Thomson’s chance to impress at Murrayfield
BLADE Thomson will get an early chance to showcase his talents on the Murrayfield turf after being named in the Scarlets side to take on Edinburgh tonight (7.35).
The New Zealand-born back-rower is part of Gregor Townsend’s Scotland squad for the autumn Test series, but isn’t available for Saturday’s opener against Wales in Cardiff because the match sits outside of World Rugby’s Test window.
Instead, Thomson will have an early taste of the Scottish HQ in Scarlets colours.
A summer arrival from the Hurricanes, he has been hugely impressive in the opening two months of the season.
He missed last week’s trip to South Africa – he picked up a knock in the European defeat to Leicester and his wife gave birth to their second child – but has been cleared for a match between two of the Guinness PRO14’s Conference B play-off contenders.
“The plan wasn’t to give Blade as much rugby as he has had, but injuries meant he was forced straight into action and he has done well,” said head coach Wayne Pivac.
“We monitor him through training, he has light weeks so he has fuel in the tank for the weekend. We decided not to risk taking him to South Africa because of the injury and it so happened his wife had a baby as well so it was good timing for them.
“He is over the injury and the timing of him having a bit of break last weekend paid dividends with us getting the result as well.”
As well as Thomson, who slots into the back row alongside stand-in skipper Will Boyde and Josh Macleod, Pivac has recalled centre Kieron Fonotia.
The Samoan international has missed the last three weeks after being suspended for dangerous play against the Ospreys.
He partners skipper Paul Asquith in midfield with Steff Hughes having picked up an injury in training.
In a reshuffled back division, Johnny McNicholl switches to fullback, allowing Morgan Williams to come in for his first PRO14 start. South African Clayton Blommetjies, who picked up an ankle injury against the Kings, is named among the replacements.
In the other change to the side that won 41-34 in Port Elizabeth, Wales squad member Ryan Elias has been released from the national camp and replaces Dafydd Hughes at hooker.
D Fife; T Brown, J Johnstone, C Dean, D van der Merwe; S Hickey, H Pyrgos (c), P Schoeman, R Ford, M McCallum, J Hodgson, C Hunter-Hill, L Hamilton, A Miller, B Mata. Reps: D Cherry, R Sutherland, P Ceccarelli, C Atkinson, L Wynne, N Fowles, J Baggott, JP Socino.
J McNicholl; I Nicholas, K Fonotia, P Asquith, M Williams; D Jones, S Hidalgo-Clyne; P Price, R Elias, W Kruger. D Bulbring, S Cummins, B Thomson, J Macleod, W Boyde (c). Reps: D Hughes, D Evans, S Gardiner, T Price, E Kennedy, K Hardy, C Blommetjies, U Cassiem.
Ben O’Keefe (NZ).
Edinburgh: Scarlets: Referee: