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.
The club season is done. The pro-team season is almost over, unless you happen to be challenging for a playoff place (hint: Edinburgh and Glasgow are not). All eyes turn now to the World Cup, at least in this part of the world.
We’ll be back later in the week with our Week 5 Six nations round up and a look back at the tournament as a whole, but for now here is injury information on our battered team hot of the SRU Presses.
According to STV news Joe Ansbro, Hugo Southwell and Rory Lamont will all sit out this weekend’s game with Ireland due to injury. Unlike the England Internationals, our exiles were back in action this weekend and Joe picked up a head knock after a collision with Butch James, he has been rested from training as a routine precaution and is unlikely to feature.
Al was at a wedding this weekend (no not his own, he’s still trying to talk Mrs Al into a 2015 honeymoon in Japan) so A.D and Rory knocked some heads together – mostly their own – and took a look back at the first round of Six Nations 2011.
Robbo has done what most of us hoped he would and named Rob Harley in his training squad for the Six Nations, at the same time calling up Jack Cuthbert and Jon Welsh from the A squad. So congratulations to them. Details of both squads of players can be found after the jump.
Amidst the mess it is easy to forget there’s an important Test to be played, one the Springboks will win comfortably. Scotland were woeful against the All Blacks and won’t make the exponential improvements needed to beat the Springboks.
Ryan Vrede, Telegraph Rugby Blog
TEAM UPDATE: Max Evans has not fully recovered from the stinger he picked up last weekend against New Zealand that brought the game to a close. Hotly tipped Saints utility man Joe Ansbro has been brought straight into the side to earn his first cap. His now vacant wing place in the A Team results in giant Jack Cuthbert coming in at full back and Thompson swapping in for Ansbro. Congratulations to Joe and we wish him all the best for Saturday.
Young Glasgow flyhalf Ruaridh Jackson has been handed the 10 shirt for Scotland A’s crunch decider against France A in Romania. Victory would see the Scots take home the IRB Nations Cup and add a first piece of silverware to Andy Robinson’s shelf at SRU HQ. Two of Robbo’s new “finds” Joe Ansbros start, with Ansbro moved to the wing to allow Ben Cairns to continue his partnership with in-form Alex Grove – keeping the likes of Rob Dewey and Nick De Luca out of this crunch encounter.
Scotland A Team to face France A: Jim Thompson (Edinburgh), John Houston (Edinburgh), Ben Cairns (Edinburgh), Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors) , Simon Webster (Edinburgh), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Cusiter (Perpignan) CAPTAIN, Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Craig Hamilton (Edinburgh), Al Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Kelly Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh Rugby), Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors)
Replacements: Andrew Kelly (Edinburgh), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), James Eddie (Glasgow Warriors), Calum Forrester (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), David Blair (Edinburgh), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
Looks like Captain Chris Cusiter is being saved for the possibly decisive France A match later in the week. Alongside promising Saints centre Joe Ansbro, John Houston and Calum Forrester will get their first A grade international caps. Ansbro forms an exciting centre partnership with Nick De Luca, and they will be looking to improve on the play of Alex Grove and Ben Cairns who seemed to have a good time of it against Russia.
Scotland A team to play Uruguay:
Jim Thompson (Edinburgh), John Houston (Edinburgh), Joe Ansbro (Northampton Saints), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Simon Webster (Edinburgh), David Blair (Edinburgh), Rory Lawson (capt, Gloucester), Stuart Corsar (Doncaster), Andrew Kelly (Edinburgh), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), James Eddie (Glasgow Warriors), Al Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Calum Forrester (Glasgow Warriors), Roddy Grant (Edinburgh), Kelly Brown (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Craig Hamilton (Edinburgh), Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Perpignan), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), Rob Dewey (Ulster).
