Latest news with #SebStephen
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Does seventh place keep Everitt safe? Is rising star Stephen the real deal?
BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English has been answering some of your Scottish rugby questions Craig asked: Is Sean Everitt the coach to take Edinburgh forward. I'm still very much in the no camp. Tom answered: It's a harder question to answer now than it might have been a few months ago. Edinburgh made the semi-final of Europe and are now in the quarter-final of the URC, albeit having made very hard work of it. On the face of it, that's okay. If they were to go to Pretoria and win then that's a landmark victory. I don't rule it out. Edinburgh have a lot more steel to them nowadays and their games with the Bulls tend to be close. I don't think he's going anywhere in that scenario. I doubt he's going anywhere even if they lose, to be honest. Everybody will have their own view on this but I think he deserves another season, just to see if the more resilient Edinburgh we're seeing now can start next term the way they're finishing this one. Alistair asked: Do we chalk down Edinburgh's seventh place in the URC as a disappointment or what we should reasonably expect? Tom answered: It's disappointing they came so close to exiting the competition, that's for sure. Seventh is too hairy for a club with Edinburgh's potential. I don't think it's too much to expect them to be a lot closer to fourth (and a home quarter-final) than eighth. Hopey asked: Are there any young players that might make it on to the summer tour? I take it as given that Freddie Douglas travels. Tom answered: Yeah, plenty. Freddy Douglas definitely travels. I'd be taking a serious look at Seb Stephen, Mackenzie Duncan, Jare Oguntibeju, Gregor Hiddleston, Alex Samuel, Duncan Munn, Patrick Harrison, Harry Paterson, Ollie Blyth-Lafferty and others. This is the tour for it - part experience, part development. Ethan asked: What a debut for Seb Stephen, going to the Aviva holding his own against a current and former Lion! Could Stephen have played himself into the matchday 23 for Glasgow's quarter-final? Tom answered: I suspect Franco Smith will go with his experienced hookers, but I might be wrong. Stephen's outstanding performance against the best team in the league will give him plenty to think about, though. He nailed his throws and had a real physicality and intensity to him. I was kinda gobsmacked, to be honest. He was up against Dan Sheehan, arguably the best hooker in the world. He was throwing against RG Snyman and James Ryan in the Leinster lineout - a World Cup winner and a 2025 Lion. For a 19-year-old, it was as good a debut as I've seen.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Tuipulotu shows what Glasgow have been missing'
The Sione Tuipulotu effect is Warriors have been disappointing of late, struggling to reach the levels of expectation, but Tuipulotu showed his worth on his return from a four-month injury his 40 minutes on the field against Leinster in Dublin he proved why not only he is integral to Glasgow and Scotland but will be a key piece in the British and Irish Lions team this individual class created one of the few moments of the first half Glasgow had. He offers so much, causes confusion for opponents, brings confidence to his team-mates and direction in sides of course had already clinched a top-four spot but it felt like they were there to leave a the result did not go much-changed Warriors' way, the manner of defeat is weirdly one to be confident about. Seb Stephen, 19, at hooker put in a tremendous shift and is definitely one to be excited about for the future.A two-week break may now allow some players to return from injury before the home knockout game against the South African side finished fifth and were beaten on their own patch earlier in the season when Tuipulotu ran the show.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Leinster 13-5 Glasgow: Three things we learned
Sione's back - and sharpSione Tuipulotu made his return having not played since the second week of January. He looked good, one chip and gather was the feature of the 40 minutes he played. For a first game in so many months Tuipulotu's involvement was really encouraging for Glasgow and the Lions. Glasgow desperately need him to get that backline flying a concernGiven one of their great strengths is the power, pace and variety of their attack, Glasgow's cutting edge has gone rather blunt. In their past four games they've scored zero points (Leinster away, Champions Cup), seven points (Benetton away, URC), 19 points (with the game already lost against the Bulls at home, URC) and five points (Leinster away, URC on Saturday night).They've gone huge chunks of games without registering a score. The renewal of Tuipulotu's partnership with Huw Jones should help, but Glasgow are still nowhere near themselves. They stood up well on Saturday night, in fairness. There was no suggestion of another rout in have had the Stormers' number in recent years, winning the past four against them, most notably the quarter-final in their URC winning season. They also beat them away from home this season and got a bonus point to still blight the Warriors, but one man's frustration is another man's opportunity. Seb Stephen, the 19-year-old Aberdonian, made his debut at hooker in Dublin and was really combative against one of the best teams in Europe. It was a terrific debut in the most testing of places.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Future is bright for Glasgow' & Edinburgh's 'best performance of the season'
