WP Nel on the rampage against Harlequins
Tighthead prop WP Nel is among four changes to Edinburgh Rugby’s starting XV to face Harlequins in Saturday’s round five European Challenge Cup clash at Twickenham Stoop (kick-off 1500 GMT, 1700 SA Time).
Scotland cap Nel – who has been out of action with a neck injury since October – comes in to take the number three jersey in one of two changes to the starting pack.
The other amendment comes in the back-row where Hamish Watson – who this week signed a new two-year deal with the club – starts on the openside flank.
In the backline, experienced operator Phil Burleigh returns at inside-centre, with club centurion Tom Brown set to start on the left wing.
Acting Head Coach, Duncan Hodge, said: “There’s a lot at stake for both sides tomorrow, which makes for an exciting tie. Harlequins’ home record speaks for itself, and we have no doubt about the size of task ahead, but there is a good buzz in camp and a belief that we can go down to London and do what is required of us.”
“The last match between the two sides was an open, fluid and attack-focussed affair but we’re two months down the line and conditions could play a big part in the return-leg.
“We’ve named a fairly consistent squad with a lot of players meriting re-selection off the back of a good win away to Zebre. We hope those coming in bring their experience to the fore in tomorrow’s match.”
Blair Kinghorn, Damien Hoyland and Brown – all of whom scored against Quins at BT Murrayfield in October – start as the back-three.
Hogmanay try-scorer against Zebre, Chris Dean, retains his starting spot in the number 13 jersey and joins Burleigh in midfield, while Sean Kennedy and Duncan Weir continue as the half-back pairing.
Nel joins Ross Ford and Allan Dell up-front to form an all Scotland international front-row, with Fraser McKenzie and Ben Toolis continuing in the boiler-room.
Magnus Bradbury starts on the blindside flank, with Watson on the openside and Cornell Du Preez remaining at number eight.
Edinburgh Rugby team to play Harlequins in the European Rugby Challenge Cup at Twickenham Stoop:
15. Blair Kinghorn
14. Damien Hoyland
13. Chris Dean
12. Phil Burleigh
11. Tom Brown
10. Duncan Weir
9. Sean Kennedy
1. Allan Dell
2. Ross Ford CAPTAIN
3. WP Nel
4. Fraser McKenzie
5. Ben Toolis
6. Magnus Bradbury
7. Hamish Watson
8. Cornell Du Preez
Replacements
16. Neil Cochrane
17. Jack Cosgrove
18. Simon Berghan
19. Lewis Carmichael
20. Viliame Mata
21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
22. Jason Tovey
23. Michael Allen
Players unavailable due to injury: Felipe Arregui (calf), Nick Beavon (neck), Kevin Bryce (shoulder), Alasdair Dickinson (foot), John Hardie (ankle), Nasi Manu (shoulder), Alex Northam (Achilles), Rory Scholes (Achilles), Rory Sutherland (groin), Kyle Whyte (knee)
Challenge Cup round 5 results so far:
Bayonne 14/24 La Rochelle; Grenoble 31/27 Newcastle Falcons; Newport Gwent Dragons 34/10 Enisei STM; Bristol 22/57 Bath
Champions Cup round 5 result:
Leinster 57/3 Montpellier!
Francois Steyn playing flyhalf scored the only points for Montpellier – a penalty – but he also got a red card for a high tackle on Johnny Sexton.
Leinster have qualified for the quarter finals.
Well done Edinburgh on winning. I think this guarantees them a quarter final slot with a game to play.
Final score Harlequins 18/23 Edinburgh. Allan Dell scored a try for Edinburgh. Tim Swiel started at flyhalf for Quins and kicked two penalties for them.
Bullscot wrote:
Not seen it yet but sounds like the red card was for a swinging arm to the head in a tackle. If that is true then would think he is looking at least at a 3 week but possibly more likely around 6 weeks
Glasgow Warriors v Munster in the Champions Cup coming up GO GLASGOW!
Josh Strauss starting at 8 for Glasgow, CJ Stander at 8 for Munster. Really like CJ he is a good player but for this one GO JOSH win that battle.
Jean Kleyn and Jaco Taute starting for Munster and Thomas du Toit is on their bench.
Nienaber has got Munster defence working well they have only conceded 3 tries in 4 games in Champions Cup this season
Glasgow 3/0 Munster as Blyendal misses with a long range effort for Munster. Finn Russell penalty for Glasgow
Glasgow 3/3 Munster after 21 minutes
Relieving penalty to Glasgow after relentless attacking by Munster phew
Stuart Hogg lands a 52m penalty for Glasgow easily!
