Scottish Rugby

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Luke Crosbie revealed that Edinburgh's unwavering belief in their game plan was what turned the scoreboard around against the Scarlets in last week's URC win.

The Welsh side went into the sheds ahead after a disappointing opening 40 from Edinburgh, but the hosts turned it around at the Hive to rack up a convincing bonus point win.

"If you get frustrated and then come in and speak frustratedly, it breeds more frustration," Crosbie said. "We just spoke about sticking to the systems, what we've implemented throughout the week and staying true to it, and then we knew we'd get the result and the scoreboard would take care of itself.

"It's a good way to do it because I don't know if we had gotten shouted at, what way it would have gone, but Sean [Everitt] delivered it in the right way."

Edinburgh have struggled with their discipline this season, much to the annoyance of head coach Everitt, but Crosbie is convinced his side can stay calm in the big moments.

"Sometimes if it's a big game, you want to do something special and then you're jumping out of the system to try and get a turnover or whatever it is and you can give away a penalty."

"When we get frustrated, sometimes we might jump out of the system and give away a penalty and give teams positions that they can capitalise on. It's really just staying calm and just believing in what we do from the start right to the 80th minute."

Glasgow and Scotland scrum-half George Horne talks to BBC Scotland about how anger limited his prospects as a tennis player.

The latest BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast has just dropped and it features a in-depth interview with Glasgow Warriors and Scotland scrum-half George Horne.

He talks about his tennis talents as a youngster, biding his time at Scotstoun and his hopes for the URC run-in this season.

You can listen in here.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rhona Lloyd says she feels "privileged" to be playing professional women's sport as she reflected on her Scotland career after picking up her 50th cap.

The winger made her debut aged 18 in 2016 against England and has seen a huge change in the women's game since then.

"It was at Broadwood, I'd guesstimate a max of 300 people there," Lloyd said of her Scotland bow.

"We were the curtain-raiser for the Scotland men's Under-20s. It was a huge honour then and it's still a huge honour now. I am so privileged that I've played during this period where women's rugby has changed so much.

"We've seen professionalisation at that international level and girls that are coming through now, it just looks so different for them. It's been an incredible journey."

Although Lloyd has been a mainstay of the Scotland squad since her debut, she admitted she never thought about reaching 50 caps - or even turning professional.

"I definitely did not think professionalisation would happen in the time I was playing. The first six years I was doing this, we were not getting paid," she added.

"A lot of sacrifices were being made to play for Scotland. Now that we've been rewarded for that, you can really think about doing this for a lot longer. It's such an exciting time in women's sport."

Lloyd's 50th cap came in Saturday's win over Italy and the 27-year-old revealed it had been an emotional week in camp.

"It was a tough week for us, with the news of Emma Wassell's mum Pauline [passing]. It was very much about making Emma proud that weekend," she said.

Fraser Brown - a mainstay of Scottish rugby for the past 14 years - has announced his decision to retire at the end of the season.

What do you remember about his career? Are there any standout moments you look back on fondly? And will Scotland and Glasgow miss him?

Have your say here.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Sean Everitt admitted his delight at signing Scotland number eight Magnus Bradbury as he wants more local players in his Edinburgh side.

Replacing Bristol-bound Bill Mata, Bradbury will return to Edinburgh in summer after two impressive years at the West Country club.

"Magnus did have other opportunities elsewhere, and he's chosen to come home to Edinburgh," Everitt said. "This is where he grew up, where he started his professional rugby career.

"It's important for Edinburgh, and it's important for the club, that we have guys that carry social responsibility. By that I mean, they went to school here and there's something more to play for than just a salary at the end of the month or to win trophies.

"Sometimes that motivation is more powerful than the others. It's great to have a group of guys from Edinburgh playing together. They bring a bit of a brotherhood to the club as well and they're very close friends. Putting in performances for one another and being close to one another is important for me."

Edinburgh showed their teamwork in the second half of the weekend over Scarlets at the Hive, coming from behind to triumph 43-18.

"Unfortunately, our line-out didn't function," said Everitt. "Our discipline was good - that's something that let us down in Durban. It was a big improvement in our game, and although we weren't ahead on the scoreboard after half-time, there was some good rugby."

Everitt's men will need to be good again if they are to win Cardiff this weekend as they look to strengthen their URC play-off hopes.

"They're near the bottom of the table but have played some really good rugby - they're not deserving of their position on how they've played," Everitt said of the Welsh side.

"They've got really good attack, they work hard off the ball and they really hard to beat at home. They've got eight or nine losing bonus points, so that tells a story in itself - they cannot be underestimated."

