THE hottest sporting ticket in Manchester tonight is for Manchester United v Southampton at Old Trafford, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic makes his home league debut. However, perhaps the most-intriguing entertainment on offer will be had at Sale's homely Heywood Road rugby ground, on the outskirts of the city – where Sale Sharks entertain Edinburgh Rugby in a cross-border, Scotland v England pre-season friendly.
The ground capacity will be far-lower than at nearby Old Trafford, but, while none will have the pulling-power of the Great Zlat, both teams will be giving a first public outing to new summer signings.
For one, Edinburgh's new Tongan international forward Viliami Fihaki, it will, however, be a return to familiar ground, he was with Sharks last season.
Scrum-half Nathan Fowles is another Edinburgh man counting Sharks among his former clubs. Whoever is at scrum-half for Edinburgh tonight will find himself in a youth v experience encounter. Fowles, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and Sean Kennedy, Edinburgh's three half-backs, are all still on the upslope of their careers, Sale's Peter Stringer and Mike Phillips have a wardrobe of: “been there, done that” T-shirts, plus a cupboard full of “showclip” DVDs – not to mention a combined 197 international caps – 188 more than the Edinburgh trio can claim.
Missing from the 27-man squad which Head Coach Alan Solomons announce yesterday is the entire first-choice Edinburgh and Scotland front row of Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and Wilem Nel, all of whom are being given extra time to reach match fitness after their end-of-season injuries.
Solomons has confirmed: “All 27 players will get game time, against what I am sure will be tough opposition”. This means the other summer signings: former Glasgow men Glenn Bryce and Duncan Weir, plus fellow backs Rory Scholes, Sasa Tofilau and Junior Rasolea, plus ex-Melrose man Nick Beavons and former Academy players Jack Cosgrove, who was with London Scottish last season and Fihaki will all debut.
Prop Murray McCallum, after some impressive games for the Scotland Under-20 team, has been included in the squad.
The Edinburgh squad is:
Forwards: Nick Beavon, Simon Berghan, Magnus Bradbury, Jack Cosgrove, Viliame Fihaki, Grant Gilchrist, Nasi Manu, Murray McCallum, Stuart McInally, Fraser McKenzie, Jamie Ritchie, Ben Toolis, George Turner, Hamish Watson.
Backs: Tom Brown, Glenn Bryce, Phil Burleigh, Chris Dean, Nathan Fowles, Will Helu, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Sean Kennedy, Blair Kinghorn, Junior Rasolea, Rory Scholes, Sasa Tofilau, Duncan Weir.
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