# 2015–16 Edinburgh Rugby season
## Team
### Coaches

Alan Solomons signed a contract extension to stay on as head coach for another year. He'll again be assisted by Stevie Scott.
Joining the coaching team former Scotland stand-off Duncan Hodge who joined from the Scotland national team. Also joining in the summer was former All Black, Australia and Crusaders strength and conditioning coach Ash Jones. He also worked with the Scotland national squad in preparation for Rugby World Cup 2015. Englishman Peter Wilkins joined as defence coach from Queensland Reds.
Coaches
* Alan Solomons (Head coach)
* Stevie Scott (Forwards coach)
* Duncan Hodge (Backs coach)
* Ash Jones (Head of S&C)
* Peter Wilkins (Defence coach)
Other coaches
* Marc Keys (Assistant S&C Coach)
* Ben Atiga (Player and Skills Coach)
* Murray Fleming (Lead performance analyst)
* Paul Larter (Performance analyst)

### Squad

Italicised denotes Scottish qualified

### Transfers
#### Personnel In

* Magnus Bradbury from Scottish Rugby Academy
* William Helu from Wasps
* Nasi Manu from Highlanders/Canterbury
* Rory Sutherland from Scottish Rugby Academy
* Nathan Fowles from Sale Sharks
* Michael Allen from Ulster Rugby
* Blair Kinghorn
* Duncan Hodge from Scottish national team
* Murdo McAndrew 4 month trial
* Otulea Katoa from Southland Rugby
* John Hardie from Southland Rugby and Highlanders
* Jason Tovey from Newport Gwent Dragons(loan)

#### Players Out

* Tom Heathcote to Worcester Warriors
* Grayson Hart to Glasgow Warriors
* Ollie Atkins to Exeter Chiefs
* Tim Visser to Harlequins
* Carl Bezuidenhout Retired
* Jamie Farndale to Scotland 7s
* Hugh Blake to Glasgow Warriors
* Joaquín Domínguez to US Cognac
* Tomás Leonardi to Toulouse
* James Hilterbrand to Manly
* David Denton to Bath Rugby
* Greig Tonks to London Irish

## Competitions
### Pre season
#### Match 1

* 21 August 2015 18:00
| Edinburgh | 31-16 | Romania |
| Try: Grant (3), Te Rure, Du Preez Con: Fowles, Te Rure (2) | Report | Try: Apostol Con: Dumbrava Pen: Dumbrava, Vlaicu (2) |
* The Greenyards, Melrose Attendance: 1300

#### Match 2

* 29 August 2014 19:45
| Edinburgh | 23-10 | Ulster |
| | Report | |
* Goldenacre, Edinburgh Attendance: 2124 Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU)

