Hardie dream is to earn a call-up

EDINBURGH’S John Hardie will play against Scarlets tonight in his first competitive match of a league season he hopes will lead all the way to a Lions call-up for next summer’s tour to New Zealand. Returning to his homeland with Warren Gatland’s squad would be a dream come true for the openside flanker who grew up on a sheep farm there. But he knows he has to be playing well in a winning capital side if he’s to be given the platform to catch Gatland’s eye with Scotland during the Autumn Tests and Six Nations. Hardie, eligible to wear the dark blue courtesy of a Scottish grandmother, missed Edinburgh’s openingday defeat in the Guinness Pro12 at Cardiff Blues but his return to first-team action could provide the spark Alan Solomons’ men need at Murrayfield this evening. ‘This is a big year and one I’m looking forward to,’ said Hardie, already being talked about as serious Lions contender. ‘There is competition here at Edinburgh, with Hamish Watson playing really well, so my first priority is to play regularly for my club.’ Hardie’s return in place of Watson in the back row is one of five changes made by Solomons to the starting team that lost 34-16 last week. EDINBURGH: Bryce; Allen, Tofilau, Burleigh, Brown; Weir, Fowles; Sutherland, Ford, Nel, Toolis, Gilchrist, Ritchie, Hardie, Bradbury. Kick-off: 7.35pm. Live on BBC Alba.