EDINBURGH coach Duncan Hodge has changed almost half his team for tonight’s PRO12 match against the Ospreys, including bringing back Scotland forwards Allan Dell and Grant Gilchrist.
Two other members of the pack, Hamish Watson and Ross Ford, are rested after taking part in all three Autumn Tests, but there is a first start for Duncan Weir since he fractured his jaw against Munster, and scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne comes in alongside the stand-off for just his second league start of the season. There are seven changes in all from the side that began the defeat at the Dragons five days ago, with the others being the return of Stuart McInally at hooker and the inclusion of centre Junior Rasolea and wing Will Helu.
“The decisions on Scotland players were very much on an individual basis,” Hodge explained. “Hamish started all three games, so it would have been a big ask to bring him back for this one, and Fordy has played a lot as well. Delly was very keen to get straight back into it, so that was great.
“We were disappointed with the loss to Dragons, but we're looking to bounce back with a big performance against a good Ospreys side,” Hodge added. “We've moved on from last week's result, taken lessons from the match and worked hard this week in training to right our wrongs, with the players showing a real focus and positive attitude to make amends to their game, both personally and as a collective.
“Several changes have been made in key positions but it's credit to the depth of our squad that we're able to rotate and field a team with such experience. Ospreys are a team who will be high on confidence due to their current form but there is a lot of belief in our side and we're looking forward to challenging them on their home patch.”
Edinburgh had been high on confidence before the Dragons game, mainly because they had performed so well in their previous league outing, at home to Ulster at the start of the month. But some familiar problems reasserted themselves at Rodney Parade on Sunday, and Hodge knows his team will need to be sharper against an Ospreys side who are on a high after winning for the first time at Scotstoun last Friday.
“There’s no doubt we’ll need to be on top of our game,” he added. “Getting the ball at the breakdown will be key for us - we have to be more accurate and adapt to the referee and the opposition.”
Edinburgh (v Ospreys at Liberty Stadium, tonight, 7.35pm): B Kinghorn; D Hoyland, C Dean, J Rasolea, W Helu; D Weir, S Hidalgo-Clyne; A Dell, S McInally, M McCallum, B Toolis, G Gilchrist, M Bradbury, J Ritchie, N Manu. Substitutes: N Cochrane, K Whyte, F Arregui, L Carmichael, V Mata, N Fowles, J Tovey, G Bryce.
Ospreys: D Evans; K Giles, A Beck, J Matavesi, D Howells; S Davies, B Leonard;
N Smith, S Parry, M Fia, R Thornton, A Wyn Jones, J King, J Tipuric, D Baker. Substitutes: S Baldwin, P James, D Arhip, L Ashley, S Underhill, T Habberfield, D Biggar, K Fonotia.
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