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Edinburgh raid RFU Championship for 'immediate effect' signing
By Ian Cameron
Edinburgh have confirmed the signing of loosehead prop Jamie Jack, who joins the club with immediate effect from English Championship side Ampthill Rugby.
Edinburgh explain that the 25-year-old was due to join the club in the summer but instead starts this week so as to provide 'additional cover' at prop where Mike Blair's side have picked up a number of long-term injuries.
Jack joins the likes of Scotland internationals WP Nel and Pierre Schoeman, as well as SQ FOSROC Super6 props Angus Williams and Harrison Courtney, who have got a fair amount of game time this campaign with Boan Venter (knee) and Luan de Bruin (hamstring) ruled out for the season.
“I’m really excited to get started. It’ll be great getting back into a full-time environment and to get the chance to do it with Edinburgh is a big honour. It was an opportunity I jumped at," Jack said. “It’s clear from speaking to a few people who have been in and around the club that Mike, Stevie and the coaching team have made it a great environment to be a part of and I’m really looking to getting involved.
“Edinburgh is obviously a club with a great history and they’ve had had a great season. With such an experienced playing group and coaching staff, I think it’ll be a really good place to test myself. Having the opportunity to play in the URC against some of the biggest teams in Europe and South Africa will be a great challenge.
“I’ve been up to Edinburgh a few times before so to be able to play in such an amazing city is a huge pulling factor as well.”
The prop began with English Championship side Nottingham Rugby and played while studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Science and Coaching at NottinghamTrent University. While at Nottingham, Jack served as Academy Head Coach, before moving to Ampthill where he has spent the past two seasons.
“I’d like to think I’m a very set-piece orientated prop. I’m very attack-minded at scrum time, so being able to work with the calibre of front rowers at the club can only bring that part of my game on further.
“But I also like to get my hands on the ball around the park, which will hopefully suit Edinburgh’s style of play and I’ll be able to contribute well.”
Head Coach Mike Blair, added: “We’re delighted that Jamie has been able to join us early and we’re grateful to Ampthill who’ve allowed him to get started straight away.
“Jamie has had a lot of game time in the Championship this past season – a league which is obviously really big on set-piece – and comes through as one of the strongest scrummagers at the loosehead position.
“With the injury to suffered to Boan (Venter) last month, we’re obviously a bit light up front, so it’s great that Jamie can come in and help push on the other young looseheads at the club in Harrison Courtney and Sam Grahamslaw."
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Skelton may be brought back for the Wallabies so that would be the only reason that may hinder Wilson. Easily the form, most skilful and game IQ of any Oz 8. Valentini’s best and favourite position is 6, but lineouts may be an issue with Skelton, Valentini and Wilson. Will be interesting what Schmidt goes for but for me Wilson should be picked on form. Schmidt rewards work rate, skill and consistency. All that glitters every so often won’t be in contention. Greely is one of those players that has a knack of making the right decision. A coach is going to love him because he knows week in week out he’s going to get the job done. The second try Greely wasn’t the guy who made the initial break it was Flook, Greely was at the bottom of the ruck when Flook was off along the sideline. Greely got up and made the effort to catch up with play but also read the play nicely and hit the pass from Campbell at pace and then held the pass beautifully to Ryan.
Go to commentsSharks deserved to be far further back by the last quarter. Their tackling was awful, their set pieces were disappointing, their defensive organization was poor (especially on the Kok side of the D line), they kept making unnecessary errors, and they never looked like cracking the Clermont defense during those first 60m. Masuku kept them in touch, with some help from the Clermont generosity on penalty opportunities. Agree with the writer of this article. It was belligerence, and ability to raise their pressure game just enough, that turned the last quarter into a Bok-style shutout. Clermont have a reputation of not playing the full 80m, and there was a bit of that for sure. But, quite often when the intensity of a team drops off in the last quarter credit is due to the opponent for tiring them out. At 60m, with the Kok try, you thought that just maybe the game was on. At 70m, with the Mapimpi contribution, one felt that Clermont were fading, while facing a team that would maintain the pressure game through the final whistle. Good win in the end, but the Sharks are still playing way below their potential. And with their resources, and a coach that has had enough time to figure things out, they are running out of excuses.
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