The coaches have named their teams for the opening leg of the 1872 Scottish Cup, at BT Murrayfield on Sunday 27 December (kick-off 15:05 UK time; 17:05 SA Time). As reigning cup holders, Alan Solomons has made 2 changes to the Edinburgh starting XV that beat London Irish last weekend in the European Challenge Cup, while Gregor Townsend has called up former Edinburgh scrumhalf Grayson Hart replacing Mike Blair in the No 9 shirt as the Warriors return to Guinness PRO12 action following their back-to-back European Rugby Champions Cup wins over the Scarlets.
In total there are 20 Scotland capped players in the starting XVs (8 for Edinburgh, 12 for Glasgow) with a further 4 on the bench (1 for Edinburgh, 3 for Glasgow). With the RBS 6 Nations Championship only 6 short weeks away, the players will want to impress head coach Vern Cotter as well as win their team valuable Guinness PRO12 league points.
Edinburgh won the 1872 Scottish Cup at BT Murrayfield on 2 January this year, after a 5-year sabbatical in the Glasgow trophy cabinet, in a nail-biter before a then-record crowd of 15 810. This year’s attendance has already broken that figure, with sales increasing daily, making the match the must-see fixture of the festive period in Scotland.
Head coach Alan Solomons said: “We’re all delighted that we’ll have such a big crowd adding to the atmosphere of what is always a hard-fought fixture. With both clubs winning their European fixtures last weekend, the teams will be looking for the momentum to carry through to a winning performance on Sunday. We know how keen Glasgow are to win back the trophy – and how intent we are on retaining it – so I’ve no doubt it will be a highly physical encounter.”
Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend said: “It’s great to hear that our supporters are travelling through to Edinburgh in large numbers to get behind the team, and their vocal support will once again give us a boost this weekend. The 1872 Scottish Cup matches are always highly anticipated encounters and we’re really looking forward to Sunday’s game. We must remain focused for the full eighty-minutes if we’re to come away with a positive result and crucial Guinness PRO12 points.
Teams:
Looks like a disappointing end to the day at Newlands.
Tassies wrote:
The whole of the Far East has been handled poorly by SA. Used to work for a company exporting wine out there, and was appalled at how badly we (SA as a whole, and WOSA) handled that market. Singapore, Malaysia also potential, and so is the rest of China. Big gap for you if you can get it right, thats for sure.
@ provincefan: Well, as you can determine, I agree. Kallis would have been a lousy captain. Doesn’t make him a lousy cricketer does it? Hash is a great cricketer. Just not a captain’s backside. Point your finger at the selectors. They’re just as clueless. Transformation at its very worst.
@ Just For Kicks: Interested in your thoughts. I’m a marketer by training. In the blood. It was so obvious to me but not so obvious to those in the industry one supposes. Our competitors give us a hiding and it really doesn’t have to be. We produce great wine(world class) and we have a massive price advantage. Something’s not right in the land of wine. I’m not arrogant enough to think that I can change all. But I’d like to give a small stab.
Nama, where are you my friend? I’d love you to respond to some of my questions and observations.
I don’t aim to put you on the spot. But I would like to hear your educated observation on what’s going down in our cricket and sport in general. It doesn’t have to be a fight. I think we are all on the same side here. We’d just like to see our teams succeed and be competitive. If we lose then lets at least lose giving it our best shot with our best team. Not use our international teams as a nursery to develop raw talent. That is not the environment to develop talent. Its the final platform to perform. Call it national pride. At the moment we simply don’t have that. There’s nothing good about being hammered(like Zimbabwe are accustomed to for example). Michael Holding understands the concept. Why can’t our people?
@ Tassies: @ 202
Don’t know who else picked up on this, but before play started when the Proteas were standing around in a circle, it was Faf who was doing all the talking. Amla seemed to be strangely silent.
Amla seems a great guy, doesn’t get ruffled, good batsman. But not a good motivator. With so many newbies in this Protea side, it is the captain who has to hold the team together. It is just not happening.
@ IAAS: no I hadn’t noticed. What I have noticed is; Ben Stokes wants to make a personal meal of us. There is still a lot of batting to come and this guy is treating the morning session as a 20:20 Big Bash. Not pretty.
Toothless bowling, giving stokes plenty of width… That said though excellent hundred and he looks nowhere nearly finushed with our attack, this is going to get ugly.
I watched a documentary on Ben Stokes a while back. A very grounded guy, family man and humble who loves his cricket and golf. A genuine alrounder, and a great find for England
This is such crap, either short or wide.
@ Tassies:
Difficult to fathom that he couldn’t crack the English ODI side for the CWC.
Bloodbath
Barmy Army in full voice
The Ginger Ninja’s have wreaked havoc this morning. I think we all knew it was coming – just not so fast. This is where there is just nowhere for the new boys to hide, or for Amla to hide them. With Morne only being bowled in short spells and the rested for long periods, there is no choice but to push Rabada and Morris to the fore. A real test of their reserve.
Piedt won’t fare any better on this pitch, and these 2 batsmen do enjoy spin.
A score of 650/700 on the cards. Any less and England won’t be happy
Second fastest 200 run partnership
MacroPolo wrote:
England won’t be happy with that stat. Management will come down on the GinjaNinja’s with a ton of bricks
@ IAAS:
in hindsight, odd isn’t it. There are few cleaner hitters of the ball in current times
This could break Rabada – is there a team psychologist? I doubt it – but one is needed now.
Its happening
Unbelievable shot by Stokes
first the Springboks and now the Proteas put to the sword. We wont bother mentioning our pathetic national football team. They’ve been an embarrassment for over a decade. Fortress Newlands has just lowered the drawbridge for the enemy pillage the pride of Africa.
@ Just For Kicks: gud morning. Nothing good about it. SA have managed to wreck every black quick bowler, barring Ntini, in our short readmission history. Hopefully we’re not witnessing another example.
Stokes broke the all time record of runs before lunch.
Come on amla. Give stiaan or ab a few overs before lunch.
Sorry stokes needs 1 more run.
that was an unusually good ball from Morris. Nearly had his man.
SA need to try something from left field. And quickly. Or this Test is history, just like the first.
231 @ Tassies:The thing that gets to me is that when you make these statements – even on this site – you get castigated for being a naysayer, negative, anti SA, and the rest. My question for all those who come back with such comments is – ‘OK, so I am a naysayer, but please explain what the conclusion to the path that we are taking is. Where will the sports end up, how long till we are on top again, and how long must we still sit quietly, saying only how good the potential is?’
The Hashim Anthem won’t be helping.
Great work by Stokes. Well deserved. Been a pleasure to watch. Well done.
Most runs by an english batsman in any session ever.
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