast of Northern Hemisphere rugby and thank our sporting stars for giving us the joys of Union…
Of course forgetting about it all is easier said than done.
On Friday night at Murrayfield the capital side swapped the lead with Leinster seven times. In a free and easy game where tackling was not at a premium it was the hand-over that was evident. You attack; then we’ll attack. You get a head start; then we will cover, and recover. They lost by 8 points, 28-36.
No matter how your season is going it is nice to be recognised for your achievements, Even if you didn’t know you were being watched. Humble Borderer Lee Jones, upon hearing of his award of Hotel Du Vin/Malmaison Player of the Month, simply afforded himself a sheepish smile.
“I’m pretty pleased. I didn’t know they were running the award, to be fair, so when it came up in our team meeting I was genuinely shocked!
In which Rory takes a look at the opening weeks of next season’s Heineken Cup fixtures. With Sean Lineen looking to prove his underperforming squad has not been destroyed by further departures, and Michael Bradley looking to make an instant impact at the helm of Edinburgh, it should make an interesting return to high intensity rugby following all the World Cup madness.
What do you mean we haven’t rounded up last season yet? Okay, we are working on it! The rugby world has of course already moved on, with several squads already back in training and the draw for the next season’s Heineken Cup announced today.
Last night Edinburgh’s hero Tim Visser scored his 13th try of the season to claim the record for most tries scored in a single Magners League season. Andy Robinson must be checking off the days ‘til this lad is available for Scotland.
Before we focus completely on ‘The Italian Job’ (yeah, you’re gonna be reading that headline. A lot!) perhaps I should look at the recent developments at Glasgow and Edinburgh. Development is in fact the key word here because, as we acknowledge that this season has been very poor for Scottish rugby, I am forced to ask “will at least one of Scotland’s pro sides be turned into a development team?”
After the weekends abysmal results for Glasgow and Edinburgh and after the crushing realisation that we all got a little carried away talking about Scotland we must now appreciate that our pro sides are in dire need of a shot in the arm.
We have already lost Max Evans and the squads are set to lose more.
Monday morning: a time to take stock.
Has your football team made that sensational transfer? Have you won a monumental Grand Slam? Are you still in charge of a whole nation?
If the answers to your bleary Monday morning questions are ‘Yes’ then congratulations: you are either a Russian Billionaire, a skilful Serb or a delusional Egyptian. You are most likely not a Scotsman.
Do not despair, though!
(now with update)
If you ask Charlie Hodgson about former Scotland Forwards coach Mike Brewer he will probably throw a string of expletives at you. Those two just didn’t get along, did they?!
