YOU expect players to be keeping tabs on their big landmark dates, but Australia-born Ben Toolis admits his 50th game for Edinburgh crept up on the quiet. He had been vaguely aware it was coming but forgot about it until he was reminded it would arrive in tomorrow's match against Harlequins.
It is a long way from where he thought he would be four years after arriving in Scotland as a raw volleyball international, untried and untested in the rough and tumble of professional rugby.
"I thought it would be quite hard to crack the nut of getting more game time," he said. "This is my fourth season and it will be 50 games. I never thought I would get that far. When I first came it was for two years – if it did not work out I might have to move on, move back to Australia. It has panned out pretty well, I have made progress and come on in the time I have had.
"If I do play at the weekend [the team is formally announced today], it will be a landmark, a milestone, so I am quite proud of myself. I am sure mum and dad will be quite happy too – especially my Mum who has Scottish roots. It is pretty cool and the boys we have makes it extra special. It is an honour."
That though is going to be an end of it. He plans to enjoy the occasion, use it as extra motivation and then get on with the task of beating Harlequins at BT Murrayfield, a game he knows is the first significant test of the Edinburgh side since the coaching change-over.
"I'll use it for adrenaline, as ammo to go out and play well. I am looking to put in another performance for Edinburgh against a tough Harlequins side. It will be a real test for us. I will enjoy the occasion, but then the real focus will be on the game," he added.
"It has been good for Duncan Hodge [who took over as head coach] to find his feet, get into the role and get into the swing of things. Harlequins are a lot of tougher, no disrespect to the last two teams. We are ready. It will show us where we are right now. It is a big test for him as a coach as well."
As one of the longer time servers in the Edinbrugh team, one thing he his looking forward to is the reunion with Tim Visser, the former Edinburgh wing who will be returning to the ground where he went from an unknown to a PRO12 record holder and Scotland internationalist.
"I was speaking to Tim a couple of weeks ago, he seems well," Toolis said. "I think he is quite excited to get back up here and see some of the boys.
"We know how he plays but I am sure he is telling Harlequins how we play as well. It will be interesting, quite fun to get stuck into each other."
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