Pro Clubs - EDINBURGH RUGBY
BURGH BRACED FOR BOXING DAY DERBY
Head coach Michael Bradley has made one change to the Edinburgh Rugby side that will start the Boxing Day derby against Glasgow Warriors on Monday (kick-off 5.35pm).
Scotland internationalist, Ross Rennie [pictured] comes in as a straight swap for open-side flanker Roddy Grant, while the coach will wait to confirm the availability of prop, Allan Jacobsen, after the fans’ favourite sustained a head knock in the club’s Heineken Cup win over Cardiff Blues on Friday.
The Cup win was the sixth from the last seven home matches for the capital club, and puts them top of the Pool 2 with two qualification rounds remaining.
At the other end of the M8, a seven-match unbeaten run from Glasgow Warriors in the RaboDirect PRO12 has kept Sean Lineen's Glasgow Warriors team at the business end of the domestic championship from the outset.
The Murrayfield match is the first taste of the Scottish derby for Bradley, who took the reins of the capital club after seven years in charge of Irish province, Connacht, this summer.
He said: “Like all derbies, fans can get very personal with strong opinions about which team they support and why.
“In Ireland the four provinces go at it pretty hard over Christmas, so I expect it will be quite similar here in Scotland with the Edinburgh and Glasgow matches being fiercely contested. I’m really looking forward to it.
“Glasgow have been going very well this year, their form in both competitions is excellent. They have a lot of confidence and have plenty of options in terms of selection.
“Their determination will be similar to ours, we certainly want to win our home match and if we can manage to do the double over Glasgow we’ll be very happy.
“I think the perception of Edinburgh Rugby is changing. When we get the physicality right, we can be a very intimidating side. That, combined with our known strengths in attack and counter-attack, and the quality of our recent defensive performances, presents a formidable challenge to any team.”
Aside from championship points, the emotional attachment to the derby and individual contests under the spotlight of national selection are deep-seated in the fixture’s history and popularity, with around 9000 tickets already sold for the Murrayfield match.
The sides can name 16 Scotland players from the recent Rugby World Cup and, while legendary full-back Chris Paterson yesterday called time on his international career, the sides are brimming with young Scottish talent competing for a shot a senior Scotland selection.
Bradley added: “Individual rivalries are obviously a factor in this match, with national team selection an exciting component to a day where you will see players, who compete for the same position at an international level, go head-to-head.
“Part of the equation for those players progressing into international rugby is that they’re involved in a winning side and that’s our objective, first and foremost, on Boxing Day.”
Teams for Murrayfield Boxing Day derby, first leg of the 1872 Cup (Monday 26 December, kick-off 5.35pm)
EDINBURGH RUGBY
15. Chris Paterson
14. Lee Jones
13. Nick De Luca
12. James King
11. Tim Visser
10. Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN
9. Mike Blair
1. Allan Jacobsen/Kyle Traynor
2. Ross Ford
3. Geoff Cross
4. Grant Gilchrist
5. Sean Cox
6. David Denton
7. Ross Rennie
8. Netani Talei
SUBS:
16. Alun Walker
17. Kyle Traynor/Robin Hislop
18. Jack Gilding
19. Esteban Lozada
20. Roddy Grant
21. Phil Godman
22. Matt Scott
23 Jim Thompson
GLASGOW WARRIORS
15. Stuart Hogg
14. David Lemi
13. Troy Nathan
12. Graeme Morrison
11. Rory Lamont
10. Duncan Weir
9. Chris Cusiter
1. Ryan Grant
2. Pat MacArthur
3. Mike Cusack
4. Richie Gray
5. Al Kellock
6. Rob Harley
7. John Barclay
8. Johnnie Beattie
SUBS:
16. Dougie Hall
17. Jon Welsh
18. Moray Low
19. Tom Ryder
20. Henry Pyrgos
21. Chris Fusaro
22. Colin Shaw
23. Ruaridh Jackson
Edinburgh 19-14 Connacht
Edinburgh: 19
Tries: Hunter Penalty: Laidlaw (4) Con: Laidlaw
Connacht: 14
Tries: O'Connor Penalty: Jarvis (2), O'Connor
Jones, seen here in possession, made some important tackles for Edinburgh
Gregor Hunter's try and the boot of Greig Laidlaw helped Edinburgh record their first win of the season against Connacht at Murrayfield.
