Scottish Rugby

Sandy Smith
Fan writer

We need to start with a little perspective. Edinburgh haven’t beaten Leinster since 2019 and in the intervening period we have lost to them five times with the average margin being 23 points.

In the same period we’ve secured exactly one bonus point against them. You have to go back to 2018 to find another game when we scored five tries against them.

I’m not saying we should celebrate a defeat, but despite some contrary opinion this was not a scratch Leinster team. It had plenty of experience and an average of 65 caps per player in the starting XV.

Yes, they had a trio of academy players in their team, but we hear ad nauseam about how good the Irish player pathway is so make up your mind.

There were some areas of concern. Duhan van der Merwe scored two tries but was complicit in at least two of Leinsters’. For their second he didn't get stuck in or keep his position.

Then he should have done better when Gibson-Park got his score, but he wasn’t alone at that moment.

Selection wise it is becoming increasingly frustrating to see Ben Vellacott stuck on the bench when it’s clear he brings an impetus to our attack that otherwise seems somewhat impaired.

The positives include how good our scrummaging was. Our discipline was also excellent with only five penalties conceded.

The centre partnership of Scott and Tuipulotu, albeit it was imposed on us firstly by Emiliano Boffelli’s late injury and then Matt Currie’s injury during the match, is looking very promising.

We got close. Closer than we’ve been for a long time. There were a few things that if we got them right, we might have got over the line.

We fell short but we kept at it and got those oh so precious bonus points that could be even more crucial this season.

I’d rather take the positives from it than dwell on those few missteps. Plenty of games ahead to make a more informed judgement on.

Grant Young
Fan writer

A late try after the 80 decided the outcome for Glasgow after dominating the opening 60 minutes on Saturday.

It always felt it was possible with the Warriors unable to take advantage of countless possessions and good territory, but it wasn’t until a soft yellow card on Tom Jordan did Ulster really put anything together.

Winning in the URC is never guaranteed and winning on the road is proving more and more difficult, however that is what champions should be doing.

No doubt there will be a big analysis of this one from Franco Smith and his coaches as they scratch their heads and work out how they never got this game over the line.

Glasgow added several front-line players to their matchday squad but left at home several key pieces which is frightening to see, with the likes of Jack Dempsey, George Horne and Hugh Jones still to be added.

Glasgow early on didn’t show any signs of missing these players and showed their depth in talent, although they missed a certain X-factor that the aforementioned players would bring.

The big question now is: do we see them thrown back into the squad for Friday’s game when Benetton are the visitors to Scotstoun?

Home form has been critical for Glasgow for several years and there will be hope that Benetton travel to Scotland fearing the defending champions.

Glasgow's attack and defence were of the finest quality on Saturday, but can they now find a way to capitalise and put away teams like they did last season?

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Johnny Matthews' midas touch

Top try-scorer in last season’s URC, Johnny Matthews showed he’s lost none of his scoring prowess by opening his account for the season in round one.

It was a textbook Matthews try, finding his man at the line-out before positioning himself at the back of the rolling maul to dot down.

It might look easy, but if it was so easy everyone would be able to do it. Glasgow have made themselves the masters of converting from line-outs, and Matthews is central to it.

Having been overlooked for the summer tour of the Americas, it will be interesting to see how many, if any, opportunities Matthews gets in a Scotland shirt for the autumn Tests, particularly in the absence of George Turner.

Darge must be in Lions conversation

The pundits’ Lions selections are already starting to trickle in with the tour to Australia still nine months away.

Rory Darge’s qualities have been plainly evident to anyone watching Glasgow and Scotland in recent times, but there’s a sense he is still not at the forefront of minds beyond the border.

The flanker got through a ridiculous 38 tackles at the Kingspan Stadium, with a couple of turnovers thrown in for good measure.

Lions head coach Andy Farrell will have an embarrassment of riches to choose from when it comes to back-row selection, but Darge’s all round game would seem well-suited to the fast tracks down under. He has to be at least in the conversation.

No need to panic

Opening their title defence with a defeat - and a painful one at that coming in the last play of the game - is hardly ideal, but there will be no sense of panic in the Warriors ranks after the loss to Ulster.

