Scott wants Edinburgh to be ‘horrible’ like Munster
MATT SCOTT last night warned his Edinburgh team-mates they will have to become as ‘horrible to play against’ as Munster if they are to take anything from their Heineken Cup opener against the streetwise Irish at Murrayfield on Saturday.
The strong-running centre is set to make his first start of the season in the European clash after missing the beginning of the campaign through injury — and says a home win would be a major morale booster f or a capital side currently bottom of the Rabo Pro12 league.
However, warning his colleagues about what to expect from a Munster outfit well versed in the dark arts, the 23-year-old Scotland international said: ‘They are so confrontational and are always in your face for 80 minutes. They will heckle you on the ground and chirp away in your ear whenever they get the chance.
‘They are a horrible team to play against. They are nitty-gritty opposition with experienced, streetwise campaigners all over the pitch. As a unit they are a top team who are really effective at what they do.
‘We have to be just like them out there on Saturday. We have to be equally as horrible to play against and equally as streetwise in what’s going to be a tough, physical game.’
Scott scored a try in Edinburgh’s l ast win over Munster two years ago, on what was his 21st birthday, but has been on the end of some heavy defeats against them since then.
He was part of the team who l ost 26- 17 at home in l ast season’s Heineken Cup before being destroyed 33- 0 i n the return at Thomond Park.
The scale of that defeat in Limerick still rankles with Scott, who is desperate for some measure of revenge against a team just two points behind leaders Glasgow at the top of the Pro12 table.
‘ That 33- 0 defeat was an absolute disaster and I don’t want that sort of result to happen again,’ said the 15-times-capped star. ‘It was just horrible to play in and we never hit any sort of form. It was pretty humiliating.
‘A year on, some people may think we are underdogs because they beat us twice last season in Europe and because of our poor start to the season. But we can’t be written off. We have home advantage and the team are starting to get better under Alan Solomons week by week.’
Scott’s expected return to the starting line-up will be a huge boost for an Edinburgh side likely to be without former All Black centre Ben Atiga, who has a dislocated finger.
After tearing an ankle ligament 10 minutes into a pre- season friendly against Northampton Saints, the only action Scott has experienced so far this season was when he came off the bench in the defeat against Cardiff Blues last weekend.
‘I felt a bit rusty coming on against Cardiff and made a few mistakes,’ he admitted. ‘I was blowing a bit at the end but I feel ready to start against Munster.
‘I’ll still have to get my ankle strapped but I feel 100-per-cent fit again. It will be great to start my first match of the season if I get the chance. I’ve been frustrated not being able to play in our first five league games.
‘The Heineken Cup is a great place for me to return and a win on Saturday would give us the perfect start.’
However, after experiencing both the highs and l ows of European rugby, Scott was unwilling to make any bold predictions about Edinburgh’s chances in a group including Perpignan and Gloucester.
‘Two years ago I was part of the Edinburgh team that got to the semi-final of the Heineken Cup, then I was brought back down to earth the following season when we lost every single game,’ he said.
‘Because of that rollercoaster r i de I’m not making any predictions over how well we’re going to do this year.
‘I don’t know what the magic formula is, but games can be decided on small margins and you need to carry your luck.’