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Graham-less Edinburgh welcome back Puma star for Saracens clash

By PA
Santiago celebrates as Emiliano Boffelli scores a late try to win the match during a test match between Argentina and Scotland at the Estadio Unico Madre de Cuidades, on July 16, 2022, in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Argentina full-back Emiliano Boffelli returns to the Edinburgh team for Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup opener against Saracens as Wes Goosen switches to the wing to cover the injured Darcy Graham.

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Graham has been ruled out until February after suffering a knee injury shortly after scoring his 13th try of the season for club and country during last week’s home defeat by Munster.

Chris Dean also went off injured after claiming a try and he remains on the sidelines with a head knock as James Lang comes in at inside centre.

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Fit-again hooker Stuart McInally is the only player to come into Mike Blair’s forward pack for the trip to Barnet, where Edinburgh take on a side who have won all nine of their Gallagher Premiership fixtures this season.

Head coach Blair said: “This is a massive challenge for us but it’s one this group of players are really savouring – and we’ve felt that in training all week.

“The players have been switched on, alert, ready to play and eager to make amends after the disappointment of Munster last weekend.

“We are well aware of the quality Saracens possess. They are a side full of confidence with options across the park, but we’ve got plenty of quality and experience in our squad too.

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“We’re really excited to be back at the top table of European rugby and we’re looking forward to representing the city and our supporters in North London this Sunday.”

EDINBURGH:
15. Emiliano Boffelli
14. Wes Goosen
13. Mark Bennett
12. James Lang
11. Duhan van der Merwe
10. Blair Kinghorn
9. Ben Vellacott
1. Pierre Schoeman
2. Stuart McInally
3. Luan de Bruin
4. Jamie Hodgson
5. Grant Gilchrist
6. Jamie Ritchie
7. Luke Crosbie
8. Viliame Mata

Replacements
16. Patrick Harrison
17. Boan Venter
18. WP Nel
19. Marshall Sykes
20. Ben Muncaster
21. Charlie Shiel
22. Charlie Savala
23. Damien Hoyland

Edinburgh will face Saracens at StoneX Stadium in the Heineken Champions Cup Sunday 11 December (kick-off 3.15pm).

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J
JW 58 minutes ago
Leicester Fainga'anuku denied All Blacks eligibility for TRC

I don’t get that. I got the opposite, this was something Lester really really wanted to do. NZR is not going to stop him doing that by putting ridiculous money in front of him (noted you were only asking for fair money).


I wouldn’t say this was a Mo’unga or Frizell situation where there talent only was unlocked after they signed abroad, when Schmidt and Ryan came in respectively. LF was on a good trajectory, and he just decided he has the perfect window of opportunity to go abroad while he’s not first choice, learn and live in France to come back better and have a good shot at the perfect age. I think he recongised that.


Agreed that our rotation has been off the the last decade, players have not been moved on when they should, but I wouldn’t include Rieko in that discussion, though I would accept he is more of a marketing than performance signing.


Also agree it is a strange condunrum that results from the misalligned seasons, where Lester is straight into NPC in the same season almost. When really the ‘start’ of his contract is next year. Is he even going to be on the payroll at the moment? Could it be used as a double dip to encourage players back, a ‘bonus international season’ of match fees.


But they also don’t want them to become anymore common. So perhaps everything is fine? Like I was alluding to with Toko, they would need multiple markers of their own in Top 14 for them to be able to gauge off. As I’ve said in previous articles I’d be comfortable to expand sabbaticals to 2 in every position (yes a huge change), so that the was a core group of 30 of the top players all aligned with the ABs and overseas at any one time. This would ensure there are good markers to correlate levels of performance amongst everyone. This is a very similar setup/size to South Africa. It is like the AB modem in a wider organism, the vets are shipped off much earlier, and the core of next cycle is brought through. No missing out on the JGPs or Aki’s, no the Antonio’s or young Patrick Tuifua’s to france, keeping the Chandler Cunningham-South’s or Roots brothers, evan this Dubious guy from the French team was playing rugby here in NZ and could have stayed with a more ground up focus on bringing players through, not paying them much etc lol

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