Sandy Smith
Fan writer

A 43-18 victory is a big win by any standard but the margin tells only a fraction of the story.

It was an abysmal first half from Edinburgh's perspective. Our line-out was taken apart by Scarlets and we were sloth-like at the breakdown. There were also flashbacks to the Challenge Cup match when they managed to charge down a number of box-kicks.

At half-time, it looked like a terrible Scarlets team was about to put an end to Edinburgh's season, but the second half was a different animal entirely.

I didn't think our first-half problems were in the front-row but there's no doubt the 'Bam Squad' made an impact.

Our first try of the half looked as if it had actually had some planning behind it - a pleasant surprise - and it sparked the subsequent rout.

Our discipline held up for the rest of the match, only five penalties conceded throughout, and we kept Scarlets off the scoreboard apart from a solitary penalty. We also secured a hugely important bonus point for only the second time this season.

Job done then? Sort of. It's hard to ignore that first half because some of the teams we've still to play won't be as generous as Scarlets were.

Four games remain and three points separate the teams from sixth from 11th. It's tighter than the lid on a jar of pickles and only the teams with the best grip will be able to deal with that pressure.

Sandy Smith can be found at The Burgh Watch, external

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt has been speaking to the media after his side's weekend win over Scarlets in the URC as they prepare to face Cardiff on Sunday.

Here are the key points:

• New signing Magnus Bradbury had other offers but chose to “come home to Edinburgh”.

• Everitt believes players from Edinburgh have “something more to play for” when representing their local club, as it offers “more powerful” motivation than salary.

• Edinburgh played “good rugby” in the first half against Scarlets and only had to fix one "obvious" issue - the line-out didn’t function.

• Cardiff are “not deserving” of their lowly league position and he highlighted the number of losing points they have picked up at home while saying they cannot be underestimated.

• Next season is an opportunity for "talented youngsters" in the group to step up, but he will continue to look at "areas to strengthen".

Grant Young
Fan writer

The Sharks' bite wasn’t enough to take down Glasgow Warriors, who fended off any chance of an upset at Scotstoun on Friday night.

The amount of players sprawled out across the field at the end provided evidence of a gruelling and physical game.

A theme throughout the season has been the strength and depth of this Warriors squad and that came to the fore with Max Williamson, who has been thrown into the starting line-up for the past few games and delivered high-level performances.

A deserved try and player of the game award, there was a whisper in the stands of what could he do for Scotland this summer on tour.

Glasgow had the confidence they would soak up Sharks pressure and in the first half they transitioned defence into attack and took a merited 21-5 lead.

A gruelling second half came and went in a flash and Glasgow will feel the hardship of leaving a bonus point out there.

Injuries to the front row cost Glasgow two more players and it will be a surprise to see Jonny Matthews and Oli Kebble anywhere near the 23 that travel to Italy this week.

Results may have helped Glasgow after this round of URC action with Leinster now just a point clear after defeat in South Africa. A top-two finish is on the cards. Four games to go, let's wait and see!

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Tom Jordan insists Glasgow must maintain their high standards after admitting his disappointment despite a home win over Sharks in the URC.

Currently sitting second in the league, the Warriors playmaker revealed his team-mates' frustration at not being able to pick up a bonus point that have taken Glasgow level on points with leaders Leinster.

"The second half probably wasn't up to our standards and lot of boys were quite disappointed after the game," Jordan said.

"At the end of the day we did get the win and that's helping us on the table and setting us up for the end of the season so we've got to take positives where we can.

"The standard's high in the group. Luckily, we've got a game this week to bounce back and try to put out another good performance which is the main thing.”

Jordan has impressed again this season and, despite being born in Auckland, will soon qualify for Scotland on residency grounds.

Some have tipped him for a call-up, although the upcoming summer tour will be too soon for him.

“I think as I've got closer towards there, it's definitely been something that's popped up," he admitted.

"But, until that happens, my main focus is just playing well for Glasgow and for this season, trying to win us the Championship. When [qualifying for Scotland] comes around, I guess that'll be the see what happens.”

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Scotland back-row Magnus Bradbury will rejoin Edinburgh on a two-year deal this summer after two successful seasons playing for Bristol Bears in the English Premiership.

The 28-year-old replaces Bill Mata, who moves to Bristol at the end of the season.

Number eight Bradbury spent eight years at Edinburgh, making over 100 appearances, before his departure in 2022.

He has been almost ever-present for Bristol and has scored nine tries this season.

After missing out on Scotland's 2023 World Cup squad, Bradbury was recalled for the recent Six Nations, although did not make an appearance.

