Edinburgh braced for ‘massive match’ with one eye on URC play-offs

Edinburgh are braced for “a massive match” as they bid to boost their hopes of making it into the United Rugby Championship play-offs with a home win over bottom-of-the-league Zebre on Friday evening.

Sean Everitt’s side are currently ninth in the table with just three games remaining in their pursuit of a place in the top eight.

Although Edinburgh are outside the play-off zone at present, the mid-section of the league is so tightly congested that they are within two points of fifth-placed Stormers heading into the latest round of fixtures.

“This is a massive match for our play-off aspirations and we’ll need to be fully focused and disciplined to secure a positive result,” head coach Everitt told the Edinburgh website.

“Zebre Parma are a much-improved side and will travel to Edinburgh with nothing to lose. They bring physicality and can score from anywhere on the park, so we’ll need to match their energy from the get-go.

“We’re right in the battle for the play-offs and the squad know that every game in this run-in is a cup final. The backing of our supporters will once again be crucial, so we encourage everyone to get behind the team for this vital encounter.”

Edinburgh’s starting line-up features 10 members of Scotland’s 2023 World Cup squad, with just two changes to the team that won away to Cardiff in their last outing.

Emiliano Boffelli drops out through injury so Matt Currie shifts to the wing, allowing Mark Bennett to start at outside centre.

Fiji international Viliame Mata returns at number eight in place of Luke Crosbie, who is named among the replacements.