Date: Sat 22nd December 2018
KO: 17:15
Venue: BT Murrayfield
Both coaches have made changes to the sides that came off the back of a first ever double-double for Scottish sides in Europe.
For Edinburgh the changes are minor, with Pierre Schoeman swapping in for Allan Dell and the rest of the side staying as is. Cockerill is clearly showing faith in the players who ground out the wins against Newcastle. For Edinburgh this fixture is hugely important in terms of their league position, and the distractions of an ancient inter-city rivalry and this fixture’s position as a de facto Scotland trial have almost become something that needs to be ignored if possible. A pleasing sight for Edinburgh fans will be the presence of Luke Crosbie on the bench, especially with Bradbury and Ritchie joining Barclay on the injured list.
Glasgow on the other hand have a more altered team with a new centre partnership in Pete Horne and Nick Grigg, and surprisingly no place in the 23 for co-captain Ryan Wilson, Chris Fusaro being the preferred option on the bench. With bad news for both Rennie and Townsend that George Turner has joined Fraser Brown on the injured list (8-10 weeks following ankle surgery), it’s a huge chance for young hooker Grant Stewart, who signed a new contract this week. It also means converted prop Kevin Bryce reverts to his old position for a slot on the bench.
It’s the benches that could make the difference and Glasgow clearly look like the side with potential game-changers on theirs, never mind that all-international back line. Edinburgh will be hoping that they are so in control that X-Factor players like Nico or Huw Jones can’t influence things late on, but the worry for the home side is that Glasgow prefer to be front runners these days and if their half-backs impose their style early on Edinburgh could find it difficult.
Edinburgh Rugby: Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham, James Johnstone, Chris Dean, Duhan van der Merwe, Jaco van der Walt, Henry Pyrgos, Pierre Schoeman, Stuart McInally, Willem Nel, Ben Toolis, Grant Gilchrist, Luke Hamilton, Hamish Watson, Viliame Mata.
Replacements: Dave Cherry, Allan Dell, Pietro Ceccarelli, Callum Hunter-Hill, Luke Crosbie, Nathan Fowles, Simon Hickey, Juan Pablo Socino.
Glasgow Warriors: Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour, Nick Grigg, Pete Horne, DTH van der Merwe, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Oli Kebble, Grant Stewart, Siua Halanukonuka, Rob Harley, Jonny Gray, Adam Ashe, Callum Gibbins, Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: Kevin Bryce, Jamie Bhatti, D’arcy Rae, Tim Swinson, Chris Fusaro, Ali Price, Huw Jones, Nikola Matawalu
Referee: Mike Adamson
For more 1872 Cup previews, check out the latest episode of our podcast.
25 responses
Weird – Rennie suggested Turners injury wasn’t too bad now it transpires that he’s has surgery and is out for 8-10 weeks meaning he’ll miss Scotland’s first two 6N games.
Disaster for Glasgow and Scotland with Brown out already. McInally really needs to stay fit.
Perhaps they should loan out Ross Ford to Glasgow for 3 months.
I would have thought they would bring back James Malcolm from his loan period before trying to get Ford – but an interesting shout…
Perhaps if Fenton were fit they might loan Ford out. As it is no chance. What a bizarre suggestion.
You should do a head to heads preview article
Ooft – that Weej backline is so sprinkled with stardust. McInally and Mata probably give Edinburgh the edge in the pack. The head says Glasgow, but the less glamorous Edinburgh backline has done alright of late. So, with home advantage, the heart is going to go Edinburgh by 5, or less…
Disagree – Edinburgh have dominated this fixture recently when Glasgow have been favoured. It can only go one way, to the underdog , if you can call conferencde topping Glasgow that.
I like it , a bit of disrespect towards Glasgow is exactly where they want to be. I think the weight of expectation is on Edinburgh’s shoulders this time. Hopefully a bit of needle as well, could swing on a yellow .
Is the match this evening on free to view tv? Away from Scotland so can’t make it unfortunately.
Think Glasgow will have the edge. Amazed that H Jones still isn’t chosen over Grigg (although Grigg has been going well he’s not an international class centre IMHO)
You could argue that Grigg has set the heather on fire more for Glasgow than Jones has so far. Also trust in Dave Rennie who used to play centre and knows a thing or two.
Grigg feels right today, he tends to batter his way through a line, Jones carves through gaps. Glasgow need to tackle Edinburgh to a standstill and force them to kick IMO . I see Grigg in that role better than Jones who will find space as a replacement when they have lost structure and energy.
Hi Chris as far as i can tell it will be on premiersports 1, you could download the app and do a months free trial still i think.