Two penalties by captain Laidlaw put the hosts 6-0 up at the turnaround.
Laidlaw continued to keep the score ticking over in the second half with two more penalties and a conversion after Hunter had gone over.
Connacht's Niall O'Connor added to Matthew Jarvis's two penalties and O'Connor also crossed the line late on.
The result gives Michael Bradley his first victory since becoming Edinburgh coach with the Scottish capital side still missing many of their international players on World Cup duty.
Connacht suffer a first RaboDirect Pro12 defeat but claim a bonus point having reduced the margin of defeat below six points.
The visitors countered an early Edinburgh advance and Frank Murphy freed Tiernan O'Halloran, who would have registered the first score but for Lee Jones' tackle.
Jarvis was off the mark with a 40-metre penalty attempt and Jones came to Edinburgh's rescue again with another tackle on O'Halloran after the Connacht wing had charged down Tom Brown's attempted clearance.
More penalty misses by Jarvis and Laidlaw kept the score blank over the half-hour mark but the Edinburgh scrum-half soon kicked the home side ahead with his next attempt.
Connacht lost Gavin Duffy to a yellow card and George Naoupu to injury and Laidlaw doubled his tally after Edinburgh earned another penalty.
Jarvis hauled the visitors back into the game with his first successful penalty just after the restart but Laidlaw re-established a six-point lead and the sequence was repeated as Jarvis and Laidlaw exchanged further kicks.
O'Connor replaced Jarvis and brought Connacht to within three points of Edinburgh with a penalty on 55 minutes.
But Edinburgh put some distance between the sides when Dave Denton charged down an O'Connor kick and the ball broke to Hunter, who forced his way over the line. Laidlaw converted.
O'Connor atoned for his earlier error when he darted over and touched down but the missed conversion kept Edinburgh five ahead and the home side weathered a late storm to claim victory.
Edinburgh: T. Brown, Jones, Thompson, King, Visser, Laidlaw, Leck, Traynor, Lawrie, Knight, Gilchrist, S. Turnbull, Cox, Grant, Denton.
Replacements: Scott for King (79), Hunter for Leck (52), Hislop for Traynor (62), Kelly for Lawrie (62), McInally for Gilchrist (60).
Not Used: Niven, Lozada, Black.
Connacht: Duffy, McCrea, Griffin, Fa'afili, O'Halloran, Jarvis, F. Murphy, Loughney, Reynecke, Ah You, Swift, McCarthy, Muldoon, J. O'Connor, Naoupu.
Replacements: Tuohy for McCrea (67), O'Donohoe for F. Murphy (60), Wilkinson for Loughney (50), Flavin for Reynecke (60), Rogers for Ah You (44), Ofisa for Naoupu (37).
Not Used: Gannon, N. O'Connor.
Att: 2,364
Referee: Alan Falzone (Italy)
AGONY FOR EDINBURGH AS LAST SECOND SCORE SNATCHES THE WIN
Edinburgh Rugby hearts were left broken at the Liberty Stadium tonight when an Ospreys score snatched the win in the last play of the game (26-19).
The sides had been evenly matched throughout, with Tim Visser’s opportunistic score cancelled out by Rhys Webb’s, while the opposing kickers, Greig Laidlaw and Dan Biggar, went kick for kick up until the last minute.
The lead and the match was finally lost when, at 19-19, the Ospreys turned over Edinburgh on their own five metre line and booted the ball to safety.
As Edinburgh sprinted back to cover, the ball miraculously cannoned straight back over the retreating Edinburgh heads and into the hands of the on-rushing Ospreys who put the ball through the hands to captain Justin Tupuric who made amends for an earlier try-surrendering spill to score.
