BURLEIGH’S BREAK PUTS GAME IN PERSPECTIVE

EDINBURGH’S struggling season will have taken its toll on their players but for Phil Burleigh, a recent break at home offered perspective, if little in the way of respite. Three weeks ago, the Kiwi centre returned to Christchurch for a holiday only for the city to be struck once again by an earthquake. It’s a threat the locals must, of course, live with but Burleigh also revealed that his trips home now, rather unfortunately, seemingly coincide with the quakes. ‘Every time I go back to Christchurch, there seems to be a big earthquake and they might as well put a headline in the paper saying I’m coming,’ said the New Zealander. ‘I was back last year and we had an earthquake that registered 5.8. ‘I was there for the one in 2010 but wasn’t there for the big one in 2011, when there were a lot of deaths. ‘The earthquake last month when I was at home was big and it lasted for about two-and-a-half minutes but was quite silent whereas the other ones were quite loud and scary. ‘When the quake hit this time I was at my parents’ house, who live right by the beach. The tsunami sirens went off and there was a lot of traffic on the road with people trying to get out of the area. ‘That earthquake was upgraded to a 7.9 in the end and it is a frightening thing that I would not wish on anyone. ‘The earthquakes back home certainly puts rugby into perspective.’ Now back in Scotland, Burleigh (below) is turning his attention once again to trying to salvage Edinburgh’s season. It will be no easy task. Duncan Hodge’s team face a strong Stade Francais side in the European Challenge Cup tomorrow night at Murrayfield. Edinburgh have managed just three wins in ten Guinness Pro12 games but have secured European victories over Harlequins at home and Timisoara Saracens in Romania. It is that inconsistency which has left the 30-year-old exasperated and he recalled his time at Super Rugby side the Highlanders back in the 2013 season, when they only won three out of 16 games all season, despite having some world-class All Blacks in their ranks. ‘It is very frustrating when you struggle for consistency but it happens

in teams I’ve been involved with, especially the Highlanders,’ said Burleigh, who joined Edinburgh in 2014. ‘We had a star-studded team with a host of All Blacks such as Ma’a Nonu, Tony Woodcock, Aaron Smith, Hosea Gear, Brad Thorn and Andrew Hore and we won just three games that year. ‘It was frustrating as we were up one week and down the next. ‘It’s really hard to put a finger on it when you can’t get a run of results sometimes, as we found with the Highlanders. ‘Having been through it back in New Zealand, all we can do at Edinburgh is keep working hard in training and, more than anything, it is a players thing. ‘We know we have to correct it and I’m sure, in the next few weeks, we will as we are taking huge responsibility ourselves. ‘The coach has done a great job since stepping in and I think, on the field, you’ve seen a lot of good things, especially in our ability to attack. ‘We’re still doing those things even when we are losing games, so we know our defence has to improve. ‘Against Stade, it is about putting everything together as a full package. We’ve got to play as a 23 really as the guys off the bench are just important if we want to win.’