TOP six and a place in the following season's European Champions Cup – that's non-negotiable. Alan Solomons, the head coach, is adamant that another season of near misses is not going to happen again as Edinburgh gear up for the new season with expectations high.
Partly that is a case of knowing what he has at his disposal. Last season they developed a pack of forwards capable of tackling any in the Guinness PRO12, now the signs from last week's brutal physical clash against Romania in the high-profile fixture at Melrose, suggest they are adding a back division capable of adding a real attacking threat. On top of that Solomons is thoroughly excited by the crop of youngsters that he sees starting to emerge from junior and age-group sides to put themselves into contention for his side.
What has encouraged him was the way that despite being taken apart in the scrums for most of the game against Romania last week, not only his players find a way to win but did so with classy attacking flair that produced five tries in the 31-16 win.
"A big thing in that game against Romania was that at 17-16 up with 10 to 15 minutes to go, we were in a little bit of trouble because we were battling to secure our own scrum ball," said Solomons as he sat among the assembled PRO12 coaches at the official launch and reviewed prospects for the season ahead. "We stayed composed, resilient and determined.
"We got into their half and got a try straightaway though Jade Te Rure [the fly half] and put the game beyond doubt, then we came back and got another. Then, with the last scrum of the game we got a penalty for scrumming them off the park. That front row was Jack Cosgrove [aged 21], George Turner [22] and Simon Berghen.
"They are going to be the future of the club. Look at the likes of Allan Dell, who's also 22 . . . we still have Rory Sutherland, who is the same age and all are qualified to play for Scotland. That is what is giving me the biggest thrill, seeing a lot of young Scottish boys coming through and that is the vision that I have of what will sustain this club."
The part that is non-negotiable, he says, is that they have got to get themselves back into the top end of competition and he has targeted this season as the one where they have to make the breakthrough back to where he believes they belong.
"We have set out our stall, we have to come in the top six of the PRO12, that's it," he said. "Everyone wants to make the play-offs, there is not a club in the competition that doesn't, but for us the top six is not negotiable, that has to happen.
"There will be rotation but the players have been made aware of the fact that these things are going to happen. We have been preparing accordingly and will continue to do so so that we can cope with what is coming our way."
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