Dan Biggar added the extras and the whistle sounded.
Edinburgh Rugby head coach Michael Bradley, said: "It was obviously a disappointing end to a match in which we performed well for 80 minutes and put ourselves in a very good position to win the game. Our defence and work around the breakdown had been excellent.
"With seconds left we were right where we needed to be and were putting a lot of pressure on Ospreys as we went for the win before they broke and scored. We need to start putting these opportunities away."
Final Score: 26-19
Edinburgh Rugby will next take on Michael Bradley's former club, Connacht, at Murrayfield on Friday 16 September (kick-off 6.30pm).
Ospreys Team: Richard Fussell; Kristian Phillips, Andrew Bishop, Ashley Beck, Hanno Dirksen; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Duncan Jones, Mefin Davies, CAi Griffiths, Ian Gough, Ian Evans, Justin Tupuric (c), Johnathan Thomas
Substitutes: Scot Bladwin, Aaron Jones, Joe Rees, James Goode, Tom Isaacs, Matthew Morgan, Sonny Parker
Edinburgh Team: Tom Brown; Simon Webster, Jim Thompson, James King, Tim Visser; Gregor Hunter, Greig Laidlaw (c); Kyle Traynor, Steven Lawrie, Lewis Niven, Grant Gilchrist, Esteban Lozada, Sean Cox, Roddy Grant, David Denton
Substitutes: Andrew Kelly, Robin Hislop, Shaun Knight, Steven Turnbull, Hamish Watson, Chris Leck, Andrew Turnbull, Lee Jones
LOAN WHITE KNIGHT TO PROP IN EDINBURGH FRONT ROW
SHUAN KNIGHT
Edinburgh Rugby bolstered their front-row reserves today with the six-week loan of tight-head prop, Shaun Knight, from Aviva Premiership side Gloucester Rugby.
Born and bred in the west country, the traditional heartland of English rugby union, Knight represented England under-20 in the final and semi-final of the 2009 and 2010 Junior World Championships, while plying his trade for the cherry and whites under the tutelage of head coach and former Scotland scrum-half Bryan Redpath.
After the 2010 championships Knight spent four months representing Counties Manakau in New Zealand’s professional domestic ITM Cup (formerly the NPC) before returning to Gloucester.
He said: “I found out that Edinburgh Rugby wanted a tight-head and jumped at the chance to get some game time in the RaboDirect PRO12 and play a high standard of rugby for a well-known team.
“Every young prop wants to develop their scrummaging against experienced front-rows so this loan spell gives me the chance to take on some real quality, international, players. I also like to handle the ball which is perfect because I know that Edinburgh Rugby play an expansive game.
“It all happened really fast but since I arrived I’ve been made to feel really welcome by the players. It’s such a brilliant set-up: the gym, changing rooms, physio room and training pitches are all spot on as you would expect, being Murrayfield, so I’m very happy to be on board.”
Edinburgh Rugby head coach, Michael Bradley, said: “With our entire first-string front-row in the Scotland squad in New Zealand, Shaun [Knight] provides invaluable cover during a crucial six-week period of the Rugby World Cup.
“He’s a very talented young athlete with a bright future in the front-row and has displayed, in his performances for England under-20 and for Gloucester, experience, talent and grit, beyond his years. I’m certain he will be an asset for Edinburgh Rugby in this short but critical time.
“I’d like to thank Gloucester’s rugby operations manager John Brain for his help in facilitating this mutually beneficial loan.”
JOIN SHAUN KNIGHT AS THE LATEST SIGNING FOR EDINBURGH RUGBY IN THE 2011/12 SEASON!
All of Edinburgh Rugby’s regular RaboDirect PRO12 matches and Heineken Cup home games are included in our 2011/12 season ticket package. Other benefits include access to the reserved seating sections to guarantee you a premium view of the match while you’ll also be able to sign two friends into the pre and post-match supporters’ lounge at Murrayfield Wanderers.
