Cockerill taking a step into unknown against Russians

RICHARD COCKERILL has played and coached all over the world but even he doesn’t know what to expect when Edinburgh take on Russians Krasny Yar His side take a step into the unknown with today’s Challenge Cup match, which has been moved 2,600 miles to Moscow because of freezing conditions in their opponents’ home city of Krasnoyarsk in eastern Siberia The Fili stadium in the western part of the capital only has a capacity of 1,000, and Cockerill expects just a hundred or so fans — at best — at the game With Moscow being a four-hour flight from Scotland and five from Krasnoyarsk, he doesn’t expect many fans to travel ‘It’s my first experience of Moscow,’ said Cockerill ‘Krasny Yar had to travel, so there won’t be much of a crowd ‘It will be down to us to make our own atmosphere by getting up for the game ’. Cockerill anticipates a hard game against the side who beat holders Stade Francais on the tournament’s opening weekend Granted, an under-strength French side had to travel all the way to Siberia and, by all accounts, were badly jet-lagged ‘Last week, Krasny Yar were very much up for the contest and it was like a cup final for them,’ said Cockerill ‘They are very combative but played good rugby ‘When they had penalties, they kicked to the corner, took advantage, and scored tries from those plays ‘If we control the game as we’d like to and physically front up, I think we’ll win ’. Cockerill has made nine changes to the side who claimed a bonus-point victory over London Irish, with fly-half Duncan Weir ruled out for four weeks with an abdominal injury and Ross Ford back in Edinburgh nursing a calf strain KRASNY YAR: Artemyev, Iagudin, Galinovskiy, Malaguradze,Chaban, Apikotoa, Dorofeev; Fukofuka, Bregvadze, Bitiev, Mahu, Garbuzov, Gresev, Arhip, Ilin. Replacements: Kondakov, Tsnobiladze, Tsiklauri, Zykov, Khudiakov, Riabov, Kolomiitcev, Golosnitskii. EDINBURGH: Kinghorn, Hoyland, Johnstone, Rasolea, Brown, Tovey, Hidalgo-Clyne; Dell, Cochrane, Nel, Bresler, Gilchrist, Carmichael, Crosbie, Du Preez. Replacements: McInally, Marfo, Berghan, McKenzie, Mata, Fowles, Dean, Bryce. Referee: Thomas Charabas (Fra). Krasny Yar v Edinburgh Fili Stadium, Moscow Kick-off 10am BST Not on TV