TWINS PEAK
Lining up in same starting XV is a career high for Toolis brothers
The Toolis twins have vowed to cause double trouble against Agen at BT Murrayfield tonight to keep edinburgh’s european Challenge Cup hopes alive.
Ben, who is the elder by three minutes, will partner his brother Alex in the second row as the pair become the first set of twins to start a competitive match for a Scottish club in the professional era.
For the Australian-born brothers-in-arms, who are both 6ft 7in tall, finally making the starting XV together after three years at the club is a dream come true.
The 23-year-old locks, who qualify to play for Scotland through their mother Linda from Carluke, arrived from Queensland side GPS Old Boys after an approach from SRU director of rugby Scott Johnson back in August 2013.
A mixture of injuries and trouble settling in meant the pair were loaned out to other clubs and even played in the Scottish amateur Premiership to get game time as they were so out of the picture with edinburgh.
Slowly but surely they started to find their feet, to the extent that last season Ben, who weighs in at 18st 1lb, won his first Scotland cap off the bench in the 2015 Six Nations home loss to Italy.
Alex, who is 11lbs heavier than his brother, has only made his breakthrough this season, playing 10 Pro12 matches and becoming a regular for Alan Solomons.
Now side by side, the brothers are confident they can cement a second-row partnership that will impress both their club boss and Scotland head coach Vern Cotter.
‘I want to play more regularly here but if the chance to impress ahead of the Six Nations comes up, then obviously I’m up for the challenge — and so will be Alex,’ said Ben, who will call the line-outs against the French tonight.
‘I’m just looking to find form for edinburgh but if something comes up off the back of it, then great.’
Alex is also determined to make the most of the opportunity, saying: ‘We played together when we were younger growing up in Brisbane and we started together when we went on loan to London Irish two years ago — but it is cool to think we are making history by becoming the first set of twins to start for the club in the pro era.
‘Throughout our careers, we have been at a similar level of rugby and came through the ranks together. One game, he might be better, then I might be better in the next one.
‘All brothers are competitive but we support each other, as well, and will do that against Agen
‘During our careers, whenever Ben gets an opportunity, I’m happy for him and I’m sure he feels the same for me. You can’t always get chances to start at the same time and we have replaced each other off the bench for edinburgh.
‘But we have a chance against Agen to play together and show what we can do. It will be a proud moment for both of us.’
Solomons said he was confident playing the Toolis twins together for the first time — as well as making 11 changes to his starting XV — was not a risk.
‘There is a carefully-designed programme for the Scotland international players and most of them have played a high number of games on the trot, which is why I decided to rest some of them,’ said the head coach.
‘Alex and Ben have a big role to play for us and it is great they are getting to start together for the first time at the club. Alex has played a lot this season and, although Ben is just coming back from injury, they will make a formidable pairing against Agen.’
edinburgh will be captained by hooker Stuart McInally, who yesterday signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until May 2018, with regular skipper Mike Coman rested.
Scotland internationals John hardie and Matt Scott are also being allowed to sit out the game, while Ross Ford and Alasdair Dickinson are both injured.
‘We have to win or we’re out of europe — it’s that simple,’ said Solomons. ‘It won’t be easy but I’ve got confidence in this team.
‘I accept that last time I made a lot of changes at London Irish earlier in our european campaign, we were well beaten. The guys were disappointed with that and it put a question mark over our strength in depth.
‘We have a chance to rectify that now and I would put that display against London Irish as simply a bad day at the office. This time out I have a good feeling about the outcome of this game and the players I have selected.
‘There is a good mix in there with the likes of the Toolis brothers and younger guys, such as Jamie Ritchie and Magnus Bradbury, who I am sure will do well for us in such an important game.’
“It’s cool that we’re creating bit of history”