McKenzie looked like a retired footballer when I first met him
SAYS RICHARD COCKERILL
RICHARD Cockerill has hailed the physical transformation in Fraser McKenzie after claiming the man who will skipper Edinburgh in today’s European clash with Cardiff Blues at Murrayfield resembled ‘a retired footballer’ when he arrived as head coach.
‘Fraz was in T-shirt and shorts, had a really good sun tan and was slightly overweight,’ recalled the Englishman of that fateful first meeting last summer. ‘He was in pretty poor nick.
‘I said to him: “How long have you got on your contract?”. He said: “Two years” and I thought: “Oh”.
‘I thought he might be one of the first blokes leaving. He looked like a retired footballer.’
With the man from Dunfermline left in no doubt that his future was in the balance, it is to his credit he has battled back to become the super-fit second row who will lead the side in their Challenge Cup quarter-final this afternoon.
‘It’s not easy to turn yourself around and he had to show me attitude and commitment,’ said Cockerill. ‘He has worked really hard since and got himself in good nick. He is really, really fit and playing very, very well.
‘I want to rewards guys like him who put in the work and who play well for the team.
‘I don’t mind whether they’re an international or club player or whatever background they’ve come from, whatever reputation they have or don’t have. I pick on what I see.’
Cockerill has resorted to tough love to keep McKenzie in shape after insisting he has to work harder than more naturally gifted players just to keep his place in the team. The fact that he will play his 100th game for the club today shows he has been listening.
‘I’ve said it to Fraser’s face, so he won’t be surprised to hear it again, that I don’t think he is a worldclass player,’ said the head coach. ‘He is a very good club player and leads very well by what he says and delivers what he says.
‘When I had to appoint a new captain in place of Magnus Bradbury last October, I went with Fraz because he had a bit of an edge and that little bit of devil about him.
‘He’s a tough fellow who works hard. He doesn’t take any nonsense. He says it how it is, not particularly polite. He is quite abrasive.
‘He’s put in some hard work since our first meeting and deserves to lead the team against Cardiff.’
Cockerill believes the uncapped McKenzie and Scotland international Grant Gilchrist can help lay the foundations for victory against the Welsh side by winning vital lineout ball.
Dropped for last weekend’s win over Connacht in Galway, McKenzie returns as skipper and first-choice second row. Scotland international Ben Toolis makes way for the 30-year-old former Sale Sharks and Newcastle Falcons player.
‘McKenzie didn’t play for us against Connacht but he comes in because he has played well through the Six Nations period and deserves to captain the side in such a big game,’ said Cockerill.
‘Ben Toolis is rested. He’s in good form and playing well but so is McKenzie, Gilchrist and Lewis Carmichael, who is on the bench.
‘Although I’m a little bit biased, Gilchrist was the stand-out lock for Scotland in the Six Nations.
‘Fraz has been very good for us and the pair of them with Lewis on the bench is the right combination.’
The return of McKenzie in place of Toolis is one of four changes from the team that beat Connacht.
Props Jordan Lay and WP Nel replace Simon Berghan and Darryl Marfo, while Stuart McInally takes the place of Neil Cochrane at hooker.
John Hardie retains his role at openside flanker as Hamish Watson is still recovering from a shoulder knock he picked up against Italy.
Edinburgh go into the game as slight favourites after topping their Challenge Cup qualification group with five wins out of six matches, their only loss coming away to Stade Francais once qualification had been secured.
Since then, they have won their last six Guinness Pro14 matches, but Cardiff Blues have also been on a decent run — winning their last five games.
‘It’s two sides in good form that like to play open rugby in a winnertake-all game,’ said Cockerill. ‘We’ve picked off some big scalps in our last six games. They’ve not been average teams we’ve beaten.
‘We have home advantage and have got a fantastic chance to make a deep run in Europe. We have had a good, close look at Cardiff and they are a dangerous side.
‘We certainly can’t take things for granted even although playing at home will give us a great chance to progress in Europe.’
EDINBURGH: Kinghorn; Fife, Bennett, Dean, Van der Merwe; Van der Walt, Fowles; Lay, McInally, Nel, McKenzie, Gilchrist, Bradbury, Hardie, Mata.
CARDIFF BLUES: Anscombe; Scully, Lee-Lo, Halaholo, Lane; Evans, T Williams; G Jenkins, Dacey, Lewis, Earle, Turnbull, Navidi, E Jenkins, N Williams.