Date: Sat 19 September 2020
KO: 13:30
Venue: Stade Chaban-Delmas
Edinburgh Rugby have this week confirmed a positive test for COVID-19 for one of its Academy players following routine club testing.
A further three Edinburgh Academy players have been identified and are now self-isolating in line with government guidelines. Potential contact by the affected player with other members of the Edinburgh playing squad has been fully reviewed and no further action was required.
Which means that Edinburgh’s knockout game in the European Challenge-Cup goes ahead, but they will be without Duhan Van Der Merwe for the trip to France.
Mark Bennett and Nic Groom are big but not as catastrophic losses, but add in that three, WP Nel and the fact that Edinburgh are down three scrum-halves and things start to look a little tricky against a Bordeaux side who Ediburgh couldn’t beat home or away during the pool stages.
Will the post-lockdown version be different?
Bordeaux-Begles: 15. Nans Ducuing, 14. Santiago Cordero, 13. Jean-Baptiste Dubié, 12. Ulupano Seuteni, 11?. , 10. Matthieu Jalibert, 9. Yann Lesgourgues; 1. Jefferson Poirot (c), 2. Clement Maynadier, 3. Vadim Cobilas, 4. Kane Douglas, 5. Jandré Marais, 6. Mahamadou Diaby, 7. ??, 8. Marco Tauleigne.
Replacements: 16. Joseph Dweba, 17. Lekso Kaulashvili, 18. Ben Tameifuna, 19. Cyril Cazeaux, 20. Cameron Woki, 21. Maxime Lucu, 22. Ben Botica, 23. Pablo Uberti,
Edinburgh Rugby: 15. Blair Kinghorn, 14. Darcy Graham, 13. James Johnstone, 12. George Taylor, 11. Damien Hoyland, 10. Jaco van der Walt, 9. Charlie Shiel, 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. Stuart McInally (c), 3. Simon Berghan, 4. Ben Toolis, 5. Grant Gilchrist, 6. Jamie Ritchie, 7. Hamish Watson, 8. Viliame Mata.
Replacements: 16. Mike Willemse, 17. Rory Sutherland, 18. Murray McCallum, 19. Andrew Davidson, 20. Magnus Bradbury, 21. Nick Haining, 22. Daniel Nutton, 23. Chris Dean.
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Unavailable due to injury: Duhan van der Merwe, Mark Bennett, Nic Groom, Henry Pyrgos, Lewis Carmichael, Fraser McKenzie, WP Nel, Roan Frostwick
Other Scots interest around the weekend includes a rare sighting of Blade Thomson at 6 for the Scarlets, Matt Scott at 12 for Leicester and Finn Russell starts for Racing92 vs Clermont.
Saracens (Duncan Taylor, Sean Maitland, Tim Swinson, Callum Hunter-Hill) and Exeter (Stuart Hogg and Jonny Gray start, Sams Skinner and Hidalgo-Clyne on the bench) both have big Scottish representation. Rory Hutchinson also starts for Saints looking to stop Exeter’s run of form.
32 responses
Looks like Edinburgh are planning to play 10 man rugby at the weekend.
Duhan/Bennett/Groom injured.
2 backs on Bench.
Murphy doing Edinburgh a couple of favours today, good to see! Kinghorn squandering chances is less good…
Even depleted by injuries, Edinburgh have no excuses for losing that. It was comical at times. Dean, Graham, Shiel and Hoyland looked good. Kinghorn was pretty diabolical – lucky not to be yellow carded and his greed/short-sightedness cost Edinburgh. Entertaining game, but Cockerill has a lot of work to do.
Kinghorn has never impressed me. He increasingly has become greedy and needs to use players supporting him
Yet again, mistakes at critical moments which are compounded by further mistakes cost a Scottish team.
… and a real opportunity to claim the game in the last ten minutes that they failed to take.
Same old story.
Can’t help feeling that if Cockerill had a completely free hand in Edinburgh’s team selection, some of today’s players would not have got on the pitch.
What players do you think would have made the difference?
Edinburgh looked very rusty today, I also thought they tried to force unrealistic passes at times, trying too hard again when something basic was in front of them. Was like first day back. McInally, something missing, looks exhausted. Ritchie not match fit. Watson sublime at times but equalised by uncharacteristic errors. JVDW not at the races. Like what Hainings brings but then he drops a basic restart. Encouraged by Graham, Shiel, Taylor, Hoyland. Bradbury showed glimpses of what he could do by running instead of dipping. Everyone else, can do better.
The same could be said of Leinster. I’m not disagreeing with you, but the parallel seems interesting. I think the difference was that Leinster were fighting until the end, whereas Edinburgh seemed to shoot themselves in the foot repeatedly.
Also, did Sutherland do much wrong?
Taylor and Maitland looking very good for Sarries.
Yep, cracking weekend of rugby for Scotland fans.
Can’t wait for this Clermont v Racing game. Want Finn to win the tournament.
Then Hogg and Gray tomorrow (bench for SHC).
Finn is looking sensational all season and has started where left off. Hogg not far off!
Fully agree. Hope Finn plays a blinder in particular.
Didn’t quit click for Finn today, I think…
Yeah BUT the ripped miss pass off the left hand that made the first try was sensational. There’s a Murray Kinsella Twitter thread on which Zebo and BOD have commented. Irish fans like him maybe more than the Scottish, including Mike Prendergast.
Sutherland didn’t do much wrong, but my point is he wasn’t influential in any way of note that I recall. No marauding runs or defensive heroism. Same as cohorts , just going through the motions?
To be fair the Edinburgh pack (and team) as a whole improved and showed more fight once he was on the pitch, how much that had to do with him is anyone’s guess.
Edinburgh were a mess today. They need a better backs coach, Hodge just doesn’t cut it.
Losing Matt Scott was a huge blow, Edinburgh could really do with some quality in the centres. Dean and Johnstone and not of the calibre for a team trying to win silverware.
And what has happened to Kinghorn? I fear he has become to big to be an effective full-back, his slow first few steps of acceleration has prevented him from creating a few opportunities now (see not putting Graham over in the corner yesterday as he got caught by the inside tackler before he could draw the Bordeaux winger)
I think a Graham swap to full back and Kinghorn to the wing (or even dropped) would improve Edinburgh massively.
I’d be much happier with Graham at fullback. And, based on the games since the return, I’d rather see Hoyland on the wing than Kinghorn. It’s like he and Stockdale are fighting to see who can waste their talents the most…
Didn’t see the game (away Trampolining!!!!!!!!). Shows the lack of depth in Edinburgh back division…..
Is Luke Crosbie on the naught step?
As cc stated above, Matt Scott being missed.
No other forum I know of, but thought Gray had a good game yesterday for Exeter. Starting to see changes in his game
Its funny with Gray: the things he did for Glasgow that looked a little unexciting, when you put him into a balanced pack suddenly look like vital parts of a well-oiled machine! His carrying is still not super effective but when the rest of his pack turn it into quick ball for the scrummy it suddenly looks useful because even though he’s not getting far he’s tying in defenders. His lineout work was pretty good, maul especially.
Thought he was trying to hit the gaps more rather than run at the defender
Harris appears to be scoring a lot of tries for Gloucester, too.
My Scotland 23.
1. Pierre Schoeman
2. Fraser Brown
3. Zander Fagerson
4. Jonny Gray
5. Sam Skinner
6. Jamie Ritchie
7. Hamish Watson
8. Nick Haining
9. Ali Price
10. Finn Russell
11. Duhan Van der Merwe
12. Matt Scott
13. Chris Harris
14. Darcy Graham
15. Stuart Hogg (C)
16. Stuart Mcinally
17. Rory Sutherland
18. WP Nel
19. Richie Gray
20. Matt Fagerson
21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Better game management than Horne)
22. Adam Hastings
23. Sean Maitland
Sutherland before Schoeman.
Why Skinner? Not first choice. Better options.
Ritchie was off the pace at the weekend, needs match fitness.
11-15 needs a real debate. Not easy.
Matt Fagerson is not an#8, an abrasive flanker – too small but love his attitude and would love to be proved wrong. Love Haining at 8, dropped catch excepted.
11-14 surely, no?
I meant to reply earlier Nomad86, of course 15 is Hogg but what do we do if he’s unavailable. Was for Kinghorn as understudy but something not there just now with him.Would like to see Darcy given a run there but it would have to be with Edinburgh first. Fingers crossed PRO14 does start next week and we can see what the coaches are thinking. I’m sure it will be interesting. And where is Crosbie, not heard a cheep.
Schoeman isn’t eligible yet.
Sutherland, Brown, Z.Fagerson, Toolis, Skinner, Crosbie, Watson, Haining
Price, Russell, VDM, Johnson, Hutchinson, Graham, Hogg
Kebble (Schoeman not eligible), McInally, Nel, J.Gray, Ritchie, SHC, Hastings, Maitland.
Agree about Sam HC. Been playing very well for Exeter. Also Haining way ahead of Bradbury. Tempted to put the Gray brothers in together with Toolis on the bench. Gilco seems to have lost his way.
Another thought. Can we not have Huw Jones in the team? If you have a potential game breaker, put him on the park.