JOHN Hardie will play for the first time since the Six Nations Championship tonight when Edinburgh visit league leaders Leinster in a game that could have a big impact on their European hopes - and on Glasgow’s play-off prospects.
Alan Solomons’ team lie seventh with three games to go - a place below where they need to be to get into the Champions Cup next season. The Warriors, who play Scarlets in Wales tomorrow, are currently third, and need to break into the top two to claim a home semi-final in the play-offs.
Edinburgh have won their last two games without Hardie, beating the Dragons away and Zebre at home, but the Dublin match is an altogether tougher prospect, and Solomons is delighted to have the Scotland openside available again. “It’s good to have him back,” the head coach said.
“We were patient. He had a bit of a groin injury and a little bit of a neck injury - understandable after the hard Six Nations - and we kept him back until he was absolutely right.
“First of all he brings a lot of experience. He has played Test-match rugby for Scotland, in a World Cup and the Six Nations. He has a deep level of experience in Super Rugby. He’s also an explosive, 100-per-cent player. He gives everything every minute he’s out on the pitch and is a good bloke and a good team man.”
Provided Edinburgh are on an equal footing in the scrum, where the Scotland front row of Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and WP Nel are a match for anyone, the match could be decided at the breakdown - the area of play where Hardie is a world-class performer. “He’s a handful to opposition defences,” winger Damien Hoyland said. “He just likes to put his head in awkward positions and fly into tackles.
“It’s going to be great to have someone who can bring that and hopefully win some big collisions and get the boys pumped with a few good hits. He’s a pretty chilled guy - he keeps his roles right and stays in the right positions, then when it comes to making tackles he nails it.”
Unsurprisingly, Solomons has named the strongest team available to him, with his belief that the physical battle up front will be crucial being reflected in his selection of six forwards on the bench. Stuart McInally, Hamish Watson and Magnus Bradbury are among the replacements likely to see action up front later in the game.
Scrum-half Sean Kennedy and centre Michael Allan are the only two backs substitutes in that 6-2 split, and with Matt Scott still injured Edinburgh continue to look vulnerable behind the scrum against the league’s big guns - although new stand-off Jason Tovey was very impressive on his debut against Zebre a fortnight ago. Scott should be able to put in a farewell appearance before leaving for Gloucester in the close season, according to Solomons, but club captain Mike Coman will be unable to add to his 50 appearances before he moves on to London Irish.
“I believe the way we are tracking at the moment, Matt will be available to play against Munster [in a fortnight],” the coach added. “Mike is not going to make it back in time - fortunately he did get on to the pitch for his 50th cap.
“He’s been absolutely tremendous for us. First and foremost he’s a really terrific person. He’s an incredibly good captain, he’s a really good rugby player and an all-round good bloke. He’s added hugely to Edinburgh Rugby. We’ll miss him, but he’s got an opportunity at London Irish and we all wish him well. He’ll always be welcome here.
“I’m just sorry that he couldn’t finish playing right to the end. And I’m chuffed to bits that Matt is looking like he’s fit - I’d like to see Matt have his last game here against Connacht. I would have loved Mike to have done that.”
Like Edinburgh, Leinster also welcome back a key international - Rob Kearney, who returns at full-back after being out of action through injury since January. Meanwhile, Edinburgh have announced that young hooker George Turner has signed a new two-year contract.
Edinburgh (v Leinster in Dublin tonight, 7.35pm): B Kinghorn; D Hoyland, C Dean, P Burleigh, T Brown; J Tovey, S Hidalgo-Clyne; A Dickinson, R Ford, W Nel, A Bresler, B Toolis, J Ritchie, J Hardie, C du Preez. Substitutes: S McInally, R Sutherland, J Andress, A Toolis, M Bradbury, H Watson, S Kennedy, M Allan.
Leinster: R Kearney; F McFadden, B Te’o, N Reid, L Fitzgerald; I Madigan, L McGrath; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross, R Molony, M Kearney, R Ruddock, J van der Flier, J Murphy. Substitutes: S Cronin, P Dooley, T Furlong, D Toner, D Ryan, E Reddan, C Marsh, D Kearney.
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