Cockerill rings changes as Edinburgh get their show on the road
● Head coach wants a big performance after a tortuous journey to Bordeaux
Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill has admitted that t he s e c ond- t i er European Challenge Cup lies well below the premier Heineken Champ i o n s C u p a n d Gui n n e s s Pro14 on his list of priorities but that doesn’t mean he will expect less than a committed performance by his team and a real go at winning the tournament.
Despite t he questionable prestige of the competition and awkward timing for obvious reasons, Cockerill expects his men to show professional pride in today’s quarter- final at star- studded French side Bordeaux- Begles and make a torturous journey to and from a country believed to be a few weeks ahead of the UK with a surging Covid- 19 spike worth the hassle.
Speaking just before leaving BT Murrayfield for the chartered flight early yesterday morning, Cockerill said: “We’re straight from Murrayfield at 8am and t wo buses to the airport so that we can socially distance on the bus.
“We’ll be the same on the plane. We get to Bordeaux and it’s the same – two buses to the hotel, and then we can’t leave the restricted areas, which is our team room and our own bedrooms. Then the same to the ground – two buses, play the game, t wo buses to the airport, come home, then two buses back to Murrayfield. Bob’s your uncle!”
Injuries have forced Cockerill into changes from the starting XV he fielded against Ulster in the Pro14 semi- final l oss a f or t ni ght ago, with Duhan van der Merwe ( calf ), Nic Groom ( calf ) , WP Nel ( groin) and Mark Bennett all out, although all expected to be back soon.
Damien Hoyland comes in on the left wing, young Charlie Shiel gets another start at scrum- half, George Turner is in at inside centre to partner James Johnstone, while Simon Berghan replaces Nel at tighthead. Elsewhere, Jamie Ritchie makes his first start since last month’s resumption in a formidable back row with Hamish Watson and Bill Mata, and Pierre Schoeman is chosen to start ahead of Rory Sutherland at loosehead for this one.
Cockerill is expecting a fierce challenge f rom Bordeaux, who have strength all over from France skipper Jefferson Poirot in the front row out to a backline run by tyro stand
off Matthieu Jalibert. It will be warm, too.
“For us Scotsmen,” said the Englishman with a grin. “It is going to be 25 or 26 degrees so we are going to have to have cold towels every ten minutes.
“The attrition rate of t he game and the way they play with a very big set of forwards, I just thought that having the opportunity to use a lock and two back rowers along with the front rowers was probably my thought process. We take a slight risk at 10, but with what has happened budget wise I don’t think Nathan Chamberlain would be a viable option to bring off the bench. I’m not going to make a change unless Jaco is injured. That’s the thought and we will see if it is a good one after the game.”
Edinburgh faced the rising force in French rugby, who were well ahead in the Top 14 before the shutdown, twice in the pool stages, drawing 16- 16
at home before losing 32- 17 in Bordeaux.
“Bordeaux would probably see t hemselves as odds- on favourites to be good enough to win the competition,” said Cockerill. “I think they will take it very seriously. I think they will come with their best team and will be dead set on trying to win the competition.
“Jalibert is a very sharp player if you let him get on the front foot which is quite a lot because their big forward pack can built him the momentum.
“He’s sharp on the break if you give him opportunities. If you start sliding sideways in defence he’ll take the space and go through it very well. He’s a very good goalkicker. A quality player.
“They’re a very well- coached side, closer to a UK team rather than a French side, because they’re pragmatic and get out of their own half. They don’t take a huge amount of risk.”
“Bordeaux would probably see themselves as odds- on favourites to be good enough to win the competition. I think they will take it very seriously”
RICHARD COCKERILL