### Player statistics

During the 2015–16 season, Edinburgh have used forty different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and points scored by each player.
    As of 06 April 2015 (UTC)
| Position | Nation | Name | Pro12 | Pro12 | Pro12 | Challenge Cup | Challenge Cup | Challenge Cup | Total | Total |
| Position | Nation | Name | Apps (sub) | Points | Points | Apps (sub) | Points | Points | Apps (sub) | Total Pts |
| Position | Nation | Name | Apps (sub) | Try | Kick | Apps (sub) | Try | Kick | Apps (sub) | Total Pts |
| HK | | Neil Cochrane | 12(4) | 0 | 0 | 1(4) | 0 | 0 | 13(8) | 0 |
| HK | | Ross Ford | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| HK | | Stuart McInally | (4) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1(4) | 0 |
| HK | | George Turner | (8) | 0 | 0 | (1) | 0 | 0 | (9) | 0 |
| PR | | John Andress | 11(8) | 1 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 13(9) | 5 |
| PR | | Simon Berghan | (11) | 0 | 0 | (4) | 0 | 0 | (15) | 0 |
| PR | | Allan Dell | 3(10) | 1 | 0 | (1) | 0 | 0 | 3(11) | 5 |
| PR | | Alasdair Dickinson | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 |
| PR | | WP Nel | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 |
| PR | | Grant Shiells | (2) | 0 | 0 | (2) | 0 | 0 | (4) | 0 |
| PR | | Rory Sutherland | 11(3) | 0 | 0 | 3(2) | 0 | 0 | 14(5) | 0 |
| LK | | Anton Bresler | 15 | 0 | 0 | 5(1) | 0 | 0 | 21(1) | 0 |
| LK | | Grant Gilchrist | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| LK | | Fraser McKenzie | 6(1) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7(1) | 0 |
| LK | | Alex Toolis | 7(9) | 2 | 0 | 4(1) | 0 | 0 | 11(10) | 10 |
| LK | | Ben Toolis | 8(1) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10(1) | 5 |
| BR | | Magnus Bradbury | (4) | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 1 | 0 | 1(5) | 5 |
| BR | | Mike Coman | 13 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 1 | 0 | 16(1) | 5 |
| BR | | Roddy Grant | 4(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(1) | 0 |
| BR | | John Hardie | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 20 |
| BR | | Nasi Manu | 5(1) | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 6(2) | 0 |
| BR | | Cornell du Preez | 16(3) | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 21(3) | 30 |
| BR | | Jamie Ritchie | 5(4) | 0 | 0 | 2(2) | 0 | 0 | 7(6) | 0 |
| BR | | Hamish Watson | 10(5) | 3 | 0 | 2(2) | 1 | 0 | 11(7) | 20 |
| SH | | Nathan Fowles | 5(2) | 0 | 15 | 1(2) | 0 | 0 | 6(4) | 15 |
| SH | | Sam Hidalgo-Clyne | 8(3) | 1 | 66 | 3(1) | 0 | 30 | 11(4) | 111 |
| SH | | Sean Kennedy | 6(6) | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 8(7) | 0 |
| FH | | Blair Kinghorn | 6(6) | 0 | 18 | (2) | 0 | 0 | 6(8) | 18 |
| FH | | Phil Burleigh | 17 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 20 |
| FH | | Greig Tonks | 9(2) | 0 | 44 | 6 | 1 | 23 | 15(2) | 72 |
| FH | | Jason Tovey | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| CE | | Mike Allen | 9(2) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12(2) | 0 |
| CE | | Sam Beard | 7(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7(1) | 5 |
| CE | | Chris Dean | 8(4) | 1 | 0 | 1(2) | 0 | 0 | 9(6) | 5 |
| CE | | James Johnstone | (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | (3) | 0 |
| CE | | Matt Scott | 7 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 10 |
| CE | | Andries Strauss | 4(3) | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 6(4) | 0 |
| WG | | Tom Brown | 13 | 1 | 0 | 4(1) | 1 | 0 | 16(1) | 10 |
| WG | | Dougie Fife | 8(4) | 0 | 0 | 3(2) | 0 | 0 | 11(6) | 0 |
| WG | | Will Helu | 6(2) | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 10(2) | 10 |
| WG | | Damien Hoyland | 14 | 8 | 0 | 4(1) | 0 | 0 | 18(1) | 40 |
| WG | | Otulea Katoa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FB | | Jack Cuthbert | 7(1) | 0 | 4 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 8(2) | 4 |
| FB | | Nick McLennan | (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | (1) | 0 |