The performance was good in parts without ever threatening to hit top gear. The set-piece was sound, the defence solid enough and the tries were well taken.

The frustration will be the failure to capitalise on the possession and territorial advantages Glasgow created, and perhaps the legitimacy of David Shanahan’s winning try for Ulster.

Franco Smith will be annoyed but not downbeat. Expect a Glasgow reaction against Benetton at Scotstoun on Friday night.

After two disappointing defeats for the Scottish sides in the opening round of the URC, are there any questions you would like to put to Tom English and Andy Burke?

Send them in via this link, external, and they will be answered either on this week's Radio Scotland Rugby Podcast or in written form on this very page.

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

Image source, SNS

Soft underbelly remains

Let's take stock on the Leinster players who weren't playing on Friday night. Hugo Keenan, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Ciaran Frawley, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, RG Snyman, Caelan Doris, Ryan Baird and Josh van der Flier.

And yet the province came to Edinburgh, scored five tries against Edinburgh's first-string and won. Edinburgh's softness, as much as Leinster's power and guile, allowed them score three times in 10 second-half minutes. That was 21 unanswered points.

Good teams are built on defence and Edinburgh have a massive amount of work to do. This, despite the bonus points, was a pretty disappointing night for them.

Bonus point improvement

In all of last season's URC, Edinburgh only landed five bonus points. That's five in 18 games.

Putting it into context, Zebre - who finished bottom of the league with just one win - recorded nine bonus points.

So the two Edinburgh got against Leinster represented a significant step up. Bonus points are massive in this competition.

A couple more bonuses last season would have seen Edinburgh qualify for the play-offs. At least they salvaged something from their night.

Edinburgh can play, but...

Sean Everitt's team scored five tries off 39% territory and 48% possession. That's a healthy strike-rate following on from last season's debacle.

Edinburgh ranked 12th for tries scored last season. A largely plodding midfield and injury to Darcy Graham didn't help, but they were very poor creatively.

The five tries they got against Leinster shows they have plenty of firepower. The thing continuing to hurt them is their inability to turn the screw when ahead.

That weakness is what's hurting them - be it the lack of a clever kicking game, losing the aerial battle, a ropey lineout, a defensive line that’s sometimes too slow to get set, or a combination of all of those things.

There's a lot of good in this team, but too much that's bad. To South Africa now for a double-header. Gulp.

We asked for your views on the two Scottish clubs' opening games in the new URC season.

Defending champions Glasgow began with a 20-19 defeat at Ulster, while Edinburgh lost 33-31 at home to Leinster.

GLASGOW FANS

Brendan: I thought Glasgow left a few scores on the field. They clearly had the edge in the packs. But, like the old adage, don't let an opponent keep hanging around with a chance to win.

Gordon: Warriors were a bit unlucky and suffered from the two yellow cards. Three key moments hurt Glasgow: Tom Jordan's kick charged down, Jordan's yellow card, and the maul penalty at the end when Ulster were going nowhere.

Stuart: Warriors were by far the better side in this clash. Even with 13 men they looked like they could win. Ulster took the advantage of two down well and must feel lucky they escaped with a win. On this display, a knock maybe, but Franco Smith's footsoldiers are not afraid of what lies ahead, they'll bounce back strongly.

Gordon: Poor performance against really poor opposition. Referee unable to officiate, Dave Shanahan was on his knees when he "scored". Why he didn't listen to Kyle Steyn was poor refereeing. Hangover season coming up!

Douglas: Ulster for most of the game were poor. Smith must be going nuts to lose this game, should be hairdryer stuff in the changing room.

Al: Don't think there's anything to panic about just yet, it's unlikely anyone gets through a URC season unbeaten. Glasgow should have put more points on when they were on top early on in the game, and with a rapid five penalties in defence Ulster probably should have had a man in the bin. Last try scored from a pick up on his knees?

EDINBURGH FANS

David: I thought Ben Muncaster, Matt Scott and Magnus Bradbery were really good. Ross Thompson for his first was promising for what's to come. Duhan van der Merve and Mosese Tuipulotu got little chance to shine. Defensively, got to ask if we score five tries should we not win? Effort cannot be faulted, Leinster just knew how to win that game.

