TOE THE LINE OR YOU’LL BE HAMMERED
Cockerill warns Edinburgh stars
RICHARD COCKERILL will root out any Edinburgh bad eggs whose behaviour could cost both club and country.
The head coach has pledged to take a tough stance on off-field indiscipline at the club which has two Scotland stars at the centre of separate incidents.
He has stripped the captaincy from Magnus Bradbury who suffered a head injury after falling during a late-night drinking session and John Hardie has been suspended pending an internal investigation over allegations of cocaine use which has also ruled him out of the upcoming autumn tests with Scotland.
Cockerill refused to comment on Hardie’s ongoing issue but is ready to read the riot act at a club which he admits has to get tough over their code of conduct.
He said: “We have to have a strong culture here as there is a perception that the culture is a little bit loose. Well I need to tighten the belt on that. If our captain behaves like that then there has to be a consequence and this is the consequence.
“The world has changed from 20 years ago. Back then I could have just denied it as nobody would have a photo or have recorded it on their phones, thankfully.
“You need to understand you are a professional person in a sports team and the standards are different. You need to pick and choose when you rewind from every day life.
“Over time we will get a group of players who will make the right choices.”
●Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has named 10 uncapped players in a 36-man squad which has been decimated by injuries for next month’s Autumn Test series.
Squad: Forwards – Berghen, Bhatti, Barclay, Cummings, Du Preez, Z Fagerson, Ford, Gilchrist, J Gray, Harley, Hamilton, Marfo, McInally, Nel, Ritchie, Swinson, Toolis, Turner, Wilson, Watson. Backs – Burleigh, Dunbar, Fife, Fowles, Harris, Grigg, Hogg, Horne, Jackson, L Jones, H Jones, McGuigan, Price, Pyrgos, Russell, Seymour.
Over time we will get a group of players who will make the right choices RICHARD COCKERILL