Edinburgh team that toppled Toulouse ready to make history

Posted on Apr 27, 2012 in Edinburgh, Scottish Rugby

 Edinburgh Rugby head coach Michael Bradley has selected the same starting XV that toppled Toulouse in the Heineken Cup quarter-final for tomorrow’s semi-final clash with Ulster at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (kick-off 5.45pm).

The coach rested a number of players for last weekend’s trip to Cardiff and has reverted to a refreshed and readied version of the side that made history in front of a 38,000 crowd at Murrayfield earlier this month.

Lock Steven Turnbull’s bench replacement of Stuart McInally is the only change to the 23-man match-day squad.

The back-row has been unable to recover from the hamstring strain he sustained a fortnight ago against Leinster so Turnbull, who returned from an ankle injury last weekend, earns selection in the biggest match in the club’s history.

Edinburgh Rugby head coach, Michael Bradley, said:  “The size of the occasion and the backing from fans has not been lost on the players.

“They take great pride in representing Edinburgh Rugby and know how much it means to the supporters to be at this stage in the competition.

“Tomorrow’s match will be a huge test. The hype, the intensity, the crowd, and the fact that we’re away from home all have a bearing on the size of tomorrow’s challenge.

“On top of those elements are, of course, our opponents, Ulster. They are one of the in-form sides in Europe and will take great confidence from their two league wins over us already this season, on top of their away win over Munster in the quarter-final.

“Our form in this competition is such that we can rightly approach this match with a lot of confidence. The character and resolve of the players has been well tested in this competition and we have prevailed.

“It’s a one-off game and the underdog tag is one we wear well as a team. Edinburgh Rugby have shown that we are force to be reckoned with on big occasions and are relishing our first semi-final in this competition.”

Between four and five thousand Edinburgh Rugby fans are expected to make the trip to the Emerald Isle and form part of a near sell-out crowd at the country’s national stadium.

Official capital city fanzones have been set up in Edinburgh and Dublin as Heineken Cup fever grips the two nations locked in an all RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final.

The Ballsbridge and neighbouring Berkeley Court hotels will be taken over by black and red while, in Edinburgh, the Murrayfield Hotel and the Three Sisters venues will cater for families and young adult audiences respectively.

The winner tomorrow will face the victor of ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leinster at the Stade Chaban Delmas (Sunday 29 April, kick-off 4pm) in the Heineken Cup final at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday 19 May.

Edinburgh Rugby team to play Ulster in the Heineken Cup semi-final at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin (kick-off 5.45pm) – LIVE ON SKY SPORTS

15 Tom Brown

14 Lee Jones

13 Nick De Luca

12 Matt Scott

11 Tim Visser

10 Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN

9 Mike Blair

1 Allan Jacobsen

2 Ross Ford

3 Geoff Cross

4 Sean Cox

5 Grant Gilchrist

6 David Denton

7 Ross Rennie

8 Netani Talei

Substitutes

16 Andrew Kelly

17 Kyle Traynor

18 Jack Gilding

19 Steven Turnbull

20 Roddy Grant

21 Chris Leck

22 Phil Godman

23 Jim Thompson

Edinburgh team to face Leinster

Posted on Apr 12, 2012 in Edinburgh, Scottish Rugby

Rugby fans will be offered an early insight into the top table rivalries of European club rugby tomorrow (Friday 13 April, kick-off 7.54pm) when Edinburgh Rugby face fellow Heineken Cup semi-finalists, Leinster, at the RDS.

The capital clubs made the last four with home wins over Cardiff Blues and Toulouse in Dublin and Edinburgh respectively and now head into two rounds of RaboDirect PRO12 rugby, before returning to the penultimate round of Europe’s top tier cup competition.

Coincidentally the Dubliners follow tomorrow’s match with a trip to Belfast, where they will face Edinburgh’s European semi-final opponents, Ulster, while Edinburgh head for Cardiff, completing a mini-series of top-class European rugby, in which the clubs will seek to retain their winning momentum.

Edinburgh will look to do so in the back yard of a side 11-points clear at the top of the PRO12 and just one win away from securing a coveted home play-off spot.

Speaking at today’s team announcement press conference, head coach Michael Bradley, said: “We face a very tough task in Dublin this weekend against a side who comfortably made the semi-finals for the fourth successive season.

“As league leaders and European pace-setters they will be keen make big statements between now and the continuation of their European title defence.

“What pleases me is that we go into the match off the back of two wins over quality opposition, Scarlets and Toulouse, from which we can take a lot of confidence.

“As a team we must acknowledge the effort and commitment required on those days and prepare appropriately for another significant challenge this weekend at the RDS.”

Bradley has made just one personnel change to the squad that toppled Toulouse, but has sought to refresh the front-line with five changes to the first fifteen.

Scrum-half Chris Leck is the only change to the back division, continuing where he left off in the Toulouse game, having replaced the injured Mike Blair (shoulder) at the interval.

Kyle Traynor replaces the injured Allan Jacobsen (face) at loose-head prop, with Esteban Lozada reintroduced to the squad to start alongside Sean Cox in the second-row.

Finally, the club’s healthy back-row options are rotated as Stuart McInally and Roddy Grant swap places with David Denton and Ross Rennie respectively.