### Pro12
#### League table

2015–16 Pro12
watch · · discuss :
| | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Diff | Tries For | Tries Against | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points |
| 1 | Leinster (RU) | 22 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 458 | 290 | +168 | 51 | 27 | 6 | 3 | 73 |
| 2 | Connacht (CH) | 22 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 507 | 406 | +101 | 60 | 46 | 8 | 5 | 73 |
| 3 | Glasgow Warriors (SF) | 22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 557 | 380 | +177 | 68 | 37 | 8 | 6 | 72 |
| 4 | Ulster (SF) | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 488 | 307 | +181 | 61 | 29 | 8 | 5 | 69 |
| 5 | Scarlets | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 477 | 458 | +19 | 45 | 54 | 2 | 5 | 63 |
| 6 | Munster | 22 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 459 | 417 | +42 | 56 | 36 | 6 | 5 | 63 |
| 7 | Cardiff Blues | 22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 542 | 461 | +81 | 62 | 53 | 5 | 7 | 56 |
| 8 | Ospreys | 22 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 490 | 455 | +35 | 55 | 49 | 6 | 3 | 55 |
| 9 | Edinburgh | 22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 405 | 366 | +39 | 41 | 36 | 2 | 8 | 54 |
| 10 | Newport Gwent Dragons | 22 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 353 | 492 | −139 | 33 | 57 | 0 | 10 | 26 |
| 11 | Zebre | 22 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 308 | 718 | −410 | 35 | 99 | 3 | 1 | 24 |
| 12 | Benetton Treviso | 22 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 320 | 614 | −294 | 35 | 79 | 0 | 8 | 20 |
| If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: number of matches won; the difference between points for and points against; the number of tries scored; the most points scored; the difference between tries for and tries against; the fewest red cards received; the fewest yellow cards received. |||||||||||||||
| Green background (rows 1 to 4) were play-off places, and earned places in the 2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup. Blue background indicates teams outside the play-off places that earned places in the European Rugby Champions Cup. To facilitate the 2015 Rugby World Cup, there were no play-offs for the 2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup; the 20th place went to the winner of the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup if not already qualified. Because Challenge Cup winner Montpellier qualified via the Top 14, its place passed to the top team from that league not already qualified. Plain background indicates teams that earned a place in the 2016–17 European Rugby Challenge Cup. |||||||||||||||

#### Results
##### Round 1

* 4 September 2015 19:35
| Edinburgh | 16–9 | Leinster (1 BP) |
| Try: Hoyland (2) 54' m, 78' m Pen: Fowles (1/3) 24' Cuthbert (1/2) 70' | Report | Pen: Nacewa (3/5) 16', 57', 72' |
* Meggetland Attendance: 2,478 Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU)

##### Round 2

* 12 September 2015 17:10
| (1 BP) Benetton Treviso | 24–27 | Edinburgh |
| Try: Pratichetti 40' c Naude 41' m Con: Hayward (1/2) Pen: Hayward (4/4) 24', 29', 38', 56' | Report | Try: Burleigh 4' c Hoyland 12' c Beard 33' c Con: Tonks (3/3) Pen: Tonks (2/4) 25', 72' |
* Stadio Comunale di Monigo Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Gary Conway (IRFU)

##### Round 3

* 2 October 2015 18:00
| Edinburgh | 20–9 | Ospreys |
| Try: Burleigh 37' c Andress 73' c Con: Tonks (1/1) Cuthbert (1/1) Pen: Tonks (2/2) 47', 63' | Report | Pen: Davies (3/5) 4', 17', 40' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 2,475 Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

##### Round 4

* 16 October 2015 19:45
| Edinburgh | 16–10 | Ulster (1 BP) |
| Try: Watson 54' c Con: Tonks (1/1) Pen: Tonks (3/4) 5', 17', 65' | Report | Try: Reidy 44' c Con: Nelson (1/1) Pen: Nelson (1/1) 24' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 4,324 Referee: Dudley Phillips (IRFU)

##### Round 5

* 24 October 2015 14:30
| Zebre | 19–11 | Edinburgh |
| Try: Berryman 54' c Con: Canna (1/1) Pen: Canna (4/5) 10', 19', 26', 59' | Report | Try: Watson 37' m Pen: Fowles (2/3) 8', 33' |
* Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU)

##### Round 6

* 31 October 2015 18:45
| Connacht | 14–9 | Edinburgh (1 BP) |
| Try: O'Halloran 9' m Pen: Carty (3/5) 7', 44', 55' | Report | Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (2/2) 15', 53' Kinghorn (1/1) 37' |
* Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 3,834 Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU)

##### Round 7

* 7 November 2015 17:15
| (1 BP) Edinburgh | 14–16 | Munster |
| Try: Helu 46' m Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (3/3) 10', 39', 56' | Report | Try: J. Ryan 7' c Con: Keatley (1/1) Pen: Keatley (3/4) 29', 61', 67' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 4,981 Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU)

