EDINBURGH SWITCH KINGHORN TO FLY-HALF
EDINBURGH head coach Mike Blair has indicated that he plans to play an exciting brand of rugby this season by naming the attack-minded Scotland international Blair Kinghorn out of position at fly-half alongside talented scrum-half Ben Vellacott. The pair start together for the first time against Benetton at the new Edinburgh Rugby stadium in the final pre-season friendly tomorrow before they kick off their league campaign with a home game against Scarlets next weekend.
Blair has picked a back-line full of flair with Kinghorn, who usually plays at full-back or on the wing, given the No 10 jersey and told to run the ball more than kick it. The backs include new signing Henry Immelman at full-back with Damien Hoyland and Darcy Graham on the wings. Cammy Hutchison and the experienced Mark Bennett are in the centre. Blair welcomes back five Scotland
internationals — Jamie Ritchie, Grant Gilchrist and Stuart McInally as well as Kinghorn and Graham — all of whom will be playing their first game of the season. ‘We’re delighted to welcome back a number of the club’s experienced internationalists for this game,’ said Blair. ‘They’ll have significant roles to play as the United Rugby Championship gets started in just over a week’s time, and it’s important that they get this game time under their belts. ‘Benetton are a quality side that were worthy and deserved winners of the Rainbow Cup, while they’re a team that we’ll face twice in our URC Conference. We look forward to the challenge that Saturday’s match-up presents and the squad are excited to once again play in front of our home support in our brand-new stadium.’
EDINBURGH: Immelman; Graham, Bennett, Hutchison, Hoyland; Kinghorn, Vellacott; Schoeman, McInally, De Bruin, Sykes, Gilchrist, Ritchie, Crosbie, Bradbury.