Edinburgh Rugby team to play Leinster at the RDS tomorrow in the RaboDirect PRO12 (Friday 13 April, kick-off 7.45pm)

15 Tom Brown

14 Lee Jones
13 Nick De Luca
12 Matt Scott
11 Tim Visser

10 Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN
9 Chris Leck

1 Kyle Traynor
2 Ross Ford
3 Geoff Cross
4 Esteban Lozada
5 Sean Cox
6 Stuart McInally
7 Roddy Grant
8 Netani Talei

Substitutes
16 Andrew Kelly
17 Robin Hislop
18 Jack Gilding
19 Grant Gilchrist
20 David Denton
21 Ross Rennie
22 Phil Godman
23 Jim Thompson

Not available through injury: Mike Blair (shoulder), Ben Cairns (knee), Allan Jacobsen (face), James King (groin), Steven Lawrie (knee)

McAlister released from contract to play for Toulouse

Posted on Aug 16, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

North Harbour and 2011 Blues mid-field back Luke McAlister will be released from his New Zealand and North Harbour playing contracts following North Harbour’s round 10 ITM Cup match against Counties Manukau tomorrow (Wednesday 17 August). 

McAlister will join French club Toulouse following the release.

North Harbour Rugby Chief Executive Brett Hollister said McAlister had requested an early release due to his new French commitments.

“We’ve worked with the New Zealand Rugby Union to negotiate an appropriate release with Luke, including an early release fee.

“We’re obviously very disappointed that he is leaving during our 2011 ITM Cup campaign – as our season was planned on the expectation Luke would play for us.  The reality is he wishes to start his new contract in Toulouse this month and for us that means finishing the ITM Cup season without him,” Hollister said.

NZRU General Manager Professional Rugby Neil Sorensen said: “While this is a disappointing end to Luke’s career in New Zealand, we have agreed that this is the best outcome for everyone involved and we wish him well.”

Azam’s testimonial cancelled

Posted on Jul 5, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Gloucester Rugby’s preseason friendly against French Top 14 champions Toulouse, earmarked as Olivier Azam’s Testimonial game, has unfortunately had to be cancelled.

French international hooker Azam called time on his Kingsholm player career recently after 10 seasons and more than 200 appearances.

2010-11 was his testimonial season and a friendly against Toulouse was pencilled in for Saturday August 13th.

However, the logistics of organising the fixture have proved to be too much to overcome particularly given that the teams were drawn in the same Heineken Cup group and the game, as a result, has been cancelled.

Azam, who was named as Toulon’s new forwards coach last month, confirmed today:

“It’s unfortunate but we have not been able to make it work. However, I would like to thank everyone involved who tried to make the game happen.”

“Hopefully, I will get another opportunity to say goodbye to my friends at Kingsholm at some other point in the future.

“It was also very disappointing to have to cancel my 6-aside cricket competition at Cheltenham CC at the last minute because of my commitments with Toulon.”

“But I would like to take this chance to thank everyone who has supported my Testimonial year, my committee and the fans at Gloucester for making it a great club.”

Mixed fortunes for British sides in HEC draw

Posted on Jun 7, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Reigning Heineken Cup Champions Leinster have been drawn in Pool 3 of next season’s tournament and will face Bath, Glasgow Warriors and Montpellier as they try to defend the title they won in Cardiff just over a fortnight ago.

Group one can rightly be regarded as the group of giants, with one of the biggest fish in the European Pool, Munster clashing with finalists Northampton, Top 14 fourth placed Castres and the form side in Wales the Llanelli Scarlets. Calling that pool will take a brave man.

Pool two sees Cardiff Blues and London Irish facing Edinburgh and Racing Metro. The French side finished second to Toulouse in the Top 14 table and must be favourites to win the group, although any one of the three other sides could be in with a shout for best placed second. Since winning the Amlin cup, Cardiff have not hit the heights, and next season will be a make or break season with many of their stars looking to move on at the end of the season. Failure to qualify will put the seal on this current squad and wholesale changes will be forced on Coach Young. Similarly, Irish and Edinburgh will hope to do well against the stuttering Blues, but face Racing Metro with real trepidation.

Pool three should see Leinster safely though with Bath providing the sternest opposition to the Champions, Glasgow and mid-table Montpelier are really only make weights in a pool that should see the Irish capital outfit romping home with maximum points.

Pool four is another difficult group to navigate and just as difficult to call. The Tigers, Ulster and Clermont should all take maximum points from Aironi, and all three will expect to take points off the others at home. It’s getting the elusive away win that will decide the outcome and Leicester are best placed to do that. They can win in both Ulster and Clermont and in so doing, win the pool.

Saracens and the Ospreys should be shooting it out at the top of the fifth pool, but Saracens should have the edge over an Ospreys side that have flattered to deceive. BO and Treviso don’t have the firepower away from home to do any damage.

Toulouse, Gloucester and Harlequins will find Connacht tougher opposition than they might expect, but it is the first of these three who have the weapons to deal with everything thrown at them by the other teams.

Now Rugby’s qualification prediction: Munster, Racing Metro, Leinster, Leicester, Saracens, and Toulouse to win their groups, with Cardiff and Northampton getting through as best second place teams.

The draw for the 17^th tournament was made today at Twickenham Stadium, where the final will be held next May.

In Pool 1 former European Champions Munster will line-up against this year’s finalists Northampton Saints.

Connacht in their first season in the competition have been drawn against English sides Harlequins and Gloucester as well as four times winners of the Heineken Cup, Toulouse.

Full reaction from the clubs to follow.

2011/12 Heineken Cup Pool Draw:

Pool 1: Munster, Northampton Saints, Scarlets, Castres

Pool 2: Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Edinburgh, Racing Metro 92

Pool 3: Leinster, Bath Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier

Pool 4: Leicester Tigers, Clermont Auvergne, Ulster, Aironi

Pool 5: Biarritz Olympic, Ospreys, Saracens, Benetton Treviso

Pool 6: Toulouse, Harlequins, Gloucester, Connacht