HAVING passed their physical test by winning the opening Guinness Pro14 game, new head coach Richard Cockerill has challenged his players to prove their mental metal next.
After a tough opener away in Cardiff, Edinburgh have two home games against sides traditionally towards the bottom of the table in Dragons and Benetton Rugby. They will now be expected to be three from three by the time they travel to face the champions in Llanelli – which would be half as many wins as they managed all last season.
“We have won away from home, but we have to work hard again,” said Cockerill in the bowels of Cardiff Arms Park after Edinburgh’s 20-10 victory.
“Physically we were very good but we have to keep working because this squad has not been mentally good enough to back it up. That’s got to be the next challenge.
“We can turn up one week and have a good result, can we have a good training week and do it again next week? That’s the really
important thing now.
“History will dictate that last year we had a big win away from home and then lost at home to Zebre, and Newport are very similar to us in building a new identity and playing squad.
“So we have to keep our feet firmly on the ground and make sure that the intensity and physicality we brought tonight we can do next week against Newport.”
If Edinburgh are to take the next step forward then one thing was clear in Cardiff, 20-year-old full-back Blair Kinghorn will be a lynchpin. In a match where players struggled to find and create space, he managed both a couple of times to score a try and make one for centre Chris Dean.
“I thought it was really good but there are still things to work on and I am just looking forward to getting in next week and putting the wrongs right,” Kinghorn said.
“All departments have been pushed to drive high standards and that is exactly what we need because when you do that off the pitch and around the training area then you see it on the pitch. It has been tough but it has been really good for us.
“We have all been in dark places in training so you know the boy next to you will work hard for you and you can rely on that on the pitch. Pre-season is always tough, but it is worth the hard work when it comes to games like this.”
So a good away win, with two easier home games to come, but the last word has to go to the new coach.
“We are on step one of 21 games and we need to make sure we recognise that but also enjoy the win, because this group have not gone away and won many times. They only won six games in the league all year last year, so it is step one for us.”
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