Domenic: Although the boss isn't new this side are the same as last year; sloppy defence, poor kicking and, at times, chaotic going forward. Leinster were patient, disciplined clinical and missing most of their first team. Edinburgh tenth at best.

Rab: Not good enough for the Edinburgh squad. Underperforming.

Kenny: A close result in the end with much to encourage Edinburgh fans. Some rustiness in some passages of play, but a good first match under the belt. Effective performances from the new signings, Thompson in particular, but Price was disappointing with a noticeable improvement when Ben Vellacott came on.

Scott: An attacking improvement from last season but a lot of the failings remain. Against a hugely understrength Leinster at home in front of a full crowd there was expectation of a win. But the performance wasn't there. Questions have to be asked about team selection (Price starting over Vellacott) and motivation. Edinburgh continue to underperform.

Arran: Thought there was some good sparks in attack, but ultimately kept shooting ourselves in the foot with missed opportunities at the line out etc. Vellacott not subbed on soon enough in my opinion, but overall a strong start against a Leinster side with crazy depth.

Glasgow Warriors began their URC title defence with a 20-19 defeat away to Ulster after a last-gasp try from David Shanahan.

What did you make of the performance from Franco Smith's side? Have your say here, external.

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

Image source, SNS

Fly-half Ross Thompson might be a new signing at Edinburgh but he sang an old tune in the wake of their opening-night loss against Leinster at Hive Stadium.

Sean Everitt's side lost by two points after a second-half collapse from which they were unable to recover.

"I think the overriding feeling is just a little bit of disappointment to be honest," said the former Glasgow 10. "I felt like it was a game that was there to be taken, definitely a game that we could have won.

"We maybe got stuck a little bit in our own half and it put us under a bit too much pressure and forced us to defend a bit too much.

"When we did get down to their half I thought we showed some really good stuff and we looked dangerous in attack. We just had to do that a little bit more."

Asked if Edinburgh have enough about them to grind out results, Thompson said: "I think the edge is there.

"You've got to have tangible evidence that you've got that grit as a team and all it takes is one or two moments. You got that moment down at the end of the first half where we held them out and I think that was a big moment for us.

"It's something you've got to prove week in, week out to show that you've got that edge, but I definitely think it is there within this group and it's something that we'll have to show away in South Africa."

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

Image source, SNS

Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt bemoaned his side's defensive frailties and lack of possession in their opening league defeat to Leinster on Friday.

Everitt's side scored five tries in front of an expectant home crowd, but also shipped five and ended up losing by two points - their sixth straight loss to the Irish province.

"Getting 37% territory in the game does eventually take its toll," said the South African. "Games are won on set-piece, disciplined territory and defence.

"The middle part of the second half is where they scored three tries, unfortunately. It came from them putting in good kicks behind us and exposing us in the backfield.

"It's something that we need to work on and it was something that was our strength last year."

What made Friday all the more worrying for Edinburgh was that Leinster travelled without 13 of the Ireland squad that won the Six Nations earlier this year. Star signing - and World Cup winner - RG Snyman, was also missing,

"They were a lot sharper, they put us under pressure," said Everitt. "It's probably a game where we should have kicked more because there was backfield space available.

"We all know that with line speed you need numbers on your feet so you're going to be exposed somewhere and perhaps we didn't manage it that way."

Edinburgh fans, were you at Hive Stadium to watch Sean Everitt's side lose to Leinster to start their URC campaign, or were you following along from home?

Either way, we want your thoughts on the game. Have your say here, external.

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer at Hive Stadium

Image source, SNS

Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt said it was "very sore" to score five tries and still lose 33-31 to Leinster in their URC opener.

Everitt's side led 19-12 after Dave Cherry's try at the start of the second half, but conceded 21 unanswered points in a disappointing collapse and despite a late rally, were unable to haul the Irish side back in.

"It is very sore because we've been criticised for not scoring tries," said Everitt, after losing to the under-strength province.

"To score five tries against Leinster is a good effort from the boys but we've also got to keep teams out. We weren't able to do that. I think if we had got more positions in the 22 we might have been better.