“Edinburgh is home for me. I love the club, so I’m really excited to return this summer," Bradbury told the Edinburgh website.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time at Bristol. It’s been a great move and it’s allowed me to grow and develop as a player in a new environment – and we can still achieve great things this season, which I’m fully focused on.

“However, when the opportunity to move back to Edinburgh came about, and with the direction the club is moving in, it felt like unfinished business. I’m relishing the chance to wear the castle on my chest once again and represent a city and supporters that mean so much to me.

“I’ve spoken to Sean [Everitt] and I really like his vision for the club. He wants Edinburgh guys leading an Edinburgh team. Hopefully I can continue where I left off and help the club win silverware – that’s what we all want to achieve.”

Head coach Everitt added: “With Bill [Mata] moving on at the end of the season, it was imperative that we recruited well in that position.

“With Magnus returning, and further exciting signings and re-signings still to be announced, things are shaping up nicely for next season, with our hopes of reaching the URC play-offs and securing Champions Cup rugby still very much in our own hands.”

Eve McTiernan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Glasgow assistant coach Nigel Carolan wants the Warriors to stick to their own processes, regardless of in-game tweaks opposition sides might make.

Glasgow beat South African side Sharks 21-10 in their last outing, but failed to score points in the second half, and Carolan says Glasgow struggled to adapt to the opposition's changes.

"It was a very tough game, one that we anticipated," he said.

"Sharks, even without their international players, are an extremely physical team. I think that first half we created so many opportunities, we broke them on numerous occasions.

"They definitely changed their mindset at half-time and they came at us a hell of a lot harder. I think the key learning for us is just not to get spooked by the changes that the opposition make.

"We need to continue to focus on the things that worked well for us in that first half.

"We went away from that a little bit and it's certainly something we've learned from."

Glasgow travel to Parma this weekend to face the URC's bottom side Zebre, but Carolan stressed that they cannot underestimate the Italians.

"There's a danger when you go to Zebre and it's a danger that you might disrespect them," he said. "That's not something that will enter our heads this week.

"You've got to give them the respect, particularly at home that they deserve.

"We're trying to fight to get on the top of the table, but it doesn't make them any less dangerous. It's very important that we have a standard and we maintain that right throughout the game.

"We need to be patient at trying to create chances. But when we get the chances, we need to also be ruthless."

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Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith wants his side to trust in themselves as individuals and as a team as they target a successful end to the season.

Warriors performed well last season until their campaign fizzled out with a URC quarter-final defeat at home to Munster and a humbling loss at the hands of Toulon in the Challenge Cup final in Dublin.

With Glasgow currently sitting second in the URC table after Friday night’s victory over Sharks at Scotstoun, Smith wants his side to learn the lessons from the way their campaign petered out last year.

“We want to finish as high as possible but we want to also be comfortable with the brand that we play so we can take it into the play-offs," the South African said.

“Last year we played some good rugby, scored a lot of tries and got stuck in the quarter-final. We still need to build our brand and also our understanding of what we need to do in the final.

“This team is still evolving, and needs to get a lot better if we want to compete at the business end."

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland

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Glasgow head coach Franco Smith says Scottish sides must break a habit of being “too nervous” in big games if they are to become successful.

The national team have not won silverware in 25 years and are coming off another disappointing Six Nations, while Glasgow’s Pro12 triumph in 2015 remains the only major Scottish success of the professional era.

“Scottish teams in general, the big games they tend to be too nervous,” Smith told BBC Scotland.

“You concentrate so much on what you want out of the game instead of the process to be followed.

“It’s understandable, everyone here wants to win silverware and it’s a young bunch of players in certain areas specifically. We need to develop focus on what’s doable to win and not just want to win.”

Smith highlighted the difference between Scotland and his native South Africa in terms of how young players are prepared for the challenges of the professional game.

“The South African players are privileged to play already at school level in front of 10,000 people,” said Smith, who played nine Tests for the Springboks.

“They get used to the atmosphere, they get used to high pressure games much earlier and get exposed to that which is not the case here.

“Usually in Scotland you’ve got to build into that kind of atmosphere and experience. Experience is not what you know, it’s what you do with what you know.”

Three wins in three this weekend for Glasgow, Edinburgh and Scotland Women. We asked for your thoughts. First up - the Warriors.

Jack: Definitely not the best Warriors performance, especially in the second half. Generally not a great watch either - too many errors on both sides, especially handling errors from Sharks.

Leon: Another game, another Scottish side manage to get on the wrong side of the ref. Should have been a routine bonus point win for Glasgow. Terrible decision-making by many culprits.

