WE’LL SHOW YOU THE DOUR
Cockerill won’t risk losing for sake of giving fans real excitement
RICHARD COCKERILL insists his Edinburgh team are under no pressure to entertain rugby fans during tonight’s 1872 Cup clash against Glasgow Warriors.
It will be the only game of rugby played in the UK this weekend after the European campaign was suspended earlier this week and the English Premiership decided not to rearrange any of its fixtures.
Any neutrals tuning in for some light relief could be disappointed. The last clash at Murrayfield on January 2 was a dour affair which saw Edinburgh squeak a 10-7 win.
Cockerill claims he will be delighted if this game is even less easy on the eye so long as his side come out on top.
He insisted: “If you want entertainment go to the theatre.
“If you want a rugby match to be played like it should, rugby players play to win and we’ll be doing that. Glasgow will be doing the same.
“Both sides will try to play when the opportunity arises but in big games involving teams that need points, it’s the side which makes the least mistakes and pounces on the others’ errors that wins the game. “For us, it’s about league points and claiming as many as we can to get us up the table. “I’m not sure me and Danny Wilson [Glasgow Warriors head coach] could ever have an agreement where we say: ‘Don’t kick, let’s have crack, throw the ball about and whoever wins let’s share the points!’ That’s just not how elite sport works.” While football players have been warned not to take part in goal celebrations in order to minimise the risk of spreading Covid, Cockerill joked it’s not an issue his low-scoring team have to worry about.
He said: “You know us, we don’t score tries so that solves that problem, doesn’t it?”
Edinburgh are missing two key forwards for today’s game with internationalists Stuart McInally and Jamie Ritchie – who signed a five-year contract extension earlier this week – picking up injuries in training.
Cockerill doesn’t expect them to be sidelined for long.
He said: “McInally had a problem with his neck while doing some weight training so we’re just assessing that.
“Jamie got a little bit of a knock to his head but he’s fine.
“He should be fit for next week, although we’ve got great coverage and depth in the back-row so there is no panic.”
Cockerill has been busy building his squad for next season, with Scotland internationals Ritchie, Hamish Watson and James Lang all committing to the club.
Perhaps the biggest challenge he faces is persuading Viliame (Bill) Mata to extend his current contract which runs out in the summer – despite the eye watering pricetag the Fijian No.8 commands.
Cockerill said: “As you can imagine, Bill’s a pretty popular character around the world so, like a lot of our guys, we are still in discussions about what we can do for him.
“He’s not a luxury at all – anyone would be happy to have Bill in their team across European rugby, or even Japan.
“I’d be reluctant to let someone of Bill’s quality leave.”