psychic duck
International
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2011
- Messages
- 5,094
The next team I look at is Edinburgh.
Tops:
Tim Visser
One would have thought after last season, nothing could of gotten better for the flying Dutchman, but he surpassed his try scoring tally from last year again this season, and has now been leading Magners League try scorer two years in a row, playing for a team who just finished 8th. A real finisher with pace, and he uses his long arms to great effect when handing off. Why on earth did Newcastle let him go? Oh well, he would of been wasted there anyway as they hardly use their wings. His performance for the Barbarians against England further convinced me that he is an international player in waiting. Qualifies for Scotland after next season and will be their best player by far. Also wikipedia says he's qualified for England who might want to have a look at him as well. My pick for Lions 2013, just look what he did to Bowe below.
Dave Denton
Only got a chance late in the season, but he took it very well, a versatile player capable of playing lock,flanker and number 8. The latter where he excelled, he is only 21 and will get better, and I think will challenge Johnnie Beattie who has been on lackluster form of late. Zimbabwe born and bred he qualifies for Scotland through his mother and is a member of Scotland's provisional squad. Although the World Cup will come too early for him, it will be interesting to see how he develops over the next four years.
Allan Jacobsen
One of those players, you miss them when they're not playing, dependable at scrum time, unlike Alasdair Dickinson who was minced by Nicolas Mas which then laid a platform for France's easy win over Scotland in the 6 nations, also quite decent in the loose.
Flops:
Nick de Luca
A really poor player, a Jordan Turner-Hall style one trick pony and he's not even good at it, and that's when he can catch the ball in the first place. It shows the strength that Scotland have in the centres that he has more than 20 caps, in my opinion he joins the likes of Huw Bennett, Tony Buckley and the like as the worst players to get 20+ caps.
Roddy Grant
Did well in his first season in 2009/10, and was made captain this season but after a shaky start got worse and along with coach Moffat his leadership finished after a 37-0 thrashing by Northampton, where he was bullied by Wood, Dowson and Wilson. Only started one match after Moffat was sacked in January, so started the season captain and ended struggling to get on the bench.
Mike Blair
I like Mike Blair, which is why I had mixed feelings putting him here, but he has faded since being arguably the best scrum half in Europe around 2008 and was nominated for IRB player of the year, but since the 2009 Lions tour he is now the third choice Scotland scrum half and the Cuister/Blair debate seems history, it's closer between him and Laidlaw at club level. I don't know whether caught the Januarie bug over there or something. He's a good player at his best, but compared to what he's capable of he's been a flop.
Also for an honourable mention here is Lee Jones' tackling, can't tackle to save his life. I remember Joe Ajuwa of the Scarlets flattened him in one match. Alex Grove wasn't great in his spell in Edinburgh either, didn't help himself get in contention for the World Cup at all.
Tim Visser
One would have thought after last season, nothing could of gotten better for the flying Dutchman, but he surpassed his try scoring tally from last year again this season, and has now been leading Magners League try scorer two years in a row, playing for a team who just finished 8th. A real finisher with pace, and he uses his long arms to great effect when handing off. Why on earth did Newcastle let him go? Oh well, he would of been wasted there anyway as they hardly use their wings. His performance for the Barbarians against England further convinced me that he is an international player in waiting. Qualifies for Scotland after next season and will be their best player by far. Also wikipedia says he's qualified for England who might want to have a look at him as well. My pick for Lions 2013, just look what he did to Bowe below.
Dave Denton
Only got a chance late in the season, but he took it very well, a versatile player capable of playing lock,flanker and number 8. The latter where he excelled, he is only 21 and will get better, and I think will challenge Johnnie Beattie who has been on lackluster form of late. Zimbabwe born and bred he qualifies for Scotland through his mother and is a member of Scotland's provisional squad. Although the World Cup will come too early for him, it will be interesting to see how he develops over the next four years.
Allan Jacobsen
One of those players, you miss them when they're not playing, dependable at scrum time, unlike Alasdair Dickinson who was minced by Nicolas Mas which then laid a platform for France's easy win over Scotland in the 6 nations, also quite decent in the loose.
Nick de Luca
A really poor player, a Jordan Turner-Hall style one trick pony and he's not even good at it, and that's when he can catch the ball in the first place. It shows the strength that Scotland have in the centres that he has more than 20 caps, in my opinion he joins the likes of Huw Bennett, Tony Buckley and the like as the worst players to get 20+ caps.
Roddy Grant
Did well in his first season in 2009/10, and was made captain this season but after a shaky start got worse and along with coach Moffat his leadership finished after a 37-0 thrashing by Northampton, where he was bullied by Wood, Dowson and Wilson. Only started one match after Moffat was sacked in January, so started the season captain and ended struggling to get on the bench.
Mike Blair
I like Mike Blair, which is why I had mixed feelings putting him here, but he has faded since being arguably the best scrum half in Europe around 2008 and was nominated for IRB player of the year, but since the 2009 Lions tour he is now the third choice Scotland scrum half and the Cuister/Blair debate seems history, it's closer between him and Laidlaw at club level. I don't know whether caught the Januarie bug over there or something. He's a good player at his best, but compared to what he's capable of he's been a flop.
Also for an honourable mention here is Lee Jones' tackling, can't tackle to save his life. I remember Joe Ajuwa of the Scarlets flattened him in one match. Alex Grove wasn't great in his spell in Edinburgh either, didn't help himself get in contention for the World Cup at all.
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