The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Murrayfield days come to an end for prop Marfo
Loosehead who was thrust into Scotland team in search of another club
Two years after he signed with Edinburgh and was catapulted into the Scotland national team, Darryl Marfo has left the capital club to seek playing possibilities elsewhere.
The loosehead prop was something of an emergency signing for Richard Cockerill when he took charge at Edinburgh in 2017. Marfo was born in London but within a couple of months he was playing for Scotland by virtue of his mother being born in Ayr.
Marfo played in all three November Tests against Samoa, New Zealand and Australia in 2017 and 12 times in all for Edinburgh. But an injury cost him his place in early 2018 and he has been unable to feature since.
The club and player have mutually agreed to a parting of the ways before the end of the contract he signed after his meteoric start.
“For Marfs it is an opportunity,” said Steve Lawrie, Edinburgh’s assistant coach.
“We recognise that he has not had a lot of rugby. He plays in a position we have a lot of strength in, and it was just felt between the club and Darryl that it was best for him that he sought opportunities elsewhere.
“Darryl has trained really hard, he’s played really well when he’s had a chance as well. He had that great stint when he was in the national squad and played some of his best rugby, but it is now just a case that it is in his best interests that he moves on.
“Jamie Bhatti is with us now and he has played really well. We’ve got Pierre Schoeman and Rory Sutherland, so we’ve got a lot of guys in that position who are performing as well.”
Edinburgh, meanwhile, are still waiting on John Barclay to complete concussion protocols but think he could feature in this weekend’s game against Wasps at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
“John is just undergoing the usual protocols, but he’s got a chance for Saturday,” said Lawrie of the former Scotland captain, who announced last week he was quitting international rugby and will therefore be available to the club during the Six Nations campaign.
“That has definitely been discussed,” said Lawrie.
“John is an important part of our make-up, he brings a lot of experience to the squad.
“He’s a former Scotland captain and done a lot of things at the top end – so we recognise that particularly during that window when guys are away with Scotland he is going to be an important figure.”
● Wales forward Cory Hill is closing in on a return to action after almost 10 months out of the game.
The Dragons lock has been sidelined due to a stress fracture in his leg.
He has not played since Wales beat England during last season’s Guinness Six Nations.