'I think this is going to be one of our toughest games of the season'

Mike Blair has braced Edinburgh for one of their “toughest games of the season” when they face Bulls in Pretoria.

The men from Scotland’s capital kicked off their United Rugby Championship campaign with a convincing home win over Dragons last weekend.

But head coach Blair has warned his team to be prepared for a more formidable test in the South African heat on Saturday.

“I think this is going to be one of our toughest games of the season, not only because of the strength of the Bulls side but also the type of game they play and the physicality they bring and what the conditions will be,” he said.

“We believe it will be 28 degrees in the afternoon and we’re playing at altitude as well so it’s going to be a brilliant test for our guys. It’s really going to test our character and we’ll see where we’re at. I can’t wait. I think it will be a brilliant challenge for us.”

Edinburgh beat Bulls 17-10 at home last October and Blair is hoping that experience can help his team pull off a repeat on foreign soil this weekend.

“I think when we played Bulls at the Dam Health last year it was the most physical performance we’ve had,” he said. “We met them front on. We really fronted up against them.

“We’re really aware we can’t let a team like Bulls get momentum into their game so that physicality is going to be absolutely crucial. Weather conditions are going to be different this time.

“It felt like the start of winter and the rain was coming down when we played them last time but it’s going to be hot here. We’ve looked back at that a little bit and reminded ourselves what it takes to take on a team like Bulls.”