"Maybe we would have got six which would have won us the game. But we couldn't do that and it wasn't down to discipline. It was a disciplined performance from us. We gave away five penalties when most of the game we spent in our own half. The guys are to be commended for that."

Everitt bemoaned the Edinburgh lineout on the night: "I think our lineout execution let us down. Set-piece is also a major contributing factor to winning rugby games.

"I think we lost four and we got held up in the maul. You're not making life easy for yourself. We were out-kicked and they kept on turning us which put us under the pump."

Image source, SNS

Australia prop Sam Talakai will make his Glasgow debut on Saturday as the Warriors kick off the defence of their URC title away to Ulster.

Head coach Franco Smith has named a strong squad, despite being unable to call on the likes of Scott Cummings, Jack Dempsey and Huw Jones, who are all injured.

Talakai joins Jamie Bhatti and Johnny Matthews in the front row, while one of last season's breakout stars - Max Williamson - partners Richie Gray in the second row.

Jamie Dobie and Tom Jordan are selected as the half-backs, with Scotland internationals Sione Tuipulotu and Stafford McDowall forming a formidable centre pairing.

Zander Fagerson could make his 150th appearance for the club off the bench, while another replacement - Adam Hastings - is in line for a first competitive outing in Glasgow colours since rejoining from Gloucester over the summer.

"We are looking forward to taking to the field for the first time in 2024-25," Smith said.

"Ulster will provide us with a stern test first up. They have recruited well ahead of the new season and will be defending a proud home record in front of a passionate crowd in Belfast."

Glasgow: McKay, Cancelliere, McDowall, Tuipulotu, Steyn, Jordan, Dobie; Bhatti, Matthews, Talakai, Williamson, Gray, M Fagerson, Darge, Venter.

Replacements: Hiddleston, McBeth, Z Fagerson, Samuel, Brown, Ferrie, Afshar, Hastings.

Phil Goodlad
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Glasgow will find it tough to defend their URC title this season, according to former centre Richie Vernon.

The ex-Scotland international won the championship with Warriors in 2015 and says having a target on your back as champions is a heavy weight to bear.

"The problem with that is when we did win it, 'how do we back it up?'," Vernon told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland.

"We had made history and it then was a case of we had a target on our back and all these brilliant teams start trying to chase you. That was a different challenge.

"We didn't win the league the next season so we didn't cope with it as well as we should have."

Glasgow made the semi-finals as defending champions in 2016 before losing to eventual winners Connacht.

But Vernon, who won played 96 times across two spells with the club, believes there is a difference between their win in 2015 and his old club's success last season.

"We'd battled for years and got so close so many times so when we did win we really felt that we'd earned it," he said.

"That's not to say that Glasgow today haven't. They were the best team last season with two fantastic results in the play-offs.

"But I don't know if their mindset changed a little bit by finishing fourth in the league campaign. They came through some difficult games but they were surprise results in the end."

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

In the Grand Slam spring of 1990, John Jeffrey was making a nuisance of himself at the side of a ruck against France at Murrayfield when Alain Carminati, the bruiser from Beziers, decided to do something about it.

He drove his studs down on to the prostrate Jeffrey's chin, then had another go, lacerating the Scot's ear.

Whatever the severity of the action - Carminati was red-carded and banned for 30 weeks - it was nothing compared to the shoeing Jeffrey got when told on Friday the board of Scottish Rugby were kiboshing his bid to become World Rugby chairman.

Done in by his own kind, as Jeffrey put it when we spoke at his home in Kelso on Wednesday.

It's important to get the facts right in all this and in establishing what went on we get a better picture of the fractured nature of the SRU. The board of Scottish Rugby Limited, chaired by John McGuigan, supported Jeffrey. The board of the Scottish Rugby Union, chaired by Professor Lorne Crerar, opposed him. Crerar's board had the final say.

BBC Scotland reached out to Crerar and several of those who voted against Jeffrey but none are prepared to talk. They are a 'custodian' board brought in on a platform of openness, but they are silent on this.

So, the SRU is split. Jeffrey said people around the rugby world would be laughing at Scottish Rugby and reaction to the story from many nations would prove the truth of that. One observer from a neighbouring union hooted at "cannibalism" at Murrayfield.

