Scotland flanker Hamish Watson has committed his future to Edinburgh as a big week for the club got underway with the recruitment of a foreign legion has been announced in a statement of the club’s intent to build on the revival that has taken place under head coach Richard Cockerill over the past two seasons.
Fiji’s sevens captain Kalione Nasoko and his stirringly nicknamed colleague Eroni “the Sledgehammer” Sau will join compatriot Bill Mata, who is already a firm favourite among supporters, at Murrayfield, along with South African Mike Willemse - who similar joins several other South Africans at the club - and Scottish-qualified Australian back-row man Mike Haining from English Premiership club Bristol.
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Cockerill made it clear soon after taking over at Edinburgh in 2017 that he would be lobbying for change to the policies that seen the vast majority of the best homegrown and imported talent directed towards Glasgow Warriors.
That has produced a solitary trophy, when the Pro12 was won in 2015, with no breakthrough at the top level in Europe in which Glasgow has still to win a knockout match in the Heineken Champions Cup.
With domestic competition now having been generated on and off the pitch, this weekend will see both Scottish teams in action in the Champions Cup quarter-finals for the first time and it is Edinburgh who look to have earned the better chance of progressing by winning their pool to claim home advantage.
On announcing last month that Mata would be extending his stay, Cockerill indicated that he was looking to introduce more Fijian dynamism, while Haining is currently playing in French Top 14, where the Englishman coached at Toulon before his move to Scotland and Willemse was part of the Southern Kings side that shocked Edinburgh in South Africa in January with a dramatic late comeback win.
“Anyone who has watched sevens will know Eroni Sau,” said Cockerill.
“He’s a very strong and powerful runner, tough and very combative.
“A nickname like ‘The Sledgehammer” gives you an idea of what he does with and without the ball, and I’m delighted he’s chosen to join Edinburgh and be part of what we’re building here for next season and beyond.
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“Kalione is a tremendously exciting player who will predominantly play as a winger, but he has also played at 13. He brings something different to our back-three… a little bit more of an x-factor and, as you see with the good teams around Europe, you need that type of threat.
“Nick is someone I’ve been looking at for a while. He’s a big boy, carries the ball very well and is a good footballer.
“He’ll add some further strength in depth in that back-row where we’ve got a lot of internationals. He’s a very good player and he’s keen to put his hand up and try to push himself into the national squad as well.
“And Mike has got a lot of experience in Super Rugby. He’s a very competent hooker that plays in the style of Stuart Mclnally. He’s all-action, very good over the ball and extremely dynamic. Similar to the South African boys already in the team, we expect him to make a big impression on the squad.
“We’re delighted to have him. We’ve got a good selection of Scottish hookers, but Mike is a guy who’ll be with us all year round and will no doubt push everybody to the next level.”
Little wonder, then, that Watson, who has been with Edinburgh through some very challenging times since joining them in 2011, is eager to hang around.
“I couldn't see myself playing anywhere else in my career. I love it in Edinburgh. The playing group we've got and are building, is absolutely amazing,” he said, after agreeing a new two year deal.
"We've got a great coaching staff and I want to win something with Edinburgh. If that takes two years or ten years, it doesn't matter. This group of players and coaches is going places and I love the direction that the club is moving in."
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