##### Round 8

* 27 November 2015 19:35
| (1 BP) Edinburgh | 32–13 | Newport Gwent Dragons |
| Try: Nel 18' c Dickinson 59' c Brown 72' m Scott 76' c Con: Hidalgo-Clyne (2/3) Kinghorn (1/1) Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (2/2) 6', 27' | Report | Try: Cudd 80' c Con: D. Jones (1/1) Pen: D. Jones (2/2) 15', 34' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 3,294 Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR)

##### Round 9

* 4 December 2015 19:35
| Ulster | 14–7 | Edinburgh (1 BP) |
| Try: penalty try 4' c Scholes 10' c Con: Pad. Jackson (2/2) | Report | Try: Du Preez 47' c Con: Cuthbert (1/1) |
* Kingspan Stadium Attendance: 12,640 Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)

##### Round 10 (1872 Cup - 23-11 agg.)

* 27 December 2015 15:05
| Edinburgh | 23–11 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Try: Scott 12' c Hardie 69' c Con: Hidalgo-Clyne (2/2) Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (3/4) 30', 50', 59' | Report | Try: Bennett 6' m Pen: Russell (2/2) 47', 56' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 23,642 Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)

##### Round 11 (1872 Cup - 34-25 agg.)

* 2 January 2016 17:15
| (1 BP) Glasgow Warriors | 11–14 | Edinburgh |
| Try: Bennett 31' m Pen: Weir (2/2) 5', 54' | Report | Try: Burleigh 74' m Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (3/4) 16', 25', 67' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU)

##### Round 12

* 8 January 2016 19:30
| Edinburgh | 28–13 | Benetton Treviso |
| Try: Hoyland (2) 12' c, 80' m penalty try 58' c Con: Hidalgo-Clyne (2/2) Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (3/3) 7', 46', 50' | Report | Try: McLean 64' c Con: Ambrosini (1/1) Pen: Ambrosini (2/2) 17', 24' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 3,159 Referee: Gary Conway (IRFU)

##### Round 13

* 30 January 2016 17:15
| Cardiff Blues | 10–3 | Edinburgh (1 BP) |
| Try: Fish 1' c Con: Patchell (1/1) Pen: Patchell (1/3) 15' | Report | Pen: Fowles (1/1) 21' |
* Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 6,058 Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU)

##### Round 14

* 12 February 2016 20:15
| Scarlets | 22–21 | Edinburgh (1 BP) |
| Try: Allen 5' c Con: S. Shingler (1/1) Pen: S. Shingler (1/1) 17' A. Thomas (4/4) 23', 46', 53', 76' | Report | Try: Du Preez 57' m A. Toolis 73' c Con: Tonks (1/2) Pen: Fowles (2/3) 20', 42' Tonks (1/1) 66' |
* Parc y Scarlets Attendance: 5,569 Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

##### Round 15

* 19 February 2016 19:05
| Ospreys | 27–13 | Edinburgh |
| Try: Underhill 34' c Otten 76' m Con: S. Davies (1/2) Pen: S. Davies (5/5) 13', 24', 45', 62', 71' | Report | Try: Dell 25' c Con: Tonks (1/1) Pen: Tonks (2/4) 11', 17' |
* Liberty Stadium Attendance: 7,264 Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR)

##### Round 16

* 28 February 2016 14:05
| Edinburgh | 24–23 | Scarlets (1 BP) |
| Try: Burleigh 11' c B. Toolis 68' m Con: Kinghorn (1/2) Pen: Kinghorn (4/4) 5', 22', 40', 42' | Report | Try: Parkes 15' m J. Davies 26' m S. Evans 35' c Con: Thomas (1/3) Pen: Thomas (2/4) 7', 14' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 3,618 Referee: Dudley Phillips (IRFU)

##### Round 17

* 4 March 2016 19:35
| (1 BP) Edinburgh | 23–28 | Connacht (1 BP) |
| Try: Dean 43' m Hoyland 51' c Du Preez 59' m Con: Hidalgo-Clyne (1/3) Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (2/3) 68', 80' | Report | Try: MacGinty 20' c Heenan 32' c Aki 45' c E. McKeon 72' c Con: Ronaldson (3/3) MacGinty (1/1) |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 3,584 Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