Jeffrey also said there was ongoing "bad blood" between himself and some who made the decision to effectively end his involvement in rugby administration. This is political and it's also, in part, personal. Principally, but not exclusively, Jeffrey was referring to Crerar, who within the SRU is a powerful individual with a low profile.

Jeffrey received a brief note of reasons why Crerar's board didn't support his bid. Presumably, they will have been critical of the fact that under his leadership the union recorded a £10.5m loss in their recent accounts.

A large portion of that was increased funding for the women's game, Glasgow and Edinburgh and the national team. Some of those finding fault now were involved in the decision-making back then.

Similarly, the desperately sad story of Siobhan Cattigan and the way Jeffrey and his chief executive Mark Dodson handled it may have been raised as a reason for not supporting his candidacy.

That's an entirely valid criticism. But again, some of those who may be raising this as an issue with Jeffrey now were involved in the union at the time. None of them spoke up publicly in opposition to the SRU party line.

So what we have is Jeffrey exiting rugby in a sad and humiliating way, the SRU blowing an opportunity to have a Scot as leader of the global game, and a powerful board, chaired by Crerar, making a momentous decision and then refusing to explain why they made it. Transparency, anyone?

Image source, SNS

New recruit Mosese Tuipulotu is one of three debutants in the Edinburgh side for Friday's URC opener against Leinster at the Hive Stadium.

Tuipulotu will begin at outside centre having made a summer move from NSW Waratahs, with fellow new arrivals, tighthead Paul Hill and fly-half Ross Thompson, also starting.

Fit-again Scotland wing Darcy Graham plays his first competitive match in eight months and joins Wes Goosen and Duhan van der Merwe in the back three, while Ben Muncaster is chosen at number eight.

Grant Gilchrist leads the side at lock after being named co-captain for his 14th season and Marshall Sykes joins him in the second row.

Head coach Sean Everitt said: "It's exciting to be back in URC action this week and matches don’t get much tougher in this league than facing Leinster.

"We know the challenge they will bring and it's up to us to rise to that. We can't wait to get the season started in front of a packed-out Hive Stadium for round one."

Edinburgh: Goosen, Graham, Tuipulotu, Currie, Van der Merwe, Thompson, Price, Schoeman, Cherry, Hill, Sykes, Gilchrist, Ritchie, Watson, Muncaster.

Replacements: Ashman, Venter, Rae, Hodgson, Bradbury, Vellacott, Healy, Boffelli.

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

Image source, SNS

Former chairman John Jeffrey says Scottish Rugby, on his watch, should have tried harder to reach out to the grieving family of former international Siobhan Cattigan, who died in November 2021.

Scottish Rugby, with Jeffrey as chairman, were condemned by the Cattigan family for a lack of basic human decency in the wake of the tragedy, accusing the governing body of trying to erase the memory of their daughter.

Back-row Cattigan suffered two concussions on Scotland duty and her family said undetected rugby-related brain damage caused a "catastrophic decline" in the 26-year-old's health and led to her death.

"I was chairman at the time and I can't begin to imagine how the family felt," Jeffrey told BBC Scotland.

"No matter what we say now it's not going to make a difference, it's not going to give them any comfort. They've lost their child. I have two girls and I couldn't begin to understand how it would feel.

"Could we have handled it better? Of course we could. Regrets? Of course. We did try to reach out to the family and for one reason or another, it didn't happen. But I was chairman and if I could do it again, I'd change things. We should have tried harder. I don't run away from that."

Jeffrey said that other SRU board members were also involved in the decision-making at the time, with some of those also involved in the decision not to back his candidacy for chairman of World Rugby.

It is believed the handling of the Cattigan tragedy was mentioned as part of the reason why the SRU board refused to support his candidacy.

"Some of those [SRU board] members were part of my board at the time. We were in it together," added Jeffrey.

"If there’s one thing I could change from my time in there, yes, it would have been that [their reaction in the wake of the Cattigan tragedy]. Absolutely."

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

Image source, SNS

GLASGOW

How will they do?