Season tickets are priced at £35 for under-18s, £90 for students/senior citizens and £180 for adults. For more information visit www.edinburghrugby.org, call 0131 346 5180 or visit the Murrayfield Ticket Centre (just off Roseburn Street) in person.
No fuss, no queues, no worries – it’s AnyGame!
Offering total flexibility and a £5 saving on the adult match-day price, AnyGame vouchers can be used at (you guessed it!) any Edinburgh Rugby match at Murrayfield in the RaboDirect PRO12 and Heineken Cup. Purchasers of Edinburgh Rugby AnyGame tickets get access to the unreserved sections of Murrayfield’s east stand and east stand concourse bar, as well as the all-new perimeter standing area which get you right on top of the action!
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TELL AS EDINBURGH OUTGUNNED
EDINBURGH: 15
Pens: Laidlaw (5)
CARDIFF BLUES: 38
Tries: Hobbs (2), Pretorius, James Cons: Sweeney (3) Pens: Sweeney (4)
Stand-off Phil Godman slips through
Missed opportunities were ultimately Edinburgh Rugby’s undoing in the opening match of the RaboDirect PRO12 at Murrayfield tonight (15-38).
In the first half both sides showcased moments of brilliance, Phil Godman’s link play, Tim Visser’s line breaks and David Denton’s power making the most inroads for the hosts.
But, despite making decisive moves into Cardiff territory, several opportunities went begging and allowed Cardiff to get their nose in front before the break.
A try from Cardiff prop Sam Hobbs was the difference in a half that saw three penalties a piece from Edinburgh captain Greig Laidlaw and Cardiff stand-off Ceri Sweeney.
HALF TIME: EDINBURGH 9 CARDIFF BLUES 14
Edinburgh started the second half brightly and quickly got into ascendancy, shrugging off a missed Laidlaw penalty and returning to slice away at the Cardiff rear guard.
Visser made a telling breakthrough on the nearside touchline and sent the ball back inside to debutant lock Grant Gilchrist to score however it was pulled back after the Dutchman’s foot was adjudged to have strayed into touch.
Edinburgh’s dominance continued, forcing the Welshmen to kill the ball on consecutive occasions, both times allowing Laidlaw to take the points and, for the first time in the match, a deserved lead (15-14).
Disappointingly, while this seemed like a turning point in Edinburgh’s favour, it was, in fact, the opposite.
Just moments after their celebrations had finished, Cardiff man of the match, Andries Pretorious, captialised on a dominant restart and dove over for the score.
Sweeney added the extras and Edinburgh were stunned (15-21).
The stand-off then booted a penalty through the sticks to break the crucial seven point scoring gap before converting a second Hobbs score and a late try from winger Thomas James to secure the bonus point win.
FULL TIME: EDINBURGH 15 CARDIFF BLUES 38
Edinburgh Rugby team: Jim Thompson; Lee Jones, Simon Webster, Matt Scott, Tim Visser; Phil Godman, Greig Laidlaw (C); Kyle Traynor, Steven Lawrie, Lewis Niven, Grant Gilchrist, Steven Turnbull, Sean Cox, Roddy Grant, David Denton
Substitutes: Andrew Kelly, Robin Hislop, Jack Gilding, Esteban Lozada, Hamish Watson, Chris Leck, Gregor Hunter, John Houston.
Cardiff Blues team: Chris Czekaj; Richard Mustoe, Casey Laulala, Gavin Evans, James Thomas; Ceri Sweeney, Richie Rees; Sam Hobbs, Rhys Thomas, Scott Andrews, Deiniol, James Down, Michael Paterson, Martyn Williams, Andries Pretorius
Substitutes: Rhys Williams, Nathan Trevett, Ryan Harford, Paul Tito, Ma’ama Molitika, Lewis Jones, Gareth Davies, Dafydd Hewitt.
Referee: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
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