Edinburgh sign Mike Penn on a one-year contract

Posted on May 8, 2012 in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Rugby have signed Worcester Warriors starlet Mike Penn on a one-year contract.

Born in Wordsley, the flight-footed 22-year-old winger/full-back is a product of the Warriors’ academy and moves north to link up with the club’s defence coach, Billy McGinty, who joined last summer after six years at Sixways.

His arrival augments Edinburgh Rugby’s back-three resources, which include the increasingly prominent full-back Tom Brown, wingers Lee Jones and try-machine Tim Visser, the latter available for Scotland selection this summer.

Edinburgh Rugby head coach, Michael Bradley, said: “Mike [Penn] is a talented young player and is very excited about the opportunity to play for Edinburgh Rugby.

“He’s an ambitious young man and arrives knowing that he has to work hard and have a big year to secure a longer term.

“That kind of pressure can bring the best out of players, particularly when competition for places in our back-three is increasingly fierce.”

Penn arrived late to the sport for a professional player, picking up the oval ball aged 14 for Starbridge rugby club.

When he was16 he signed for the Premiership side’s Academy before earning selection for England under-18 and enjoying a successful spell at associated Championship side Birmingham & Solihull.

He then returned to the Warriors to impress for the A side, making four appearances for the senior squad before taking on a second championship loan spell at Nottingham.

Penn checked into the stadium for a fitness test last month and revealed the visit to the ground and the buzz at the club sealed the deal for the West Midlands flyer.

“My first thoughts when I arrived were centred around the training facilities and the quality of the coaching staff, particularly their ideas and ambitions to take the club forward,” he explained.

“Edinburgh Rugby have been one of Europe’s top sides this season so I’m really looking forward to getting in there, working hard as part of a quality squad and proving myself.

“I couldn’t ask for much more really. The type of rugby they play really suits me, that’s my type of game. I like to play the ball and avoid contact using my pace, I can’t wait to show it on the big pitch at Murrayfield.”

Penn joins eight other new faces making their way to Murrayfield next season, including South African prop WP Nel; All Black back and former Junior World Player of the Year, Ben Atiga; and Welsh caps John Yapp (prop) and Richie Rees (scrum-half), while 19 of the club’s top performing players have also extended contracts.

Michael Penn (22)

DOB: 7 August 1989 in Wordsley, Height: 1.75 m (5′ 9"), Weight 85 kg (13st 4lb)

Position: Full-back/wing

Honours: England U18

Rabo Direct Pro12 dream team

Posted on May 3, 2012 in RaboDirect Pro 12

Edinburgh Rugby’s ‘Flying Dutchman’ Tim Visser has winged his way into the RaboDirect PRO12 Dream Team for the third year in a row.

Visser, who qualifies to play for Scotland this summer, is once again the leading try scorer in the RaboDirect PRO12 and has bagged 36 tries in 56 appearances for Edinburgh up to Round 22 of the 2011/12 campaign this weekend.

That total has worked him into third place in the PRO12 all-time try scoring list level with Nikki Walker and just behind Shane Horgan (39) and Tommy Bowe (46). He picked up 15 out of a possible 28 votes for the two wing positions, with his nearest rivals way back on four.

There are five players in the 2011/12 Dream Team who have retained their place from the previous year. A panel of 14 journalists from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales were canvassed to select the team after 19 rounds of the tournament and four of the returning players were in the back line.

Leinster’s utility back Isa Nacewa once again won the full back shirt, beating off the strong challenge of Glasgow Warriors rising star Stuart Hogg, while Ruan Pienaar was the overwhelming choice at scrum half with 10 of the 14 votes.

Cardiff Blues centre Casey Laulala was the other player to make it two in a row as he won the race to join the Ospreys’ Ashley Beck (8 votes) at centre. His Blues team mate, Wales Grand Slam wing Alex Cuthbert, took the left wing spot on try count over Munster’s Simon Zebo.

It was also tight at outside half, where Glasgow Warriors’ Duncan Weir just pipped Leinster’s Ian Madigan for the No 10 jersey after both players received four votes. In the end, Weir’s superior scoring record earned him the half-back berth alongside Pienaar.

Only one forward survived from the 2010/11 Dream Team, Leinster hooker Richardt Strauss. He polled eight votes with the Ospreys’ Richard Hibbard his nearest rival with three.

There was another close call at loose head prop, where Glasgow’s Jon Welsh and Leinster’s Heinke van der Merwe were locked on three votes each. In the end, the decision went to Welsh on the basis he had scored three tries to Van der Merwe’s one.

Munster’s BJ Botha beat off the challenge of Ospreys’ Adam Jones and Ulster’s John Afoa to complete the front row as the tight head choice. There were 15 different players put forward for the two second row positions, but Ulster’s Dan Tuohy and Glasgow’s Tom Ryder were the clear favourites over some illustrious candidates.

Tuohy topped the poll with six votes, while Ryder had four, and their elevation into the Dream Team was a reflection on their reliability and durability at the heart of their respective packs over the season.

The back row comprises three players who failed to make their nation’s World Cup squads, yet all featured in the RBS 6 Nations. Edinburgh’s Dave Denton took the blindside flanker position ahead of nine other candidates, while new England No 8 Ben Morgan, of the Scarlets, crowned his great season by polling twice as many votes as his nearest rival.