Well, let's see. They're brutally physical up front, they're quick and inventive behind the scrum, they're gnarled and they're champions. They know they can beat all-comers. So, things are looking good.

They've lost a few - George Turner, chief among them - but Rory Sutherland is in and so is Adam Hastings. They're fantastically well balanced and have a terrific operator in Franco Smith running the show.

A place in the last four is the minimum you'd expect. Can they win it again? Yes, but they're marked men now. Winning it once was hard. Winning it twice will be harder still.

Key man

A cast of many, but Sione Tuipulotu is a phenomenal leader and standard setter. Relentlessly attritional and constantly influential, he's a bludgeon and a rapier in one frequently unstoppable package.

One to watch

Max Williamson was the big breakout star last season. It could be Euan Ferrie this time. He’s only 23 and he's a versatile lock and back-row. It's not easy to get into the Glasgow team but Ferrie has what it takes to play a big part.

EDINBURGH

How will they do?

With the quality of their squad, if they fail to make the play-offs again then they should all pack it in and go home. Tenth last season was an embarrassment. Only five bonus points was what did for them. Even bottom-placed Zebre got nine.

Creatively, they need to be miles better and they've taken steps to improve. Mosese Tuipulotu, younger brother of Sione, has arrived as has Matt Scott, the Edinburgh old boy. That midfield should cause some damage.

On paper, Edinburgh have pretty much everything they need to do well. It's their mentality that's been dodgy.

WP Nel has finally retired at the age of 62 - or something like that - and Bill Mata has left as well.

They'll be missed, but the return of Magnus Bradbury could be significant. Darcy Graham and Emiliano Boffelli missed most of last season, but they're fit and there are no excuses now. They should be pushing for top four. Top six, minimum.

Key man

Bradbury, at his best, is a complete rugby player. An excellent carrier, a huge physical force and frequent try-scorer. Edinburgh desperately need his aggression and his engine. They've been soft. Time to become as belligerent as hell.

One to watch

The younger Tuipulotu. Edinburgh haven't been getting nearly enough from its midfield, either in power or creativity. The word on Mosese is that he has both. If he's anything like his brother then he'll be a hero in the blink of an eye.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

GLASGOW

How will they do?

Having captured the URC title last season, navigating the tough road to get there, it would be foolhardy to bet against Franco Smith's side doing it all over again.

Going back-to-back and claiming consecutive titles is notoriously difficult though - only Leinster have done it.

You would expect the Irish side to be there or thereabouts this season, but this league holds no fears for Glasgow and it would be no surprise to see them in another grand final.

Key man

The beauty of this Glasgow team is the balance of big players dotted all over the park, but the return of Adam Hastings could give Warriors a new dimension this season.

Keeping fit will be the fly-half's biggest challenge after an injury-plagued couple of years, but if he can find his best stuff, Glasgow will have two excellent options at 10, Hastings and Tom Jordan, guiding a backline littered with attacking threats.

One to watch

Jamie Dobie has long been touted as Glasgow and Scotland's next great scrum-half hope, and yet he has been deployed on the wing more often than not in recent times and shown up well.

He has the pace and ability to influence games in both positions, and a run in the team could see him emerge as the force many believe him to be this season.

EDINBURGH

How will they do?

A 10th-place finish was a dreadful return for a team that has the potential to be so much better.

Sean Everitt was cut some slack in his first season in charge, but the head coach will know performances and results simply have to pick up this time around.

A top-eight finish and the play-off spot it brings is the absolute minimum requirement. Anything less will be viewed as a complete and utter failure.

Key man

If Magnus Bradbury can bring his Bristol Bears form back over the border then he can fill the Bill Mata-shaped hole in the back-row, but the return of Darcy Graham after eight months on the sidelines can help propel Edinburgh into contention.

The electric winger is loved by the fans, feared by opponents and can supply the tries that proved too infrequent in the key moments last season.

One to watch

Not a breakthrough star as such - he's already done that - but this could be a big season for Harry Paterson.

The young full-back made a memorable Test debut against France in the Six Nations before picking up an injury that curtailed his season, but his excellent displays on the summer tour demonstrated just what a classy rugby player he is.

The competition for back-three spots is fierce, but Paterson is good enough to make his mark.