BBC Scotland’s chief sportswriter Tom English has been answering some of your Scottish rugby questions.
David asked: Are Edinburgh a hopeless basket case? We can’t keep having more of the same, ad nauseam, as you’ve said yourselves, so what can be done?
Tom answered: Fraser Brown was on the Scotland Rugby podcast this week and he had some very interesting thoughts on the state of Edinburgh. He advocates a complete overhaul and empowering a new regime to rip it up and start again. A four-year plan.
Edinburgh are just limping along from one season to the next. Enough is enough. There needs to be a dramatic rethink there; new chief executive, new coaching set-up and clear out some of the time-servers in the dressing room. Some of them have been there for too long.
There remains a feeling that too many in this Edinburgh squad don’t feel it the way the Glasgow players feel it. It’s not all about the coach, because multiple coaches have been tried – different types of coaches as well – and none of them have cracked it.
There should be a major examination of the way Edinburgh operate. The place remains a terrible under-achiever and that result last weekend was grim. They’ll probably beat Ulster at the weekend – it would be typical of them to win well – and this yo-yo existence will carry on for another season. It’s tiresome.
Andrew asked: How realistic are reports linking Ben White to Edinburgh next season? What might that mean for Ben Vellacott, who Gregor Townsend doesn’t seem to value?
Tom answered: Ben White’s contract at Toulon is up at the end of the season. Sean Everitt was asked about this last week and he said he’d be interested in any Test player who might be available but pointed out that there was nothing in it as yet.
White is an excellent player, but I struggle to see why he would move to a failing club like Edinburgh. I presume he’d have more attractive offers on the table if and when the time comes to leave Toulon.
Tam asked: With Huw Jones out of the autumn internationals, who is likely to take his place?
Tom answered: Personally, I’d go with a midfield of Sione Tuipulotu at 12 and Cam Redpath at 13. Both are natural 12s, I know, but Redpath has played 13 a fair bit and I wouldn’t have any worries about him. He’s a wonderful footballer – creative and smart and a good defender – and his confidence is high having won the league with Bath last season.
There are other combinations, though. Tom Jordan and Tuipulotu. Rory Hutchinson and Tuipulotu (or Tuipulotu and Hutchinson), Tuipulotu and Stafford McDowall. There’s still some very good players to pick from in Huw Jones’ absence.