The No 7 jersey went to the Ospreys outstanding openside flanker Justin Tipuric, who received the third highest number of votes of any player – Visser 15, Pienaar 10 – with nine to leave the 2011 nominee, Sam Warburton, trailing in his wake.

No fewer than 89 players from all 12 clubs in the RaboDirect PRO12 received votes and the final make up of the team is as follows:

RaboDirect PRO12 Dream Team 2011/12: Isa Nacewa (Leinster), Tim Visser (Edinburgh), Casey Laulala (Cardiff Blues), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues); Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster); Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors), Richardt Strauss (Leinster), BJ Botha (Munster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Tom Ryder (Glasgow Warriors), Dave Denton (Edinburgh), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Ben Morgan (Scarlets)

Teams (8):Glasgow Warriors 3, Cardiff Blues 2, Edinburgh 2, Leinster 2, Ospreys 2, Ulster 2, Munster 1, Scarlets 1

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McLaughlin Focussing on PRO12

Posted on May 3, 2012 in Irish Rugby, Ulster

After Saturday’s historic Heineken Cup semi final win over Edinburgh, Ulster have turned their attentions back to the RaboDirect PRO12 and the trip to Thomond Park to take on Inter-pro rivals Munster.

Head Coach Brian McLaughlin said: “The mood in the camp has been fantastic this week. We are back in training and the standard has been high as we prepare for Munster on Saturday. It is always a difficult place to go and Munster will put everything into winning the PRO12. It is another vital match for us.”

Going into the last round of fixtures, Ulster need to register a bonus point win and hope Glasgow and Scarlets pick up nothing from their games, if they are to reach the PRO12 play off for the second successive year. McLaughlin is fully aware that the chances of progression are slim:

“We have to be honest; it’s a long shot now with one game remaining. But we did a great job in Limerick a few weeks ago in the quarter final and we will approach the game with the same mindset. We have proved Ulster can do a job no matter where we play. We need to get a win and hope that other results are favourable so it’s not ideal.”

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Edinburgh sign two new second rows

Posted on May 2, 2012 in Edinburgh, Scottish Rugby

Edinburgh Rugby continued to power up their playing squad for next season with the signing of a pair of quality second-row forwards, both on two year deals.

Following the confirmed departure of Esteban Lozada, the club has acted swiftly to bolster the boiler house with the capture of Perry-John Parker from English Championship side, Esher, and elite development player and Scotland under-20 cap Robert McAlpine, who will join the 2012 Heineken Cup semi-finalists until 2014.

Parker and McAlpine join six other new faces making their way to Murrayfield next season, including South African prop WP Nel; All Black back and former Junior World Player of the Year, Ben Atiga; and Welsh caps John Yapp (prop) and Richie Rees (scrum-half), while 19 of the club’s top performing players have extended contracts.

Head coach Michael Bradley, said: “It’s very exciting for Edinburgh Rugby to have secured two very promising young locks at crucial stages of their respective careers.

“While we’ll continue to refine the expansive, attacking play for which the club is famous, we’re keen to introduce a harder, more aggressive edge to our play, and believe this pair will work tirelessly to lay the platform from which our back division can play.

“Both players have real quality, are exceptionally committed, and will develop into top-class second-rows for Edinburgh Rugby.”

At 6’8” and 118kg, 24-year-old Parker is a fast, dynamic ball-carrying second-row, renowned for his pace, contact skills and deft touch in the lineout.

In his early 20s, he captained Haywards Heath before making a big impression with Esher in his debut championship season, before looking to progress his career at a higher level.

The big lock explained that when the call came, he jumped at the chance to pull on the black and red of Edinburgh Rugby.

He said: “I knew that the Edinburgh Rugby coaches had seen some of my tapes so I was delighted to get the chance to meet them and talk about the club’s achievements, ambitions and off-field culture.

“It’s a massive opportunity for me. To be in the mix with a club like Edinburgh Rugby is really exciting.

“The club’s quarter-final win over Toulouse was inspirational and I can’t wait to be part of that next season.”

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Edinburgh bid farewell to seasoned stalwarts

Posted on May 1, 2012 in Edinburgh, Scottish Rugby

Edinburgh Rugby are calling on supporters to bring the curtain down on the 2011/12 season with an emotional farewell to ten faithful servants of the club this weekend at Murrayfield and Scotstoun.

Season tickets holders can bring a friend for free (using voucher C) to the club’s last match of the season against Italian side Treviso (kick-off 7.30pm), which will double as a send-off party for ten departing players.

Edinburgh Rugby fans can then complete a great weekend of rugby with half-price party stand tickets for day two of The Emirates Airline Glasgow 7s at Scotstoun Stadium this Sunday 6 May (details below).

Six months after retiring from the international scene, 109-times capped Chris Paterson will bring an end to one of the most famous playing careers in Scottish rugby history.

The full-back has spent more than ten years at the club, during which time he wrote his name into the history books of Edinburgh Rugby while breaking just about every record for his country.

The nation’s top points scorer and record male cap holder will take up a new non-playing role with Edinburgh Rugby and Scottish Rugby with further details announced next week.

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