Currie champing at the bit after ‘weird’ season

IT HAS been a frustrating year for Matt Currie and many of his team-mates in the Edinburgh academy. On the verge of becoming full-time professionals, they should be playing as much rugby as possible, with every minute of game time providing invaluable experience.

Instead, the suspension of Super6 and the postponement until June of the Under-20s Six Nations means they have been restricted to no more than the odd cameo appearance in Richard Cockerill’s team.

But things are looking up. The Rainbow Cup, which begins for Edinburgh with a home game against Zebre on Friday, offers one chance for Currie and co to play more matches. Then the age-group Six Nations will provide another.

Needless to say, the academy players have not been idle since the domestic game was suspended in March last year, and 20-yearold Currie is convinced he has learned a lot, even if the lack of matches has been far from ideal.

“It has been a very weird season,” said the centre, who made his Edinburgh debut off the bench in February for the final 10 minutes against Munster, and had another, longer substitute’s appearance last month against the Dragons. “We’ve not had the Super6, which a lot of boys would have had.

“So it’s weird in that sense, but at the same time we’re training week-in and week-out, and for young boys like me it’s a great opportunity to learn from all the Edinburgh players, all the older boys like Mark Bennett, who’s been great for me.

“I think a lot of the boys would say we’ve learned a lot this year. I guess we’re in quite a lucky situation that we actually get to train every day. So even though we’ve missed out on game time, I feel we’ve had a great season, just learning and training and everything, getting feedback from all the coaches.”

While Currie is hopeful of playing a few games in the Rainbow Cup, Cockerill has made no promises, insisting it is up to the centre to prove he merits a place.

“In training he’ll give me advice and tell me what my work-ons are. And he’ll tell me it’s up to me, basically, to put my hand up for selection – just do everything I can in training to get my foot in the door and take that opportunity if it comes.”