We asked for your views as Glasgow Warriors lost to Leinster and Edinburgh defeated Ulster. Here's what some of you said: Leinster 13-5 Glasgow Warriors David: Pleased to see the effort that Glasgow put in against Leinster, and the result could have been much closer had it not been for the extraordinary decisions by Ben Whitehouse. How can anyone knock the ball on with their back to the pitch and how can you have shoulder to shoulder contact when two players are six inches apart? The quality of referees in the URC is really terrible. Ben: This time last year Glasgow finished fourth after an underwhelming season, and went on to have an incredible three weeks! Hope more than expectation is driving me this time round. A win against the Stormers and a performance against Leinster should be the bare minimum. Matthew: Glasgow are a team that have shown over the previous two seasons to contain real class, which is why the abysmal performances of the last few weeks have been so disappointing. However this week, despite losing, they showed a lot more of what made them defending champions particularly in defence. Sione Tuipolotu was excellent on his return, and Seb Stephen was brilliant playing his first game in one of club rugby's toughest venues, and Macenzzie Duncan was also very physical and abrasive against a stacked Leinster backrow which gives good promise for Glasgow not only going into the knockouts, but also for future seasons Ali: Much better from the Warriors. The aggression from the off was great to see particularly when you consider the age profile of the forwards. I thought Seb Stephen showed up brilliantly, as did Macenzzie Duncan. The future can be bright for Glasgow and Scottish rugby. Edinburgh 47-17 Ulster Matthew: With the quality of players available to Edinburgh, there should be much higher expectations then sneaking into the top eight in the final game. However given the horrific performance of previous seasons, there is a least finally a sign of improvement and a Champions Cup place next season is a just reward for it. Neil: Beating the Bulls away from home is a huge task, but Edinburgh have improved greatly over the past half a dozen games. Their defence and their physicality will be strongly tested but I think they will at least compete. Glasgow looked something like their old selves against Leinster, and playing at Scotstoun, with some of their big players like Sione coming back to fitness, should ensure that the Warriors have just a little too much for the Stormers. Stuart: Best performance of the season and best atmosphere yet at the Hive. Darcy Graham is a class act and should be in the Lions squad. Andy: Edinburgh finally putting run of decent performances up but away to Bulls will be incredibly difficult. Still, it's sport and if they can get their strongest 15 out on pitch and get off to a good start, you never know. Getting into Champions Cup, after the start of season disappointments, says something about the mentality of the team.
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Future is bright for Glasgow' & Edinburgh's 'best performance of the season'
We asked for your views as Glasgow Warriors lost to Leinster and Edinburgh defeated what some of you said:Leinster 13-5 Glasgow WarriorsDavid: Pleased to see the effort that Glasgow put in against Leinster, and the result could have been much closer had it not been for the extraordinary decisions by Ben Whitehouse. How can anyone knock the ball on with their back to the pitch and how can you have shoulder to shoulder contact when two players are six inches apart? The quality of referees in the URC is really This time last year Glasgow finished fourth after an underwhelming season, and went on to have an incredible three weeks! Hope more than expectation is driving me this time round. A win against the Stormers and a performance against Leinster should be the bare Glasgow are a team that have shown over the previous two seasons to contain real class, which is why the abysmal performances of the last few weeks have been so disappointing. However this week, despite losing, they showed a lot more of what made them defending champions particularly in defence. Sione Tuipolotu was excellent on his return, and Seb Stephen was brilliant playing his first game in one of club rugby's toughest venues, and Macenzzie Duncan was also very physical and abrasive against a stacked Leinster backrow which gives good promise for Glasgow not only going into the knockouts, but also for future seasonsAli: Much better from the Warriors. The aggression from the off was great to see particularly when you consider the age profile of the forwards. I thought Seb Stephen showed up brilliantly, as did Macenzzie Duncan. The future can be bright for Glasgow and Scottish 47-17 UlsterMatthew: With the quality of players available to Edinburgh, there should be much higher expectations then sneaking into the top eight in the final game. However given the horrific performance of previous seasons, there is a least finally a sign of improvement and a Champions Cup place next season is a just reward for Beating the Bulls away from home is a huge task, but Edinburgh have improved greatly over the past half a dozen games. Their defence and their physicality will be strongly tested but I think they will at least compete. Glasgow looked something like their old selves against Leinster, and playing at Scotstoun, with some of their big players like Sione coming back to fitness, should ensure that the Warriors have just a little too much for the Best performance of the season and best atmosphere yet at the Hive. Darcy Graham is a class act and should be in the Lions Edinburgh finally putting run of decent performances up but away to Bulls will be incredibly difficult. Still, it's sport and if they can get their strongest 15 out on pitch and get off to a good start, you never know. Getting into Champions Cup, after the start of season disappointments, says something about the mentality of the team.
