Cockerill revels in turning of tables
FrESH from becoming the first Scottish team ever to triumph at Toulon’s Stade Mayol, Edinburgh now have it within their power to create history for the second time in the space of a week.
In terms of any New Year resolutions they might have made, this is a habit they won’t be in a rush to kick.
What it does, as well, is provide an intriguing sub-plot to Friday night’s showdown with Montpellier at BT Murrayfield.
If richard Cockerill’s men can defeat French opposition for the second time in as many weeks, they will clinch top spot in Pool 5 of the Heineken Champions Cup, and, with it, a home quarter-final.
An Edinburgh victory would also secure qualification for Glasgow Warriors, as the Scotstoun side would then be guaranteed to finish as one of the best three runners-up ahead of their game at Saracens on Saturday.
Such an outcome would represent the first time in history that Scotland has had two teams in the knockout stages of the European Cup.
That would undoubtedly be a high-water mark for the nation’s club rugby — and Edinburgh’s position of authority in it all is not lost on Cockerill.
Considering they were viewed as Glasgow’s poor relatives for many a long year, he afforded himself a smile in acknowledging how the tables have turned.
‘What you are saying is that Glasgow are relying on us?’ grinned the Edinburgh head coach when it was put to him that his team could do the Warriors a huge favour.
‘There’s a change. We can look after our little brothers from the other end of the motorway.
‘Scottish rugby is getting stronger and stronger. If us getting to a quarter-final helps everybody else, then great. If we can help Glasgow on the way, so be it. They have a tough afternoon to come at Allianz Park, but we have to focus on ourselves.
‘We are surprising ourselves, really. It is a new adventure for me as a coach and I just want this to keep going.’
Following last weekend’s stunning victory in the south of France, the weight of momentum behind Cockerill and his players feels irresistible. There is now a genuine belief among the squad — and a certain level of expectation for them to finish the job against Vern Cotter’s side.
Cockerill would never willingly relinquish the underdogs tag.
But, with a degree of caution, he admits his players are now operating at the opposite end of the spectrum.
‘We’re under pressure and I want to see how we react to that, because the only way for us to learn is to play these games,’ he continued. ‘Can we cope with the expectation? That’s the next challenge for us, you know?
‘Listen, we might fall flat on our faces and we might lose. But that’s sport. We still are (underdogs). Look at our squad and the Montpellier squad, but we will give it a good go.
‘Look at the old Scottish adage of: “We’re great when we’re underdogs and we s*** ourselves when we’re meant to win”.
‘I’m not sure we’re meant to win, but we’ll go out there, gumshields in, sleeves rolled up and we’re going to get into the middle of it and have a right old crack.
‘Montpellier’s squad is pretty impressive. But we have some f ****** good players as well. I want to back our guys and we are playing to win.’
For all their array of world-class players, Montpellier’s record in Europe leaves a little to be desired. They have won just one of their last 13 matches away from home, which came at Scotstoun against Warriors in December 2017.
If that gives Edinburgh confidence, then so, too, does the outstanding form of Bill Mata, man of the match against Toulon.
Under contract until 2020, Cockerill quipped: ‘Mata will be here for a long time to come. If we’ve got any ambition as a club, we’re going to do everything to keep our best players.
‘I don’t give a monkey’s about anybody else. We are not going to be a selling club.’
Asked about the necessary finance to keep a world-class talent such as the Fijian, Cockerill laughed: ‘I’ll sell whichever one of my children’s kidneys... I would say brain but it wouldn’t be worth much.
‘We’ll do everything we can to keep our best players because that’s how it should be. How realistic that is, we’ll see. But I’m up for the battle, don’t worry.’
one player who does seem likely to depart, however, is Scotland prop Allan Dell, with a deal to join London Irish thought to be nearing completion.
‘Allan won’t be with us next season,’ confirmed Cockerill.
‘As far as I know, he’s signed a contract with London Irish.
‘It’s a good opportunity for him and he’s got family that have just moved to London.
‘We wish him well.’