Cockerill banking on home comforts

EDINBURGH’S rocky start to the season will not be helped by 17 players being unavailable due to injury or international selection, but coach Richard Cockerill insists home advantage can get his side up and running.

After defeats to Ospreys and Munster in the opening two rounds of the competition, the international window comes at a bad time for Cockerill.

Matt Gordon, Lee Roy Atalifo, Luke Crosbie, Viliame Mata, Grant Gilchrist, Damien Hoyland, Fraser McKenzie are all injured, while Edinburgh’s back three trio of Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe and Blair Kinghorn all scored in Scotland’s win over Georgia on Friday.

The rest of Edinburgh’s Scotland contingent are forwards, but Cockerill did not make excuses ahead of the match at Murrayfield.

“We’ve got quite a few players unavailable but we are excited for the challenge of taking on a very good Connacht outfit,” said Cockerill, who makes 12 changes from a 25-23 loss at Munster.

“We’re proud of our home record; we like playing at Murrayfield and the squad we’ve selected will be desperate to impress and make sure we come away with a positive result.”

Cockerill welcomes back lock Lewis Carmichael and No.9 Henry Pyrgos from injury, while Scotland U20s full-back Jack Blain makes his first start.

Connacht have six players making their first starts of the season, including No.8 Abraham Papali'i.

The visitors, who beat Glasgow on the opening weekend before losing in Cardiff, go with a new-look half-back partnership of Conor Fitzgerald and Caolin Blade, while there is a place at lock for Eoghan Masterson.