PK: Glasgow's discipline not the best at times and despite not being full strength, the Sharks put in some shift to deny the bonus point. Only time will tell if it will make a difference.

What about Edinburgh's win over Scarlets, which looked unlikely at half-time. Here's what you said...

Andrew: Edinburgh found the next gear in the second half with the momentum seized by the replacement front-row. This has to be the template for the future, we got over the gain line, accurate fast ball engaging the back line. With the last eight so tight every game is a knockout. We will need a further gear against stronger sides but this was promising.

Adam: Edinburgh really struggled in the first half. A worryingly amount of possession lost inside Scarlets 22, plus speed of ball from rucks seems too slow for today’s game.

Finally, what about the historic Six Nations win over Italy?

Arran: First half was pretty abysmal, no physicality and poor decision making, but good turnaround in the second half and finally clinical in the red zone, will have to be better to beat better teams though.

GreyDBees: Hard won result, but well earned. Just kept working and not panicking. Very proud.

Alan: Fantastic result for Scotland. They are playing some really good rugby and their attitude is superb.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland

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Mark Bennett wants Edinburgh to maintain the “ruthless” edge they displayed in a clinical second-half display as they racked up a 43-18 victory over Scarlets.

Five of Edinburgh’s six tries came after the break, with Bennett amongst the scorers.

The win moved Edinburgh up to eighth in the URC with four regular season matches remaining.

“That’s what we’re aiming to be,” Bennett said of the second-half performance.

“We need to be more ruthless and today was probably one of our better showings. At the same time there’s another three tries we’ve left out there in the first half.

“We can still keep improving on that but six tries, a bonus-point win, it’s just what we need.

“When you come into the play-off section of the season it’s just about momentum and that’s a great win for us.

“We’ve got four more games playing against a few teams that are in and around us.

“We can control it, try get that momentum building, the snowball effect and push for that top eight.”

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Two of Edinburgh's international imports will be key to them for the remainder of the run in, according to former Scotland stars John Barclay and Chris Paterson.

Speaking on Premier Sports, the pair highlighted Fijian star Bill Mata and South African flyer Wes Goosen, who were both instrumental in Edinburgh's demolition of Scarlets.

"There were some big physical moments in that game and Bill's a big part of that," Barclay said of the Bristol-bound number eight.

"He's at his best when Edinburgh going forward. For too much this season, Edinburgh just lacked a bit of continuity, lacked quick ball. You want players like him running onto the ball in space, offloading.

"He's a huge man, he's been a huge player for Edinburgh and he will continue to be for the next three, four, however many more games he gets at this club.

Paterson heaped praise on fellow winger and player of the match Goosen, who scored Edinburgh's first try.

"He hits the ball hard, he's got a brilliant fend. He really stood up in that first half when Edinburgh needed him to score the first try. Excellent in the air, he was faultless there.

"He played most of his rugby on the wing but he's good under the high ball. I thought he was outstanding, it was a really nice interview after the game where he spoke about self-talk in the last two or three months about backing himself and going after it and just having a real attacking mentality. I thought he was brilliant.

The confidence that he'll get from that, and from how he's played recently, and then looking ahead the next three or four games will be really important."

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Sean Everitt believes Edinburgh are hitting form at the right time of the season, after they totted up a bonus-point victory over Scarlets the Hive Stadium.

Trailing at half-time, the capital club scored five unanswered tries as they ran away with the match and strengthened their URC play-off push.

"We played some great rugby out there, and there was some good individual performances," Everitt told BBC Sport Scotland.

"Wes Goosen - our man of the match - playing at fullback was a threat in counter attack. I thought our kicking game was good. We managed to win a few back.

"Jamie Ritchie was outstanding in the air, on the ground, in defence, and in the carry. Probably one of his better games that he's had for the club. Things are looking up for us at an important part of the season."

It didn't look that way at half-time. The hosts trailed 15-7 to their visitors - who haven't won outside of Wales since January 2023.

"The second half was pleasing because it was everything we spoke about during the week," Everitt added. "We chatted about our discipline and that improved tremendously. We only gave away two penalties in the first half and I think it was three in the second so that does help.

"When we managed to get into the 22 in the second half we managed to score and the boys were patient with ball in hand. When we get the small things right we can win games comfortably.

"We talk about being resilient and sticking to our planning, and putting together performances. Once again, it's not an 80 minute performance. We seem to be talking about that a lot now, but that's just the fact of the matter."

"Our destiny is in our own hands and we need to make sure that we keep on winning and put in these performances week in and week out from now on."