THE optimism with which supporters always approach a new season appeared to evaporate very quickly in the case of Edinburgh, whose loss to Cardiff in last week’s PRO12 opener was greeted by something akin to despair.
It was not the fact of the 34-16 defeat by one of the league’s most improved teams that rankled, so much as what it said about the team. After having one of the strongest packs and the soundest defences in the PRO12 last season, Edinburgh looked shaky on both fronts. And, while they have introduced some flair in attack, that will be to no avail unless they address those basic deficiencies.
Alan Solomons knows as much, of course, and is confident that his forwards will be closer to full match fitness in tonight’s home game against the Scarlets. Some, such as John Hardie, have played too much rugby over the past year and a half and needed an elongated summer break, according to the coach. Others, such as Grant Gilchrist, have been denied a decent run in the team by injury.
“Our forward pack can definitely improve,” Solomons said yesterday after announcing his team. “It does take time for a tight forward to get into the game.
“Grant is vital for us - I’m very positive that this week he’ll start hitting his straps. The last two years he’s just had very little rugby, but he’s getting into it and getting better. He’s a really good player and he’s got a nice little edge to him.”
After being rested against Cardiff, Hardie returns as one of five changes to the team, replacing Hamish Watson. Magnus Bradbury also comes into the back row in place of Nasi Manu, who is out for four to six weeks with rib cartilage damage. Ben Toolis is preferred to Fraser McKenzie in the second row, Phil Burleigh places at centre instead of Junior Rasolea, and Michael Allen is on the wing instead of Rory Scholes.
“John looked really underdone from a conditioning point of view [in the pre-season friendly] against Newcastle,” Solomons added, explaining why he omitted Hardie last week. “He’s trained really hard last week and this week, and I’m sure the extra week’s conditioning will show this week.”
Scotland international John Barclay is in the Scarlets back row alongside Olympic sevens silver medallist James Davies, whose brother Jonathan will make his first Scarlets start for two years. It will also be the first time the two have played together in the PRO12.
While Barclay will wear No 8, both he and James Davies are essentially 7s, which means Hardie could have his hands full at the breakdown. “I'm good mates with Johnny, so it will be interesting,” the Edinburgh openside said. “Having two out-and-out sevens will be a threat, so we'll have to be on the ball. But we're looking forward to it."
Hardie may be one of the most relentlessly hardworking players in the Edinburgh squad, but even he accepted that he needed a proper break after coming to Scotland last year straight off the end of the Super Rugby season then playing straight through the Rugby World Cup before resuming club duties that ran until May. A slightly longer stay back home in New Zealand than planned complicated things a little, but it also gave him the chance to recharge his batteries.
“It will be good to get back out there and into it,” he added. “I'm feeling fresh. I probably did need that bit of conditioning.
“I had some visa troubles, but I'm getting back into the swing of things now. It was the ancestry visa, which takes a long time. It was sent away to Manila - not sure why there, bit of weird place to have to send for a visa, but there you go.
“I was knackered. I wanted to keep going, but I think it was more a mental side of things. It was time for a bit of a break. It's done my body wonders. I was in New Zealand for six weeks, so it was a good break, though Alan was ready for me to come back.”
Edinburgh (v Scarlets at Murrayfield, tonight, 7.35pm. Live on BBC Alba): G Bryce; M Allen, S Tofilau, P Burleigh, T Brown; D Weir, N Fowles; R Sutherland, R Ford, W Nel, B Toolis, G Gilchrist, J Ritchie, J Hardie, M Bradbury. Substitutes: S McInally, A Dell, K Bryce, F McKenzie, H Watson, S Hidalgo-Clyne, B Kinghorn, J Rasolea.
Scarlets: L Williams; H Parkes, Jonathan Davies, S Williams, S Evans; R Patchell, A Davies; W Jones, K Owens, W Kruger, J Ball, D Bulbring, A Shingler, James Davies, J Barclay. Substitutes: R Elias, L Garrett, P Edwards, T Beirne, J Macleod, G Davies, D Jones, A Thomas.
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