Local derby, Injuries, home advantage , rivalries aside and off course the fact that Edinburgh are looking good after years of table footing performances is giving fans confidence . No one should take offence and forgive Edinburgh for a bit of overconfidence. Edinburgh fans have stuck with a side who have a soul-less stadium and overpromised for so long.
I also can hear Edinburgh saying they are in a hard conference, but really , is that the reaosn the table shows so poorly !
For / Against / Difference
Glasgow 319 / 199 / 120
Edinburgh 207 / 256 / – 49
Glasgow have scored 112 more points than Edinburgh and conceded 57 less. I hope it is a good match but on the face of it, Glasgow have a lot more going for them that the recent posts would suggest.
Looking forward to the game. I will probably regret this but I expect Glasgow to get a bonus point win today. If they don’t it sub par.
Credit to Edinburgh who have managed to stifle Glasgow in recent games. Hopefully Glasgow have targeted it.
Equally, Edinburgh need to be up for it as otherwise their season is probably over in the pro14.
Interesting game.
This is Southern Kings Glasgow. Making Edinburgh look world class. Terrible.
Game is probably already lost.
Edinburgh the better side. Certainly at the breakdown. They’ve slowed the ball down all game, legally or otherwise. They’ve played Adamson well.
It is very Southern Kingsesque this game. Same thing happened there.
Didn’t want to complain about the ref but the scrum refereeing is baffling. Glasgow got a nudge and he called use. Edinburgh hold the ball in and he lets them try for ages to get forward momentum. Other than that Gibbons needs to communicate with the team that the ref is allowing competition at the breakdown. Poor from Glasgow.
Going up and down for Scotland selection.
Up
Gilchrist
Toolis
Prygos
Graham
Down
Gray
Ashe
Horne jr
Grigg
Seymour
My MoM would of been Graham with Gilchrist and Prygos close behind.
He really put his body on the line defensively and did not take a backwards step, clearly Glasgow were looking to rattle him but had no success.
Gilchrist carried well that game, Made J.Gray look like an amateur.
I would say McInally was the standout player on the pitch. His stats back this up. Hugely important for Scotland that he doesn’t get injured!
Equally, I think this shows how important Fraser Brown is for Glasgow both in the scrum and the loose. Stewart looked like a novice (which is he, no criticism) against the Edinburgh pack today.
For me Ryan Wilson and Tim Swinson need to start next week. Jonny Gray and Harley were ineffective today, as was Ashe.
Wonder whether Bryce will start at hooker next week. Stewart did ok considering his current experience but Bryce was breaking into the Scotland squad at hooker before the regrettable move to tighthead. He’s pretty useful in the loose but a real force at scrum time so only question would be how much throwing practice he’s had.
Rae, Bryce, Bhatti looked a powerful scrummaging unit. Would start the three next week. Powerful.
Can someone explain why that oaf Gray kept pushing over pyrgos about 2 seconds after he finished box kicking and how he got away with it ? we dont need a Maro Itoje wannabe.
The Glasgow pack were playing with a bit of bite to them. Harley, Gray and Gibbins were all strolling the line between enforcer and dickhead.
Some thoughts of mine:
1. The much heralded scrummager Kebble was clear second best to Nel, big statement from Nel who seems to be getting better and better at just the right time.
2. Harley seems to go well at lock, could he bulk up a stone and be a genuine option at international level there? He’s got a lot to like about his game that most of our other locks don’t really offer after all.
3. Bhatti had Ceccarelli on toast, hopefully the big man can get more game time and similar to Nel peak at just the right time for the 6N as he could be our best loosehead.
4. Stewart, looks so raw but promising, think though that Bryce may be a better option for now. Now he’s a full pro Stewart will benefit from A. more throwing practice and B. more strength and conditioning work, he doesn’t look in as good a shape as a McInally or a Brown yet.
5. Dean looks to me to be improving at the same rate as Dunbar is fading in the centre defensive linchpin role.
6. Gilchrist looked useful, as did Toolis. Both certainly outshone Gray in my opinion.
7. Crosbie looked like he’d bulked up a bit. Hopefully he’ll get more games at 6 in the future as he looks useful and I think we could do with a big, abrasive, tackle ‘n’ jackle blindside with a bit of pace about his carrying.
Point 4 – Line out throws are so inconsistent and do not seem to be improving. Is Corey Flynn available again ?
Scrums, too many resets and they never seemed properly engaged. Adamson needs some coaching , he was all over the place today.
All good points Horace. I’d put Glasgow’s substitute front row on from the start for round 2 certainly.