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'We had 46 players training the other day' - Mike Blair's selection headache

By PA
Edinburgh's Jamie Ritchis is tackled by Ernst van Rhyn during a United Rugby Championship match between Edinburgh and DHL Stormers (Photo by Bruce White/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair admits he was torn over team selection for their return to action after several players missed out on their big chance against Glasgow.

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Henry Immelman, Blair Kinghorn and WP Nel will return from injury in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship fixture against Cardiff at the DAM Health Stadium.

Grant Gilchrist, James Lang and Jamie Ritchie are also available again for Edinburgh’s first game since beating Saracens on December 11.

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The likes of Lee-Roy Atalifo and Marshall Sykes were due to start the first of two postponed games against Warriors but are not in the 23-man squad for Saturday.

Blair – who has lost Darcy Graham, Cammy Hutchison, Luke Crosbie and Henry Pyrgos to short-term issues – said: “It’s a funny one because a large part of our planning and decision-making in selection is around giving as many people as possible the opportunity to play for the club.

“We had 46 players training the other day and they are putting it in for the jersey and showing what they can do, and we feel that merits opportunities.

“In those two games against Glasgow, some guys were going to get that opportunity through Covid cases or injuries and sadly we are not going to be able to select them for this game because we have got other guys coming back in.

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“We had looked at the two Glasgow games and the London Irish and Brive games as potential opportunities to blood some guys and give them the opportunity within a stronger selection for us.

“We still hope that will be the case but, because the games are running out in this block, we don’t have to rest certain players.

“It’s a real difficult blend. I want to give guys opportunities who impress us week in, week out, but at the same time we have some quality personnel who need games as well.

“Probably a strength and a weakness of mine is my sensitivity around individuals, knowing what they are going through and knowing how frustrating it can be to train for six weeks and not get a game. I get that 100 per cent.

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“That’s why I am pushing to get players involved but I also have to put winning games at the forefront of my mind.

“I also believe that rotating the squad a little bit, showing guys that if they train well and play well they get another chance, is important for the overall make-up of the group.

“The best game we have played so far is Dragons away when we had none of our internationals barring a couple of guys on the bench.

“Giving those guys opportunities to show what they can do will help build the club.”

Edinburgh still have some Covid issues but Blair, who could give Glen Young a debut off the bench, said: “We are just about there. We are able to put out a fairly full-strength team.

“It’s been pretty much a month so the guys are looking forward to getting out there.

“We had a bit of an internal hit-out game, we trained on New Year’s Day, the guys have just been getting on with things and preparing as best we can.”

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Trevor 2 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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Bull Shark 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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