Strange days as seasons set to overlap but Cockerill is focused
● Edinburgh coach wants to make the most of Challenge Cup opportunity after Pro14 woe
Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill says Saturday’s European Challenge Cup quarterfinal against Bordeaux-begles sums up a “strange” situation which sees rugby try to close the book on the interrupted 2019-20 season before a new one starts next month.
The Englishman insists he will pick a strong team for the match in France and hop es his side can unleash the frustration of the recent dispiriting home loss to Ulster in the Guinness Pro14 semi-final.
“If we get through this weekend we will have a semi-final away at Bristol[ who host Dragons this weekend] you would have thought ,” said Cockerill. “Then we start the [2020-21] season. Then there’s two weeks of the season then the [2019 -20 Challenge Cup] final so it is all a bit strange. Our season is going to roll from one end to the other.”
The Pro14 still hopes to get going with the new campaign over the first weekend of October but no fixtures have been released.
As far as the Bordeaux game is concerned, Cockerill said: “I will pick the best team that is available and I think is ready to win the game.
“I don’ t think we’ ve ever underplayed being in Europe, whether it’ s the Challenge Cup or the premier competition. We’ve always wanted to do well in Europe and always wanted to win. I don’t think we are a good enough team historically to star t picking and choosing competitions. We want to go as far as we can.”
Cockerill concedes it will be a tough ask against the rising force of French rugby. B or - deaux were eight points clear at the top when the Top 14 was scrapped due to Covid-19.
Edinburgh played them twice in the pool stage, drawing 16-16 at home and then being well beaten in Bordeaux.
Despite France’ s ninth biggest city being prominent in a recent surge in coronavirus cases across the country, a crowd of 1,000 is due to attend the game after 5,000 watched Bordeaux start the new season with a 25-20 home win over Brive at the weekend.
“Bordeaux area very good team, we have played them twice already this season. If Covid hadn’t come along, they probably would have been champions of France because they were the best team by far,” said Cockerill, who had a stint in charge of Toul on before joining Edinburgh in 2017.
“Clearly, we weren’t as far down the development curve as we thought. We let ourselves down against Ulster. But what do we do? Do we pack all our kit away and never play again or do we get out on the pitch and train and work hard and try to get better?”
The quarter-final clash gives Edinburgh a chance to break the spell of Cockerill’s knockout jinx during his otherwise excellent tenure.
Last week, full-back Blair King horn accepted the Edinburgh players may benefit from psychological help to banish the recurring lapses under pressure which culminated in a last-gasp 22-19 defeat to Ulster despite a 12-point lead in the second half.
“It might be some help for me ,” said Cock er ill with a smile .“We have sports psychologists available for guys who need them and we have used them already this year. Each to their own. I don’t have any thoughts either way. If players need that kind of help it is there for them to use.
“I’m op en to any thing that makes our guys better. Some guys like them, some guys don’t. It’s something we can happily use and do use.”
Cockerill confirmed the possibility of signing 30-year-old South African lock An dries Ferreira from the Blue Bulls but accepts any recruitment at present will be limited for obvious reasons.
The coach said: “We’re a little bit short in the second row. Fraser McKenzie is out for several months with a dislo - cated shoulder and we’ve got some issues with Lewis Carmichael with concussion. My best guess would be that in a few weeks’ time we’re going to lose two locks to international duty for eight weeks.
“So we’ re looking at some options there to give us some cover, and Ferreira is one of those, along with many others.
“At this point it will be shortterm to cover for the needs we have. I don’t mind spending money, but the powers that be don’t want to spend any money for obvious reasons. I get that, but we have to have players to play, don’t we?”