ANDY Irvine, the chairman of Edinburgh Rugby, has predicted that his team’s new ground will have “a better atmosphere than Scotstoun”, the home of Glasgow Warriors.
Edinburgh play their first match at Myreside on Friday, when a win over Timisoara Saracens will take them into the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup. The capacity for that game and the other five that Edinburgh are due to play at the Watsonians ground this season will be around 5,500 - nearly 2,000 less than Scotstoun. But Irvine thinks the proximity of Myreside’s new stands to the pitch will help generate greater excitement.
“Now that they’ve put up these stands, I can tell you that this will be even a better atmosphere than Scotstoun,” the former Scotland international said. “That’s because the fans will be much more closer to the players and it is a slightly tighter ground. It will be absolutely rocking.
“It will not only be a great atmosphere, but from the Edinburgh players’ point of view it will be a home match. When they play at Murrayfield it’s almost a neutral venue. I think it will be great for the players and also the spectators.”
Glasgow have enjoyed more success and bigger crowds than Edinburgh in recent years, but Irvine remains hopeful that the tables can be turned, and thinks that Myreside can help in that regard. “I still believe Edinburgh can out-do Glasgow on the field and off the field,” he added. “You have to give Glasgow credit for having the vision to go to a small ground.
“I’d been advocating for years to get out of Murrayfield. Murrayfield is not a home venue for Edinburgh - for instance, when Cardiff come to Murrayfield, or Munster, it’s hardly an away fixture [for them]. This will be.
“Edinburgh crowds tend not to be that hostile. It would be nice if they were a wee bit more vocal. Glasgow are better in that sense, and Glasgow have done really well from going from Firhill to Scotstoun. This won’t be as big as Scotstoun, but believe me it will be a better atmosphere, because Scotstoun has the running track.”
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