Edinburgh are my dark horses

ALEX BYWATER gets the lowdown on the new season from former Wales star Lee Byrne

LEE Byrne believes the combination of Richard Cockerill’s savvy coaching and his team’s summer recruitment can make Edinburgh the dark horses to rival established Guinness PRO14 giants Leinster and Scarlets this season.

Former Wales and British & Irish Lions full-back Byrne knows exactly what it takes to claim Celtic League glory having won the title with the Ospreys in both 2007 and 2010.

Byrne was man of the match and scored a try in the second of those finals as part of what was a glittering career at the highest level.

While he insists defending champions Leinster and last season’s beaten finalists Scarlets are the teams to beat in the 2018-19 campaign, Byrne says Edinburgh can cause a shock.

“The PRO14 is a league that’s growing and growing and I’m really looking forward to the new season,” Byrne, now 38, told The Rugby Paper.

“In a World Cup year players know there’s extra incentive to perform at club level and that’s why we could see the best season of the PRO14 yet.

“Leinster and Scarlets will be the two teams to beat. They both got to the final last season and they are the most consistent sides in the competition.

“But if you’re looking for a team which could break out from the pack and rival that pair, then I think Edinburgh can be the ones to do it. They’re the team I’m tipping as a surprise package.

“Cockerill is a very shrewd coach as we saw when he worked at Leicester. I’m sure he’ll be playing down their expectations, but at the same time there will be expectation there.

“Last season was Cockerill’s first in charge and I think Edinburgh will only get better this year. Time will tell if they have the consistency to challenge the top teams, but they have the potential to do that.”

Last season, the men from the Scottish capital finished third in Conference B, winning 15 of their 21 games before going down to defeat to Munster in the quarter-finals.

“I’m not sure about Edinburgh winning the title, but I sense the potential for a power shift in Scottish club rugby,” Byrne said. “Edinburgh at the moment remind me of Glasgow’s early days under Gregor Townsend and of course they went on to lift the trophy under him in 2015.

“Edinburgh have recruited well with John Barclay, Simon Hickey, Matt Scott and Juan Pablo Socino all good signings plus I really like Henry Pyrgos too. He’s a very exciting player.” Last season’s PRO14 and Champions Cup double winners Leinster are 6/4 favourites to repeat their domestic success and Byrne acknowledges they are the strongest team in

the competition.

But he believes Wales’ four regions also have the ability to if not all push Leo Cullen’s men close, better their displays last season.

“The Scarlets will be Wales’ best hope of winning the title. They’ll have been deflated at losing the semi-final to Leinster, but they’ll respond from that reality check,” Byrne said.

“Having Jonathan Davies back from injury is huge for Wayne Pivac and he will want to end on a high in what is his last season before he moves into the Wales job.

“I know they’ve lost Scott Williams, but I think Clayton Blommetjies has the potential to do big things from fullback. He’s already made a big impression and on the whole, Welsh rugby is in a good place with the Dragons, Ospreys and Cardiff Blues all strengthening.

“If they can keep everyone fit, the Ospreys also have big potential. Last year was a shocker and I hope it was an anomaly because it wasn’t of the standard the region expects.

“Allen Clarke has had a long time to build into this season and he has real quality to work with in guys like George North.

“The Dragons and Blues are also on the up too and they must be very happy with their summer recruitment. All four Welsh regions should be hopeful of better seasons than last.

“If I was to pick a potential winner I’d go for Leinster. But the exciting thing is there are at least six other teams who will be confident of being there or thereabouts when push comes to shove.

“Not every league can say that which is what makes it exciting.”