Glasgow 6/3 Munster
Listening on the radio sounds like Kleyn is taking quite a bit of Munster lineout
Strauss gives away a penalty. Seems like ref missed some dodgy play by Munster though
Glasgow 6/6 Munster after 35 minutes
Sounds like there wasn’t much in the penalty and it could have been milked by Munster then Strauss protested and Munster got 10m advance on the penalty
Penalty to Glasgow Russell could have gone for it but as ref moved it back about 5m Hogg took it and missed
Halftime Glasgow 6/6 Munster tight game COME ON GLASGOW!
Arghh no missed second half, well done Munster on a very narrow win. This must leave Glasgow in a near impossible position to qualify for the quarter finals, at the very least have to win at Leicester next week and hope other results go our way to try qualify as one the 3 best runners up in the groups.
Final score: Glasgow Warriors 12/14 Munster
thanks for the commentary BS. I watched this game on SS. Tight contest it certainly was. I have decided I am ging to support Munster in future. Lot of WP resources in that franchise. So its a no-brainer for this man. Like their ethos too. But good luck with all the rest of your games. cheers.
http://www.sarugby.net/news/world-rugby-announces-new-measures-limit-contact-head/
25 @ Tassies:
Hi Tassies Munster are doing well with a combination of factors coming together one of them being the coaching team. Nienaber has got them Stormeresque in their defence as they have conceded less than a try a game this Champions Cup – 3 tries in 5 games, but they are producing on attack as well scoring 15 tries in that time, coming away with 3 try scoring bonus points, this is in spite of conditions and against good opposition. Rassie Erasmus is being given a lot of the credit for setting them up well in attack so all round they seem well balanced. As comparison we who are second in the pool have conceded 10 and scored 12 tries so not far behind in attack but way more leaky in defence, the concern for me is that Scotland defence coach is also Glasgow’s and also that most of the starting 15 yesterday for Glasgow will be starting for Scotland yet you can’t say the same about Munster and Ireland so am hoping Scotland will be ok this 6 Nations. Maybe that just shows the extra influence of the non Irish players and the coaches at Munster. At least Scotland have a very good coach in Vern Cotter and a few good reinforcements from elsewhere player wise.
Thanks going to be tough to qualify from here with the last game away against Leicester have to win that one. Had a look at the other pools and the permutations are too complex for this time of the morning especially as Pool 3 and Pool 5 have a game in hand over the other pools so hopefully it will be clearer after all round 5 games have been played what is required, hopefully we won’t have the added pressure of needing a bonus point as well.
26 @ superBul:
Hi superBul thanks, this has been in force the last few weeks here and seems controversial. One has to applaud the efforts to bring in more protections but it seems the problem is the rules have gone maybe a bit far in that a player can duck into a tackle and it ends up high or if a defender starts below the shoulders and momentum takes him above then there is problems for the defence. So there seems to have been a sharp increase in cards in these last few weeks alone. Maybe they should be stricter on the Head Assesment tests in that if a player has to go off for one he cannot come back at all in that match, this will ensure no mistakes by medical teams or any pressure on them by coaching, management etc allow players back on who shouldn’t be and it may also stop players from ducking or leading with the head when they are on attack to try and take advantage of the changes in rule/law.
@ superBul:
Interesting have just seen this article below, especially considering my reply to you this morning:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-4121098/Conor-Murray-Munster-involved-latest-concussion-incident-calls-grow-independent-medics.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Just to put the “elbow to a jaw” throw away line from whoever wrote that article in perspective, don’t know what their agenda with that is but I’ve seen a video clip of the tackle the article mentions Murray got an elbow to a jaw in and to me it came from Swinson ducking a little while running with the ball not long after he was passed the ball and just before being tackled by Murray with one of Murray’s arms above Swinson’s shoulder, possibly around the neck.
Interesting to note this comment from a fan who was at the game (remember this is a game Munster won by 2 points) :
“I haven’t watched the game back but the incident happened directly in front of where I sit and his reaction did not appear ‘genuine’ to me .It looked to me like he took a hit while going for a high hit himself . It certainly used up valuable time .
Anyway he should have been straight off and not allowed back on .”
Very recent bit of news: “EPCR confirm an Untowards Incident Review Group will convene early this week to look into Munster’s management of Conor Murray yesterday.”
Thing is RFU did nothing against Northampton Saints even though they said their handling of George North’s head injuries were not good, World Rugby said they would be looking into but a few weeks later I haven’t heard any more of what World Rugby were doing about that. Let us see if they are consistent with this one. Although EPCR the European Rugby authorities are a different body to the RFU so maybe they will come up with a different ruling, if they don’t let’s see what World Rugby does.
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