Hodge only focused on getting win
EDINBURGH’S task in their first home match under new management is pretty simple, according to interim head coach Duncan Hodge.
‘We need to win,’ he said, looking ahead to tonight’s Guinness Pro12 match against Treviso.
Simplicity is the key for Hodge to turning around fortunes in the capital, worrying less about cultivating a bright picture for the long-term and more on a ruthless approach to dominating the Italians and not letting up until the final whistle blows.
Both of tonight’s protagonists have both won just once in five games this season, have injury headaches exposing frail strength in depth and, ultimately, view the other as eminently beatable and a route to restoring confidence.
A return of just six wins in 18 games since beating Glasgow in January tells its own story about Edinburgh’s lack of self-belief.
Hodge accepted that, saying: ‘We played some good stuff against Leinster, scored three tries and should have scored three more, but we’re not in that habit of being ruthless, relentless and putting teams away, which needs to change.
‘If every area goes up 15-20 per cent it would make a difference because it doesn’t take much at this level to flip things around. We need to believe that, be positive in our thinking and trust that is going to happen on Friday night.’
In what is fierce competition for the back-row places, Cornell du Preez and Jamie Ritchie are left out, John Hardie starts on the bench and Hamish Watson joins No8 Nasi Manu and the on-form Magnus Bradbury.
Blair Kinghorn makes is first start of the season at full-back, with Tom Brown back from injury, and up front Ewan McQuillin has flown up from London Scottish as temporary cover for the tighthead prop crisis.
Rory Sutherland will lead the team out in his 50th appearance, and the former Hawick and Gala player believes this is the perfect opportunity for Edinburgh to rediscover their confidence.
‘There is a sense that we feel we let Solly (former head coach Alan Solomons) down a bit,’ he said. ‘He’s done a lot for the club and a lot for my career.
‘Two and a half years ago, I was standing in a welding shop. I got the phone call from him asking me if I wanted to come up for a trial and, after a couple of weeks, I got a contract.
‘I never thought I’d win 50 caps for Edinburgh. Now that I’m here I want to get 100, so it’s tough to see him go. But we’re professionals and we need to get winning again.’
EDINBURGH: Kinghorn; Hoyland, Allen, Dean, Brown; Tovey, Kennedy; Sutherland, Ford, McQuillin, Toolis, Gilchrist (capt), Bradbury, Watson, Manu. Replacements: McInally, Dell, McCallum, Carmichael, Hardie, Fowles, Bryce, Rasolea.