So the luminaires for the URC season 2022-2023 have fallen. Well, they have fallen a bit that we know the weekends, but not the actual dates and the kick -off time. These should be with us somewhere next week.
How will the season unravel for Edinburgh? Firstly, it is worth noting that 8 out of 18 rounds of URC luminaires are influenced by international rugby. That is not unusual, but here are the affected games and how those international games can influence them
Round 1 V Dragons sees a full squad from Edinburgh available for selection minus only Emiliano Boffelli who will control his trade in the Rugby Championship for Argentina.
Round 2 is gone to the bulls. South Africa plays Argentina on 23/9/22, so our loss of Boff will be somewhat limited by the small no. From players who would expect the bulls to have in the SA team.
Round 3 is still in SA and against Stormers, but comes 1 week after the Rugby Championship is over, so there is a chance that BOFF can join the team immediately after Argentinas match against South Africa, but I doubt whether he will be hurled back immediately, unless there is an injury crisis. Stormers offer many players for the Springboks and some of them can also be equipped.
Our road game in Zebre Falls in the weekend of 21/10/22 and with Scotland because of Australia the following weekend I would expect that the usual Sunday evening meeting for the Scotland boys will take place on Sunday 23/10/22. I don’t expect Townsend to let the backbone of his team travel to Italy that same weekend, even if that game is on Friday. Especially since the match against the wallabies falls outside the international window, which means that only players will be available in Scotland.
And if there is a doubt about it, then there is undoubtedly the following weekend that Edinburgh will go on the field against Cardiff with a shadow side while Scotland is opposite the Wallabies. Cardiff can also be a little light, with Wales absorbing new Zeeland on 5/11/22.
In the weekend of 25/11/22, Edinburgh travel to Benetton in round 8 of the URC exactly 1 week after Scotland plays Argentina in the last of autumn internationals. So maybe, some returners, depending on rest periods, including BOFF. However, Benetton can also be in the same boat as Italy, South Africa playing in their last AI match.
Round 13 of the URC luminaires falls on the weekend of January 27, 2023 and with Scotland because of the start of their 6N against the Auld -Envijand the following Saturday that the Edinburgh training camp will strip for their luminaire that weekend against Sharks.
The following 2 club luminaires fall in the middle of the 6N. Scarlets and Leinster on successive weekends. Bare bones someone?
I think that a side of Edinburgh is denied about his Scots and Argentinian internationals for this coming season, perhaps a bit like this –
BOAN Wait
Adam McBurney
Brown or WP Nel
Pierce Phillips
Glen Young or Marshall Sykes
Connor Boyle
Ben Muncaster
Bill Mata
Henry Pyrgos
Charlie Savala or Jaco van der Walt
West Goosen
James Lang
Matt Currie
Damien Hoyland
Henry Immelman
While a full balls on the wall side may look a bit like this-
Pierre Schoeman
Stuart Mcinally
WP Nel
Grant Gilchrist
Sam Skinner
Jamie Ritchie
Hamish Watson
Bill Mata
Ben Vellacott
Blair Kinghorn
Emiliano Boffelli
James Lang
Mark Bennett
Darcy Graham
Henry Immelman
Fully driven or skeletal crews may never appear completely, but there will be a considerable number of occasions where there will be very little meat on the bone. It would be handy if Hamish Watson could have more minutes on the field this year than in promotional material.*
*Exaggeration but still ……
The good news. Look at that full power side. That is a side that is not even Ben Muncaster, Luke Crosbie, Dave Cherry, Chris Dean, Cammy Hutchison, Wes Goosen or Connor Boyle has to name just a few. So what can we expect that results are wise, especially since trust is high on the back of the first season of Mike Blair?
Last season we won 10 of the 18 games and Leinster who had finished the top of the regular season 13. I think the first place this year goes to the person who makes it to 12. It will be tighter – make a note of that!
Week 1 – Dragons W 5PTS
Week 2 – Bulls W 4 points
Week 3 – Stormers L 1pt
Week 4 – Lions W 4pts
Week 5-Benetton W 5pts
Week 6 – Zebre in 5PTS
Week 7 – Cardiff L 1pt
Week 8 – Benetton L 1 pt
Week 9 – Munster W 4pts
Week 10 – Glasgow L 1pt
Week 11 – Glasgow W 5PTS
Week 12 – Zebre in 5PTS
Week 13 – Sharks L 1pt
Week 14 – Scarlets L 0pts
Week 15 – Leinster L 0pts
Week 16 – Connacht W 4pts
Week 17 – Ospreys W 5PTS
Week 18 – Ulster L 0pts
My guesses count to 10 victories and 51 points that are less than 2022, but I am a pessimist in heart and soul. It may be that if the competition is tighter, because I think it could be that those points might be enough for a home quarter.
A few victories against Irish opposition would go a long way to make that happen.
And that would be progress.
#Emtures #edition