1
Injury haunted Edinburgh welcome back Scotland internationals
By PA
Mike Blair is delighted to see Edinburgh’s lengthy injury list offset slightly by the return to action of Scotland internationals Dave Cherry and Nick Haining this weekend.
Hooker Cherry has been out since late October while flanker Haining has missed the last four games, but both will start in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship match against Zebre at Dam Health Stadium.
“It’s brilliant to have a couple of senior players back from their injuries,” Blair told Edinburgh’s website.
“Dave’s a really important part of the group from a leadership point of view in the way he leads by example. He’s a real strong player and you just want to follow him so it’s great to have him back.
“Nick’s had an up-and-down season in terms of his availability but he’s a real class player for us who we expect to hit the ground running.”
Blair is still without a string of players through injury, including Emiliano Boffelli, Matt Currie, Chris Dean, Wes Goosen, Darcy Graham, Damien Hoyland, Henry Immelman, Adam McBurney, Stuart McInally, Duhan van der Merwe and Hamish Watson, while Jamie Ritchie and Pierre Schoeman are rested this weekend.
He has made nine changes to the side that lost at home to Glasgow last Friday, with young duo Connor Boyle and Cammy Hutchison among those added to the team.
“Connor really impressed us last season and we wanted to give him the opportunity to show us that form,” said Blair. “He’s really hungry for it. He loves representing the city and it’s great that he gets this opportunity against a really good Zebre side.
“It will be Cammy Hutch’s first start this season. He made a good impact last year but he’s had a couple of injury issues. It’s a couple of really good guys to get back in and get some involvement on the pitch.
“We’ve talked a lot this week around those one, two, three percenters and we’ve worked a lot on individual prep and detail that will stand us in good stead heading into Saturday.
“Zebre Parma ran us really close last season, at home, so we know how dangerous they can be if they get space and momentum.”
UNAVAILABLE: Emiliano Boffelli, Matt Currie, Chris Dean, Wes Goosen, Darcy Graham, Damien Hoyland, Henry Immelman, Adam McBurney, Stuart McInally, Pierce Phillips, Duhan van der Merwe, Hamish Watson.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Fabien Galthie's emphatic World Cup statement after Six Nations win
3
Four England talking points after their Six Nations rout of Wales
4
What Steve Borthwick told Matt Sherratt following Wales debacle
5
Latest Comments
My name is Amelia Jonathan from the United States, Using this opportunity to thank Dr. Ughulu is a grateful thing to me, for over years I have been sick with Hepatitis B disease, I have done a lot of things to get cured of my diseases and nothing has worked out. I have taken different types of medication for it , but it still doesn’t work for me. I still keep going for a check up so that the doctor will tell me my disease has be gone, because i’m taking my medicine with no result nothing has been cured, I have spent a lot of money just to get cure of Hepatitis B. until my old time friend came to my place and saw what am going through, and then direct me to contact Dr. Ughulu who is a very powerful man, which I did explain my problem to Dr. Ughulu and send me a herbal remedy bottle and explain to me how I should drink it. So I started to drink the herbal tea in one week that I drink the herbal tea. I went for a check up to check if I’m cured from Hepatitis B disease, then the nurse told me nothing is wrong with me anymore and said I’m fine. I am the happiest person right now. I promise Dr Ughulu I will testify about his good work on the internet. Reach out to Dr. Ughulu Via: drughulupowerfulspelltemple@gmail.com Thank you so much sir for what you did for me you’re the best of all. TEXT OR CALL: +1(252) 409-1841 or website: https://drughulupowerfulsp.wixsite.com/my-site-ughulu WHATSAPP NUMBER: +1(720) 794-2516
Go to commentsI’d take the Sharks, Stormers, Bulls, and Lions back in a second. Super Rugby Pacific is improving and the conference system sucked ass and never should have been implemented but if you think the quality of rugby is better without the South African franchises, you are kidding yourself.
And there is nothing authentic about Moana Pacifika, it is a sixth NZ franchise. Almost all of the players are NZ citizens, born and raised in NZ, were developed by NZ secondary schools and play in the NPC. The players just happen to be of Pacific heritage (just as there are a very large number of Pacific heritage players on the original five NZ franchises). Moana Pacifika is a marketing ploy for Auckland’s second SRP franchise.
Fiji Drua are legitimately a Pacific island team. Most players are born in Fiji, the players live and train in Fiji, and they play their home matches in Fiji.
Go to comments