##### Round 18

* 27 March 2016 14:30
| (1 BP) Newport Gwent Dragons | 15–16 | Edinburgh |
| Try: Amos (2) 41' c, 53' m Con: D. Jones (1/2) Pen: D. Jones (1/2) 38' | Report | Try: Watson 44' c Con: Hidalgo-Clyne (1/1) Pen: Kinghorn (1/2) 17' Hidalgo-Clyne (2/4) 30', 40' |
* Rodney Parade Attendance: 6,352 Referee: George Clancy (IRFU)

##### Round 19

* 1 April 2016 19:35
| (1 BP) Edinburgh | 29–0 | Zebre |
| Try: Hoyland (2) 51' c, 56' c Hidalgo-Clyne 68' c A. Toolis 80' m Con: Tovey (3/4) Pen: Tovey (1/1) 13' | Report | |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 3,799 Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU)

### European Rugby Challenge Cup
#### Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts |
| 1 | Grenoble (4) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 187 | 154 | +33 | 22 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 22 |
| 2 | London Irish (8) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 170 | 106 | +64 | 25 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
| 3 | Edinburgh | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 125 | 103 | +22 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| 4 | Agen | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 98 | 217 | −119 | 13 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 2 |

#### Results
##### Round 1

* 13 November 2015 19:30
| Edinburgh | 28–10 | Grenoble |
| Try: Du Preez (2) 5' m, 78' c Penalty try 59' c Con: Hidalgo-Clyne (1/2) 62' Tonks (1/1) 79' Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (3/3) 32', 39', 44' | Report | Try: Kilioni 70' c Con: Bosch (1/1) 71' Pen: Hart (1/1) 49' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 3,264 Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

##### Round 2

* 20 November 2015 19:30
| Agen | 6–27 | Edinburgh |
| Pen: Darbo (2/2) 50', 55' | Report | Try: Penalty try 32' c Du Preez 42' c Hardie 69' c Con: Penalty try (3/3) 33', 43', 70' Pen: Tonks (2/2) 20', 23' |
* Stade Armandie Attendance: 4,532 Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU)

##### Round 3

* 12 December 2015 15:00
| (1 BP) London Irish | 38–6 | Edinburgh |
| Try: Fenby (3) 9' m, 13' c, 76' c Lewington 27' c Williams 40' c Tikoirotuma 60' m Con: Geraghty (4/6) 14', 28', 40', 77' | Report | Pen: Tonks (2/3) 3', 8' |
* Madejski Stadium Attendance: 3,959 Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU)

##### Round 4

* 18 December 2015 19:30
| Edinburgh | 18–15 | London Irish (1 BP) |
| Try: Brown 16' c Hardie 71' m Con: Hidalgo-Clyne (1/2) 17' Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (2/3) 20', 36' | Report | Try: Ellis 8' m Smallbone 59 'c Con: Geraghty (1/2) 60' Pen: Geraghty (1/1) 28' |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 3,551 Referee: Tom Foley (RFU)

##### Round 5

* 15 January 2016 19:30
| (1 BP) Edinburgh | 23–0 | Agen |
| Try: Bradbury 35' m Coman 59' m Tonks 68' m Watson 73' m Pen: Tonks (1/1) 19' | Report | |
* Murrayfield Stadium Attendance: 3,100 Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)

##### Round 6

* 23 January 2016 20:45
| Grenoble | 34–23 | Edinburgh |
| Try: Heguy 30' c Aplon (2) 69' c, 78' m Con: Wisniewski (2/3) 32', 70' Pen: Wisniewski (5/6) 15', 18', 51', 57', 77' | Report | Try: Hardie 3' c Helu 34' c Con: Hidalgo-Clyne (2/2) 5', 35' Pen: Hidalgo-Clyne (3/4) 27', 54', 67' |
* Stade des Alpes Attendance: 10,072 Referee: Greg Garner (RFU)